Mailshake vs Smartlead: Which is Best Cold Email Tool in 2025?

Are you tired of your cold emails landing in the spam folder?

Frustrated with low open rates and even lower response rates?

You’re not alone. Cold emailing can be a tough nut to crack.

But what if there was a tool that could help you personalize your outreach, automate follow-ups, and ultimately boost your success?

That’s where Mailshake and Smartlead come in.

In this post, we’ll dive deep into Mailshake vs Smartlead, comparing their features, pricing, and ease of use to help you make the best decision for your business.

Mailshake vs Smartlead: Overview

To give you the most accurate comparison, we’ve spent weeks testing both Mailshake and Smartlead.

We dove deep into their features, sent out numerous campaigns, and analyzed the results to see which platform truly delivers on its promises.

What is Mailshake?

Want to warm up your cold emails? Mailshake is your go-to tool. It helps you create highly personalized email outreach campaigns.

Think of it as your friendly automated assistant. It helps you connect with prospects without sounding like a robot.

Mailshake focuses on building relationships and increasing engagement.

It’s known for its simple interface and powerful features.

You can easily create email sequences, track your results, and even A/B test different messages to see what works best.

Key Benefits

• AI-Powered Email Writing: Stuck in a writer’s block? Mailshake’s AI email writer can help you craft compelling emails in seconds.
• Automated Follow-ups: Never let a lead slip through the cracks. Mailshake automatically sends follow-up emails so you can stay top-of-mind.
• A/B Testing: Not sure which subject line will perform best? Mailshake lets you A/B test different versions of your emails to see what resonates with your audience.
• Lead Catcher: Capture leads from anywhere on the web with their handy Chrome extension.

Pricing

Mailshake keeps its pricing simple with two main plans:

• Starter: Starts at $29/month.
• Email Outreach: $49/month
• Sales Engagement: Starts at $99/month.

They also offer a free trial so you can take it for a spin before committing to a plan.

What is Smartlead?

Want to escape the spam folder and land more meetings? Smartlead is your secret weapon.

It’s an AI-powered cold email platform designed to maximize deliverability and engagement.

Think of it as your email’s bodyguard, clearing a path straight to the inbox. 

It also helps warm your inbox so you don’t get flagged as spam. How cool is that?

Key Benefits

• Boosts email deliverability by up to 95% – Say goodbye to the dreaded spam folder!
• Warms up your email accounts automatically – No more manual effort needed.
• Personalizes your emails with AI – Imagine sending emails that feel like they were written just for the recipient.
• Provides detailed analytics – Track your progress and see what’s working.

Pricing

Smartlead offers a variety of plans to fit your needs and budget. Here’s a quick look:

• Basic: $39/month
• Pro: $94/month
• Custom: $174/month

Mailshake vs Smartlead: Feature Comparison

Choosing the right cold email outreach tool can make or break your sales outreach.

Both Mailshake and Smartlead offer features like email warm-up and automation to boost your email deliverability and scale your cold email outreach.

But which one comes out on top?

Let’s dive into a detailed comparison of their key features:

Email Deliverability

• Mailshake: Mailshake offers automated email warmup features and spam testing to boost your email deliverability. It helps you maintain a good sender reputation and avoid landing in the spam folder.
• Smartlead: Smartlead excels in email deliverability with advanced features like automated email rotation, dedicated IP addresses, and a spam test. This ensures your emails land in the inbox, increasing your chances of engagement.

Email Personalization

• Mailshake: Mailshake lets you personalize cold emails with basic mail merge tags, allowing you to tailor your messages with recipient names and company information.
• Smartlead: Smartlead shines with advanced personalization options, including dynamic content and AI-powered personalization. This allows you to create highly targeted emails that resonate with each recipient.

Campaign Automation

• Mailshake: Mailshake is known for its robust email automation tool, enabling you to automate your outreach efforts with ease. You can create automated cold email campaigns and follow-up sequences to nurture leads.
• Smartlead: Smartlead provides a comprehensive sales engagement platform with multi-channel outreach capabilities. You can automate your outreach across email, LinkedIn, and other platforms, making your outreach more effective.

Integrations

• Mailshake: Mailshake integrates with popular CRM and sales tools like HubSpot, Pipedrive, and Salesforce, allowing you to streamline your sales outreach and email marketing efforts.
• Smartlead: Smartlead offers a wide range of integrations with various CRMs, marketing automation tools, and other platforms, ensuring seamless workflows across your sales and marketing tech stack.

Email Accounts

• Mailshake: Mailshake offers a limited number of email accounts depending on your chosen pricing tier.
• Smartlead: Unlike Smartlead, Mailshake doesn’t offer unlimited email accounts, which might be a limitation for teams needing to manage multiple email addresses for various outreach scenarios.

Reporting and Analytics

• Mailshake: Mailshake offers basic reporting and analytics to track key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and replies, helping you monitor your cold email campaign performance.
• Smartlead: Smartlead provides in-depth analytics and reporting with detailed insights into campaign performance, email deliverability, and prospect engagement. This data-driven approach helps you optimize your outreach strategies for better results.

A/B Testing

• Mailshake: Mailshake offers A/B testing functionality, allowing you to test different email subject lines and body copy to see what resonates best with your audience. This helps you optimize your email campaigns and lead generation efforts.
• Smartlead: Like Mailshake, Smartlead also offers A/B testing features. You can experiment with different elements of your outreach to improve open rates, click-through rates, and overall campaign effectiveness.

What to Look For When Choosing a Cold Email Tool?

• Deliverability: This is non-negotiable. Your tool should prioritize getting your emails into the inbox. Look for features like email warm-up, sender reputation management, and spam testing.
• Ease of Use: You don’t want to spend hours figuring out how to use the software. Choose a tool with an intuitive interface & straightforward navigation.
• Integrations: Does the tool integrate with the existing CRM, email provider, or other essential business tools? Seamless integrations can save you time and streamline your workflow.
• Support: Problems happen. Ensure the tool offers reliable customer support via email, chat, or phone.
• Pricing: Consider your budget and the number of emails you must send. Look for a tool that offers flexible pricing to match your needs.
• Unique Features: Some tools offer unique features, such as AI personalization, advanced analytics, or multi-channel outreach. Consider which features are most important to your cold email strategy.
• Trial Period: Most reputable tools offer a free trial or demo. Take advantage of this to test the software and see if it suits you.

Final Verdict (Our Pick)

Choosing between Mailshake and Smartlead depends on your specific outreach needs and budget.

If you’re looking for a robust email outreach software with advanced deliverability features and multichannel outreach capabilities, Mailshake emerges as the winner.

Its sophisticated features like AI-powered personalization, automated email rotation, and LinkedIn outreach give you a competitive edge.

Plus, Smartlead’s tiered pricing makes it a more budget-friendly option compared to Mailshake.

However, Mailshake excels in email automation and integrates seamlessly with popular CRMs like HubSpot.

If your primary focus is cold outreach and you need a tool that works well with your existing sales stack, Mailshake is a solid choice.

Ultimately, the best Smartlead alternative or Mailshake alternative is the one that aligns with your outreach goals and budget.

Consider factors like email verification, cold calling features, and the level of outreach automation you need to make an informed decision.

We hope this comparison helps you choose the best outreach software to boost your email outreach and achieve your sales goals!

Don’t forget to explore other cold outreach tools and email outreach software like Apollo.io vs Smartlead to find the perfect fit for your sales teams.

Frequently Asked Questions