Compare · Smartlead
Cadency vs Smartlead.
Two meters and add-ons, or senders and volume.
Smartlead is a serious cold email stack: unlimited mailboxes, automatic warm-up and rotation, a Master Inbox built for agencies, client workspaces, an API and an MCP server. It meters two things, contacts stored and emails sent, and sells the rest as add-ons. It has no LinkedIn channel. Cadency meters LinkedIn senders and email volume, and runs both channels in one campaign.
- LinkedIn and email in one sequence
- No contact meter, no per-workspace fee
- Unlimited teammates on every plan
$699
Scale: 500k emails a month and 20 LinkedIn senders
Unlimited contacts, workspaces and teammates.
$379
Unlimited Prime, 500,000 emails a month, email only; $314.60 on annual billing.
2
Channels in one campaign
LinkedIn steps branch into email steps.
1
Email. LinkedIn only via a partner tool such as HeyReach or Aimfox.
$0
Per client workspace
Unlimited workspaces on both plans.
$29
Per client workspace per month on Pro and Unlimited Smart; three included on Prime.
Unlimited
Contacts stored
One meter for email: volume.
2,000 to unlimited
Contacts stored per plan: 2,000 on Base, 30,000 on Pro, unlimited on Unlimited plans.
Side by side
Cadency and Smartlead, feature by feature.
Smartlead facts checked on 26 September 2026 against its public pages.
| Cadency | Smartlead | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||
| Entry price | $199 a month, $139 on annual billing | Base $39 a month, $32.50 on annual billing, 6,000 emails and 2,000 contacts |
| What scales the bill | LinkedIn senders and monthly email volume | Emails sent and contacts stored, plus add-ons: $29 per client workspace, $39 per dedicated server, $59 SmartProspect fee on Base and Pro |
| Plans | Small Team $199 (100k emails), Scale $699 (500k, up to 2M) | Base $39 (6k), Pro $94 (90k), Unlimited Smart $174 (150k), Unlimited Prime $379 (500k) |
| Team members | Unlimited on both plans | Unlimited from Pro; not on Base |
| Channels and inbox | ||
| Visit, connect, message, InMail, comment, voice note, like, follow | None natively; leads can be pushed to HeyReach or Aimfox, billed separately | |
| Your Google and Microsoft mailboxes, isolated network with dedicated IPs, warm-up, rotation | Unlimited mailboxes, automatic warm-up and rotation, optional dedicated servers at $39 each | |
| Inbox | One thread per lead across LinkedIn and email, assignable, reply as any sender | Master Inbox: all mailboxes and client workspaces, assignment, auto-tagging, workflows |
| API and assistants | REST API and MCP server on both plans | API and webhooks from Pro; hosted MCP server |
| Data, safety, trial | ||
| Database | People and company search with waterfall enrichment on credits | SmartProspect, 300M+ profiles; $59 a month fee on Base and Pro, waived on Unlimited plans |
| Account safety | Per-action LinkedIn ceilings, dedicated proxy per account, pause on checkpoint; mailbox warm-up | Email warm-up pools by tier, placement tests as an add-on |
| Trial | Access in small batches after a short call | 14 days, no credit card, 2,500 sends |
Why teams pick Cadency
LinkedIn without a second tool
Smartlead hands LinkedIn to HeyReach or Aimfox, each with its own bill and inbox. Cadency runs LinkedIn steps natively in the same campaign.
One meter for email
Volume. No contact meter, no per-workspace fee, no data upkeep fee. Unlimited leads, workspaces and teammates on both plans.
One inbox for both channels
A LinkedIn reply and an email reply from the same person are one thread with one owner.
Sender rotation across accounts, not only mailboxes
LinkedIn senders and mailboxes both rotate, each under its own ceiling, one sender per lead.
Agency workspaces at no cost
A workspace per client is included. On Smartlead that is $29 a month each below Prime.
Isolated network on every plan
Dedicated IPs are part of the plan rather than a $39 server add-on.
Where Smartlead wins
It is not always us.
You want the cheapest way to start sending email
Smartlead's Base plan is $39 a month, $32.50 on annual billing, with unlimited mailboxes and warm-up. Cadency starts at $199.
You need placement testing and dedicated servers as separate knobs
Smartlead's SmartDelivery tests and SmartServers are mature add-ons for deliverability-obsessed teams.
You run a pure email agency at 150k a month
Unlimited Smart at $174 with unlimited contacts is a strong price for email-only agency volume.
What does Smartlead really cost for a team?
Base is $39 a month but has no team members, no API, no CRM and no client workspaces, so a team starts on Pro at $94 with 90,000 emails and 30,000 contacts. Client workspaces are $29 a month each on Pro and Unlimited Smart, a dedicated server is $39, and the SmartProspect database carries a $59 monthly fee below the Unlimited plans. Unlimited Prime at $379 covers 500,000 emails with three workspaces included.
How does LinkedIn work on Smartlead?
It does not, natively. Smartlead's own help centre documents integrations with HeyReach and Aimfox: a SmartAgent pushes leads to the partner tool on an open, click or reply trigger, and the LinkedIn steps, limits and replies live there. Cadency runs the LinkedIn steps itself and keeps the replies in the same inbox as email.
Who should pick which?
An email-only agency that wants granular deliverability add-ons and a low entry price picks Smartlead. A team that sends volume on email and works LinkedIn accounts, and wants one bill and one inbox, picks Cadency.
Pricing at scale
What the bill looks like as you grow.
| Team | Cadency | Smartlead |
|---|---|---|
| 5 LinkedIn senders, 100k emails a month | $199 a month | Unlimited Smart $174 for 150,000 emails, since Pro stops at 90,000; LinkedIn via HeyReach or Aimfox, billed separately |
| 20 LinkedIn senders, 500k emails a month | $699 a month | Unlimited Prime $379 for email; LinkedIn separate |
| 30 LinkedIn senders, 1M emails a month | $1,124 a month | Enterprise, custom; LinkedIn separate |
| 50 LinkedIn senders, 2M emails a month | $1,749 a month | Enterprise, custom; LinkedIn separate |
Cadency rows use monthly billing; annual billing takes 30% off. Smartlead prices from smartlead.ai/pricing on 26 September 2026, monthly billing; yearly billing is 17% less. Client workspaces, dedicated servers and the SmartProspect fee are extra where noted.
Price any team size across all seven toolsQuestions
Cadency or Smartlead?
Is Cadency or Smartlead better in 2026?+
For email-only volume with fine-grained deliverability add-ons and a low starting price, Smartlead. For LinkedIn and email together, unlimited workspaces and one inbox, Cadency.
How much does Smartlead cost?+
Base $39, Pro $94, Unlimited Smart $174, Unlimited Prime $379 a month, with 17% off on yearly billing. Add-ons include $29 per client workspace, $39 per dedicated server and a $59 SmartProspect fee on the lower plans. Checked on smartlead.ai on 26 September 2026.
Does Smartlead do LinkedIn?+
Not natively. It integrates with HeyReach and Aimfox, which you subscribe to separately, and pushes leads across on triggers.
Does Cadency meter contacts like Smartlead?+
No. Contacts are unlimited. Cadency meters LinkedIn senders and emails sent per month.
Can I move from Smartlead to Cadency?+
Reconnect mailboxes through Google or Microsoft sign-in, import lists from CSV, rebuild sequences. Onboarding includes migration help.
Ready when you are.
We will tell you if it fits.
Tell us who you sell to and how many senders you have. If Cadency is the wrong tool for it, we will say so.
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