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The Lytms Index· Cold email & sales engagementUS region · updated Aug 20, 2026
The Lytms Index / Cold email & sales engagement

Which tool sends and sequences outbound email at scale

Summary

As of Aug 20, 2026, the market’s strongest steer is Outreach and Salesforge — they score the same — followed by Instantly.

The engines name 11 of the 29 products measured here — the other 18 are never mentioned in an answer.

Buyers search for Close by name more than anything else here — which is not where the engines steer.

29 products scored · scores are 0-100 · measured continuously · updated Aug 20, 2026 · about this score

Every product on this board, with every score’s receipts one click away.

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1
Outreachoutreach.ioAgentic AI Platform for Revenue Teamsmovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnamed by Claude, Gemini, Google's AI Mode and Google's AI Overview
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand81,420 searches a month by name
79
2
Salesforgesalesforge.aiForge Pipeline With Unlimited LinkedIn, Email & AI SDR Outreachmovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnamed by Claude, Gemini, Google's AI Mode and Google's AI Overview
  • Search resultsranks #6 where buyers search
  • Buyer demand0 searches a month by name
79
3
Instantlyinstantly.aiFind Clientsmovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnamed by Claude, Gemini, Google's AI Mode and Google's AI Overview
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand83,300 searches a month by name
78
4
lemlistlemlist.comThe AI Outbound Platform for Relevant Outreach at Every Scalemovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnamed by Claude, Gemini, Google's AI Mode and Google's AI Overview
  • Search resultsranks #7 where buyers search
  • Buyer demand0 searches a month by name
76
5
Saleshandysaleshandy.comYour Complete Multichannel Outbound Platform toBook Meetings Everydaymovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnamed by Claude, Gemini, Google's AI Mode and Google's AI Overview
  • Search resultsranks #4 where buyers search
  • Buyer demand0 searches a month by name
75
6
Apolloapollo.ioThe AI sales platform for smarter, faster revenue growthmovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnamed by Claude, Gemini, Google's AI Mode and Google's AI Overview
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand436,200 searches a month by name
72
7
Replyreply.ioSupercharge your sales team with AImovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnamed by Claude, Gemini and Google's AI Mode
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand90,500 searches a month by name
69
8
Closeclose.comThe sales CRM built for calling, emailing, texting, automation and actionmovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnot named in AI answers
  • Search resultsranks #9 where buyers search
  • Buyer demand514,300 searches a month by name
65
9
Mixmaxmixmax.comThe easiest way to automate outreach and follow-upsmovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnamed by Claude and Gemini
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand4,400 searches a month by name
64
10
Smartleadsmartlead.aiUnlock the Full Power of AI Outboundmovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnamed by Claude, Gemini, Google's AI Mode and Google's AI Overview
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand0 searches a month by name
64
11
Klentyklenty.comAI SALES ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM Open More Conversations. Build More Pipeline.movement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnamed by Claude
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand0 searches a month by name
52
12
Mailshakemailshake.comEmail Automation That Lands in Inboxes, Gets Replies, and Books Meetings.movement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnamed by Claude
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand0 searches a month by name
52
13
Hunterhunter.ioConnect with any professional.movement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnot named in AI answers
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand44,400 searches a month by name
46
14
Email On Acidemailonacid.comThe next generation of email quality assurancemovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnot named in AI answers
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand2,900 searches a month by name
44
15
Ebstaebsta.comMake your sales processpipeline reviewforecasting data-drivenmovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnot named in AI answers
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand210 searches a month by name
43
16
Breakcoldbreakcold.comThe CRM that kills admin work so you can sell more.movement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnot named in AI answers
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand0 searches a month by name
35
17
Closelycloselyhq.comAutomate LinkedIn & Email Outreach with Built-in AI Personalizationmovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnot named in AI answers
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand0 searches a month by name
35
18
Ditleadditlead.comSend unlimited emails across every channelwith AImovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnot named in AI answers
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand0 searches a month by name
35
19
Everreadyeverready.aiThe AI Revenue Platform formovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnot named in AI answers
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand0 searches a month by name
35
20
Humanlinkerhumanlinker.com👉 Humanlinker is featured among the best GenAI startups in Wavestone’s 2025 Startup Radar recognized by the global consulting leader. Read the press releasemovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnot named in AI answers
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand0 searches a month by name
35
21
Kanboxkanbox.ioStop Losing Leads on LinkedInmovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnot named in AI answers
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand0 searches a month by name
35
22
Outreachbinoutreachbin.comIncrease YourOpens, Clicks & Conversions With Cold Email & Inbox Warm-Upmovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnot named in AI answers
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand0 searches a month by name
35
23
QuickMailquickmail.comCold Outreach Solution For Email & LinkedInmovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnot named in AI answers
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand0 searches a month by name
35
24
Reachkitreachkit.aiCold email that lands.movement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnot named in AI answers
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand0 searches a month by name
35
25
SalesBlinksalesblink.ioCold Email for Businesses & AI Agentsmovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnot named in AI answers
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand0 searches a month by name
35
26
Salesrobotsalesrobot.coMessage 100s of people on LinkedIn and cold email. Every Week. Automatically.movement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnot named in AI answers
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand0 searches a month by name
35
27
Upleaduplead.comReal-time verified B2B emails, mobile numbers and intent datamovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnot named in AI answers
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand0 searches a month by name
35
28
Yeswareyesware.comSales engagement that lives in your inboxmovement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnot named in AI answers
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand0 searches a month by name
35
29
ZELIQzeliq.comFind & Reach your Next customers.movement · measures nothing until the next capture
Why it ranks here →
  • AI answersnot named in AI answers
  • Search resultsnot in the top results where buyers search
  • Buyer demand0 searches a month by name
35

What the engines say

Verbatim, from the answers themselves. We quote what an engine said and when it said it — never a paraphrase, and never our summary of it.

For High-Volume Outreach: Instantly is best for founders and agencies focused on high-volume cold email with unlimited sending accounts.

Claude on Outreach · Aug 20, 2026

For High-Volume Outreach: Instantly is best for founders and agencies focused on high-volume cold email with unlimited sending accounts.

Claude on Instantly · Aug 20, 2026

Here are the top options for B2B cold email outbound: For Comprehensive All-in-One Solutions: Salesforge is best for outbound teams that want cold email and LinkedIn on one sequence with included warm-up and LinkedIn senders.

Claude on Salesforge · Aug 20, 2026

For Multichannel Personalization: Lemlist is best for teams that lean on personal touches across email, LinkedIn, and calls.

Claude on lemlist · Aug 20, 2026

For Budget-Conscious Teams: Saleshandy is best for solo founders and small teams on a budget with unlimited email accounts and a built-in 700M+ B2B database from day one.

Claude on Saleshandy · Aug 20, 2026

For Built-in Contact Data: Apollo is best for teams that want a 275M+ contact database bundled with the sending tool.

Claude on Apollo · Aug 20, 2026

Engines asked for this category: Claude, Gemini, Google's AI Mode and Google's AI Overview.

Check it yourself

Ask ChatGPT about this market →

You will not get our answer back, and you should not expect to. A single reply varies by the day, the account and the wording; the board is what several engines named across a fixed set of buying questions, recorded over time. What you can check is the part that matters — whether the products we say the engines name are the ones you are shown.

What decides a position

Four signals, chosen because a vendor cannot buy any of them directly. Each is a measurement of what the market does, not of what a company says.

AI answers

What AI engines answer when buyers ask what to use for a job.

Search results

Where the product stands in the search results buyers actually see for the category’s buying queries — including who owns the answer box.

Buyer demand

How many buyers search for the product by name.

Movement

Whether the product is gaining or losing ground against the others in its market, measured between dated captures rather than claimed.

A product is scored on the signals we could actually measure for it, and a signal we could not measure is left out rather than counted as zero. This is not a quality rating and not a recommendation. It measures how present and how well-regarded a product is across public surfaces — a different question from whether it is right for you.

Cite this

Free to quote, with attribution. Add your own accessed date if your style needs one — the date below is when we measured, which is the one that decides whether a number is still current.

The Lytms Index. "Which tool sends and sequences outbound email at scale." Lytms AI. Measured Aug 20, 2026. https://lytms.ai/best/cold-email

Prefer the numbers? Download the cold email & sales engagement board as CSV — every row and every evidence line exactly as shown above, nothing extra.

Markets next to this one

Related because the rosters overlap, which is a fact about the products we track rather than a judgment about the markets. Each row says how much.

AI sales agents

3 of these 29 products also appear on that roster — Reply, Salesforge and Saleshandy.

Sales intelligence & data

3 of these 29 products also appear on that roster — Apollo, Outreach and UpLead.

Something wrong? Tell us. Nobody pays to be listed here, and claiming a listing never changes a position.