20+ Sales Prospecting Tools Compared (Buyer’s Guide)

Sales prospecting can be a daunting task for any business. With so many different tools, knowing which ones are worth your time and money is hard. This blog post will compare 20+ of the most popular sales prospecting tools today, including our favorite tool for each category.

Quick Links:

1. What Is Sales Prospecting (and What Does It Involve)?
2. 20+ Best Sales Prospecting Tools
3. List Building Tools
4. Email Verification Tools
5. Outreach Tools
6. What to Consider When Looking for a Sales Prospecting Tool?
7. Frequently Asked Questions and Answers on Sales Prospecting Tools
8. What is a sales prospecting tool?

What Is Sales Prospecting (and What Does It Involve)?

Sales prospecting is a process that helps you identify and develop relationships with potential customers. It involves identifying your target market, researching their needs, reaching out to them, following up on leads and connections, and more.

Sales prospecting often comes in the form of cold calling or email outreach, where you contact people who do not yet know about your business. While this might seem daunting to some, it can be done successfully with the right tools and strategies.

It also involves prospect verification, which is a process of making sure the person you are trying to reach is who they say they are. For example, before calling someone and asking them if they want your product or service, verifying that this person actually works for the company or organization listed on their LinkedIn profile is best.

Remembering that quality is more important than quantity when it comes to sales prospecting and finding contact details. You don’t want to be spamming people with emails; you need customized outreach that speaks directly to their needs.

20+ Best Sales Prospecting Tools

Now that we have covered sales prospecting and what it involves, let’s look at the 20+ best tools on the market for this process. We will compare each tool in terms of ease of use, cost, reliability, security, features offered (and if they suit your business needs), and more.

Sales Prospecting Tools for List Building

List-building tools are great for targeting leads and reaching out to people who do not yet know your business (similar to sales prospecting). These tools are ideal for sales teams or anyone looking to grow their email list.

UpLead

UpLead is an all-in-one sales prospecting and list-building tool that allows you to build, track, and manage your leads. After a 7-day free trial, UpLead offers customers the option of signing up via three pricing levels, starting at $99/month for 200 credits monthly.

UpLead is the ultimate lead-generation platform for marketing, sales, and recruitment teams. It helps your business grow by creating leads that will increase revenue for you cost-effectively.

With UpLead, you can target potential customers by building targeted lists of contact details. The data is not only accurate but verified. This means that the conversion rates and sales are even higher than expected.

Pros:

• Gives true contact information with job titles
• Updated real-time email verification
• Excellent filtering system
• Everything works together seamlessly
• Time-saving ability to export directly into the CRM

Cons:

• The credits system may not suit everyone

ZoomInfo

ZoomInfo delivers B2B contact information that can be utilized with its sales insights, engagement software, and workflow solutions. ZoomInfo is a powerful tool for anyone in sales, marketing, or recruiting who wants to optimize their efforts and find new leads.

Prices are provided individually, but reports show quotations of $15,000, $25,000, and $40,000 price ranges for these sales prospecting tools.

Pros:

• Easy to connect and share data with other tools
• Updated on regularly
• Accurate data

Cons:

• The UI is slightly older than other platforms
• Even though this is one of the most powerful and best sales prospecting tools, it can be expensive for many people

Check out some of the best Zoominfo alternatives out there.

InsideView

InsideView is a respected business intelligence company that provides access to more than 40,000 sources of information.

They glean insights and relationships from these diverse data sets with their SaaS platform, which helps you uncover hidden growth opportunities.

CRM and marketing automation solutions can be integrated with InsideView, which means your contact profiles become more personal than if you hadn’t used the tool.

Furthermore, the tool allows you to tap into market sales intelligence through APIs for a personalized data solution. 

The tool starts at $99, although prices significantly increase with each extra feature.

Pros:

• A Watchlist is a good tool for obtaining quick information about businesses you’re following
• Allows for easy exporting of data
• Provides a large variety of options to discover new leads

Cons:

• The UI is not as user-friendly as other platforms on the market (like UpLead)
• Some features are limited in free trials 

Crunchbase

Crunchbase gives you the inside scoop on your favorite companies’ data collection services. The Pro version includes relevant account recommendations, account qualification tools, and CRM integrations to help you find your next big lead.

Pricing starts at $29 per month for a Basic account of the sales prospecting tools, but you can upgrade to the Pro account, the most popular option, for an extra $20.

Pros:

• Good customer service
• Provides helpful tools for finding contact details
• Extremely easy to use

Cons:

• Information can sometimes be outdated
• Mobile UI can be improved

DiscoverOrg

DiscoverOrg is next on our list of the best sales prospecting tools. With access to data, organizational charts, and real-time projects, you’ll be able to enjoy plenty of insights.

A lot of valuable information can be collected by conducting competitive intelligence. For instance, it helps your sales team see what changes have been made in leadership strategies and tactics from their competitors and any new appointments or firings within those organizations.

Pros:

• Easily integrates with other platforms, like HubSpot CRM
• The user interface is extremely easy to navigate

Cons:

• Too expensive for many small businesses

AeroLeads

This prospect generation software is a powerful tool for finding businesses’ and individuals’ email and phone numbers, and it’s great for B2B list building.

As one of the best sales prospecting tools, AeroLeads is easy to use. In fact, using the Chrome plugin on LinkedIn, CrunchBase, and other websites is a matter. You’ll receive decision-makers business email addresses (a.k.a. CEO emails) with job titles, locations, company addresses, phone numbers, and more.

Once your sales teams have the desired data, you can import it into CSV or transfer it to other marketing software, which can significantly help lead generation.

Pricing starts at $49 for a month of service, but there is a free trial if you want to try it out first.

Pros:

• Excellent value for the money
• Easy to use
• It does not require a lot of tech knowledge

Cons:

• It can sometimes be slow

Sales Prospecting Tools for Email Verification

The best verification tools are great for verifying phone numbers, email addresses, and more. If you’re unsure about the legitimacy of an email address — or whether it’s even real — many tools can help.

UpLead

UpLead is a sales and marketing lead generation platform that helps you identify, qualify, target, and engage your future customers through AI-powered automation technology.

We authenticate every email address, so you will spend less time chasing dead leads. If an email address UpLead locates is found to be false, it will not be displayed, and you will not be charged for it.

Furthermore, each email is verified in real-time to ensure it’s valid and you’re not wasting your time. We also have a free email checker available.

Pros:

• Valid emails have a guaranteed accuracy rate of 95%
• Verification is instantaneous
• The cost of each verification is as low as $0.003

Cons:

• As only verified data is displayed, data can be limited

MyEmailVerifier

MyEmailVerifier is used for verifying email lists and contact details. It can detect Yahoo/AOL email addresses that have been disabled, which ensures your messages are delivered and protected against spam filters.

The tool has a credit system starting at $4.80 per 1000 credits.

Pros:

• No large upfront costs
• New users are given 100 free verifications

Cons:

• Long processing time
• The only option is to download results in TXT

QuickEmailVerification

This is another bulk email verification tool claiming to deliver 99% of all emails. The platform adapts to email marketers and developers looking for an email verification API to use in their own systems.

Pricing starts at $4 for 500 email verifications.

Pros:

• You can choose to upload results in CSV, XLS, TXT, and XLSX 

Cons:

• Lack of refund guarantee
• Private data security procedures

Clearout

Clearout’s software can handle batches of emails at a time, and it does this by following each step needed for full email verification in a clear-cut fashion.

Clearout’s integrations mean users can easily verify any list of email addresses. The sales intelligence tools offer an API that developers can use for real-time verifications on sites or apps.

Pricing starts at $16 per month, but the tool gives you 100 credits every month for free. 

Pros:

• Easy to use
• 97% verification accuracy

Cons:

• No habitual complainer detection

ZeroBounce

ZeroBounce is a popular email verification software used by many respected companies.

It is priced higher than other tools, but the AI makes it worth it for many sales reps with a larger budget. Their AI checks against multiple filters and eliminates spam traps while ensuring email addresses are correct.

The pricing starts at $16 for each 2,000 email addresses you validate.

Pros:

• Good security
• Inexpensive to get started

Cons:

• Support could be better

DeBounce

Unlike bulk email verification services, DeBounce offers unlimited free email verifications through an API, which is great for many businesses. The tool automatically cleans and consolidates your emails to ensure a more professional and polished look.

The tool runs on a credit system that starts at $10 for 5000 verifications.

Pros:

• It’s simple to operate
• It is cheap/affordable

Cons:

• It lacks sophisticated features
• Email addresses can sometimes be wrong

NeverBounce

NeverBounce is a new service that allows sales reps to verify an individual’s email address in a short amount of time. It integrates with over 80 tools, including Zapier. In addition, you can get up to 1,000 free email address verifications per month.

The tool costs $0.008 per email (up to the first 10,000 emails). 

Pros:

• Multiple free verifications per month
• It comes with an API for developers

Cons:

• Users have reported overcorrection difficulties
• The tool isn’t always accurate
• There are similar tools for lower prices

Outreach Tools

Outreach tools are great for reaching out to and connecting with new prospects. These tools range from email outreach platforms to scheduling software.

Email Prospecting Tools

Email prospecting tools are great for reaching out to new prospects and getting them on your email list.

Klenty

Klenty is a sales engagement platform that helps sales reps reach out to prospects at scale. The emails and automated follow-ups are customized for each unique customer, so you can send them exactly what they want. 

The cold email software has three different pricing plans to meet your needs. The cheapest plan is just $30/month, whereas the premium “Venti” plan will set you back $100/month. 

Pros:

• Affordable plans
• UI is easy to use
• Kenty emails appear to have been individually written

Cons:

• It would be better with more filters for reporting
• One or two glitches from time to time 
• You must upgrade to the higher plan for Salesforce integration

Overloop

Overloop is a powerful tool for prospecting efforts, allowing you to build email lists and send campaigns with measurable results. The tool comes with a Chrome extension to find email addresses; if you import your own addresses, they will verify them. 

The tool’s credits pricing structure starts at 1,000 credits for $99/month. This ranges up to 100,000 credits for $1,699/month, which allows you to find the perfect amount for your business without wasting resources.

Pros:

• Integrates well with all current CRMs
• Clear and easy-to-use UI

Cons:

• It can sometimes slow down
• Customer support could be better

Reply.io

Reply.io provides the tools you need to engage with customers and prospects on their preferred communication channels. It automates follow-up, improves customer experience across channels, and increases conversion rates by providing personalized messages tailored for each lead while scaling like never before.

You can also log all activities to your CRM automatically. The app will track progress and create reports for you, so there are no more spreadsheets or lost records.

Features with a monthly subscription cost $70.00 each. Unfortunately, they do not have a free version. However, they offer a free trial, so your sales reps can test the tool before buying.

Pros:

• Reasonable pricing
• Easy to create tailored and personalized templates
• Works automatically and seamlessly

Cons:

• Support service could be better
• It takes a while to set up

Mailshake

Mailshake is an automated sales engagement platform that sends targeted cold emails to prospects through your existing email software solution. With Mailshake, you can connect with all major providers for a low monthly fee.

If you’re spending too much time on email outreach, MailShake could be worth the money. It’s particularly useful for sales reps with campaigns that need constant follow-up or send hundreds of emails daily.

MailShake is only useful if you already own a great email list. It is not an all-in-one tool. Instead, you’ll need to build your own email list. The good news is that the integration between Salesforce and MailShake is fantastic.

The tool starts at $44 per month for their email outreach plan.

Pros:

• A straightforward interface that’s simple to use
• The cost is reasonable for the features provided
• The program’s unique real-time analysis technology helps you avoid spam filters and get your emails read by consumers

Cons:

• Salesforce is the only CRM integration option
• The Mailshake campaign review, which is available as an add-on, could be more effective

LinkedIn Prospecting Tools

LinkedIn prospecting tools are great for reaching out to your ideal clients on LinkedIn. They are also great for researching new prospects and finding contact information.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

LinkedIn has evolved to become the ultimate platform for professionals looking to build their businesses. The LinkedIn sales navigator is essential to help you find prospects, get introductions with potential clients, and maximize your visibility on LinkedIn so everyone will know what great work you do.

The tool is $99.99 per month, but there is a free trial to test the tool before you purchase.

Pros:

• The search tool is excellent for hunting down high-quality leads
• The content it offers, combined with InMail, will assist with the outreach effort
• It makes LinkedIn more user-friendly and easier to use

Cons:

• The individual LinkedIn sales navigator plan is not very affordable
• If you aren’t using LinkedIn daily, it isn’t worth it
• The features will be overkill for many

Dux-Soup

Dux-Soup automatizes connecting with targeted LinkedIn prospects so you can focus more on what matters — gaining access to potential customers’ networks. Prospects are endorsed, sent connection requests, and given personal messages.

The price is split between three plans, which are Starter (free), Professional ($14.99), and Turbo ($55.00). This means the tool is ideal for those who want to spend less than $50/month on LinkedIn prospecting tools. 

Dux-Soup provides a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out risk-free.

Pros:

• The price is affordable for all
• Helps with scaling your outreach on LinkedIn
• It’s simple to use and offers continuous performance while you’re away
• Money-back guarantee for 30 days

Cons:

• Potentially not allowed according to LinkedIn’s ToS (could get your profile banned)

LinkedHelper

The LinkedHelper Chrome plugin is a great way to automate your LinkedIn connections and messages. This easy-to-use tool may be used to invite individuals to connect, message first connections, and create autoresponders for new connections.

This tool offers great value at just $15/month and is perfect for mid-sized businesses with a small team.

Pros:

• It’s great value for the price, especially given that you can try it out free of charge
• The plugin works on Chrome browsers with no need to download additional software
• It offers many features while staying simple enough to use right away

Cons:

• Its functions go against LinkedIn’s terms of service

Expandi

Expandi provides a way to automate generating new leads for your company on LinkedIn. The tool takes information about who you are and what kind of business or organization you have in mind. It then refines its search so that only people with similar preferences come up as potential prospects.

Expandi costs $99 per month.

Pros:

• User-friendly platform

Cons:

• Poor-quality support
• Limited features
• Puts your LinkedIn profile at risk of being banned

What to Consider When Looking for Sales Prospecting Tools?

There are many great tools on the market for identifying and reaching out to new prospects, but it’s important to make sure you choose one of the best sales prospecting tools that fit your sales pipeline and sales process. Some things you might want to consider include the following:

All-in-one vs. best of breed 

The first step is to determine if you want to buy one of the sales prospecting tools that does everything or one that specializes in just one niche. For example, if you want to prospect using LinkedIn and scrape company data from Facebook, buying a tool that is the best at what it does might be best.

On the flip side, sometimes buying an all-in-one solution is the ideal choice. For example, maybe you need to verify email addresses and build an email list, so you would prefer a single tool to meet all of your prospecting, research, etc., needs.

Channels

The next thing to consider is the channels you want your prospecting tool to cover. For example, maybe you are only concerned with LinkedIn, or perhaps email outreach is more important for your business goals.

Automation vs. Manual

The next thing to consider is how much automation you want. Some of the best sales prospecting tools have a high level of automation, while others require more manual work on your end — especially regarding outreach.

Tracking and Reports

The best sales prospecting tools have built-in reporting systems. This way, you can track your outreach, see which channels are most effective for reaching new prospects, and then focus on those.

Integrations

You’ll want to see if the tool integrates with your other tools. This can help simplify things and ensure everything is in one place (instead of having multiple pieces that need to be used separately).

Now it’s time to go out there and find the best sales prospecting tool for your company!

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers on Sales Prospecting Tools

We get a lot of questions about these types of tools, so I wanted to list some frequently asked questions below:

Sales Prospecting Tools: Conclusion

In conclusion, there are loads of great sales prospecting tools for reaching out to new prospects. However, it’s important to make sure you choose the best sales prospecting tool for your business needs, so be sure to do some research first.