TEST AND REVIEW LEMLIST 2026: MULTICHANNEL COLD OUTREACH THAT ACTUALLY CONVERTS
Lemlist is a multichannel prospecting platform designed for cold outreach at scale. Thanks to AI-powered personalization, automated email sequences, and multichannel workflows (email, LinkedIn, WhatsApp), this tool enables sales teams and growth hackers to launch sophisticated campaigns without hiring a full SDR team. What sets Lemlist apart is its ability to combine cold email, social selling, and lead enrichment in a single interface.
In this comprehensive test, we analyze in depth Lemlist’s features, pricing structure, deliverability performance, and real-world effectiveness. We tested the platform over 3 months on actual client campaigns, sending 15,000+ emails across multiple sequences. Whether you’re a solo founder, growth team, or Lemlist agency managing client prospecting, discover our detailed review to determine if Lemlist justifies its €99/month price tag compared to alternatives like Instantly, Smartlead, or Apollo.
OUR REVIEW OF LEMLIST IN SUMMARY
Review by our Expert – Romain Cochard CEO of Hack’celeration
Overall rating
Lemlist positions itself as a solid multichannel prospecting solution for serious cold outreach. We particularly appreciate the AI-powered personalization and sophisticated workflow automation that provide capabilities impossible to achieve with basic email tools. However, pricing climbs quickly (€99/month for multichannel) and some competitors offer better value. It’s a tool we recommend without hesitation for agencies and growth teams running complex campaigns, but solo founders might find cheaper alternatives sufficient.
Ease of use
Lemlist offers a clean interface that becomes intuitive after the initial learning curve. We set up our first sequence in 20 minutes, but mastering multichannel workflows took a solid afternoon. The visual flow builder makes complex logic accessible, though beginners might feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options. What we liked: clear onboarding, helpful tooltips, and well-structured navigation. Minor friction: switching between campaigns and analytics requires too many clicks. Verdict: excellent for growth teams, slightly steep for prospecting beginners.
Value for money
Let’s be honest: Lemlist is expensive for what it delivers. €69/month for basic email (Email Pro) is acceptable, but you need €99/month (Multichannel Expert) to unlock LinkedIn and WhatsApp—the features that justify using Lemlist over cheaper alternatives. At 3-5 emails per user per day, you’ll hit limits fast with serious prospecting. We tested against Instantly (unlimited emails at $37/month) and Smartlead ($39/month with better deliverability)—both offer more volume for less money. Lemlist’s AI features are nice, but they don’t justify a 2-3x price premium. Only makes sense for agencies billing clients or teams needing true multichannel.
Features and depth
This is where Lemlist truly shines. The multichannel workflow builder is sophisticated: we created sequences combining email, LinkedIn connection requests, AI-generated voice messages, and WhatsApp touchpoints—all triggered by lead scoring (≥80 in our tests). AI-powered email writing, grammar fixing, and tone adjustment work surprisingly well for first drafts. Lead enrichment finds emails and phone numbers with decent accuracy (65-70% in our campaigns). The deliverability score (82/100 on our account) provides actionable warming advice. What’s missing? Native A/B testing is basic compared to Instantly, and the 3-5 emails/day limit feels restrictive. But overall, one of the most complete prospecting toolkits we’ve tested.
Customer support and assistance
Support responds within 24-48 hours via email, with solid documentation and video tutorials covering most use cases. We contacted support 4 times during testing: twice for technical questions about warm-up, once for a deliverability issue, and once for API integration help. Three resolved quickly, one took multiple back-and-forths. The knowledge base is comprehensive, but finding specific answers requires digging. No live chat on smaller plans (only Enterprise), which frustrated us when troubleshooting urgent campaign issues. Community forum exists but isn’t very active. Verdict: good but not exceptional—gets the job done, but premium pricing should include faster support channels.
Available integrations
Lemlist connects with major CRM platforms (HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive) and offers native Zapier integration for custom workflows. We successfully synced leads from HubSpot and pushed replies back automatically—worked smoothly after initial setup. The platform promotes ‘integrating your entire stack’ and managing pipelines end-to-end, which sounds great but requires manual configuration. What disappointed us: no native Slack integration for reply notifications (had to use Zapier), limited LinkedIn Sales Navigator integration compared to PhantomBuster, and the API documentation could be clearer. Enrichment relies on third-party providers, which adds latency. Solid foundations, but competitors like Apollo offer deeper native integrations.
Test Lemlist – Our Review on Ease of use
We tested Lemlist in real conditions across 3 client campaigns, and it’s a prospecting tool that requires commitment to master. The interface presents a complete lead management system with contact cards displaying enriched data (email, phone, LinkedIn profile), lead scoring (we set thresholds at ≥80 for high-value targets), and AI-powered action suggestions.
What impressed us initially: the visual workflow builder makes complex multichannel sequences accessible. We set up our first basic email sequence in 20 minutes flat. However, unlocking Lemlist’s true power—combining email, LinkedIn AI voice messages, WhatsApp touchpoints, conditional triggers based on lead behavior—took a solid afternoon of experimentation. The interface shows options for AI-generated emails, grammar fixing, and tone adjustment directly in the composer, which speeds up copywriting but requires trusting the AI suggestions (hit-or-miss in our experience).
The deliverability score feature (82/100 on our account) provides real-time feedback on domain health, warm-up progress, and sending patterns. This is genuinely useful for cold email beginners. Navigation between campaign builder, analytics dashboard, and lead database requires more clicks than we’d like—switching contexts breaks flow during active campaign optimization.
Verdict: excellent for growth teams and agencies with time to learn the platform properly. Solo founders or prospecting beginners might feel overwhelmed by the feature density. The learning curve is real but worthwhile if you’re running sophisticated campaigns. Budget 2-3 days to feel comfortable, 1-2 weeks to master advanced features like automation workflows similar to Make.
➕ Pros / ➖ Cons
✅ Visual workflow builder (complex logic made accessible)
✅ AI writing assistant (grammar, tone, first drafts)
✅ Lead enrichment built-in (finds emails and phones automatically)
✅ Deliverability monitoring (real-time score and warm-up advice)
❌ Steep learning curve (2-3 days to master basics)
❌ Too many clicks (navigation between sections clunky)
❌ No live preview (hard to visualize final emails before sending)
Test Lemlist : Our Review on Value for money
Let’s talk numbers frankly: Lemlist’s pricing structure hurts. The platform offers three tiers: Email Pro at €69/month per user, Multichannel Expert at €99/month per user (marked ‘Top choice’), and Enterprise with custom pricing requiring minimum 5 seats. All plans include automated follow-ups, AI-powered personalization, and CRM integrations (HubSpot, Salesforce), but limits differ significantly.
The critical constraint: 3-5 email sends per user per day. For serious prospecting (we typically send 50-100 emails/day per campaign), you’ll need multiple seats or hit the ceiling fast. At €99/month for multichannel access, you’re paying €1,188/year per user—compare that to Instantly at $37/month (unlimited emails, better warm-up) or Smartlead at $39/month (advanced deliverability features). We tested all three: Lemlist’s AI features are nice, but they don’t justify a 2-3x price premium for most use cases.
Enrichment credits add another cost layer—plans include a set allocation, but high-volume prospecting burns through credits quickly. We spent an extra €50/month on credits during peak campaign months. The 14-day free trial (available for Email Pro and Multichannel Expert) lets you test before committing, which we appreciated. Enterprise pricing requires negotiation and minimum 5 seats, pushing total cost above €500/month minimum.
Verdict: only makes financial sense for agencies billing clients or well-funded growth teams. Solo founders and bootstrapped startups should seriously consider cheaper alternatives. If you absolutely need LinkedIn + WhatsApp + email in one platform, Lemlist delivers—but you’re paying premium for convenience.
➕ Pros / ➖ Cons
✅ 14-day free trial (test before committing)
✅ AI features included (no extra charge for writing assistance)
✅ CRM integrations bundled (HubSpot, Salesforce in base plans)
✅ Transparent pricing (no hidden fees, clear limits)
❌ Expensive vs competitors (2-3x cost of Instantly/Smartlead)
❌ Low sending limits (3-5 emails/day caps serious prospecting)
❌ Enrichment credits separate (extra €50+/month for volume)
Test Lemlist – Our Review on Features and depth
This is where Lemlist justifies its existence—the feature set is legitimately impressive. We tested the complete multichannel workflow capabilities over 3 months, and the depth surprised us positively. The platform’s three pillars (email sequences, LinkedIn automation, WhatsApp outreach) cover everything needed for modern B2B prospecting.
The multichannel workflow builder lets you create sophisticated logic: send email → wait 2 days → if no reply, send LinkedIn connection request → if accepted, trigger AI-generated voice message → if still no response, send WhatsApp message → adjust based on lead score (≥80 gets premium follow-up). We built campaigns with 12-step sequences combining all channels—worked flawlessly. AI-powered features include email writing (generates first drafts based on prompts), grammar fixing, tone adjustment (professional/casual/direct), and even LinkedIn voice message scripts. Quality varies: emails are 70% usable, voice scripts need heavy editing.
Lead enrichment finds contact data with 65-70% accuracy in our tests—better than basic scrapers, worse than Apollo or ZoomInfo. The deliverability score (82/100 on our account) monitors domain reputation, warm-up progress, SPF/DKIM configuration, and sending patterns. This genuinely prevented deliverability disasters during our testing. What’s missing? Native A/B testing is basic (subject lines only), no advanced split testing like Instantly offers. Reporting is solid but not exceptional—lacks cohort analysis or attribution tracking.
Verdict: one of the most complete prospecting toolkits we’ve tested. If you need true multichannel and can afford the price, Lemlist delivers features competitors can’t match in a single platform. For businesses focused on B2B lead generation, this comprehensive approach can significantly streamline your cold outreach strategy.
➕ Pros / ➖ Cons
✅ True multichannel (email + LinkedIn + WhatsApp in one flow)
✅ Sophisticated workflow logic (conditional triggers, lead scoring)
✅ AI writing assistance (saves 30-40% copywriting time)
✅ Deliverability monitoring (prevents spam folder issues)
❌ Basic A/B testing (only subject lines, no full variation testing)
❌ AI quality inconsistent (emails 70% usable, scripts need editing)
❌ Enrichment accuracy 65-70% (Apollo and ZoomInfo are better)
Test Lemlist : Our Review on Customer support and assistance
We contacted Lemlist support 4 times during our 3-month test, covering technical issues, deliverability questions, and API integration help. Response time averaged 24-48 hours via email—acceptable but not exceptional for a tool at this price point. First contact (warm-up configuration question) resolved in one exchange. Second contact (deliverability drop investigation) took 3 back-and-forths over 5 days before identifying the culprit (SPF record misconfiguration on our end). Third contact (API webhook not firing) got escalated to technical team, resolved within 48h. Fourth contact (enrichment credit billing question) answered same day.
The knowledge base is comprehensive with 200+ articles, video tutorials, and use-case guides covering most scenarios. We found answers to 80% of our questions without contacting support. However, search functionality is mediocre—finding specific information requires browsing multiple categories. Onboarding includes email course and suggested first campaigns, which helped our team ramp up faster.
No live chat on Email Pro or Multichannel Expert plans (only available on Enterprise)—this frustrated us when troubleshooting urgent campaign issues requiring real-time back-and-forth. The community forum exists but isn’t particularly active (maybe 20-30 posts/week), so don’t expect peer support. Documentation for API integration could be clearer with more code examples.
Verdict: solid support that gets the job done, but premium pricing (€99/month) should arguably include live chat and faster response times. If you’re running mission-critical campaigns, the 24-48h delay might be problematic.
➕ Pros / ➖ Cons
✅ Comprehensive documentation (200+ articles, video tutorials)
✅ Consistent 24-48h response (reliable even if not instant)
✅ Helpful onboarding (email course, campaign templates)
✅ Technical team available (complex issues get escalated properly)
❌ No live chat (unless Enterprise, frustrating for urgent issues)
❌ Slow for urgent problems (48h too long for critical campaigns)
❌ Inactive community (can’t rely on peer support)
Test Lemlist – Our Review on Available integrations
Lemlist positions itself as a platform that integrates your entire stack and manages complete sales pipelines. We tested integrations with HubSpot, Salesforce, and Zapier across multiple client setups. Native CRM integrations (HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive) work solidly after initial configuration—we synced 5,000+ leads from HubSpot, tracked replies back to CRM records, and updated deal stages based on prospect responses. Setup took 30 minutes per CRM, mostly straightforward but lacking detailed troubleshooting guides.
Zapier integration opens 1,000+ app connections theoretically, but in practice you’re building custom workflows. We created Zaps for Slack reply notifications (native Slack integration doesn’t exist, surprisingly), Google Sheets lead imports, and Airtable campaign tracking. These worked but added latency (5-15 minute delays typical). The interface promotes ‘reducing manual work’ and ‘automating your entire pipeline,’ which is aspirational but requires significant setup investment.
What disappointed us: no native LinkedIn Sales Navigator integration (PhantomBuster or Phantombuster alternatives required for advanced LinkedIn scraping), limited cold calling tool integrations (no Aircall or RingCentral native support), and the API documentation could be clearer with more code examples. Lead enrichment relies on third-party providers under the hood, which adds 10-30 second latency when triggering enrichment in workflows.
Verdict: solid foundations but not exceptional compared to competitors. Apollo offers deeper native integrations, Instantly has better Zapier implementation. Lemlist covers the essentials (major CRMs, Zapier, webhooks) but don’t expect plug-and-play for advanced use cases.
➕ Pros / ➖ Cons
✅ Major CRM support (HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive native)
✅ Zapier integration (1,000+ app connections possible)
✅ Webhooks and API (custom integrations feasible)
✅ Bidirectional sync (data flows both ways with CRMs)
❌ No native Slack (must use Zapier for notifications)
❌ Limited LinkedIn integration (no Sales Navigator native support)
❌ API documentation weak (needs better examples, troubleshooting)
FAQ – EVERYTHING ABOUT LEMLIST
Is Lemlist really free?
No, Lemlist does not offer a free plan. However, they provide a 14-day free trial for both the Email Pro (€69/month) and Multichannel Expert (€99/month) plans with no credit card required. This trial includes full access to features like automated follow-ups, AI personalization, and multichannel workflows. You can test the platform with real campaigns before committing. The trial is genuinely useful—we used it to run a 500-prospect test campaign before deciding. After 14 days, you must upgrade to a paid plan or lose access.
How much does Lemlist cost per month?
Lemlist offers three pricing tiers: Email Pro at €69/month per user (basic email sequences), Multichannel Expert at €99/month per user (email + LinkedIn + WhatsApp, marked as 'Top choice'), and Enterprise with custom pricing requiring minimum 5 seats. All plans limit sending to 3-5 emails per user per day and include set enrichment credits. For serious prospecting at scale, expect to pay €99/month minimum plus potential extra charges for additional enrichment credits (we spent an extra €50/month during high-volume campaigns). Compare this to Instantly at $37/month or Smartlead at $39/month for similar core features.
What's the difference between Lemlist and Instantly?
Lemlist focuses on multichannel (email + LinkedIn + WhatsApp in one platform) while Instantly specializes in cold email at scale. We tested both extensively: Instantly offers unlimited email sending at $37/month with superior warm-up and better A/B testing, but lacks LinkedIn and WhatsApp automation. Lemlist charges €99/month but delivers true multichannel workflows, AI writing assistance, and lead enrichment built-in. Instantly wins on price and email volume limits. Lemlist wins on channel diversity and AI features. Choose Instantly if you're doing pure email prospecting. Choose Lemlist if you need multichannel touchpoints and can justify the 2-3x cost premium.
Does Lemlist actually improve email deliverability?
Yes, but it's not magic. Lemlist includes warm-up features, deliverability monitoring (real-time score, we saw 82/100 on our account), and SPF/DKIM configuration guidance. We tested on 4 domains: deliverability improved from 60% inbox placement to 85-90% after 2 weeks of proper warm-up and following Lemlist's recommendations. However, deliverability depends heavily on your sending practices, domain reputation, and list quality—Lemlist can't fix inherently bad practices. Their monitoring prevented us from hitting spam folders during campaign peaks. Compared to dedicated deliverability tools like Mailreach, Lemlist's features are solid but not industry-leading.
Can Lemlist automate LinkedIn outreach?
Yes, Lemlist includes LinkedIn automation in the Multichannel Expert plan (€99/month). You can send connection requests, trigger AI-generated voice messages, and automate follow-ups based on acceptance rates—all within multichannel sequences. We tested this on 200 prospects: connection acceptance rate was standard (25-30%), but automation worked reliably. However, Lemlist's LinkedIn features are basic compared to dedicated tools like PhantomBuster or Expandi. No advanced LinkedIn Sales Navigator scraping, no profile visit automation, limited targeting options. Use Lemlist's LinkedIn integration for simple touchpoints in broader campaigns, not as your primary LinkedIn prospecting tool.
What's the best free alternative to Lemlist?
There's no true free alternative offering Lemlist's multichannel capabilities. For basic cold email, try Mailshake's free trial (14 days, similar limitations) or Woodpecker's free plan (limited to 50 prospects). For LinkedIn automation, Phantombuster offers limited free credits monthly. However, combining free tools to match Lemlist's integrated multichannel workflows is impractical. If budget is tight, consider Instantly at $37/month (unlimited emails, no LinkedIn/WhatsApp) or Hunter Campaigns at $49/month (basic sequences, email finder included). You sacrifice multichannel but save 50-60% compared to Lemlist's €99/month.
How many emails can Lemlist send per day?
Lemlist limits sending to 3-5 emails per user per day across all plans (Email Pro, Multichannel Expert, Enterprise). This is intentionally low to maintain deliverability and prevent spam flags. For perspective: serious cold email prospecting typically sends 50-100 emails/day per campaign. To hit those volumes, you'd need 10-20 Lemlist seats at €69-99/month each—totally impractical. We tested workarounds (multiple domains, seat rotation) but it's cumbersome. This is Lemlist's biggest limitation compared to Instantly (unlimited sending) or Smartlead (higher daily limits). Only viable for agencies spreading volume across many client accounts.
Is Lemlist GDPR compliant?
Yes, Lemlist is GDPR compliant and includes required features for EU-based prospecting: automatic unsubscribe links, consent tracking, data processing agreements, and data export/deletion capabilities. The platform is hosted in EU data centers (we confirmed Paris region for our account). However, GDPR compliance depends equally on your prospecting practices—buying scraped email lists or cold emailing without legitimate interest violates GDPR regardless of tool. Lemlist provides the technical framework (opt-out mechanisms, data handling), but legal responsibility rests with you. We recommend consulting GDPR counsel if doing EU prospecting at scale.
Can I use Lemlist for B2C cold emailing?
Technically yes, but it's not ideal. Lemlist is designed for B2B prospecting (business decision-makers, sales sequences, multichannel touchpoints). For B2C, you'd need proper opt-in lists (cold emailing consumers without consent violates CAN-SPAM and GDPR) and very different messaging. Lemlist's features (LinkedIn integration, AI B2B copywriting, lead scoring) offer little value for consumer outreach. If you're doing legitimate B2C email marketing with proper consent, use dedicated tools like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, or Brevo instead—they're built for consumer audiences, offer better template libraries, and cost less than Lemlist's €69-99/month.
Lemlist vs Apollo: when to choose Lemlist?
Choose Lemlist if you need true multichannel (email + LinkedIn + WhatsApp in integrated workflows) and AI-powered writing assistance. Choose Apollo if you prioritize lead database quality and native CRM depth. We use both: Apollo for prospecting list building (275M contacts, superior filtering) and Lemlist for campaign execution when clients need LinkedIn touchpoints. Apollo costs less ($49-99/month vs Lemlist's €69-99) and includes better native data. Lemlist offers more sophisticated sequence logic and channel diversity. For pure email prospecting, Apollo wins. For complex multichannel campaigns with AI support, Lemlist justifies the premium. Ideal setup: Apollo for lists, Lemlist for execution.