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Looking for a sales engagement platform to scale your cold email outreach? Mailshake promises to simplify email automation with features built for sales teams. But does it deliver?

In this Mailshake review, we’ll cover everything you need to know: key features, pricing structure, real user feedback, and honest pros and cons. We’ll also explain why La Growth Machine’s inbox rotation feature gives you an edge that Mailshake’s basic email rotation can’t match.

Whether you’re a solo founder, sales rep, or leading a team, this review will help you decide if Mailshake is the right cold email tool for you.

What is Mailshake?

Mailshake is an email outreach and sales engagement platform that helps sales teams and marketers automate cold email campaigns. It’s designed to send personalized emails at scale, manage follow-ups, and track campaign performance.

Originally built as an email automation solution, Mailshake has expanded to include multichannel outreach. It now supports email, LinkedIn automation, and phone dialing.

Sales development representatives (SDRs), account executives, marketing agencies, and small to medium-sized businesses use Mailshake for outbound sales. The platform integrates with major email providers like Gmail, Outlook, and SMTP servers, plus CRMs including Salesforce, Pipedrive, and HubSpot.

Mailshake key features

Here’s what Mailshake brings to the table.

Email automation and sequences

Mailshake lets you build automated email sequences that send follow-ups based on recipient behavior. You can set up multi-step campaigns where emails automatically stop when a prospect replies, so you don’t over-message engaged leads.

You can customize sending schedules, control email volume, and space out messages to look like natural sending patterns. You can also edit active campaigns on the fly, adjusting email copy for recipients who haven’t received messages yet.

Email personalization with mail merge

Mailshake’s mail merge feature personalizes emails at scale by automatically inserting recipient-specific information like first name, last name, company name, and custom fields. Upload your contact list as a CSV file, and the platform pulls data into your email templates.

The personalization works for basic use cases, but the template builder can be limiting. Users report that inserting custom text and creating highly personalized variations feels clunky compared to other platforms.

A/B testing

A/B testing lets you test different subject lines and email content to see what resonates with your audience. Mailshake splits your audience automatically and tracks performance metrics like open rates and reply rates.

This helps you optimize campaigns based on real data, though some users find the interface for setting up tests less intuitive than expected.

Lead Catcher and analytics

Lead Catcher is Mailshake’s reply management system. It surfaces the most engaged leads based on email opens, clicks, and replies, so you can prioritize follow-ups. The analytics dashboard shows key metrics like open rates, click rates, reply rates, bounces, and unsubscribes.

The reporting provides basic insights, but users note that the analytics aren’t as robust or visual as some competitors. For teams that need deeper data visualization and performance tracking, the reporting feels limited.

LinkedIn automation

Mailshake includes LinkedIn automation that lets you send connection requests, messages, and profile views as part of multichannel sequences. This adds another touchpoint beyond email.

LinkedIn automation is only available on the Sales Engagement plan ($99/month), which may be too expensive for smaller teams or solo users who primarily focus on email.

Power dialer

The power dialer lets sales reps make calls directly from their browser. You can add phone steps to your sequences, access call scripts, take notes, and track call outcomes. Mailshake offers unlimited free dialer minutes to North American phone numbers on higher-tier plans.

This is useful for teams running true multichannel sales campaigns, though it adds complexity you may not need if you’re focused on email.

Data Finder

Data Finder is Mailshake’s prospecting tool that helps you find leads by filtering prospects based on role, location, or company. It’s useful for building targeted lists without leaving the platform.

The tool comes with a limited number of free credits depending on your plan, with the option to purchase more. The data quality and credit pricing may not match dedicated prospecting platforms like Apollo or ZoomInfo.

SHAKEspeare AI email writer

Mailshake’s AI email writer generates email copy based on your campaign goals and target audience. It can create subject lines, body copy, and follow-up messages quickly, which helps teams short on time or needing inspiration.

The AI tool saves time, but the generated copy still requires editing and personalization to sound authentic and avoid generic messaging.

Email deliverability tools

Mailshake includes several features aimed at improving email deliverability:

  • Email warmup: Gradually increases your sending volume to build sender reputation
  • Email verification: Checks email addresses before sending to reduce bounces
  • List cleaning: Identifies and removes invalid or risky email addresses
  • DNS setup assistant: Guides you through SPF, DKIM, and DMARC configuration

Despite these tools, users report inconsistent deliverability results, with some emails still landing in spam folders even after following best practices.

Integrations

Mailshake integrates with popular tools including:

  • CRMs: Salesforce, Pipedrive, HubSpot
  • Email providers: Gmail, Google Workspace, Outlook, Office 365, SMTP
  • Productivity tools: Zapier (for 1,000+ app connections), Calendly, Vidyard

The integrations are straightforward to set up and help keep your outreach data synced with your existing sales stack.

Mailshake pricing

Mailshake offers three main pricing tiers, billed per user per month. All plans require annual prepayment for the advertised monthly rate. Here’s the breakdown:

Starter Plan: $29/month (billed annually)

  • 1 email address per account
  • 1,500 email sends per month
  • Unlimited uploaded contacts
  • 50 free Data Finder credits
  • Unlimited email warmup
  • Unlimited campaigns
  • Unlimited email verification
  • Automated email sequences
  • A/B testing
  • AI email writing with SHAKEspeare

The Starter plan is designed for individuals or very small teams just beginning with email outreach. The 1,500 monthly send limit means you’ll hit the cap quickly if you’re running active campaigns with follow-ups.

Email Outreach Plan: $49/month (billed annually)

Everything in Starter, plus:

  • 2 email addresses per account
  • Unlimited email sends per month
  • Email rotation
  • Advanced scheduling and throttling
  • Unified inbox
  • Salesforce, Pipedrive, and HubSpot integrations
  • 1,000+ integrations via Zapier
  • Browser extension
  • Email template management

This is Mailshake’s most popular plan. It removes sending limits and adds email rotation, which distributes emails across multiple addresses to improve deliverability. For most sales teams, this is the minimum viable plan.

Sales Engagement Plan: $99/month (billed annually)

Everything in Email Outreach, plus:

  • 10 email addresses per account
  • 2,500 free Data Finder credits
  • LinkedIn automation
  • 5 phone numbers
  • Power phone dialer
  • Unlimited free dialer minutes to North American numbers
  • Phone scripts
  • Custom tasks
  • 1-on-1 onboarding call

The Sales Engagement plan is built for teams running multichannel outreach campaigns. At $99 per user per month, costs add up quickly for larger teams. If you have five users, you’re looking at $495/month or $5,940 annually.

Agency Plan: Custom pricing

Mailshake offers an agency plan with unlimited email addresses and all Sales Engagement features. Pricing is custom and requires contacting their sales team.

Important pricing considerations

  • Pricing is per user: Each team member who needs access requires a separate paid seat
  • Annual prepayment required: The monthly rates require annual billing upfront
  • Add-ons available: Data Finder credits ($19/month) and multiple mailboxes ($12/month per mailbox) are available as add-ons

Mailshake does not offer a free plan, but they do provide a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Mailshake pros and cons

Let’s look at what real users appreciate about Mailshake and where the platform falls short.

Pros ✅

Easy to use and quick setup

Users praise Mailshake for its intuitive interface and fast onboarding. You can set up your first campaign within minutes, and the platform doesn’t require technical knowledge. This makes it accessible for sales reps and small teams who want to start sending campaigns immediately.

Strong email automation and follow-ups

The automated follow-up system works reliably. Emails stop sending when prospects reply, and you can customize follow-up timing and frequency. Being able to edit live campaigns is particularly useful when you need to make adjustments on the fly.

Helpful customer support

Mailshake’s support team receives positive feedback for responsiveness. They offer group video sessions, live training, and personalized guidance to help users optimize their campaigns. Many users mention that support goes the extra mile.

Good integration options

The platform connects smoothly with major CRMs and email providers. The Zapier integration opens up thousands of additional app connections, making it easy to build custom workflows and keep data synced across your sales stack.

Email deliverability features

Mailshake includes built-in warmup, verification, and list cleaning tools. While results vary, having these features in one platform saves time and eliminates the need for multiple subscriptions to separate deliverability tools.

Cons ❌

Pricing adds up quickly for teams

At $58-$99 per user per month (with annual prepayment), Mailshake gets expensive as your team grows. For a team of 10, you’re looking at $990-$11,880 per year just for the tool. Users report that the per-user pricing model strains budgets, especially compared to platforms with unlimited seat options.

Limited customization in templates

Several users mention that the template builder feels restrictive. Inserting custom personalization and creating complex email variations can be challenging. The editor lacks flexibility compared to newer email platforms.

Inconsistent deliverability results

Despite the warmup and deliverability tools, users report mixed results. Some emails still land in spam folders even after following best practices. Custom tracking domain setup is complicated, which doesn’t help.

Basic analytics and reporting

The reporting dashboard provides essential metrics but lacks depth. Users looking for advanced analytics, visual dashboards, or granular performance breakdowns find the reporting insufficient for optimizing campaigns at scale.

Can be overwhelming for new users without guidance

While the interface is generally user-friendly, some new users feel lost during initial setup without adequate onboarding tutorials. The number of features and settings can be confusing, especially for those new to email automation.

G2: 4.7/5 (based on 338 reviews)Capterra: 4.6/5 (based on 135 reviews)

Considering an alternative with better inbox rotation?

Mailshake offers email rotation across multiple addresses to improve deliverability, but there’s a critical difference between basic email rotation and true inbox rotation.

Here’s where La Growth Machine gives you an edge.

Mailshake’s email rotation distributes your sends across multiple email addresses you’ve connected. While this helps avoid hitting sending limits on a single mailbox, it doesn’t offer the advanced logic and sender reputation management that sophisticated inbox rotation provides.

La Growth Machine’s inbox rotation goes further. Our system intelligently manages your sender infrastructure to maximize deliverability by:

  • Automatically rotating between multiple inboxes based on health scores and engagement
  • Monitoring sender reputation in real-time and adjusting send patterns
  • Distributing campaigns across your email infrastructure to avoid spam triggers
  • Protecting your primary domain by spreading risk across multiple sending identities

But inbox rotation is just one piece of the puzzle. La Growth Machine offers true multichannel outreach that combines LinkedIn, email, Twitter/X, and calls in one seamless platform. You can:

  • Automate LinkedIn voice messages (with AI voice cloning) to double your response rates
  • Manage all conversations (LinkedIn and email) in one unified inbox
  • Use social warming (auto-likes and follows) to build relationships before reaching out
  • Use Lookalike Search to automatically find companies similar to your best clients

The result? Up to 3.5x more replies than email-only outreach.

And unlike Mailshake’s per-user pricing that adds up quickly, La Growth Machine offers straightforward pricing starting at €50/month with a 14-day free trial and no credit card required.

If you’re looking for a platform that goes beyond basic email automation with smarter deliverability and true multichannel prospecting, La Growth Machine is built for that.

Conclusion

Mailshake is a solid email outreach platform that delivers on ease of use and reliable automation. It’s a good fit for small teams and solo users who need straightforward email sequencing with basic multichannel features.

The platform shines with its intuitive interface, responsive customer support, and quick setup. If you’re just starting with cold email and want a tool that works out of the box, Mailshake can get you up and running fast.

However, the pricing model gets expensive as your team grows, and features like template customization and analytics feel limited compared to newer platforms. Deliverability results are inconsistent despite the built-in tools, and the learning curve for new users without guidance can be steeper than expected.

If you’re focused purely on email and need something simple, Mailshake is worth considering. But if you want smarter deliverability with advanced inbox rotation, true multichannel outreach across LinkedIn and email, and better value for growing teams, La Growth Machine offers a more complete solution.

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