Table of Contents
- The Evolution of Quickmail vs Instantly
- TL;DR: Quickmail vs Instantly
- Performance Showdown: 1,000-Lead Campaign Test Between Quickmail and Instantly
- Campaign Process and Management
- Personalization Using AI
- Deliverability & Email Warm-up Performance
- Value for Money
- Quickmail & Instantly Alternatives
- Conclusion
- FAQs
- Related Reads
Instantly vs Quickmail?
If you’re stuck between the two, then you’re probably wondering:
- What actually fits your sales process?
- Which one is more likely to get replies?
I get it, I had the same questions.
So I tested both.
I ran real campaigns and focused on what matters in day-to-day sales use: setup, workflow, and deliverability.
In this post, I’ll share what stood out, what surprised me, and where each tool fits best depending on how you sell.
Let’s find your best fit.
The Evolution of Quickmail vs Instantly
Quickmail
Instantly
Short on time? Here’s the quick take.
TL;DR: Quickmail vs Instantly
Category | QuickMail | Instantly |
Best for | SMBs/startups running low–moderate volume outbound | Teams sending at scale with leads already sourced |
Features | Sequences, lead lists, 1 sender, LinkedIn step, reply monitoring, MailFlow warmer | Sequences, unlimited inboxes, rotation, native warm-up, and deliverability controls |
Typical use case | Import leads → launch → manage replies → iterate | Upload leads → connect many inboxes → send at scale → monitor deliverability |
Ease of use | Simple, but setup and navigation are a bit hard | Quick to set up and operate |
Limitations | Base plan caps + no built-in prospect database | Lead sourcing requires an add-on or an external tool |
Pricing (starting) | $9/month | $47/month |
Rating | 4.1/5 | 4.5/5 |
With each tool as a preview, let’s see how they performed with real leads.
Performance Showdown: 1,000-Lead Campaign Test Between Quickmail and Instantly
Based on a campaign sent to 1,000 leads, Instantly and QuickMail showed noticeably different performance patterns.
Instantly, clearly led on engagement. It recorded a 44% open rate, which is significantly higher than QuickMail’s 17.8%.
That higher visibility also translated into replies. Instantly achieved a 5.5% reply rate, while QuickMail saw just 0.1%, indicating a much lower level of engagement from recipients in this campaign.
On the deliverability side, both tools performed relatively similarly. QuickMail recorded a slightly lower bounce rate at 1.5%, compared to Instantly’s 1.95%. While the difference is small, it suggests QuickMail may have had marginally cleaner delivery in terms of invalid addresses.
Now let’s see what building a campaign actually looks like in each tool.
Campaign Process and Management
Instantly Outreach Process
Instantly’s campaign flow is designed for easy setup and control once campaigns are live.
1. Import Your Leads
Instantly supports four intake methods for prospects: CSV upload, pulling contacts from Lead Finder, manual email entry, or connecting to Google Sheets.
This makes it simple to swap lists, refresh leads, or run quick tests without rebuilding the campaign from scratch.
2) Build the Sequence
The sequence editor is clean and message-focused. You create steps, add variants, and set delays.
Personalization tokens like {{firstName}}, {{companyName}}, and {{jobTitle}} can be inserted directly into the copy.
4. Launch and Track
After launch, campaigns show up in the campaign list/dashboard with core performance fields such as sent, opens, clicks, and replies, plus a visible status.
Overall impression:
Instantly’s campaign flow is optimized for speed and scale. Setup is fast, steps are lightweight, and managing large lead volumes across multiple inboxes feels frictionless. It’s well-suited for teams that prioritize quick launches, high send volume, and rapid iteration over granular campaign controls. |
Quickmail Outreach
QuickMail’s outreach flow is built with a step-by-step campaign setup.
1. Create a Campaign
Campaigns are created from a central dashboard. This configuration makes campaign intent clear before leads or steps are added.
2. Add Leads
Leads are added after campaign creation. QuickMail supports importing contacts (CSV or integrations), and campaigns remain inactive until leads are attached.
3. Build Steps
The sequence editor is linear and email-first. You add steps one by one, define delays, and write copy directly inside each step.
4. Channels & Senders
Senders are managed at the campaign level. Each campaign clearly shows connected inboxes, sending limits, and deliverability indicators, making it easy to see which inboxes are active and healthy.
5. Schedule & Timing
Scheduling is handled visually across weekdays and time blocks, aligned to account timezone. You define exactly when emails can be sent, rather than relying on abstract rules.
Overall impression:
QuickMail’s campaign process favors intentional setup and deliverability safety over rapid launch. It’s well-suited for teams that value controlled outbound execution and inbox health over quick experimentation. |
Both tools offer AI. Let’s look at their usage.
Personalization Using AI
Instantly.ai
Instantly lets you personalize while writing. Inside the sequence editor, you can use AI to draft or rewrite copy (including a spam-check) and then drop in variables like {{firstName}} and {{companyName}}.
And templates make it easy to reuse.
Quickmail.io
QuickMail adds AI rewriting directly at the email step. You can rewrite existing copy with AI, keep personalization variables intact, and apply the improved version.
Now that personalization’s covered, let’s move to warm-up performance.
Deliverability & Email Warm-up Performance
Instantly
Deliverability is built directly into Instantly. Every connected inbox can be added to its native warm-up system.
The warm-up view shows:
- Inbox placement status (primary vs spam)
- Warm-up emails sent, received, and rescued from spam
- Simple daily activity charts per inbox
Warm-up runs automatically in the background, simulating natural behavior like opens, replies, and saves.
Quickflow (by Quickmail)
Quickflow is QuickMail’s dedicated deliverability and warm-up tool, designed to prepare inboxes before (and during) cold outreach.
You create Pools and add email accounts/domains to them. Each pool manages warm-up activity separately.
Next, let’s look at cost and what you get.
Value for Money
Instantly.ai
Hidden Costs & Limitations
While Instantly’s pricing looks simple upfront, a few practical limitations show up as you scale:
- Monthly vs yearly pricing: the “cheaper” number is usually yearly (20% off); monthly is higher (e.g., Growth shows $47/mo monthly).
- Hard caps on the base plan: Growth limits you to 1,000 uploaded contacts and 5,000 emails/month.
- Lead database isn’t “free”: Outreach is separate from SuperSearch (credits), so lead-finding/enrichment can add cost.
- No API on Growth: API access requires Hypergrowth or above.
- White-labeling not on base: white-label is available on Hypergrowth / Light Speed, not Growth.
- Support upgrades cost more: Growth lists chat support; higher tiers add premium/dedicated support.
Quickmail.io
Hidden Costs & Limitations
- The Quickmail starter plan is very limited. You’re capped at 1 email sender, 1 LinkedIn account, 3,000 contacts, and 3,000 emails/month, which fills up fast once testing begins.
- Real scale starts at $99/mo. Unlimited senders, higher contact limits, and API access only unlock on the Growth plan, making the jump unavoidable for serious outreach.
- Warm-up is bundled, but separate. MailFlow is included, but it’s still a distinct system from campaign sending, meaning warm-up and outreach are managed in parallel.
- LinkedIn support is basic. It’s sender-based, not a full multichannel sequencing engine like dedicated sales engagement tools.
- Advanced team setups cost more. Multiple workspaces, higher user counts, and agency-style operations require the Agency plan ($299/mo).
- Analytics stay outbound-focused. You get delivery and response metrics, but deeper pipeline or revenue attribution requires external tools.
Still unsure which one fits your needs? Here are a few strong alternatives worth considering before you decide.
Quickmail & Instantly Alternatives
Tool | Pricing (starting) | Standout features | Best for | Watch-outs |
Sparkle.io | $29/mo (Starter) | Email verification, inbox warm-up, inbox rotation, AI writer, deliverability monitoring (Business tier) | Teams wanting verification, warm-up, and campaigns in one place | Credit-based usage (“Sparkles”) can limit very high-volume sending |
Smartlead | $39/mo monthly ($32.5/mo annually) | Unlimited email accounts and warm-ups, unified inbox (Unibox), automation, API access, and deliverability | Agencies and high-scale outbound operations | White-labeling costs extra per client |
Lemlist | €69/user/mo (Email Pro) | Strong personalization, warm-up, deliverability boost, inbox rotation, and in-app domain purchase | Teams focused on email-first outreach with personalization | Per-user pricing increases quickly as teams grow |
Mailshake | $29/mo Starter; $49/mo Email Outreach | Simple sequences, warm-up and verification included, data finder credits, scaling features on higher tiers | SMB teams needing a straightforward, reliable outreach tool | Advanced workflow features require higher tiers or add-ons |
Woodpecker | $35/mo Starter (monthly) | Clean cold email automation, lightweight setup, optional LinkedIn outreach add-on, built-in warm-ups by tier | Deliverability-first teams wanting a focused email tool | Can become costly at high prospect volumes |
Conclusion
Instantly makes sense if speed and scale are your priorities. It’s built for launching fast, handling lots of inboxes, and iterating quickly.
QuickMail, on the other hand, is a better fit if you care more about control and deliverability. The workflow is more deliberate, and warm-up/sender management feels more structured.
Neither approach is “right” or “wrong.” They’re simply built for different styles of outbound.
If you’re still unsure, keep it simple: pick the tool you’ll actually stick with every day.
FAQs
1. Is Instantly better than QuickMail for high-volume cold email?
Instantly is better suited for high-volume outreach because it’s designed to handle many inboxes and faster iteration. QuickMail can scale, but it’s more intentional and slower by design.
2. Which tool is easier to use: Instantly or QuickMail?
Instantly is easier for beginners and sales reps. QuickMail has a steeper learning curve but offers more operational control once you’re familiar with it.
3. Can I run multiple email accounts in Instantly and QuickMail?
Yes, both support multiple email accounts. Instantly encourages connecting many inboxes early, while QuickMail expects more structured sender management.
4. Can Instantly or QuickMail replace my CRM?
No. Both tools focus on outreach execution. You’ll still need a CRM for deal tracking, forecasting, and revenue management.
