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What cold email software costs: four picks

Editorial ·

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Every tool on this desk, checked 2026-11-05

Tool From Includes Sends on Free trial Refund Free plan
Mailshake $25/mo Starter 1,500 emails Email None None None
Woodpecker $29/mo LinkedIn Not listed Email, LinkedIn 14 days 3 days None
Smartlead $32/mo Base 6,000 emails, 2,000 contacts Email Yes None None
Saleshandy $34/mo Starter 1,500 credits Email, LinkedIn, Calls, WhatsApp 7 days 10 days None
Instantly $37.60/mo Growth 5,000 emails, 1,000 contacts Email Not listed None None
Reply.io $49/mo Email Volume 1,000 contacts Email, LinkedIn, Calls, SMS 14 days None None
lemlist $55/mo Email 50,000 emails Email, LinkedIn 14 days None None
PhantomBuster $56/mo Start 500 credits, 5 automations LinkedIn 14 days See terms Yes
Dripify $59/mo Pro 100 credits Email, LinkedIn 7 days See terms None
Expandi $79/mo Business Not listed Email 7 days None None

From and Includes are each tool's cheapest paid plan, on its cheaper billing. The other columns cover every plan.

Cheapest way in

Mailshake Starter

$25 a month, billed yearly

$29 on monthly billing

Emails
1,500
Contacts
Not listed
Credits
Not listed
Users
Priced per user
Free trial
None
Refund
None
Sends on
Email

Want the smallest paid start? Mailshake Starter's $25 a month beats Smartlead's $32, both on annual billing. You get 1,500 emails included.

The catch is the per-user price: Mailshake bills by how many users you buy. Prospect search adds $19 a month. Ready-to-use mailboxes add $12 a month.

Mailshake gives no refund on fees you have paid. You cancel by email.

Best if
You want the smallest paid commitment and can live with no refund.
Skip it if
You need a refund window or a free trial.
See Mailshake's pricing Plans and fine print
Next cheapest month to month

Smartlead Base

$39 a month, billed monthly

$32 a month billed yearly

Emails
6,000
Contacts
2,000
Credits
Not listed
Users
Not listed
Free trial
Yes
Refund
None
Sends on
Email

Pay month to month and Smartlead Base costs $39, against $41 for Saleshandy Starter. You get 2,000 contacts and 6,000 emails for it. Annual billing drops the price to $32.

The catch is the exit. Smartlead's refund window is none, against 10 days at Saleshandy. The plan renews on its own.

A cancellation takes effect when the period ends. Fresh Google mailboxes add $4.50 each a month.

Best if
You pay month to month and want a low monthly price.
Skip it if
You may cancel early and want money back for unused days.
See Smartlead's pricing Plans and fine print
Longest free trial

Woodpecker Email

$39 a month

Emails
5,000
Contacts
Not listed
Credits
Not listed
Users
Unlimited
Free trial
14 days
Refund
3 days
Sends on
Email

You get 14 days free on Woodpecker Email, twice Saleshandy's 7. The plan then costs $39 a month and includes 5,000 emails. Past that limit, campaigns stop sending to new prospects.

The catch is the refund window. After you pay, you get 3 days to ask, and only on an unused account. Each Google or Microsoft mailbox adds $6 a month.

Best if
You want two weeks to test before you pay.
Skip it if
You want a long window to ask for money back.
See Woodpecker's pricing Plans and fine print
Longest refund window

Saleshandy Starter

$34 a month, billed yearly

$41 on monthly billing

Emails
Not listed
Contacts
Not listed
Credits
1,500
Users
1 included
Free trial
7 days
Refund
10 days
Sends on
Email, LinkedIn, Calls, WhatsApp

You get 10 days to ask Saleshandy for a refund, against Woodpecker's 3. Starter costs $41 a month, or $34 on annual billing. It includes 1 seat and 1,500 credits.

The catch is the extras. Mailboxes add $2.99 to $3.99 a month each. Domains cost $14 a year.

One credit reveals a verified email. Six reveal a phone number.

Best if
You want a way out after the first invoice.
Skip it if
You will reveal many phone numbers and burn credits fast.
See Saleshandy's pricing Plans and fine print

Four needs, four picks, and each tool appears once

Pick by need: cheapest start, next cheapest month to month, longest trial or longest refund. Every tool here sends cold email and has no free plan. Each tool appears once, and a tie goes to the cheaper plan.

A plan price leaves out mailboxes, credits and your real bill

A plan price does not count your mailboxes. Warm-ups, domains and extra mailboxes bill on top. Your sending volume can also cross a plan’s limit.

Inbox placement, reply rates and support only show once you send.

Test with a small list first. Check each vendor’s other fees before you pay. They often set the real bill. The true cost tool adds them up for you.

Start on Mailshake Starter when the lowest bill beats everything else. Start on Saleshandy Starter if you want to test first and ask for money back.

Where to next

CRM and agencyPlatforms for customers and clientsEmail marketingSenders priced by list sizeContact dataLists, credits and who shows a priceCapture and trackingLanding pages, forms, chat and callsCRM pickerYour team size and budget against every price.How we check pricesWhere each price comes from, and when we check it again.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest cold email software?

Mailshake Starter is the cheapest paid plan among ten cold email tools. It costs $29 on monthly billing. None of the ten has a free plan.

Which cold email tool has the longest free trial?

Woodpecker's 14 days ties Reply.io, lemlist and PhantomBuster for the longest trial. Saleshandy's trial runs 7 days. After the trial, Woodpecker Email costs $39 a month.

Can I get a refund on cold email software?

Saleshandy gives the longest refund window: 10 days from your first purchase. On unused accounts only, Woodpecker gives 3 days. Mailshake's terms call every paid fee nonrefundable, and Smartlead refunds nothing on a mid-period cancellation.

What is the cheapest cold email software month to month?

Mailshake Starter is cheapest month to month at $29. If you pay Smartlead Base monthly, annual billing would cut its price to $32.

Sources

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