📊 Our Test Results:
- 📧 E-Mail-Volumen: Instantly handles 125,000 emails/mo vs Mailshake’s limited sending — Instantly wins
- 🔥 Warmup Network: Instantly’s 1.5M+ pool vs Mailshake’s basic warmup — Instantly wins
- 📞 Mehrkanal: Mailshake includes phone dialer + LinkedIn vs Instantly email-only — Mailshake wins
- 💰 Value per Dollar: Instantly $30/mo unlimited accounts vs Mailshake $59/user — Instantly wins
- 🎯 Lead Database: Instantly offers 160M+ B2B contacts vs Mailshake’s separate Daten Finder — Instantly wins
Are you drowning in manual follow-ups and cold emails that never get opened?
Du brauchst einen Kaltakquise per E-Mail platform that actually lands in inboxes.
Two big names dominate this space: Instantly and Mailshake.
Both promise to help you book more meetings.
But they take very different approaches to get there.
I tested Instantly vs Mailshake for 3 weeks across real outreach campaigns.
Here’s my honest breakdown of what actually works.
Überblick
To give you the most accurate comparison, I purchased both Instantly and Mailshake.
I ran real campaigns with each tool.
I tracked deliverability, response rates, and ease of use.
I also dug into user reviews from G2, Capterra, and Reddit.
This comparison will help you pick the right tool for your outreach.
Was bedeutet „sofort“?
Instantly is a cold email platform built for high-volume outreach.
It lets you connect unlimited email accounts under one dashboard.
The platform includes automated warmup for every account you add.
This keeps your emails out of spam folders.
Instantly also offers a B2B lead database with over 160 million contacts.
You can find prospects and email them from the same platform.
Sofort
Scale your cold email outreach with unlimited sending accounts and automated warmup. Instantly’s 1.5M+ user warmup network helps you land in primary inboxes instead of spam.
Sofortige Preisgestaltung
Here’s what Instantly costs in 2026.
The platform offers separate plans for outreach, lead finding, and CRM.
| Planen | Preis | Am besten geeignet für |
|---|---|---|
| Wachstum | 30 $/Monat | Solo founders testing cold email |
| Hyperwachstum | 77,60 €/Monat | Growing teams scaling outreach |
| Lichtgeschwindigkeit | 286,30 €/Monat | Agencies running high-volume campaigns |
| Unternehmen | Brauch | Large organizations with custom needs |
Kostenlose Testversion: Yes, 14 days with no credit card required.
Geld-zurück-Garantie: No refunds, but the free trial lets you test before paying.
📌 Notiz: All outreach plans include unlimited email accounts and unlimited warmup. The main difference is contact limits and email volume per month.
⚠️ Warning: Lead database credits and CRM features require separate plans. Your total cost can reach $150-400/month if you need the full stack.
Key Benefits of Instantly
Here’s why Instantly stands out from other cold email tools:
- Unbegrenzte E-Mail-Konten: Connect as many sending accounts as you want. No per-seat pricing means you can scale without extra costs.
- Massive Warmup Network: Over 1.5 million users in the warmup pool. This creates realistic email activity that builds your sender reputation fast.
- Smart Inbox Rotation: Automatically spreads your sends across multiple accounts. This protects your domains and keeps deliverability high.
- Built-in Lead Database: Access 160 million B2B contacts with verified emails. Filter by job title, company size, industry, and location.
- AI Email Writer: Generate personalized email copy and subject lines. The AI uses your campaign goals to Handwerk relevant messages.
- Unified Inbox (Unibox): Manage all campaign replies from one place. Categorize leads by intent and never miss a hot prospect.
Instantly Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Unlimited email accounts at no extra charge
- Best-in-class warmup with 1.5M+ user network
- Flat monthly pricing beats per-seat competitors
- Built-in lead database saves on separate tools
- Clean interface with minimal learning curve
❌ Cons
- Email-only platform with no phone or LinkedIn
- Lead credits and CRM require separate plans
- A/B testing locked behind higher tiers
- No phone support on lower plans
Was ist Mailshake?
Mailshake is a sales engagement platform designed for multichannel outreach.
It combines email, phone, and LinkedIn into one sequence.
Sales teams use it to run coordinated campaigns across multiple touchpoints.
The platform has been around since 2015.
Over 49,000 companies trust Mailshake for their outbound sales.
It’s known for hands-on onboarding and strong customer support.
Mailshake
Run multichannel sales sequences across email, phone, and LinkedIn from one dashboard. Mailshake’s power dialer and native CRM integrations make it perfect for established sales teams.
Mailshake Pricing
Here’s what Mailshake costs in 2026.
Unlike Instantly, Mailshake charges per user.
| Planen | Preis | Am besten geeignet für |
|---|---|---|
| Anlasser | 25 $/Monat | Basic email tracking only |
| E-Mail-Marketing | 45 $/Monat | Solo users running email campaigns |
| Verkaufsengagement | 99 $/Monat | Teams needing phone and LinkedIn |
Kostenlose Testversion: No free trial available.
Geld-zurück-Garantie: No refunds. You get concierge onboarding instead.
📌 Notiz: Annual billing gives you discounts. The Starter plan drops to $25/month and Email Outreach to $45/month when paid yearly.
⚠️ Warning: Per-user pricing adds up fast for teams. A 5-person team on Sales Engagement costs $495/month. Some users complain about the no-refund policy.
Key Benefits of Mailshake
Here’s why sales teams choose Mailshake:
- Echte Multichannel-Kommunikation: Combine email, phone calls, and LinkedIn messages in one sequence. Reach prospects wherever they respond best.
- Power Phone Dialer: Make calls directly from your browser. Get unlimited dialer minutes to North American numbers on higher plans.
- LinkedIn-Automatisierung: Send connection requests and messages as part of your sequences. Add social touches without leaving the platform.
- SHAKEspeare AI Writer: Generate email copy and subject lines based on your campaign goals. The AI helps craft messages that get replies.
- Leitender Fänger: See your most engaged leads in one view. Focus your energy on prospects who are ready to convert.
- Native CRM Integrations: Connect directly to Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive. Sync your outreach data without third-party tools.
Mailshake Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- True multichannel with email, phone, and LinkedIn
- Built-in power dialer with free minutes
- Excellent hands-on customer support
- Native Salesforce and Pipedrive integrations
- Simple interface that’s easy to learn
❌ Cons
- Per-user pricing gets expensive for teams
- No free trial to test before buying
- LinkedIn automation only on $99/month plan
- Limited email accounts compared to Instantly
Funktionsvergleich
Ready to see how Instantly and Mailshake stack up feature by feature?
I compared 10 key areas to help you make the right choice.
| Besonderheit | Sofort | Mailshake |
|---|---|---|
| Startpreis | 30 $/Monat | $25/month per user |
| Email Accounts | Unbegrenzt | 1-5 per user |
| E-Mail-Aufwärmübung | ✅ Included (1.5M+ network) | ✅ Basic warmup |
| Phone Dialer | ❌ | ✅ Power dialer |
| LinkedIn-Automatisierung | ❌ | ✅ (Sales Engagement plan) |
| Lead Database | ✅ 160M+ contacts | ✅ Data Finder (separate) |
| CRM-Integration | ✅ Via API/Zapier | ✅ Native Salesforce/HubSpot |
| KI-E-Mail-Schreiber | ✅ | ✅ SHAKEspeare |
| A/B-Testing | ✅ (Hypergrowth+) | ✅ |
| Am besten geeignet für | High-volume email scaling | Multichannel sales teams |
1. Email Sending Capacity
Sofort: Connect unlimited email accounts under one workspace. The Growth plan lets you send 5,000 emails per month. Hypergrowth bumps that to 125,000. Light Speed handles 500,000 emails monthly for agencies.
Inbox rotation distributes sends across all your accounts automatically. This protects sender reputation and avoids hitting provider limits. Users report sending thousands of emails daily without deliverability issues.
Mailshake: Each user can connect 1-5 email accounts depending on your plan. Starter gets one account. Email Outreach gets two. Sales Engagement allows up to five per user.
Daily sending limits depend on your email provider. Gmail allows around 500 emails per day. Google Workspace bumps that to 2,000. Mailshake uses throttling to mimic natural sending patterns and protect deliverability.
⚠️ Warning: Mailshake’s per-user model means adding team members also adds costs. Instantly’s flat rate makes scaling cheaper for growing teams.
2. Email Warmup & Deliverability
Sofort: The warmup network includes over 1.5 million users. Accounts interact with each other to build sender reputation. The system marks emails as important and moves them from spam to inbox.
Every plan includes unlimited warmup at no extra charge. Users report saving over $10,000 per year on warmup alone compared to standalone tools. The network keeps your emails landing in primary inboxes instead of spam folders.
Mailshake: Built-in warmup is included but the network is smaller. You also get domain setup assistance and spam-filter-friendly link tracking. Deliverability training is part of onboarding.
The email setup Assistent walks you through proper domain configuration. Verification tools check your emails before sending. Some users have reported deliverability issues, so testing is essential before launching big campaigns.
3. Lead Database
Sofort: SuperSearch gives you access to 160 million B2B contacts. Filter by job title, company, location, and industry. The AI can write emails based on the leads you find.
Lead credits come with dedicated pricing plans separate from email sending. The database includes verified Geschäft emails with high accuracy rates. You can export leads directly into campaigns without leaving the platform.
Mailshake: Data Finder helps you search for prospects by role, location, or company. It’s a separate feature that finds contact details for your target accounts.
Data Finder credits are purchased separately from your main subscription. The tool enriches your existing lists with verified email addresses. You can filter prospects before importing them into your campaigns.
4. Multichannel-Kommunikation
Sofort: Focused purely on email. No built-in phone dialer or LinkedIn automation. You would need separate tools for multichannel campaigns.
This specialization is by design. Instantly believes doing email well matters more than doing everything poorly. If you need just email outreach at scale, this focused approach delivers better results.
Mailshake: True multichannel platform. Add email, phone calls, and LinkedIn messages to the same sequence. The power dialer lets you call directly from your browser.
LinkedIn automation includes sending connection requests and follow-up messages. You can create personalized outreach across all three channels. Over 49,000 companies use Mailshake for multichannel sales engagement.
⚠️ Warning: Mailshake’s LinkedIn automation is only available on the $99/month Sales Engagement plan. Lower tiers are email-only like Instantly.
5. AI Writing Features
Sofort: AI generates email copy, subject lines, and full sequences. Use custom variables and conditional logic for personalization. The AI uses major LLMs like OpenAI and Anthropic.
The system learns from your best-performing emails. It suggests improvements based on what gets opens and replies. Personalization tokens let you customize every email while still automating at scale.
Mailshake: SHAKEspeare AI helps write email copy and subject lines. It generates content based on your campaign goals. The in-app copy analyzer checks your emails before sending.
The AI suggests personalization options based on prospect data. You can test different versions to see what resonates. The copy analyzer flags potential spam triggers before you hit send.
6. Campaign Builder
Sofort: Intuitive campaign Bauherr with smart scheduling. Set follow-up triggers based on recipient behavior. Subsequences let you branch campaigns based on responses.
Smart scheduling sends emails at optimal times for each recipient. The platform calculates sending windows based on time zones and engagement patterns. You can run multiple separate campaigns from the same dashboard.
Mailshake: Multi-step campaign builder with automated follow-ups. Campaigns stop automatically when prospects reply. A/B test subject lines and email content easily.
Set custom schedules for each step of your sequence. The builder supports email, phone, and social touches in one flow. Template libraries help you get started quickly with proven outreach frameworks.
7. Posteingangsverwaltung
Sofort: Unibox centralizes all campaign replies. AI categorizes responses by intent. Mark leads as interested, not interested, or meeting booked without leaving the inbox.
Reply directly from the unified inbox without switching accounts. The AI identifies positive responses to help you focus on hot leads first. Users report booking 2-5 meetings per day using Unibox to manage responses.
Mailshake: Lead Catcher shows your most engaged prospects. Filter leads by activity level. Prioritize follow-ups based on who’s most likely to convert.
The dashboard surfaces your hottest leads automatically. See who opened multiple emails or clicked your links. Move qualified leads to your CRM with one click for easy handoff to sales.
8. CRM & Integrationen
Sofort: Built-in CRM for managing leads. Connect to other tools via API, webhooks, or Zapier. The Hypergrowth plan adds Slack integration for team notifications.
The native CRM tracks every interaction with your leads. Pipeline management keeps your deals organized from first touch to close. Webhooks push data to your existing systems in real-time.
Mailshake: Native integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive. Also connects to thousands of apps through Zapier, Integrately, and Make. Data syncs automatically.
Two-way sync means your CRM stays updated without manual data entry. Lead activities flow directly into your pipeline. Sales teams using existing CRM workflows can plug Mailshake in easily.
9. Analysen und Berichte
Sofort: Track opens, clicks, and replies across all campaigns. Email deliverability scores help you spot problems früh. The analytics dashboard shows performance trends over time.
Real-time stats update as recipients engage with your emails. Compare campaign performance side by side. The system flags accounts with declining deliverability so you can take action quickly.
Mailshake: Track email opens, link clicks, and reply rates. See which sequences perform best. The Lead Drivers dashboard shows what’s generating the most engagement.
Campaign-level reports break down performance by step. Identify which emails in your sequence need improvement. Export data for deeper analysis in your BI tools.
10. Preisgestaltung & Wert
| Vergleich | Sofort | Mailshake |
|---|---|---|
| Solo User | 30 $/Monat | $45-99/month |
| 3-Person Team | $30/month (flat) | $135-297/month |
| 5-Person Team | $30/month (flat) | $225-495/month |
| Agency (10 users) | $77-286/month | $450-990/month |
Sofort: Flat monthly pricing regardless of team size. Unlimited email accounts included. The main cost drivers are contact limits and email volume, not seats.
A 5-person team pays the same $30/month as a solo founder on the Growth plan. This makes Instantly extremely cost-effective for growing teams. Even agencies pay less than equivalent Mailshake plans.
Mailshake: Per-user pricing means costs scale with your team. You get more channels (phone, LinkedIn) but pay more per person. Better for established teams with budgets.
The $45/user Email Outreach plan includes core features most teams need. Sales Engagement at $99/user adds phone and LinkedIn. Costs add up fast for larger teams but you get full multichannel capabilities.
Different Scenarios
| If You Need… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| High-volume email at low cost | Sofort | Flat pricing, unlimited accounts |
| Phone + email + LinkedIn | Mailshake | True multichannel platform |
| Best email deliverability | Sofort | 1.5M+ user warmup network |
| Native Salesforce integration | Mailshake | Built-in CRM connectors |
| Built-in lead database | Sofort | 160M+ B2B contacts included |
| Hands-on onboarding support | Mailshake | Concierge training included |
💰 Your Budget
Instantly’s flat pricing makes it cheaper for teams of any size. A 5-person team pays $30/month total on Instantly versus $225-495/month on Mailshake.
🔌 Your Tech Stack
Mailshake has native integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive. Instantly relies on Zapier or API for most CRM connections.
📧 Your Sales Process
If email is your main channel, Instantly gives you more volume for less money. If you need phone calls and LinkedIn touches, Mailshake delivers true multichannel.
🎓 Your Experience Level
Both platforms are beginner-friendly. Mailshake offers more hands-on onboarding. Instantly has a cleaner interface for self-starters.
🆓 Free Trials and Demos
Instantly offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card. Mailshake has no free trial but provides refund-free onboarding support instead.
🛟 Support Options
Mailshake is known for excellent customer support and personalized help. Instantly offers chat support on all plans with priority support on higher tiers.
Switching Guide
Already using one of these tools?
Here’s what to expect if you switch.
🔄 Switching from Instantly to Mailshake?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Power phone dialer for cold calling
- LinkedIn automation in your sequences
- Native Salesforce and Pipedrive integrations
❌ What you’ll lose:
- Unbegrenzte E-Mail-Konten
- The 1.5M+ user warmup network
- Flat pricing (you’ll pay per user now)
📋 How to switch:
- Export your contact lists from Instantly as CSV
- Create your Mailshake account and connect email
- Import contacts and rebuild sequences in Mailshake
🔄 Switching from Mailshake to Instantly?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Unlimited email accounts at flat pricing
- Massive warmup network for better deliverability
- Built-in lead database with 160M+ contacts
❌ What you’ll lose:
- Power dialer for phone calls
- LinkedIn automation features
- Native CRM integrations (need Zapier instead)
📋 How to switch:
- Export your prospects and campaign data from Mailshake
- Sign up for Instantly’s 14-day free trial
- Import contacts and recreate your email sequences
Endgültiges Urteil
| Kategorie | Gewinner |
|---|---|
| 💰 Pricing Value | Sofort |
| 📧 Email Volume | Sofort |
| 🔥 Deliverability | Sofort |
| 📞 Multichannel | Mailshake |
| 🔌 CRM Integration | Mailshake |
| 🎯 Lead Database | Sofort |
| 🏆 Overall Winner | Sofort |
🏆 WINNER: Instantly
Instantly wins 5 out of 7 categories.
Best for: Solo founders, agencies, and teams that need high-volume email at affordable pricing.
Instantly and Mailshake serve different types of sales teams.
Instantly dominates in pure email outreach at scale.
The unlimited accounts, massive warmup network, and flat pricing make it unbeatable for volume.
Users report saving $10,000+ per year on warmup alone compared to separate tools.
The 160 million contact database means you can find leads and email them from one platform.
Mailshake shines when you need true multichannel.
The power dialer and LinkedIn automation add touchpoints that email alone can’t match.
Native CRM integrations with Salesforce and HubSpot save time on data syncing.
Over 49,000 companies trust Mailshake for multichannel sales engagement.
If email is your main channel, choose Instantly.
If you need phone and LinkedIn in the same sequence, choose Mailshake.
For most users focused on cost and deliverability, Instantly is the better choice.
Test both platforms with their free trials before committing.
Now go out and book more meetings!
More of Instantly Compared
Here’s how Instantly stacks up against other competitors:
Instantly wins on: Unlimited accounts, warmup network size
Snov wins on: Email finder credits, Chrome extension
Instantly wins on: Deliverability focus, flat pricing
Apollo wins on: All-in-one CRM, larger database
Instantly vs Jäger.io
Instantly wins on: Email sending, warmup features
Hunter.io wins on: Email verification, domain search
Instantly wins on: Unlimited accounts, simpler pricing
Lemlist wins on: Personalization, LinkedIn steps
Instantly wins on: Larger warmup network, better UI
Smartlead wins on: Lower entry price, SmartSender
Instantly wins on: Warmup quality, unified inbox
Saleshandy wins on: LinkedIn email finder, sender rotation
Instantly vs Specht
Instantly wins on: Unlimited accounts, lead database
Woodpecker wins on: Agency features, condition-based campaigns
More of Mailshake Compared
Here’s how Mailshake stacks up against other competitors:
Mailshake wins on: Multichannel sequences, phone dialer
Snov wins on: Email finder, lower pricing
Mailshake wins on: Simpler interface, onboarding support
Apollo wins on: Database size, free tier
Mailshake vs Antwort IO
Mailshake wins on: Easier setup, customer support
Reply IO wins on: AI lead engagement, WhatsApp
Mailshake wins on: Phone dialer, Lead Catcher
Lemlist wins on: Personalization, deliverability
Mailshake wins on: LinkedIn automation, support quality
Woodpecker wins on: Agency pricing, A/B testing
Mailshake vs Klenty
Mailshake wins on: Easier interface, better support
Klenty wins on: Cadence automation, LinkedIn steps
Mailshake vs UpLead
Mailshake wins on: Email sequences, multichannel
UpLead wins on: Data accuracy, real-time verification
Häufig gestellte Fragen
Is Instantly AI worth it?
Yes, Instantly is worth it for teams focused on cold email at scale. The unlimited email accounts and massive warmup network justify the cost for serious outreach.
Does Mailshake have a free trial?
No, Mailshake does not offer a free trial. They provide hands-on onboarding and deliverability training instead. You pay upfront when signing up.
How many emails can you send with Instantly?
Instantly’s Growth plan allows 5,000 emails per month. Hypergrowth handles 125,000 emails. Light Speed supports up to 500,000 emails monthly for agencies.
Is Mailshake good for cold email outreach?
Yes, Mailshake is solid for cold email outreach. It’s especially good if you want to add phone calls and LinkedIn touches to your sequences.
Which is better for agencies: Instantly or Mailshake?
Instantly is better for agencies due to flat pricing. You can manage multiple clients without paying per user. Mailshake’s per-seat costs add up quickly for larger teams.
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