First decide whether you want one tool that both finds contacts and sends, or a sender that plugs into a data source you already use. Then pick a shape: dedicated cold email senders, LinkedIn-led multichannel sequencers, or platforms with outreach inside a CRM. Deliverability depends mostly on your domain setup and sending habits.
Two decisions come before any tool comparison when you're replacing Overloop. Do you want contact finding and sending in one place? And is email your main channel, or one step in a sequence that also runs through LinkedIn and the phone? Answer those and the eight tools below, listed in no particular order, sort themselves into a short shortlist.
Finding and sending: one tool or two?
Overloop bundles contact finding with outreach, which is handy until you realise you'd rather choose each part separately. Some teams already have a data source they trust and only need a sender. Others want everything in one login and are happy to accept whatever data comes with it. Neither's wrong, but they lead to different tools.
The other thing to settle early is deliverability. Whether your cold emails land in the inbox depends on your domain setup and sending habits, not on the tool alone. So don't test a new sender on your main company domain. Set up a spare domain, warm it up gently, and run a small test there first.
And a fresh change worth knowing: Close's own page now presents it as a CRM with a built-in AI teammate that makes calls. It's a CRM first and a sender second, so compare it with CRMs, not with a cold email tool.
Senders, sequencers and CRM-led tools
Dedicated cold email senders
QuickMail and SalesBlink are built around sending email at volume with follow-ups. One puts sending limits and inbox rotation front and centre, the other hands the writing to an AI agent of your choice. Both suit teams who source contacts elsewhere.
LinkedIn-led and multichannel sequencers
Expandi, La Growth Machine and Mailshake mix channels, so a prospect might get a LinkedIn visit, a connection request, an email and a call in one sequence. They suit founders and agencies whose buyers ignore email but answer on LinkedIn.
Sales engagement and CRM-led platforms
Klenty and Outreach are sales engagement platforms for teams with SDRs and managers, one built for phone-first SDR teams and the other for large revenue teams moving to AI agents. The CRM-first option belongs here too. These are heavier tools for structured sales teams, not a founder sending a few hundred emails a week.
All eight, A to Z
Alphabetical and in no particular order beyond that. Each line reflects how the vendor describes its own product, and no tool here can promise you replies or meetings.
Close
Best for: Sales teams who'd rather have the CRM do the chasing, with a built-in AI teammate the vendor says calls leads, qualifies prospects and books meetings.
Expandi
Best for: Agencies and founders running LinkedIn and email outreach together; the vendor's pitch is automating both safely.
Klenty
Best for: SDR teams that work the phone, with an AI dialer and multichannel cadences; the vendor says it's built for phone-first SDR teams.
La Growth Machine
Best for: Growth teams wanting LinkedIn, email and calls in a single sequence with a shared inbox and what the vendor calls two-way CRM sync.
Mailshake
Best for: Small sales teams building cadences across email, phone and social; the vendor claims you can build one in minutes.
Outreach
Best for: Large revenue teams covering forecasting, coaching, deal closing and account expansion; the vendor's line is to stop buying software and start hiring AI agents.
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QuickMail
Best for: Cold emailers who want automated follow-ups and outbound tracking, with sending limits the vendor says you control and inbox rotation built in.
SalesBlink
Best for: Founders who want ChatGPT, Claude or another AI agent, or its built-in agents, to send personalised cold emails, per the vendor.
Side by side
| Tool | Shape | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Close | CRM with outreach | Sales teams wanting calling inside the CRM |
| Expandi | LinkedIn automation | LinkedIn and email from one campaign |
| Klenty | Phone-first sales engagement | SDR teams that live on the phone |
| La Growth Machine | Multichannel sequencer | LinkedIn, email and calls in one sequence |
| Mailshake | Cadence builder | Quick cadences across email, phone and social |
| Outreach | Enterprise sales engagement | Large revenue teams moving to AI agents |
| QuickMail | Cold email sender | Controlled sending with inbox rotation |
| SalesBlink | AI-agent cold email | Running cold email through an AI assistant |
My advice before you switch senders
Don't choose on features you'll never switch on. A founder sending to a few dozen prospects a day needs a reliable sender with sensible follow-ups, not a revenue platform with forecasting and coaching. A team of SDRs needs the opposite. Match the shape to the size of the team that'll use it.
If LinkedIn is where your buyers answer, start with a multichannel sequencer. If email is the whole game, start with a dedicated sender and pair it with a data source you trust. For more options, see my lemlist alternatives list and my guide to sales engagement platforms.
Before the first campaign goes out
Whatever you pick, set up the spare sending domain and its authentication records before you import a single contact, and give it time to warm up. Import a small, clean list first, write the sequence in your own voice, and send to a few colleagues' inboxes on different providers so you can see where it lands. Only then turn the volume up, slowly, and keep an eye on bounces and replies every day for the first fortnight. If anything looks off, pause and fix it on the spare domain, which is exactly why you set one up.
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Frequently asked questions
Should I use one tool for finding contacts and sending emails?
It's simpler, but you're tied to that tool's data. Many teams prefer a sender that connects to a data source they already trust.
Why shouldn't I send cold email from my main domain?
If something goes wrong with deliverability, your everyday business email suffers too. A spare domain keeps that risk away from your main inbox.
Is LinkedIn automation safe for my account?
LinkedIn has its own rules about automation. Read them, keep volumes modest and check each vendor's own guidance before you start.
Do I need a CRM as well as an outreach tool?
Once replies start coming in, usually yes. Some outreach tools sync with your CRM, and some platforms put outreach inside the CRM itself.
Are there rules about sending cold email?
Yes, and they vary by country. Check the guidance from the regulator where you and your prospects are based before you send.
Can a tool guarantee replies or meetings?
No. Replies depend on your list, your offer and your message. A tool only makes sending and following up easier.
