Lusha vs Instantly
A head-to-head comparison for 2026 — pricing, features, and which is better for different use cases.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Lusha | Instantly |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free-$29/user/mo | $30/mo |
| Free Tier | 5 credits/month | Trial only |
| Database | 100M+ contacts | 160M+ (add-on) |
| Outreach | Basic sequences | Unlimited email accounts |
| Key Feature | LinkedIn extension + direct dials | Email deliverability + warm-up |
| Best For | SMBs + LinkedIn prospecting | High-volume cold outreach |
Lusha — Overview
Lusha is the lightweight sales intelligence tool built around a Chrome extension. Browse LinkedIn, click the Lusha extension, and get verified email addresses and direct dial phone numbers. Simple, fast, and effective for reps who prospect primarily on LinkedIn.
5 free credits per month on the free tier. Paid plans start at $29/user/month with more credits and team features. The database covers 100M+ contacts with strong accuracy on direct dials. Lusha is GDPR and CCPA compliant by design. The trade-off is depth: Lusha provides contact data but not the intent signals, technographics, or outreach tools that Apollo and ZoomInfo include. It's a contact finder, not a full sales platform. Best for reps who need quick, accurate contact data without platform complexity.
Instantly — Overview
Instantly is the cold email platform obsessed with deliverability. Unlimited email account connections, AI-powered warm-up, smart sending rotation, and inbox placement optimization. The platform doesn't just send emails. It ensures they arrive in the primary inbox.
At $30/month (Growth plan), Instantly is the most affordable outreach tool. The B2B lead database (160M+ contacts) is available as an add-on. The platform's strength is volume: connect unlimited sending accounts, rotate across them automatically, and scale outreach without destroying sender reputation. The trade-off is that Instantly is purely an outreach tool. It doesn't replace a CRM or provide the data depth of Apollo or ZoomInfo. Best for teams running high-volume cold email who need maximum deliverability.
Key Differences
Contact finder vs email sender. Lusha finds contact data. Instantly sends emails at scale. They serve adjacent but different functions in the outreach workflow.
Together they form a lightweight outbound stack. Lusha finds emails and phone numbers ($29/user). Instantly sends email campaigns with optimized deliverability ($30/month). Total: under $60/month for a complete cold outreach system without an enterprise platform.
For budget-conscious teams, Lusha + Instantly is the most affordable professional outbound stack. It lacks Apollo's all-in-one convenience but each tool excels at its specific function.
The Verdict
Choose Lusha for finding contact data from LinkedIn. Choose Instantly for sending cold emails at scale with deliverability optimization. Together they form an affordable outbound stack.