Outreach costs $100-160/user/month and requires reps to leave Gmail. We compare 8 alternatives options that start at $29/user and live inside your inbox.
Who is Outreach.io for?
Outreach is an all-in-one, AI-powered revenue platform that offers sales engagement, intelligence, forecasting, and more. It’s a great, comprehensive choice for mid-market to enterprise organizations with segmented territories and junior SDR teams that need to follow repeatable, scalable outbound processes.
For managers, it provides visibility on sales rep activities and performance. For sales leaders, Outreach offers forecasting and pipeline management features.
Why you need an alternative to Outreach
Outreach is a great tool, but its strength is also its weakness: It tries to be everything to everyone, and all those bells and whistles can be overwhelming. Plus, sales reps have to perform all tasks in-platform instead of in-email or your CRM, so it’s not ideal for AEs who live in Gmail.
You may end up paying for a features-heavy tool they don’t use. The unintuitive UI and advanced features mean there’s a steep learning curve. You need dedicated personnel to train and support users, as well as connect it to Salesforce and ZoomInfo, and handle reporting.
With tiered support and a hefty price point, that’s out of reach for a lot of startups and small businesses.
On the day-to-day use side, the rules engine leaves something to be desired, sequences can be hard to adapt, and the email editor is limited. It also creates a duplicate database in Outreach, which can cause data silos.
8 Outreach alternatives
1. Mixmax
Overview
Mixmax sits on top of Gmail and Outlook, so sales reps can perform essential tasks without leaving their inbox. It’s intuitive and user-friendly, so anyone can get up and running without tech support.
Automating repetitive or manual tasks streamlines workflows, enables sales acceleration, boosts productivity, and gives reps more customer-facing time.
Key features
- Integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Google Calendar, Slack, Zoom, Dialpad, DocuSign, and more
- Highly customizable multi-channel sequences
- AI tools for sales, like Generative AI, for drafting and personalizing sales emails
- Powerful rules engine for workflow automation across multiple tools
- Conversational intelligence features like the AI Meeting Assistant that records and summarizes meetings
- Gmail Sidebar for collaboration and coaching
- In-email dialer, polls & surveys, CTAs, calendar scheduling, GIFs, and video
- AI email scheduling and auto-delay features
- Call recording and logging
- Real-time engagement alerts via Slack, text, and email
- Real-time Salesforce CRM and HubSpot sync
- Autocreate feature for syncing new contacts to Salesforce
- Data-driven insights and interactive charts
- 90% of Mixmax teams fully live in week one
Pros
- Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- No need to leave Gmail or Outlook inbox
- Highly customizable sequences with flexible personalization
- Powerful rules engine for automation
- Lower price point compared to Outreach
- Same customer support across all plans
Cons
- Some advanced reporting features require Salesforce integration
How does Mixmax compare to Outreach?
Mixmax is an intuitive, plug-and-play alternative for busy teams in fast-growing companies using Gmail and Salesforce. It’s built for all revenue teams to enable personalization and nurturing at scale. While sales management can set guardrails, there’s more room for flexibility, autonomy, personalization, and creative thinking.
Mixmax was built for Gmail, Outlook, and Salesforce, rather than being adapted with plugins. So it adapts to your sales processes and tech stack.
Key differences:
- Sequences are more easily customized and enriched than Outreach
- Scheduling meetings is easier with in-email polls and one-click calendar links
- Rules engine is highly intuitive for both reps and admins
- Gmail inbox sidechat allows real-time two-way communication and coaching
- Real-time Salesforce sync makes it a source of truth
- Lower per-user price point makes it more scalable
Customer reviews
“Mixmax has the features of Outreach or Salesloft, but lives in your Gmail. High adoption and usage result from minimal learning curve for implementation.”
Pricing
- SMB - $29 per user/month, billed annually
- Growth - $49 per user/month, billed annually
- Growth + CRM - $69 per user/month, billed annually
- Enterprise - custom priced
- 14-day free trial (+ free plan)
2. Salesloft
Overview
Salesloft rivals Outreach as an all-in-one big-hitter with everything needed for prospecting, forecasting, opportunity management, conversation intelligence, and analytics.
Key features
- Sales playbooks for new recruits and personalized buyer experiences
- Cadence, account, individual, and conversation analytics
- In-call coaching and coach-to-close workflows
- One-click dialer and messenger with CRM sync
- Call recording and logging
- Customizable email templates and tracking
- Calendar sync and invitation templates
- Sales-meeting and deal intelligence
Pros
- Strong analytics and reporting capabilities
- Ideal for large teams with structured sales processes
- AI-powered forecasting and engagement insights
Cons
- High learning curve due to feature complexity
- Expensive, with custom pricing required
- No free trial available
How does Salesloft compare to Outreach?
Like Outreach, Salesloft is ideal for high-volume prospecting by SDR teams needing significant oversight. The learning curve and feature complexity mean adoption can be problematic. With four packages for different sales cycle stages, it’s a hefty investment. The high price means several months to get teams running and see ROI.
Customers tend to be mid-market to enterprise organizations. If experiencing issues with Outreach, switching to Salesloft is unlikely to solve them.
Customer reviews
“Not very intuitive, especially initially. The setup process was overwhelming, requiring extensive team training. Import/export options are hard to find.”
Pricing
- Custom pricing available upon request
- No free trial
3. Groove (acquired by Clari)
Overview
Billing itself as a sales productivity tool, Groove was designed to work with Salesforce so reps can run targeted, multi-channel campaigns to sell to specific target companies, prospects, and decision-makers.
Key features
- Omnibar displays contact records when working with email or InMail
- Streamlined workflows and task prioritization based on real-time Salesforce data
- Auto-dialer desktop app with Salesforce history
- Local presence dialing and callback
- Click-to-call from any webpage
- Calendar scheduling with customizable, branded links
- Activity capture for real-time insights
- Analytics and reporting by flow, rep, template, account
Pros
- Deep Salesforce integration for sales productivity
- Strong workflow automation and prioritization tools
- Good for customer-facing teams beyond SDRs
Cons
- Salesforce sync can be buggy
- UX could be improved for easier navigation
- Decline in customer services since acquisition
How does Groove compare to Outreach?
Groove is more geared toward mid-market organizations and customer-facing teams. Users rate email tracking, automation, Salesforce integration, and lead prioritization, suggesting it’s more suitable for AEs and CSMs than SDRs.
However, the UX needs work. Some users complain the Salesforce sync can be buggy, and the email template creator and editor tricky. Groove bridges the gap between Salesloft and Mixmax but has a way to go rivaling either.
Customer reviews
“I can send hundreds of emails in bulk the same day, which is great for my BDM work. My frustration is with the UI—it feels clunky and frequently shows error pop-ups interrupting my workflow.”
Pricing
- Custom pricing on request, toward the mid-upper end
- No free trial
4. Yesware
Overview
Yesware sits on top of Gmail, Outlook, and Office 365 and is designed to boost email productivity by providing insights into email performance and engagement.
Key features
- Email and Activity Feed instant notifications and real-time insights
- Performance and engagement analytics
- Multi-channel campaigns
- Engagement history and Meetings & Opportunities dashboards
- Task, reminder, and follow-up automations
- Shareable in-email calendar links
- Integrations with Zoom, MS Teams, LinkedIn, Salesforce, Outlook, and Gmail
Pros
- Simple setup with minimal training required
- Affordable compared to Outreach
- Ideal for small to mid-sized teams focused on email outreach
Cons
- Fewer integrations than some competitors
- Tracking limits on lower-tier plans
- Cannot include attachments in mass email templates
How does Yesware compare to Outreach?
As it sits on top of email providers, Yesware is a better fit for AEs than Outreach. It’s easier to set up and self-serve. This plus the lower per-user price point makes it suitable for small to mid-market companies relying heavily on email outreach.
Yesware has fewer integrations and less granular insights. It also imposes monthly tracking limits, and there’s no option to include attachments in mass email templates.
Customer reviews
“I find it helpful assigning reminders to email chains. This has reduced calendar clutter and I feel confident nothing will be missed.”
Pricing
- Pro - $15/user/month, billed annually
- Premium - $35/user/month
- Enterprise - $65/user/month
- Custom pricing on request
- 14-day free trial
5. Outplay
Overview
Founded in 2019, Outplay is a relatively recent player on the sales engagement scene and one of the more flexible Outreach alternatives, designed to facilitate outreach at scale, particularly over email.
Key features
- Email templates
- Call scripts
- Multi-channel sequences
- Automated follow-ups and next-action triggers
- Website visitor tracking and chat launch feature
- In-email calendar scheduling
- Email tracking and reply detection
- In-browser autodialer
- SMS, LinkedIn, and Twitter messaging
Pros
- Strong multi-channel engagement capabilities
- Built-in AI for email writing and personalization
- Affordable compared to Outreach
- Native integrations with CRM and other sales tools
Cons
- Limited integrations with tools like ZoomInfo and Sales Navigator
- Steep learning curve for setting up sequences
- Occasional bugs and system lags reported
How does Outplay compare to Outreach?
Outplay is good for bulk mailings by BDRs and SDRs, though more flexible than Outreach for multi-channel outbound sales. However, you get what you pay for: it lacks some Outreach functionality, and users complain it can be buggy.
Setting up sequences and triggers, and removing prospects from sequences, is tricky. It’s also short on native integrations (no ZoomInfo, no Sales Navigator). APIs, website tracking, and chat are only available on Pro plans.
Outplay is an interesting up-and-coming player but has a way to go. If wanting an SDR tool doing what Outreach does, you’d be better off paying for Outreach.
Customer reviews
“You don’t have to spend all day drowning in emails. Outplay handles scheduling and follow-ups for you.”
Pricing
- Starter - $39/user/month
- Growth - $89/user/month, billed annually
- Growth Plus - $139/user/month, billed annually
- Sales Agency - $149/user/month, billed annually
- 7-day free trial
6. Reply.io
Overview
Reply.io is an AI-powered platform covering sales engagement, lead gen, account management, PR and link building, and HR.
Key features
- Smart inbox categorization and suggested actions
- AI email-writing assistant
- Email and phone number sourcing and validation
- Email warm-up, scheduling, and tracking
- Multichannel sequences
- WhatsApp, SMS, and LinkedIn messaging
- Task management workflows
- Browser-based VoIP
- Sales coaching and insights
Pros
- Strong automation for high-volume prospecting
- AI-powered assistant helps craft better emails
- Integrations for lead sourcing and validation
- Multi-channel engagement beyond email
Cons
- Can feel overwhelming due to its all-in-one approach
- Setup can be time-consuming and complex
- Customer support receives mixed reviews
How does Reply.io compare to Outreach?
Geared toward SMBs and mid-market customers, Reply.io is good for automating one-to-many communication or prospecting. AI features provide support for newbie reps. However, like Outreach, it’s trying to be all things to all revenue teams, which is also its downfall.
Reply.io is packed with features for prospecting and lead generation. Unless wanting a joint marketing-prospecting platform, you could end up paying for unused features. Some users complain it’s cumbersome and time-consuming to set up, with a steep learning curve. Support is poorly rated.
Customer reviews
“Pretty easy for setting up and managing sales campaigns. Simple interface makes personalization straightforward, though I wish it was more intuitive for marketing automation newcomers.”
Pricing
- Email volume - $49/user/month
- Multichannel - $89/user/month
- Agency - $166/user/month
- 14-day free trial
7. Cirrus Insight
Overview
Cirrus Insight was designed to boost Salesforce adoption for AEs and customer-facing teams, enabling more accurate reporting and forecasting.
Key features
- Email templates
- Sequences
- Salesforce sidebar
- Calendar scheduling
- Email, link, and attachment tracking
- Website visitor tracking
- Buyer intent scoring and signals
- Engagement alerts
Pros
- Seamless Salesforce integration with real-time data updates
- Easy-to-use calendar scheduling tool
- Reduces manual work with auto-sync features
Cons
- Lacks a built-in dialer, making it less useful for SDRs
- Syncing issues between Salesforce and email clients
- Limited customization compared to other tools
How does Cirrus compare to Outreach?
Cirrus Insight is a viable Outreach alternative blurring boundaries between sales enablement/productivity and sales engagement. Unlike Outreach, it’s not designed for SDRs and lacks a dialer, so less useful for prospecting.
The price point is low but functionality is limited compared to other platforms—many useful features are only available on Expert plans. Some users complain about buggy Gmail integration and Salesforce sync.
Customer reviews
“Cirrus helps with setting meetings and connecting all email conversations into Salesforce. Very helpful with those processes.”
Pricing
- Salesforce sync - $14/user/month, billed annually
- Pro - $21/user/month
- Expert - $49/user/month
- 14-day free trial
8. Mailshake
Overview
Mailshake is designed to send cold mass email blasts and has applications for PR, media relations, link building, and HR.
Key features
- Mail merge and automated email outreach and campaigns
- AI-powered email writer
- Customizable sending schedules
- Multi-channel sequences
- Automatic task reminders
- Email, lead, and sequence tracking and insights
- VoIP to US and Canada with local area code numbers
- Phone scripts
- Call recording and notes
Pros
- Good for beginners
- Affordable compared to enterprise sales engagement tools
- Includes built-in dialer for phone outreach
Cons
- Limited A/B testing capabilities
- No native Salesforce integration (requires Zapier)
- Lacks deep CRM automation
- Less flexibility customizing sequences compared to competitors
How does Mailshake compare to Outreach?
If wanting an Outreach alternative combining lead gen and prospecting, Mailshake could work. However, it lacks contact capture features, meaning significant manual work building lists. This and harder personalization customization mean it’s far from being a contender.
Customer reviews
“I’ve used Mailshake for mass email outreach, primarily leveraging deliverability features to improve spam rates, which has worked well.”
Pricing
- Starter - $25/user/month, billed annually
- Email outreach - $45/user/month, billed annually
- Sales Engagement - $85/user/month
How to choose the right Outreach alternative
Finding the right alternative relies on understanding your team’s needs and sales processes. Ask yourself:
- Is it intuitive, scalable, and usable by all your teams if needed?
- Does it integrate with your current tech stack? If not, you could waste money on unused solutions.
- Is there a free trial to test before committing?
- What customer support is available?
For larger sales teams, especially junior SDRs, look for solutions offering repeatable processes and significant oversight. If you’ve got the budget, Salesloft is likely the best Outreach alternative.
For fast-growing customer-facing teams in SMBs and mid-market companies needing user-friendly solutions, Mixmax has the features and flexibility for true sales engagement at scale.
Frequently asked questions about Outreach alternatives
What type of tool is Outreach?
Outreach is a sales engagement platform with sales intelligence, forecasting, and revenue management. Built for SDRs needing structured, repeatable outbound processes to automate outreach, track engagement, and manage sequences.
Outreach tries to be everything, which can be overwhelming. If your team lives in Gmail or needs simpler tooling, alternatives like Mixmax offer more intuitive experiences without heavy admin setup.
How much does Outreach cost per month?
Outreach pricing is custom and not publicly listed, but estimates put it at $120+ per user monthly on annual plans, with enterprise packages costing more.
It’s a serious investment, especially with additional costs for training and admin setup. For mid-market and enterprise teams, it may be worthwhile, but growing companies might find alternatives like Mixmax offering similar functionality at lower cost.
What is the purpose of Outreach?
Outreach helps SDR teams automate cold outreach at scale, track engagement, and manage multi-channel prospecting. It integrates with CRM systems and uses AI to optimize messaging.
While great for high-volume prospecting, it forces reps working within its platform, which isn’t ideal for AEs preferring Gmail or Salesforce. If your team values flexibility and personalization, Mixmax or another alternative might be better.
