Cold email that fills inboxes but not the pipeline wastes money, domains, and focus. Every reply that sits outside a CRM equals missed revenue, broken follow-ups, and zero context for the team.

Instantly.ai already handles volume, warmup, and outbound automation. The real differentiator now is how well a CRM captures those signals, enriches contacts, and drives the next action across channels.

This comparison focuses on the best CRMs for Instantly.ai users, priority goes to outreach workflows, LinkedIn and email capture, automation depth, and how fast teams move from first reply to closed deal.

What Is Instantly?

Instantly.ai is a sales engagement platform built around cold email at scale.

Teams use it to find B2B leads, warm up domains, send high-volume campaigns, and route replies into one shared inbox. The product combines three pillars in a single workspace: outreach, lead data, and a lightweight CRM. You can run multi-inbox campaigns, pull leads from its SuperSearch database, and track replies, meetings, and deals without jumping between tools.

What Does Instantly Do?

👉 Instantly helps sales and growth teams send more cold emails, reach more inboxes, and turn replies into qualified opportunities.

It centralizes prospecting, outreach, deliverability, and basic deal tracking so teams stop stitching together separate tools.

1. Email Outreach & Sequencing

Instantly lets you build and schedule multi-step cold email sequences across multiple inboxes.

You can personalize messages at scale, test different angles, and control sending windows so campaigns still feel human instead of spammy.For teams coming from manual outreach, this turns a messy, ad-hoc process into something repeatable and trackable.

2. Lead Sourcing and Data

With SuperSearch, Instantly offers built-in B2B lead data instead of relying only on external scrapers. You search by industry, company size, role, and more, then push those leads into campaigns with a few clicks.

For teams already using separate enrichment tools, Instantly can fit as the outreach execution layer. For lean teams, SuperSearch becomes an all-in-one way to get started faster.

3. Deliverability and Warmup

Cold email without deliverability controls quickly kills domains and pipeline. Instantly includes warmup features, inbox rotation, sending caps, and technical guardrails to keep deliverability healthy.

The platform surfaces bounce rates, spam signals, and sender reputation trends. Teams can then adjust volume, copy, or domains before problems become irreversible.

4. Shared Inbox and Light CRM

The Unibox centralizes all replies from every connected inbox into a single workspace.

Sales reps and founders can see conversations, assign follow-ups, and add notes without digging through multiple Gmail or Outlook tabs. Instantly also offers basic CRM-style views for deals and pipelines.

For many users, this is enough at the beginning; later, integrating with a dedicated CRM like folk becomes key for multi-channel and team collaboration.

5. Reporting and Revenue Tracking

Instantly tracks campaign performance from email sent to revenue generated.

You see which campaigns and inboxes bring the most meetings and closed-won deals. This helps decide where to invest: new lead sources, more inboxes, better copy, or tighter ICPs.

With the right CRM in place, those metrics can then be tied to broader account and relationship data.

6. Templates & A/B Testing

Instantly supports email templates and A/B testing for subject lines and body copy. Teams can standardize what works, compare variants, and scale top-performing messages across inboxes without rebuilding everything from scratch.

How Does Instantly Work?

Instantly.ai acts as an outbound engine that connects your inboxes, leads, and campaigns.

You set the rules once, and the platform runs cold email at scale while you focus on replies and deals.

👉 Connects multiple inboxes: You plug in several email accounts, set daily send limits and time windows, and Instantly routes sending across them to stay within safe deliverability ranges.

👉 Imports and finds leads: You add leads via CSV, manual entry, or Instantly’s own lead database, then segment them by ICP, industry, or campaign so each sequence targets a clear audience.

👉 Runs automated sequences: You build multi-step campaigns with delays and basic conditions (stop on reply, move after click, etc.). Instantly sends emails automatically based on these rules.

👉 Uses AI to speed up copy: AI helps draft and tweak subject lines and templates so you can test more angles quickly, while still keeping full control over tone and messaging.

👉 Centralizes replies and tracking: All replies land in a unified inbox where the team can respond, assign owners, and qualify leads. Performance metrics then show which campaigns, inboxes, and segments generate meetings and revenue.

How Much Is Instantly?

Instantly: Customer Reviews

Customer feedback on Instantly tends to fall into two clear buckets:

teams who love the platform for its scale, speed, and price point, and teams who hit limits once they need deeper CRM, reporting, or multi-channel workflows.

Positive Instantly Reviews

✅ “Yes, it's very easy to use and a great UI to start with, even if you are a beginner. The implementation process is quite straightforward. Sometimes I make mistakes, but customer support or the chatbot always helps me out quickly. It also integrates easily with HubSpot. I use Instantly every day and really enjoy all the new features they keep launching”. G2

✅ “I like that it's easy to use and to setup. I like the deliverability of the emails (it's not the only tool I use and I can compare). I like the integration with Hubspot and the ease with which I can import lists of leads annd also the ease of export. I also like the AI bot that answers my questions - easy, fast, at any hour”. G2

Negative Instantly Reviews

❌ “Many features are charged separately rather than being included in a growth plan. For example, services like inbox placement testing and website visitor details are offered as add-ons with additional fees. This segmented pricing can increase overall costs and complicate budgeting for users who need these essential features alongside email outreach tools”. G2

❌ “I found setting up Instantly challenging for certain types of emails, requiring multiple steps for integration, especially with Google Workspace, which involved several steps before adding it to Instantly. Additionally, while the platform centralizes inboxes effectively, attachments do not display when checking them directly on the platform. The lack of functionality to bulk remove blocked domains or emails is frustrating, as it complicates managing large volumes, despite having a feature to bulk add. Additionally, the absence of a search engine feature across multiple inboxes is limiting. There is room for improvements, which affects my recommendation score.” G2

Why Instantly Users Need a CRM?

Instantly is amazing for sending and testing cold email at scale.
But once replies land in your inbox, its limits show up fast.

1. Volume without real pipeline visibility: Instantly shows opens, clicks, and replies – not qualified opportunities, deal stages, or forecast.
A CRM adds values, stages, and close dates so you see pipeline and revenue, not just reply rates.

2. Replies scattered across inboxes: When replies stay in Gmail/Outlook, they get buried, duplicated, or owned by one person only.
A CRM centralizes contacts and conversations so the whole team sees what was said, by whom, and what happens next.

3. Instantly is outreach, not relationship management: Instantly handles campaigns, not the full history of an account across email, LinkedIn, calls, and meetings.
A CRM keeps that long-term context, so any SDR, AE, or founder can pick up a thread without guesswork.

4. Multi-channel follow-up needs structure: Real deals jump from email to LinkedIn, phone, WhatsApp, and calendars.
A CRM ties all those touchpoints to one contact and one deal, with clear next steps and owners.

5. Reporting and collaboration live outside Instantly: Leaders care about pipeline created, win rates, and revenue by campaign or segment – not just reply counts.
A CRM links Instantly activity to opportunities and closed-won, and gives teams shared views, notes, and tasks.

💡 In short: Instantly gets you conversations. A good CRM turns those conversations into predictable, trackable revenue.

7 Best CRMs for Instantly Users in 2026

👉 Try folk CRM for free!

1. folk CRM

Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(G2)

Overview

folk is a modern AI CRM built around contact lists, pipelines, and collaboration rather than rigid objects. It feels as flexible as a spreadsheet or Notion, with AI and automation layered on top!

For Instantly users, folk becomes the source of truth once a cold email turns into a real conversation. You centralize contacts, qualify replies, and manage deals across email, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and meetings in one place.

Pros

• Chrome extension (folkX) to capture contacts from LinkedIn, Gmail, and other tools in one click.
• AI enrichment, icebreakers, and Magic Fields to keep records clean without manual data entry.
• Flexible pipelines and custom views for outbound, fundraising, partnerships, and CS in the same workspace.
• Shared views, comments, and mentions so founders and reps collaborate on deals instead of working in silos.

Cons

• No free plan, only a free trial, which can slow adoption for very small teams or solo users.
• Works best once the team agrees to centralize data in folk; less relevant if everyone still lives only in inboxes.

Pricing

👉Try folk CRM for free!

2. HubSpot CRM

Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(G2)

Overview

HubSpot CRM is a “smart CRM” that centralizes contacts, companies, deals, and activities in one place.
It connects natively to email, meetings, forms, and live chat so every interaction stays tied to the right record.

For Instantly users, HubSpot often sits downstream from outbound. Replies from campaigns become contacts and deals in HubSpot, where teams track pipeline, nurture, and revenue.

Pros

• Free-forever CRM base with contact, deal, and task management.
• Strong email integration with Gmail and Outlook, plus tracking for opens and clicks.
• Visual pipelines with customizable stages and clear next steps.
• Large app marketplace, which makes it easy to plug HubSpot into the rest of the sales stack.

Cons

• Pricing scales fast as you add paid Sales Hub seats and advanced features.
• Setup and admin can feel heavy for lean outbound teams that want something lighter.

Pricing

• Free CRM: $0 for core contact, deal, and task management.
• Sales Hub Starter: from $15 per seat / month on annual billing.
• Sales Hub Professional: from a few hundred dollars per month, with a minimum seat bundle.
• Sales Hub Enterprise: higher per-seat pricing with more advanced features and limits.

3. Close CRM

Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(G2)

Overview

Close is a sales CRM built around integrated calling, SMS, and email.
It gives reps one workspace to manage leads, pipelines, and all communication instead of juggling separate tools.

For Instantly users, Close typically takes over once a prospect replies. You call, text, and email from the same screen, log notes, and move deals through a visual pipeline while Instantly keeps generating new conversations.

Pros

• Built-in calling with Power Dialer and Predictive Dialer on higher tiers.
• Native SMS and email, plus a unified inbox so reps work from one place.
• Visual pipelines, custom activities, and smart views to organize follow-ups.
• Strong fit for outbound sales teams that rely heavily on phone and SMS.

Cons

• Pricing is higher than lighter CRMs once you need advanced calling and automation.
• Less flexible than folk for non-sales workflows like partnerships, fundraising, or recruiting.

Pricing

• Solo: $9 (billed annually) or $19 (billed monthly).
• Essentials: $35 (billed annually) or $49 (billed monthly).
• Growth: $99 (billed annually) or $109 (billed monthly).
• Scale: $139 (billed annually) or $149 (billed monthly).

4. Pipedrive

Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐(G2)

Overview

Pipedrive is a sales-focused CRM built around Kanban-style pipelines. It helps teams see where every deal sits, what needs to happen next, and which activities actually move revenue forward.

For Instantly users, Pipedrive often becomes the “deal board” once replies start coming in. You turn positive or interested responses into deals, assign owners, and track progress from first call to closed won.

Pros

• Clean, visual pipelines that are easy for new users to understand and adopt.
• Solid deal and activity tracking with reminders for calls, emails, and meetings.
• Large integration ecosystem to connect email, calling tools, scheduling apps, and more.
• Simple enough for founders and small teams, but still workable as the team grows.

Cons

• No true free plan, only a time-limited trial.
• As you add add-ons and higher tiers, total cost can creep up.

Pricing

• Essential: from $14 per user / month.
• Advanced: from $29 per user / month.
• Professional: from $49 per user / month.
• Power: from around $65 per user / month.
• Enterprise: from around $99 per user / month.

5. Zoho CRM

Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐(G2)

Overview

Zoho CRM is a classic, modular CRM that manages leads, contacts, accounts, and deals. It sits inside the wider Zoho suite (email, support, billing, marketing), so teams can centralize more than just sales.

For Instantly users, Zoho CRM usually acts as the main record system once a reply comes in. You log deals, track activities, and connect with other Zoho apps to handle marketing, support, or finance around the same customer.

Pros

• Competitive pricing across all tiers, with a lot of features for the money.
• Tight integration with other Zoho tools (Desk, Campaigns, Books, etc.) if the stack is already Zoho-first.
• Customizable modules, layouts, and automation rules for different sales processes.
• Suitable for teams that need an all-in-one environment more than a sleek, niche CRM.

Cons

• Interface and UX feel less modern than tools like folk.
• Setup and customization can take time, especially without a dedicated admin.
• Feature depth can overwhelm smaller teams that want something lighter and more opinionated.

Pricing

• Standard: from $14 per user / month.
• Professional: from $23 per user / month.
• Enterprise: from $40 per user / month.
• Ultimate: from $52 per user / month.

6. Salesforce Sales Cloud

Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐(G2)

Overview

Salesforce Sales Cloud is an enterprise CRM built for complex sales organizations with many reps, territories, and product lines.
It lets teams manage accounts, contacts, opportunities, activities, and forecasts in one highly configurable system.

For Instantly users, Salesforce usually acts as the official system of record. Replies from campaigns turn into leads, contacts, or opportunities that move through standardized sales processes and executive dashboards.

Pros

• Extremely flexible data model with standard and custom objects.
• Powerful automation (flows, validation rules, approval processes) when you have RevOps or an admin.
• Advanced reporting and forecasting for multi-team, multi-region pipelines.
• Huge ecosystem of partners, consultants, and marketplace apps.

Cons

• Heavy to implement and maintain; almost always needs a dedicated owner or partner.
• Overkill for small outbound teams that mainly want a light CRM next to Instantly.
• Licensing and add-ons can become expensive as you scale users and features.

Pricing

• Starter Suite: $25 per user / month.
• Pro Suite: $100 per user / month.
• Sales Cloud Enterprise: $175 per user / month.
• Sales Cloud Unlimited: $350 per user / month.
• Agentforce 1 Sales: $550 per user / month.

7. Copper CRM

Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐(G2)

Overview

Copper CRM is built specifically for Google Workspace users. It plugs into Gmail and Google Calendar so reps can see contacts, deals, and tasks directly in the sidebar while they work.

For Instantly users, Copper works well when most workflows already run on Google tools. Outbound replies become contacts and opportunities in Copper, and everything stays tied to Google accounts, events, and files.

Pros

• Native integration with Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Drive.
• Clean, simple interface that feels familiar to Google Workspace users.
• Solid contact, pipeline, and activity management for B2B teams.
• Easy onboarding for founders and small sales teams that don’t want an “enterprise” CRM.

Cons

Not ideal if your stack is Microsoft-first or heavily multi-tool.
Fewer advanced multi-channel and AI-native features than folk for social selling and relationship workflows.
Less suited to very complex, multi-entity setups that need heavy customization.

Pricing

Starter: $12/mo/seat
Basic: $29/mo/seat
Professional: $69/mo/seat

7 Best CRMs for Instantly Users in 2026: Quick Recap

👉 Try folk CRM for free!

Conclusion

Instantly does the volume; your CRM decides what turns into revenue. If replies end up scattered across inboxes, spreadsheets, and DMs, you don’t have a lead gen problem – you have a follow-up and organization problem.

HubSpot, Salesforce, Close, Pipedrive, Zoho, and Copper can all work next to Instantly, but most are either too heavy, too limited, or too focused on a single channel.

folk is built for what Instantly users actually do in 2026: multi-channel outbound, fast qualification, and collaboration across sales, founders, and ops. It lets you capture every reply, enrich it, and push it through a flexible pipeline instead of fighting a rigid legacy CRM.

👉 If you’re serious about Instantly, your next step is simple: plug it into folk CRM and turn “nice reply” into meetings and closed deals from a single, clean workspace.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best CRM for Instantly users?

For most Instantly users running serious outbound, folk CRM is usually the best fit: it’s built for multi-channel (email, LinkedIn, WhatsApp) and collaborative pipelines, not just basic deal tracking.

When was Instantly.ai founded?

Instantly.ai launched in the early 2020s as a cold-email and deliverability platform (you can double-check the exact year on their About or LinkedIn page).

How long is Instantly.ai free trial?

Instantly.ai offers a time-limited free trial (often around a couple of weeks), but the exact duration changes, so it’s safest to confirm on their pricing page before you publish.

How to insert a photo in Instantly.ai?

Create or edit your email, switch to the rich-text/HTML editor if needed, use the image option (upload or URL), resize it, then send a test email to check how it renders before launching the campaign.