LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a solid starting point for outbound.
It helps you search for prospects, filter by title or company, and build a lead list inside LinkedIn. It works well for basic targeting.
But here’s the problem:
Once you find the lead, Sales Navigator stops helping. You still need to:
And that’s why many teams are now looking for LinkedIn Sales Navigator alternatives, tools that do more, faster.
In this blog, I’ll walk you through 10 tools I tested myself.
Each one solves a different piece of the outbound puzzle:
✅ Verified data
✅ Built-in outreach
✅ Warm-up
✅ CRM workflows
✅ Transparent pricing
If you're an SDR, founder, or sales leader looking to scale pipeline without duct-taping tools together, this breakdown will save you time, budget, and sanity.
LinkedIn Sales Navigator helps you find people, but that’s where it ends.
I. What It Lacks:
II. What That Means for You:
You’re left switching between 3 or more tools just to run one campaign.
You find leads in Sales Navigator, verify them using another tool, send emails with a third, and manage follow-ups manually.
That’s 4 jobs across 3 platforms, every single time you run outbound.
III. What You Need:
You need a tool that handles the full flow, data → email → replies, without you lifting a finger every step of the way.
That’s why I tested 10 LinkedIn Sales Navigator alternatives.
They don’t just help you find leads. They help you turn them into meetings.
🔎 Leadsforge is the only tool in this list that handles the full outbound flow, from finding leads to sending emails and managing replies.
Leadsforge gives you leads based on plain text input like: “Founders at US-based fintech companies” or “CTOs in European SaaS startups.”
You don’t have to mess with filters or set up complicated rules. Just describe your ideal lead, and it builds a ready-to-email list for you.
You can then send emails directly from the platform, warm up your inbox, and track replies, all in one place.
It’s built to remove the typical mess of using 3–4 tools just to run outbound.
It gives you verified data, warms up your inbox, sends personalized emails, and even replies through its built-in AI SDR, Agent Frank.
Sales Navigator only helps you search. Leadsforge helps you search, send, and scale.
It includes everything Sales Navigator lacks:
If you're looking for a tool that replaces Sales Navigator and your cold email platform, without needing filters, setup, or a tech stack, Leadsforge is the most complete solution on this list.
⭐ 4.8/5 – Ideal for outbound teams that want verified data, outreach, and replies in one system
🔎 Apollo.io is one of the most popular Sales Navigator alternatives for small teams, offering verified leads, email sequencing, and CRM integrations on a free plan.
Apollo feels like one of the best starting points if you're switching from LinkedIn Sales Navigator.
It gives you both the data and the email tools in one place, which saves a lot of time. For early-stage teams, that’s a big win.
On G2, users often say the platform is fast and easy to use. One reviewer wrote:
“Apollo.io is the most user-friendly cold outreach tool I've found yet.”
Another said:
“The free tier alone gave us 250 verified contacts and full access to sequences. Huge value for startups.”
However, some users have noted areas for improvement:
Apollo is a solid free alternative to Sales Navigator if you're looking to do outreach right away.
But for teams who rely on ultra-clean data or want deep filters, it might feel limited.
Sales Navigator is good at showing you people. Apollo lets you contact them.
And unlike Sales Navigator, you don’t need to export anything. It’s all connected out of the box.
Apollo.io is perfect for small teams, early-stage founders, or SDRs who want a free tool to find leads and reach out, all without paying upfront.
It’s not flawless, but it easily replaces Sales Navigator + an outreach tool for anyone just getting started.
⭐ 4.7/5 – Best budget-friendly all-in-one starter for outbound sales
Now, moving on to Bitscale.
🔎 Bitscale is built for developers who want fast, code-first access to lead data, without relying on clunky dashboards or LinkedIn limits.
Bitscale is recognized for its AI-driven approach to lead generation and outreach.
Users appreciate its ability to automate tasks and integrate with existing workflows.
A Reddit user shared their experience:
"At my company, we used Bitscale for scouting the right leads and sending them tailored mails. The tool can be customized, and you can build an event-based funnel."
Another Redditor mentioned:
"I put filters in LinkedIn Sales Navigator and scrape and enrich using Bitscale.ai."
However, some users have noted areas for improvement.
A review highlighted that while Bitscale offers comprehensive data enrichment, there is a learning curve associated with its features.
Additionally, reliance on third-party data sources may affect consistency.
Sales Navigator makes you click through profiles and still leaves you guessing about emails.
Bitscale gives you verified leads directly via API, with no LinkedIn dependency.
If your team already has sending handled and just needs high-volume, customizable scraping, Bitscale gets the job done fast.
⭐ 3.9/5 – Best for dev teams who want clean data with full control
Bitscale gives you control, but if compliance and GDPR-safe data matter more, let’s look at Cognism.
🔎 Cognism focuses on compliant B2B data for teams targeting EMEA, DACH, and global regions.
Cognism is a B2B sales intelligence platform designed to help businesses find and connect with potential customers.
Users often highlight its ease of use and effective lead generation capabilities.
A G2 reviewer noted:
"I love its usability and the quality of the data provided.”
Another user mentioned:
"The browser Extension is a big win for me – it works seamlessly with LinkedIn and helps me get accurate contact data without switching tabs or tools."
However, some users have expressed concerns. A Reddit user commented:
"They definitely have issues with certain integrations, but have performed well for mid-market segments."
Additionally, a Trustpilot reviewer stated:
"The data on Cognism is nowhere near as good as other vendors. I have personally used two others, and the access to valid data is far greater."
Cognism is a user-friendly platform that effectively aids in lead generation, particularly appreciated for its simplicity and data quality.
However, potential users should be aware of possible integration challenges and data accuracy concerns.
It's advisable to assess whether its features align with your specific business needs.
Sales Navigator doesn't tell you if a contact is compliant, and it doesn’t verify emails or phone numbers.
Cognism does, if you’re selling in regulated markets, this is the cleaner, safer route.
Cognism is ideal for sales teams targeting the UK or EU, where data compliance and mobile accuracy matter more than automation or outreach.
⭐ 4.5/5 – Best for GDPR-compliant prospecting in EMEA markets
Now that compliance is covered, let’s move to Clay, where automation meets lead building at scale.
🔎 Clay is a powerful enrichment and automation tool that helps you build lead systems across 50+ data sources, without writing code.
Clay stands out for how much it can automate. Most users love that it pulls data from different tools into one place, so they don’t have to do manual lead research or enrichment.
On G2, people often say it saves them hours. One reviewer shared:
Another user mentioned:
“Makes it easy to generate complex spreadsheet formulae using AI prompts easily.”
But not everyone finds it easy. On Reddit, a few users said Clay has a steep learning curve:
“Its great, but massive learning curve unless you dedicate all your time to it. It is not for the non technical people.”
Some also felt it was a bit overhyped by influencers and harder to use for non-technical teams.
Clay is great if you want deep control and are willing to spend time learning.
It’s not as beginner-friendly as other tools, but once it’s set up, it replaces a whole workflow.
Sales Navigator gives you profiles. Clay gives you full lead records, layered with context, and lets you automate the entire process.
Clay is best for teams who want to automate lead enrichment, personalize at scale, and avoid repetitive scraping.
It’s not an all-in-one like Leadsforge or Apollo, but it’s a powerful layer if you want smart systems.
⭐ 4.6/5 – Best for automating multi-source lead enrichment and personalization
Now let’s move on to the next one, Smartlead.ai. It’s built for sending cold emails at a serious scale.
🔎 Smartlead.ai helps you send cold emails in bulk, stay out of spam, and manage everything from one place.
Smartlead.ai is known for helping people send cold emails at scale.
Most users like it because it allows you to connect many inboxes, rotate them automatically, and warm them up—all in one place.
On G2, users often say it’s powerful for managing large campaigns. One person wrote:
“The best thing is how easy it is to scale with multiple inboxes. The warm-up works well too.”
Another reviewer mentioned:
“The auto-rotation of inboxes is a game-changer for deliverability, and the AI personalization saves so much time. Plus, the UI is clean, and I can track everything super easily.”
But not everyone is happy. Some users say the dashboard feels buggy and takes time to learn. A reviewer on Trustpilot shared:
“Their email warm-ups have bugs. It sends more emails than I set, even on weekends.”
Smartlead is great if you’re running large cold email campaigns and want automation.
Just know that it might take some time to get used to, and the interface could be smoother. But once it’s set up, it does the job well.
Sales Navigator only helps you find people; it doesn’t help you contact them.
Smartlead fills that gap. It works great when paired with tools like Clay or Apollo that give you the leads.
If Sales Navigator helps you find leads, Smartlead helps you reach them.
It’s a solid tool for anyone who wants to send cold emails at scale without worrying about spam, limits, or setup.
⭐ 4.6/5 – Best for cold email outreach with built-in warm-up and inbox control
Now let’s move on to Instantly.ai, which is great if you want fast outreach with a low budget.
🔎 Instantly.ai helps you send cold emails at scale with built-in warm-up and team-friendly pricing.
Instantly.ai is a cold email outreach platform designed to help businesses scale their email campaigns effectively.
Users appreciate its features like unlimited email sending accounts, domain warmup, and advanced sequencing.
The platform is known for its ease of use and reliable performance.
A G2 reviewer noted:
"Instantly really streamlined my outreach workflow. I no longer waste hours managing email sequences. Everything is easy to set up and understand."
Another user mentioned:
"The Instantly.ai team is always responsive. When it comes to troubleshooting, it seems that they are always available around the clock."
However, some users have expressed concerns. A Reddit user commented:
"I was using Instantly and having a ton of success...
Then out of the blue all my Instantly email accounts kept being disconnected."
Additionally, another Redditor shared:
"I am starting to think that Instantly is not so good with its tracking, and the truth is that a lot of our emails are most likely not getting delivered."
Instantly.ai is ideal for founders or sales reps who need to move fast and don’t want a steep learning curve.
It’s great for basic outreach, but if your team needs deep analytics or flawless inbox tracking, test carefully before scaling.
LinkedIn Sales Navigator helps you find people, but doesn’t help you email them.
Instantly is the opposite; it doesn’t find leads, but it makes emailing them super easy.
Instantly is a great pick if you're on a budget and want to send a lot of emails fast.
Pair it with a lead source like Apollo or Clay, and you’re good to go.
⭐ 4.7/5 – Best for teams who need low-cost, high-volume cold email
If Instantly is all about scale, Snov.io is about balance, lead finding, outreach, and tracking all under one roof.
🔎 Snov.io helps you find leads, verify emails, and send cold email campaigns, all from one dashboard.
Snov.io is a sales automation platform that offers tools for lead generation, email verification, and outreach campaigns.
Users appreciate its affordability and range of features, especially for small businesses and startups.
A G2 reviewer noted:
"Snov.io has fully met our expectations so far — it's reliable, easy to use, and delivers exactly what it promises."
Another user mentioned:
"Snov.io helped us collect more than 80,000 leads in a month, accelerating our search for emails while reducing the cost per lead."
However, some users have expressed concerns. A Reddit user commented:
"Snov.io is clunky and their data is very old. I think that has some pretty neat features but I do not think it will help you produce at the end of the day."
Additionally, a review highlighted issues with data accuracy:
"Some users have reported inaccurate or outdated information when using Snov.io for lead generation, which can lead to wasted time and resources."
Sales Navigator just helps you find LinkedIn profiles.
Snov.io goes further by giving verified emails, email verification to reduce bounce rates, a Chrome extension to pull emails from LinkedIn and CRM, and Zapier integrations.
Snov.io is great for small teams that want to keep things simple, find leads, verify, and send without using 3 tools.
It’s not built for scale, but for lean teams, it gets the job done.
⭐ 4.4/5 – Best for simple lead gen + cold outreach in one tool
Snov.io keeps things simple and all-in-one, but if you just want a fast way to find verified emails from a company domain, Hunter.io is a better fit.
🔎 Hunter.io helps you quickly find professional email addresses linked to any company domain.
Hunter.io is best known for helping people find email addresses linked to websites.
If you just want to get in touch with someone at a company, it’s one of the easiest tools to use.
Users on G2 said it’s clean and does what it promises.
One reviewer wrote:
“Super simple to use. I just enter the domain, and it gives me useful emails with confidence scores.”
However, some users have noted limitations. A Reddit user pointed out:
“Hunter's been kinda hit or miss for exec-level contacts—it's mostly domain-based lookups, so if the pattern’s off or not public, you're outta luck.”
Hunter.io is perfect if you want fast domain-based emails without much setup.
It’s simple and accurate for most basic outreach.
But if you need deep data or verified personal emails, you might need a more advanced tool.
Sales Navigator gives you LinkedIn profiles, you still need to guess emails or find them elsewhere.
Hunter skips that guessing by letting you search any domain, verify emails to avoid bounces.
It’s perfect if you already know the company and just need contact info, fast.
Hunter is the fastest way to find and verify emails based on company domains.
It’s not for outreach, but pair it with a tool like Instantly or Smartlead, and it becomes powerful.
⭐ 4.4/5 – Best for quick email lookups from domain names
Now let’s wrap up with the last one, Lemlist.
🔎 Lemlist lets you send highly personalized cold emails using images, dynamic text, and automation, all from one place.
Lemlist is built for sending cold emails that look personal.
It’s often used by small sales teams and solo founders who want their emails to stand out with custom images, videos, and text.
A G2 reviewer mentioned:
"Lemlist is a great packaged deal for handling outreach across channels. It has a nice combination of flexibility and built-in features that save time."
Another user on Trustpilot shared:
"Love using lemlist for my emails, it's super user-friendly and the personalization is just cool."
However, some users have expressed concerns. A Reddit user pointed out:
"I recently have been trying to use Lemlist emphasis on trying because their setup process is ridiculous and their customer support is absolutely awful."
Lemlist offers a user-friendly platform for personalized email outreach, appreciated for its flexibility and built-in features.
However, potential users should be aware of reported issues related to setup complexity and customer support responsiveness.
Sales Navigator shows you who to contact.
Lemlist helps you connect with them, using email campaigns that feel personal and get replies.
Lemlist is built for teams who want their cold emails to stand out, with visuals, custom images, and personal touches that drive more replies.
It’s not a lead source, but as an outreach engine, it delivers.
⭐ 4.3/5 – Best for personalized email campaigns with visual content
Choosing the right tool depends on where you’re stuck.
Some tools help you scrape data, others help you write and send cold emails. A few do both.
To save you hours of testing, I’ve mapped the best tool for each common use case below:
Still stuck between two or three options?
Pick the one that removes the most steps in your outbound process, whether that’s finding, sending, or scaling.
No tool fits everyone. Here’s a quick breakdown of where each tool might not be the best match, so you don’t waste time or money.
LinkedIn Sales Navigator is great for browsing profiles, but when it comes to real outbound, it stops short.
You still have to find emails, verify them, warm up your inbox, and manage follow-ups using other tools.
That’s exactly why so many teams are searching for LinkedIn Sales Navigator alternatives in 2025.
Own Your Entire Outbound Funnel With One Tool
👉 [Start with Leadsforge now] – no card required
Just plug in your ICP and start sending. No filters, no manual setup, no bouncing between tabs.
If you're serious about turning leads into meetings without the usual friction, Leadsforge is the simplest way to do it.