The cold email game has changed in 2025—adapting to new best practices is essential if you want to stay effective and ahead in lead generation and sales.
Read this if you want replies not spam folders.
Let’s get into it.
TL;DR – Most Tools Break When You Scale
We tested 21 cold email infrastructure tools across 30 inboxes.
Only 3 tools gave full control over deliverability:
✅ Custom domains
✅ Dedicated IPs
✅ Warm-up that works
✅ Real-time blacklist and DNS monitoring
18 others failed — either lacking DNS access, using shared IPs, or breaking under volume.
If you’re serious about cold outreach in 2025, you can’t trust tools that hide your infra. Specialized cold email providers offer private infrastructure, improved deliverability, and dedicated support—unlike mainstream platforms like Gmail or Outlook, which are not designed for cold email campaigns.
You need infrastructure built for outreach, not newsletters.
This guide breaks down what works, what doesn’t, and which stack is worth your time.
Why Cold Email Infrastructure Matters in 2025 (And How We Tested 21 Tools to Prove It)
In 2025, inboxing is all about control, not creativity.
You’re Probably Using the Wrong Kind of Tool
Gmail. Outlook. Sendgrid.
These are ESP tools, built for marketing, not cold outreach.
They don’t give you:
DNS access
Dedicated IPs
Warm-up systems
Blacklist alerts
Or even control over sending limits
So when you hit scale, or just try to send cold, your domain gets flagged.
Fast.
You need infrastructure tools, the ones built to manage how your emails get delivered, not just send them. A dedicated cold email platform offers deliverability optimization, easy setup, and seamless integration with your existing email services, making it far more effective than generic email tools.
How to Set Up Cold Email Infrastructure (Before You Even Pick a Tool)
Setting up your cold email infrastructure is the single most important step you can take to keep your cold email campaigns out of spam folders and in the primary inbox.
Before you even think about which cold email tool to use, you need a rock-solid foundation that gives you control, credibility, and compliance.
Get this right, and your cold emailing efforts will actually reach real people—not just spam filters.
Here’s how to build an email infrastructure that sets you up for cold email success.
The Core Components You Need
Domain Setup - Your domain is your digital handshake. For cold email campaigns, you need a domain that’s clean, reputable, and configured for deliverability. Set up your domain with all the right DNS records—SPF, DKIM, and DMARC—to prove to email service providers that you’re legit. Skip this, and you’re basically begging spam filters to block your cold emails.
Email Accounts - Never use your main business or personal email accounts for cold emailing. Create dedicated email accounts tied to your outreach domain. This keeps your sender reputation clean and protects your primary domain from getting burned if something goes wrong.
Private Cold Email Infrastructure - If you’re serious about inbox placement, invest in a private cold email infrastructure tool. Look for features like automated DNS setup, custom tracking domains, and dedicated IPs. These give you the control you need to avoid shared infra headaches and maximize your cold email deliverability.
Inbox Warmup - Don’t blast out 500 cold emails on day one. Warm up your email accounts by gradually increasing send volume. This builds a positive sender reputation with email service providers and helps your cold emails land in the primary inbox instead of the spam folder.
Step-by-Step Setup Process
Register Your Domain - Start by registering a fresh domain that reflects your brand. This is the foundation of your cold email infrastructure.
Set Up DNS Records - Configure your DNS records for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. These records authenticate your emails and are non-negotiable for avoiding spam filters. Most modern cold email infrastructure tools offer automated DNS setup—use them to get this done in just a few clicks.
Create Email Accounts - Set up dedicated email accounts on your new domain specifically for cold email campaigns. Keep these separate from your main business accounts to protect your sender reputation.
Configure Your Email Infrastructure Tool - Choose a cold email infrastructure tool that makes setup easy. Follow the tool’s onboarding process to connect your domain, set up DNS records, and provision your email accounts. The best tools handle most of the technical setup for you, so you can get started with just a few clicks.
Warm Up Your Inbox - Begin sending a small number of emails from each account, gradually increasing the volume over several weeks. This slow ramp-up is critical for building trust with email service providers and ensuring your cold emails reach the inbox.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Insufficient Warmup - Skipping or rushing the warmup process is a fast track to the spam folder. Take the time to build sender reputation before launching full-scale cold email campaigns.
Poor DNS Setup - Failing to properly configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records will tank your email deliverability. Double-check your DNS setup or use a tool that automates this for you.
Shared IP Pool - Using a shared IP pool means your deliverability is at the mercy of other senders. If someone else on your IP gets blacklisted, your cold emails will suffer too. Opt for dedicated IPs whenever possible.
Lack of Blacklist Monitoring - If you’re not monitoring blacklists, you won’t know when your domain or IP gets flagged. This can silently kill your cold email campaigns. Use tools that alert you to blacklist issues in real time.
Inadequate Content Quality - Sending generic, low-value, or spammy content will get you marked as spam, no matter how good your infrastructure is. Always follow industry best practices for content and personalization.
By building your cold email system on a solid infrastructure—complete with proper DNS setup, dedicated email accounts, and ongoing blacklist monitoring—you’ll dramatically improve your email deliverability and get better results from your cold email campaigns.
Don’t cut corners. Invest in the right setup, follow industry best practices, and keep a close eye on your sender reputation for the best possible inbox placement.
The 5 Things Every Cold Email Infrastructure Must Get Right
Gmail throttles. Outlook blocks. You need tools that manage velocity, rotation, and volume thresholds.
Monitoring + Alerts
You should know if your IP gets blacklisted, before it destroys your sender score. Deliverability reports help you monitor inbox placement and experiment with different IPs or services to improve results.
If your current tool doesn’t do all five, it’s just a fancier version of Gmail.
Next up, here are the only 3 tools we trust to handle cold email at scale in 2025.
🟢 Tier 1: Infrastructure You Can Actually Trust
Feature / Tool
Mailforge
Infraforge
Mailreef
Best For
Beginners or scaling agencies (10–100 inboxes)
High-volume teams, RevOps, or agencies managing 100K+ sends
Mid-size teams that want flexibility + cost balance
IP Type
Shared
Dedicated
Shared
DNS Setup
Automated (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
Automated with bulk management
Manual or semi-automated
Custom Tracking Domain
✅ Yes
✅ Yes
✅ Yes
Warm-Up + Rotation
✅ Built-in
✅ Advanced warm-up + rotation
✅ Smart warm-up
Mailbox Pricing
$13–15/month per slot
$17–20/month per slot
Based on contact volume (starts ~$299/month)
Domain Hosting
$70/year
$70/year
Included in pricing model
Dedicated IP Support
❌ No
✅ Yes
❌ No
API / Backend Access
❌ No
✅ Yes (Full API, Masterbox Dashboard)
❌ No
UI Simplicity
✅ 10-min setup, plug-and-play
⚠️ More complex (needs infra knowledge or onboarding)
⚠️ Not beginner-friendly
Support
Human chat, Slack
Dedicated Slack + team onboarding
Standard chat/email
Deliverability Strength
✅ Solid for most users
✅ Excellent (enterprise-grade)
⚠️ Variable – needs correct infra setup
Flexibility
Mid – Good defaults, less customizable
High – Full control over domains, IPs, API
High – Based on user input and sending goals
Tool Integrations
Works with any cold email sender
Works with any tool (via API or manual config)
Works with Smartlead, Lemlist, Instantly, etc.
Verdict
🔹 Best for fast launch and mid-scale senders
🔹 Best for teams who need private infra and full control
🔹 Good for technical teams who want config flexibility
The top tools stand out due to their advanced features such as multi-IP provisioning, SSL certificates, domain masking, and API access, which provide enhanced control and customization.
Out of 21 tools, only 3 gave full control, consistent inboxing, and didn’t break under pressure.
They weren’t the biggest names.
They were just built right.
#1. Mailforge – Affordable Cold Email Infrastructure Built for Speed and Scale
This image shows the Mailforge Homepage
Most people overpay for infrastructure they don’t understand.
Then they wonder why inboxes get flagged after week two.
It’s a distributed cold email infrastructure tool that lets you spin up hundreds of domains and mailboxes in minutes, no DNS knowledge needed.
Every domain is pre-configured with SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and a custom tracking domain. Mailforge also includes custom domain tracking as part of its automated setup, helping to improve deliverability and campaign effectiveness.
It handles warm-up, rotation, and hosting, all under one roof.
If you're sending high volume, managing multiple teams, or want dedicated IPs with full backend control, Infraforge was built for you.
What Infraforge Actually Does?
Infraforge is a private, dedicated cold email infrastructure.
You get your own IPs, automated DNS setup, domain warmup, and inbox hosting, with full control over every layer. Infraforge leverages dedicated servers to provide enhanced control over deliverability, reputation management, and scalability.
It’s built for agencies, teams, or enterprise senders who’ve outgrown shared IP setups and need reliability, scale, and security.
You can spin up 1 or 1,000 domains, monitor deliverability, and integrate with any cold outreach tool via API.
Features That Matter When You Scale
Dedicated IPs: Isolate your sending reputation. Avoid damage from noisy neighbors.
But if you know what you're doing, it can work surprisingly well.
It's not as beginner-friendly as Mailforge.
And it doesn't offer full backend control like Infraforge.
But it does give you a balance of customization and deliverability, with some smart infrastructure recommendations built in.
What Mailreef Actually Does
Mailreef lets you create and manage cold email infrastructure with flexibility.
You get domain + mailbox provisioning, deliverability guidance, and custom limits based on your monthly contact volume. Mailreef manages and optimizes multiple mailbox accounts to ensure reliable sending and high deliverability.
It works with most sending tools and includes a calculator that recommends how many domains/mailboxes you need to hit your goals without triggering spam filters.
Features That Stand Out
Infra Calculator: Helps you avoid overloading inboxes by suggesting ideal domain/mailbox ratios.
Deliverability-First Setup: Smart sending limits, warm/cold ratios, and configuration best practices are baked in.
Support for cold email sequences: Automate structured outreach and improve reply rates.
Integrates with Smartlead, Instantly, Lemlist : Just infra — use your preferred sender.
Flexible Domain/Mailbox Management: Scale as needed, with reasonable control.
Pricing
This image shows the Mailreef Pricing
Plan Size
Estimated Monthly Cost
25K Contacts / 3 Sends / 3x Touch
~$299/month
50K+ Contacts / 4–5x Touchpoints
~$428/month
Mailbox Slots & Domains
Based on calculator (not flat-rate)
Note: You pay per estimated infrastructure size, not a fixed per-mailbox cost like Mailforge or Infraforge.
Pros and Cons of Mailreef
Pros
Cons
✅ Built-in guidance on infra sizing and send volume
⚠️ No dedicated IPs — shared infra only
✅ Smart warmup and deliverability checks
⚠️ No API or backend access
✅ Works with most sending tools
⚠️ Not plug-and-play — requires infra knowledge
✅ Transparent calculator model for cost scaling
⚠️ Interface isn’t the most intuitive
Best For
Teams that want flexibility but don’t need full backend control
Mid-size agencies that already understand infrastructure basics
Users upgrading from ESPs but not yet ready for dedicated IP setups
Mailreef is solid, if you’re willing to think through your infrastructure strategy.
But if you're scaling hard or need total control, you’ll hit limitations fast.
Now let’s talk about the “almost good” tools, the ones that show promise but break down when you actually send at scale.
🟡 Tier 2: The “Almost There” Tier – These Cold Email Infrastructure Tools Are Fine, But Risky
Some tools look promising on paper.
Decent UI. Good onboarding. Maybe even a few solid reviews.
But once you start sending real volume, things fall apart.
We tested five of these “almost there” infra tools.
They’re not trash. But they’re not reliable for scale either.
Mailscale
Mailmodo
Inbox Flow
Halon
Tool
Infra Type
Pricing (Starting)
Warmup
DNS/IP Control
Best For
Major Drawbacks
Mailscale
Fast inbox launcher
$95/month (50 inboxes)
✅ Yes
❌ Shared infra
Founders & agencies needing 0-to-launch speed
No dedicated IPs, no API or DNS access
Mailmodo
Marketing automation
₹3,199 (~$39/month)
❌ No
❌ None
Lifecycle & product marketing (not cold email)
Not for cold outreach: no inbox creation or warmup
InboxFlow
Inbox automation tool
$45/month (15 inboxes)
⚠️ Unknown
❌ Shared infra
Freelancers or early-stage testers
Privacy issues, poor deliverability control
Halon
Enterprise SMTP infra
Custom (Enterprise only)
❌ No
✅ Full control
ISPs, telcos, email service providers
Not for cold email, very technical
#4. Mailscale – Fastest Inbox Creation, Built for Cold Email at Speed
This image shows the Mailscale Homepage
If you want to create 50+ inboxes in under a minute, without touching DNS, Mailscale is built for you.
It's dead simple. No tech skills needed.
Just pick a domain, click a button, and export inboxes straight into your outreach tool.
And it's not just fast, users consistently report strong deliverability and a solid support experience.
What Mailscale Actually Does
Mailscale lets you create cold email inboxes at scale, instantly.
You can spin up 50, 500, or even 1,000 mailboxes, pre-warmed and ready to go.
It's optimized for speed, affordability, and simplicity, with automated domain setup, inbox generation, and built-in deliverability guarantees.
It's not a full-featured backend platform like Infraforge.
It's a “just press go” engine for teams that want to launch fast.
Mailscale Features That Stand Out
Instant Inbox Generation: Create dozens or hundreds of email accounts in seconds.
No DNS Work Required: SPF, DKIM, DMARC — all automated. No config headaches.
Plug-and-Play: Export inboxes into Smartlead, Instantly, Lemlist, or any cold email tool.
Deliverability Guarantee: 95–100% inbox rate or your money back.
Support That Works: Real people. Fast replies. Highly rated by users.
Mailscale Pricing
This image shows the Mailscale Pricing
Plan
Price
Includes
Business Plan
$95/month
Up to 50 inboxes, free domain, 5-min setup
Custom Plans
Custom
For 100+ inboxes, pricing varies
Yearly Discount
Save 20%
Available on annual billing
Pros and Cons of Mailscale
Pros
Cons
✅ Fastest setup on the market (literally seconds)
⚠️ Limited backend control — no IP or DNS access
✅ No tech skills required
⚠️ Can’t tweak advanced sending or warm-up settings
✅ Affordable inbox scaling
⚠️ Shared infra; no dedicated IP options
✅ Built-in warm-up and bounce handling
⚠️ Help docs and chat could be more centralized
✅ Deliverability is solid out of the gate
⚠️ Not ideal if you want detailed analytics or API control
Best For
Founders and SDRs who need inboxes fast
Cold email agencies scaling 10–50K sends/month
Teams that want plug-and-play inboxes without touching DNS
Users are tired of Gmail/Outlook limits
Mailscale isn’t for power users who want IP rotation or deep deliverability analytics.
But if you want to go from 0 to “live campaign” in 5 minutes, and it just needs to work, this is the fastest route.
Up next: Let’s look at Mailmodo, a tool with promise but limited transparency where it matters most.
#5. Mailmodo – Great for Interactive Emails, But Not Built for Cold Outreach
This image shows the Mailmodo Homepage
Mailmodo, often confused as a cold outreach infra tool is actually an email marketing platform.
It helps in: drag-and-drop builders, polls, quizzes, AMP features, and beautiful branded campaigns.
That's great for marketing teams.
But if you're looking for cold email deliverability, domain warm-up, or inbox rotation, this isn't it.
What Mailmodo Actually Does?
Mailmodo lets you build interactive HTML and AMP-based email campaigns.
It's focused on marketing automation, not deliverability infrastructure.
You can use it for newsletters, onboarding flows, surveys, and user feedback loops.
It integrates with tools like HubSpot, Mailchimp, Segment, and Shopify.
But there's no inbox creation, no dedicated cold email infra, and no warm-up system.
Features That Stand Out
AMP/HTML Email Builder: Add forms, polls, star ratings, quizzes, and calendar links directly inside emails.
Prebuilt Journeys + Automation: Works for post-signup drip, webinar flows, eCommerce abandon carts, and more.
Detailed Engagement Analytics: View clicks, open rates, session times, heatmaps, and more.
API + Integrations: Includes webhooks, custom events, and access to CRMs like HubSpot and Intercom.
Mailmodo Pricing
This image shows the Mailmodo Pricing
Plan
Contacts
Price (INR/month, annual billing)
Lite
2,500
₹3,199 (~$39)
Pro
2,500
₹6,399 (~$78)
Max
2,500
₹11,999 (~$145)
Each plan includes AI-powered content, journeys, and AMP blocks.
You can scale up contacts and API usage with each tier.
Pros and Cons of Mailmodo
Pros
Cons
✅ Great for interactive, visual emails
⚠️ No cold email support or inbox infra
✅ Easy to build marketing flows without dev help
⚠️ No domain/IP warm-up or DNS control
✅ AMP and branded templates look modern
⚠️ API-triggered emails are limited in formatting
✅ Good for B2B SaaS post-signup flows
⚠️ Dashboard can be clunky; not built for high-volume outreach
✅ Value-for-money if you’re doing marketing automation
⚠️ Misleading if you’re expecting outreach infra features
Best For
B2B SaaS teams running lifecycle or retention email
Marketing teams looking to replace Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign
Founders wanting to design emails without HTML knowledge
eComm brands doing cart recovery or promotions
If you’re sending cold email at scale, Mailmodo is the wrong tool.
No inbox creation. No DNS. No warm-up. No deliverability control.
It’s a great email marketing platform, but not a cold outreach infrastructure tool.
Talent Acquisition Solutions: Staff augmentation and resume search packages.
Specialty Hiring: Cleared talent for government/defense contracts and licensed healthcare staff.
Employer Portal + Job Board Access: Used by HR teams for hiring, not by outbound sales teams.
Mission Inbox Pricing
There's no pricing listed publicly for any cold email features, because none exist.
All pricing relates to staffing models like direct hire, resume finder subscriptions, and recruiter hourly billing.
Pros and Cons of Mission Inbox
✅ Pros
⚠️ Cons
Strong reputation in veteran and cleared staffing
No cold email infrastructure whatsoever
Offers recruitment solutions for federal contractors
Branding misleads cold email users
Useful if you’re hiring tech or healthcare roles
No DNS, warm-up, or deliverability tooling
SBA-certified and trusted in the recruitment space
No integration with email tools, CRMs, or APIs
Best For
Government contractors hiring cleared personnel
Healthcare systems need vetted hires
Employers need veteran-focused recruiting
Mission Inbox isn’t just not ready for cold outreach.
It’s not even in the same category.
If you’re evaluating email infrastructure tools, this one should be disqualified immediately.
#9. Mailin.ai – Affordable Private Infra, But Still Finding Its Feet
Mailin positions itself as a low-cost, private cold email infrastructure for teams scaling outbound.
It's not trying to be fancy.
Instead, it aims to offer private infrastructure, better deliverability, and mailbox automation, without bloated pricing.
Sounds promising.
But as you'll see, the tradeoff for affordability is maturity.
And in cold email, immature infrastructure can cost you real replies.
What Mailin Actually Does?
Mailin offers private, low-cost email infrastructure with full domain + DNS setup, mailbox provisioning, and native integration with cold email tools.
They automate setup like DKIM/SPF/DMARC, use dedicated IPs, and handle onboarding in a day.
It's targeted at teams who need 200–1,000 inboxes but don't want to pay per-slot like Infraforge or Mailforge.
If you're running high-volume cold outreach and your pain point is cost-per-mailbox, this may appeal.
Mailin Pricing
Plan
Price
Inboxes Included
Cost per Additional Inbox
Solopreneur
$299/month
200
$1.20 approx
Business
$749/month
500
$1.00 approx
Enterprise
$1,499/month
1,000
$1 each
Annual Plans: 20% off
✔ Includes: Dedicated IPs, full DNS automation, warmup, and dashboard
⏱10-min onboarding, 1-day infra delivery
Pros and Cons of Mailin
✅ Pros
⚠️ Cons
Very low per-mailbox cost at scale
Not much real-world feedback yet
Private IPs and infrastructure
UI and setup tools are still evolving
Fast setup and automation
Missing advanced deliverability insights
Works with major cold email tools
Limited integrations beyond the basics
Best For
Mid-to-large agencies scaling fast
SDR teams sending 50K+ emails/month
Anyone tired of paying $3–$7/inbox and wants private infra
Teams with some cold email experience, not total beginners
Mailin.ai is a cost-efficient private infra option, especially if you need 200+ inboxes.
But it’s still new, so if stability and support are critical, test cautiously.
If you're OK being an early adopter, the price-to-performance ratio could pay off.
#10. Outreach2Day – High Volume, Low Friction… But Still Rough Around the Edges
This image shows the Outreach2Day homepage
Outreach2Day claims to let you launch 50+ mailboxes in 5 minutes, automate warming, and avoid the $7-per-seat costs of Google/Outlook.
And it delivers on some of that promise.
But when you look under the hood, the experience is a mixed bag, especially around product maturity, reliability, and long-term support.
It's built for speed and affordability, not stability.
What Outreach2Day Actually Does?
It's a cold email infra tool that handles mailbox provisioning, warmup, domain setup (SPF/DKIM/DMARC), and integrates with outreach platforms like Instantly, Smartlead, and SalesHandy.
The main selling point?
$2.50 per mailbox, done in minutes, with zero Google/Outlook setup required.
Perfect for mass-scale ops… but not ideal if you're aiming for consistency over chaos.
Key Features
Auto Mailbox Setup: Add 50+ inboxes at once, no manual work needed.
DKIM/SPF/DMARC Automation: Fully handled behind the scenes.
Warm-Up Emails Included: Auto-warming built into every plan.
Blacklist Monitoring: Check if your domains/IPs get flagged.
Ability to automate and manage multiple campaigns across different market segments: Easily run and customize outreach for various products or audiences without overlap.
Export-Ready: 1-click sync with 99+ platforms like Instantly, Apollo, Smartlead.
Spam Checker: Real-time content scoring for email copy.
Live Support Chat: Available inside the app (depending on plan).
Outreach2Day Pricing
This image shows the Outreach2day pricing
Plan
Price
Mailboxes
Emails/Month
Est. Meetings
Starter
$62.50
25
13,750
~10
Agency
$450
180
100,000
~60–100+
Scale
$1,000
400
220,000
~200+
Pay-As-You-Go
$2.50/inbox
Custom
Custom
N/A
✔ No separate Gmail/Outlook fee
✔ Includes warm-up, DNS, and spam monitoring
✔ Live dashboard and centralized management
Pros and Cons of Outreach2Day
✅ Pros
⚠️ Cons
Incredibly cheap at $2.50/mailbox
UI and infra can be buggy under heavy load
Auto-setup saves hours per week
Support quality varies by time and team
Native warmup + DNS config
Delivery rates fluctuate on large campaigns
Built-in blacklist and spam checks
Early users report sudden mailbox bans
Best For
Outreach agencies needing hundreds of mailboxes fast
Recruiters, founders, or marketers doing scale outreach
Users frustrated with Google/Outlook limits or pricing
Teams needing quick mailbox rotation for outbound
Outreach2Day makes cold infra accessible and scalable, especially for budget-conscious operators.
But the tradeoff is stability and polish.
If you’re launching new domains regularly and burning through IPs fast, it’s a practical choice.
If you’re optimizing long-term sender reputation, proceed with caution.
#11. InboxAutomate – Fast Gmail Infra at Scale (But Don’t Expect Much Polish)
This image shows the InboxAutomate homepage
InboxAutomate is built for one thing: automating your cold email setup using Gmail accounts with US IPs, at bulk scale.
It pitches itself as a time-saver for cold emailers tired of managing Google Workspace, DNS records, or warming up inboxes manually.
It delivers most of what it promises… but with a few tradeoffs.
What InboxAutomate Actually Does?
The tool helps you:
Buy Gmail inboxes with US IPs
Auto-setup SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
Bulk-create and manage domains + mailboxes
Set profile names and images
Export inboxes for use in cold email platforms like Instantly or Smartlead
InboxAutomate is designed to help users generate leads through effective cold email outreach.
It also offers lead gen training, enrichment credits, and template tools — but most of those are marked “coming soon.”
Key Features
Official Google Partner: Buy Gmail mailboxes on US IPs with Oauth ready to go
10-Minute Setup: Full domain + mailbox setup in under 10 minutes
Bulk Mailbox Creation: Add 10 to 100+ inboxes at once
Automated DNS Config: DKIM, SPF, and DMARC handled automatically
Public Profile Setup: Names + profile pics applied to all mailboxes
1-Click Exports: Sync inboxes with major outreach tools
Deliverability Monitoring: Basic tools to avoid inboxing issues
Access to Lead Gen Community + Courses: More useful for agency teams
Outreach agencies scaling Gmail infra with 30–100+ inboxes
Teams that want US IP warmup options without Outlook headaches
Users wanting export-ready Gmail inboxes for Smartlead or Instantly
InboxAutomate makes Gmail-based cold outreach cheaper and faster, especially if you're done dealing with Google manually.
But be cautious about the “coming soon” features and occasional dashboard quirks.
It’s promising, growing fast, and worth testing if Gmail is core to your infra.
🔴 Tier 4: Just Not Worth Your Time (High Risk / Low ROI Tools)
Zapmail
Supermail
Scaledmail
Premiuminboxes
Cheapinboxes.com
Frost Mailer
F60 Host
Tool
Infra Control
Warm-Up Included
Price Range
Best For
Major Limitations
Zapmail
⚠️ Partial
❌ No
$3–$3.50/mailbox
Small teams, low-volume outreach
Shared IPs, poor scaling, no blacklist or tracking domain setup
Supermail
❌ None
❌ No
Free – ~$19/mo
Sales reps needing AI writing help
Not a cold email infra tool, just an email writer
Scalemail
❌ None
❌ No
$250–$1,000+/mo
Newsletter operators, referral-based growth
No DNS, inbox, or deliverability tools
PremiumInboxes
✅ Yes
❌ No
$2.50–$3.50/mailbox
Agencies needing fast, ready-to-use inboxes
No warm-up, no post-setup visibility or control
CheapInboxes
⚠️ Manual
❌ No
$2–$3/mailbox
Testing cold outreach on a tight budget
No DNS/warm-up; shared IP risk
Frost Mailer
⚠️ Setup Only
❌ No
$1–$2.50/mailbox
Quick start outreach with external warm-up
No ongoing infra management, no alerts
F60 Host
❌ None
❌ No
$1.50/mo or $15/yr
Internal email, not outreach
No admin panel, no DNS setup, not built for sending cold emails
#12. Zapmail – Looks Affordable, But Raises Red Flags Fast
This image shows the Zapmail Homepage
Zapmail is everywhere in 2025—low prices, modern dashboard, and bold claims on deliverability.
It promises Google Workspace inboxes for just $2.50/month, full DNS setup, and instant exports to tools like Instantly, Smartlead, and ReachInbox.
On the surface, it looks like the Mailforge or Infraforge killer.
But under load, cracks appear.
What Zapmail Actually Does?
Zapmail offers bulk Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 mailboxes at low cost, bundled with:
Auto DKIM, SPF, and DMARC setup
Workspace/account segregation
DNS record management
Bulk profile updates
Seamless integrations with outreach tools
Each email account is set up with the necessary technical configurations to ensure high deliverability and reliable performance.
It’s marketed to agencies as an all-in-one, fast-to-deploy email infrastructure platform.
Zapmail Pricing
This image shows the Zapmail Pricing
Plan
Price/Month
Mailboxes Included
Additional Mailboxes
Support
Starter
$39
10 Google Mailboxes
$3.50/mailbox
Basic
Growth
$99
30 Google Mailboxes
$3.25/mailbox
Standard
Pro
$299
100 Google Mailboxes
$3.00/mailbox
Priority + API
Domains sold separately (starting at $13 for .com)
No long-term contract required
Microsoft and Google inbox options are available
Pros and Cons of Zapmail
✅ Pros
⚠️ Cons
Very cheap entry per mailbox
Shared IP infrastructure (no control over neighbors)
Works with all major cold outreach tools
No custom tracking domain options in the base plan
Easy onboarding + fast DNS automation
Deliverability drops with scale (per user reports)
Dashboard UX is clean and fast
No built-in blacklist monitoring or warm-up graphs
Publicly priced, scalable plans
Not ideal for teams needing dedicated infra or 50K+ daily sends
Best For
Solo founders just starting out
Agencies testing campaigns at low volume
Teams that want fast infrastructure without backend control
Zapmail is the easiest on-ramp to cold email infrastructure today.
It’s fast, cheap, and integrates smoothly.
But don’t confuse speed with durability.
If you scale hard or need full deliverability oversight, you’ll outgrow it fast.
#13. Supermail – Not Infra, Just an AI Email Writer With a Confusing Name
This image shows the Supermail Homepage
At first glance, Supermail sounds like an infrastructure tool, maybe inbox hosting or a warm-up service.
But it's not.
Supermail is simply an AI writing assistant built to help you draft better emails, faster.
Think Grammarly meets ChatGPT, but tailored for cold email or business communication.
There's no inbox setup, no domain management, and definitely no deliverability tooling here.
What Supermail Actually Does?
Supermail helps users write emails, that's it.
It gives you a simple UI where you describe the email you want, and it generates the content using AI.
Key use cases:
Writing sales follow-ups
Polishing professional replies
Creating outreach templates
Summarizing long threads or responses
It's built for speed and simplicity, not for managing your infrastructure or cold outreach campaigns.
Supermail Pricing
Supermail doesn't have transparent pricing listed publicly on the landing page.
Based on similar AI tools, expect:
Plan
Features
Est. Price
Free
Basic writing tool, limited prompts
$0/mo
Pro
Unlimited generations, better AI output
~$9–$19/mo
Team
Collaboration, bulk writing
TBD (not mentioned)
It’s positioned more like a productivity tool than a cold email system.
Pros and Cons of Supermail
✅ Pros
⚠️ Cons
Easy-to-use AI email writer
No cold email infra or warm-up
Great for quick drafts or polishing
Not built for outreach campaigns
Lightweight and simple
Confusing brand name for what it offers
Helpful for non-native English users
Lacks deep personalization or workflow tools
Best For
Founders or execs needing quick email polish
Sales reps looking to speed up responses
Non-native speakers writing professional emails
Teams wanting basic writing assistance without full CRM integration
Supermail is not a cold email infra tool; it’s just an AI email writer.
If you’re looking to land in the inbox, manage domains, or set up mailboxes, look elsewhere.
But if you need help sounding professional or crafting replies fast, it can be a helpful companion.
#14. Scalemail – List-Building Tool as Email Infra
This image shows the Scalemail Homepage
Let's get one thing straight: Scalemail isn't cold email infrastructure.
It's a referral-based email list growth tool designed for newsletter operators, publishers, and media brands trying to build large subscriber bases, not send outreach at scale.
Yet some mistakenly lump it in with tools like Mailforge or Infraforge. It's not even in the same category.
What Scalemail Actually Does?
Scalemail is a white-labeled email referral system.
It plugs into your newsletter or existing email list software (like Mailchimp, Beehiiv, or ConvertKit) and offers a gamified referral dashboard to help grow your list through word-of-mouth.
Their team handles onboarding and dashboard customization.
But you don't get:
Mailbox provisioning
DNS setup
Deliverability monitoring
Cold outreach capabilities
It's built for acquisition, not sending.
Scalemail Pricing
This image shows the Scalemail Pricing
List Size
Monthly Cost
1 – 100,000 Subscribers
$250/month
100k – 500k
$500/month
500k – 1M
$1,000/month
1M+
Custom pricing
3-month trial required
No free tier
Tax not included
Pros and Cons of Scalemail
✅ Pros
⚠️ Cons
Fully managed onboarding & dashboard setup
No infrastructure for cold outreach
Scales to millions of list subscribers
Requires dev access and a 3-month minimum
Simple pricing by subscriber count
Not relevant if you’re not doing referral-based list growth
White-labeled for your brand
No deliverability tools, no inbox setup, no email warm-up
Best For
Newsletters focused on organic subscriber growth
Brands that want to gamify referrals inside their email funnel
Media companies are growing massive, engaged lists
Scalemail is not a cold email tool; it’s a list-building widget for owned audience growth.
If you’re looking for mailboxes or infra, this isn’t your stop.
Stick to Scalemail if your goal is subscribers, not sends.
#15. PremiumInboxes – High-Volume Inbox Reseller Built for Cold Email Agencies
This image shows the PremiumInBoxes Homepage
PremiumInboxes doesn't pretend to be something it's not.
It's a pure-play inbox provisioning service, optimized for Google Workspace accounts, with fast turnaround, and technical setup done for you.
No outreach platform. No CRM. No warm-up automation.
Just inboxes, at scale, fast, and cheap.
It's what most cold email agencies end up using when they outgrow sketchy Fiverr sellers but aren't ready to build their own infrastructure.
What PremiumInboxes Actually Does?
PremiumInboxes sells bulk Google Workspace accounts pre-configured for cold outreach.
Each inbox comes with DNS records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), a US IP address, and a ready-to-send status.
Key deliverables:
12-hour (or faster) account delivery
Fully configured domains
Profile customization
Inbox replacements if something goes wrong
Upload-ready format for Instantly, Smartlead, and other outreach tools
There's no dashboard, warm-up engine, or outreach pipeline. It's just infrastructure as a service.
Premium Inboxes Pricing
This image shows the Premium Inboxes pricing
PremiumInboxes uses volume-based pricing. Simple and aggressive.
Plan
Inboxes Range
Price Per Inbox
SLA
Startup
1 – 249
$3.5/month
<12h delivery
Growth
250 – 1,249
$3/month
<12h delivery
Enterprise
1,250+
$2.5/month
<12h delivery + dedicated manager
All inboxes come with full setup, US IPs, and upload-ready formatting.
Pros and Cons of Premium Inboxes
✅ Pros
⚠️ Cons
Extremely fast delivery times
No warm-up included
Prebuilt for cold email platforms
No monitoring or health dashboard
Reliable Google Workspace provisioning
Reseller model limits transparency
Free inbox replacements
No control over infrastructure after delivery
Best For
Cold email agencies are scaling fast and need inboxes in bulk
Teams that already use Instantly, Smartlead, or Mailforge
Agencies are tired of unstable inbox sellers on marketplaces
Ops teams managing multiple client domains
PremiumInboxes is exactly what it claims to be, nothing more, nothing less.
It won’t manage campaigns or handle warm-up, but if you need 500 working inboxes by tomorrow morning, it gets the job done.
#16. CheapInboxes – Budget Inbox Provider With No Frills (and Few Safeguards)
CheapInboxes does one thing: give you cheap inboxes.
No warm-up, no automation, no integrations. Just volume. Cheap.
If you're bootstrapped and want to blast emails at scale with minimal upfront cost, this might catch your eye.
But, when you trade features for price, you also risk trading deliverability for blacklists.
What CheapInboxes Actually Does?
It’s a low-cost email hosting provider focused on high-volume mailbox provisioning.
The platform supports custom domains and standard email protocols (IMAP/POP3/SMTP), making it easy to plug into basic sending tools.
You don’t get:
DNS automation
Inbox health tracking
Deliverability optimization
Smart sending or warm-up tools
Without proper setup or warmup, using CheapInboxes can trigger spam filters and harm your email deliverability.
This is not an infra tool, it’s a bulk hosting shortcut.
CheapInboxes Pricing
Plan Tier
Estimated Price
Basic Inbox
Domain Setup
Warm-up Tools
Support
CheapInboxes
$2–3 per inbox/month
Yes
Manual
Not included
Email-based, limited
Pros and Cons of CheapInboxes
✅ Pros
⚠️ Cons
Very low per-inbox pricing
No warm-up, DNS, or tracking tools
Easy to spin up inboxes in bulk
UI is basic, lacks analytics
Supports custom domains
Support quality varies
Compatible with most SMTP tools
Shared IPs can cause deliverability issues
Best For
Freelancers or solopreneurs experimenting with outreach
Small teams looking to test campaigns on a budget
Bulk mailbox provisioning for non-critical use cases
#17 Frost Mailer – Cheap Google + Outlook Mailboxes, But High-Risk at Scale
This image shows the Frost Mailer homepage
Frost Mailer offers Google Workspace and Outlook accounts with full DNS setup — starting at just $1.50 per mailbox.
It's one of the cheapest mailbox vendors in the market.
But here's the catch: no warm-up system, no email infra monitoring, and zero control once setup is done.
It's a vendor-style model, great for getting started, but not something you scale serious outreach with.
What Frost Mailer Promises
US IP Google Workspace inboxes
Outlook accounts at $1/inbox
Full DNS config (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
Fast onboarding (48 hours)
No domain charges — pay only for inboxes
Hands-off support and setup
Their process: Fill a form, wait 48 hours, and you get ready-to-send inboxes.
Good for quick starts. Risky for long-term outreach hygiene.
Key Features
Google & Outlook Inbox Packages: Choose your platform, no hidden fees
DNS Setup Done For You: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC all pre-configured
Volume Discounts: Pricing gets lower as you scale
Support on Standby: They pitch 24/7 live support for account issues
No Frills, Just Accounts: You bring your tool — they provide infra
But you won't find:
Warm-up
DNS alerts
Blacklist monitoring
Deliverability scoring
Bounce or spam feedback
Frost Mailer Pricing
This image shows the Frost Mailer Pricing
Plan Type
Mailboxes
Price/Inbx
Platform
DNS Setup
Basic
<150
$2.50
Google
Included
Intermediate
<250
$2.00
Google
Included
Pro
>250
$1.50
Google
Included
Outlook Pro
Any
$1.00
Outlook
Included
Note: No warm-up included. You’ll need tools like Mailreach or Warmforge separately.
Pros and Cons of Frost Mailer
✅ Pros
⚠️ Cons
Extremely cheap inboxes ($1–$2.50)
No warm-up, no monitoring
DNS fully configured
No API or dashboard
Fast onboarding (48 hrs or less)
No ongoing visibility or controls
Google + Outlook options
Can’t manage infra post-purchase
Hands-off setup
Risky for long-term email health
Best For
Agencies that already use warming tools (and need inboxes in bulk)
Founders testing a cold email campaign without much tech setup
Lead gen teams wanting throwaway Gmail/Outlook inboxes
Not for: Anyone managing deliverability at scale or needing alerting/control
Frost Mailer is a budget-friendly inbox provider — fast and cheap, especially if you don’t want to mess with DNS or domain setup.
But with no built-in warm-up, no infrastructure monitoring, and limited support post-setup, it’s not built for long-term deliverability success.
It works… if you patch it with external warm-up and deliverability tools.
#18 F60 Host – Ultra-Cheap Google Workspace, But Not Built for Cold Email Outreach
This image shows the F60 Host homepage
F60 Host markets itself as a Google Workspace reseller offering some of the cheapest inboxes on the market, as low as $1.50/month.
They're not hiding it: it's meant for affordability, not scalability.
And while the pricing is attractive, these inboxes come with serious limitations that can break your cold email campaigns if you're not careful.
What F60 Host Actually Offers
Google Workspace "Business Starter Lite" for $1.50/month
30 GB cloud storage per user
Custom domain emails
No admin panel or user management
No upgrades or domain transfer options
Support via chat and email (free for 6 months)
It's cheap but locked down. No access to backend admin tools means no ability to configure SPF, DKIM, DMARC, or manage bulk inbox behavior.
Key Features
Super Cheap Pricing: Starts at $1.50/month or $15/year
Google Workspace Reseller: Offers Gmail, Drive, Docs, Meet, etc.
No Admin Console: You can't manage users or settings
No Scalability Options: Cannot upgrade or migrate domains
No Email Infra Control: You're locked out of DNS setup or warm-up
If you're buying this for mass cold outreach, you're building on quicksand.
F60 Host Pricing
Plan
Price
Features
Business Starter Lite (Monthly)
$1.50
No admin panel, 30GB storage, custom domain email
Business Starter Lite (Yearly)
$15
Same as above, billed annually
Business Starter (Monthly)
$3.54
Standard support, video meetings, no admin
Business Starter (Yearly)
$35.40
Long-term plan, no infra control
Domains
$12/year
.com, .net, .org options available
Bulk orders supported, but still non-refundable and non-upgradable.
Pros and Cons of F60 Host
✅ Pros
⚠️ Cons
Incredibly cheap pricing
No admin panel access
Google Workspace accounts
No DNS or warm-up setup
Domain + inbox in one place
No deliverability monitoring
24/7 chat support (for 6 months)
Not made for cold outreach
Trusted reseller
Non-refundable, non-transferable
Best For
Freelancers or solopreneurs needing a basic branded Gmail
Personal or internal business emails with no scale needs
Teams on tight budgets, not sending cold outreach
Not for: Cold email agencies, SDR teams, or founders who need DNS control and inbox warm-up.
F60 Host gives you access to branded Gmail at rock-bottom prices.
But for cold outreach, you’ll have no control over email infrastructure, which means poor deliverability, no visibility, and major risk as you scale.
Use only if you’re sending low volume or want throwaway inboxes for internal communication, not for serious cold email workflows.
🔴 Tier 5: The Big Players (Google/Outlook/Sendgrid). Why You Still Need Infra On Top
Here’s a comparison table that clearly lays out Google Workspace, Outlook, and SendGrid for cold outreach use cases:
Feature / Platform
Google Workspace
Outlook (Microsoft 365)
SendGrid
Primary Use Case
Internal/team email, productivity suite
Business communication, Office Suite integration
Transactional and marketing emails
Cold Outreach Friendly?
❌ No
❌ No
⚠️ Partially (only Pro+ plans)
IP Type
Shared Google IPs (no control)
Shared Microsoft IPs (no control)
Shared IPs (Free/Essentials), Dedicated on Pro+
Custom Tracking Domains
❌ Not supported
❌ Not supported
⚠️ Only on higher plans (manual setup)
Warm-up Included?
❌ No
❌ No
❌ No
Bounce Alerts / Blacklist Logs
❌ Not available
❌ Not available
⚠️ Some analytics in Pro/Premier, but still limited
Control Over Sending Volume
❌ Limited (2,000 emails/day/account)
❌ Strict throttling & reputation checks
✅ Full control in Pro/Premier
DNS & Domain Control
✅ Basic DNS setup
✅ Basic DNS setup
✅ Full DNS control
Pricing (Entry Plan)
₹270/user/month (Starter Plan)
₹1,499/year (Basic)
$0 (100 emails/day), $19.95/month (Essentials)
Dedicated IP Support
❌ Not available
❌ Not available
✅ Pro plan ($89.95/mo+) includes 1 dedicated IP
Best For
Email creation, business use
Customer support, admin mailboxes
High-volume transactional senders
Still Need Warmforge/Infra?
✅ Yes – for warm-up, bounce alerts, IP monitoring
✅ Yes – to avoid throttling and maintain deliverability
✅ Yes – especially on lower plans
At first glance, using Google Workspace, Outlook, or SendGrid for cold outreach seems logical. They’re reliable, secure, and built by giants. However, cold email remains a highly effective outreach strategy for B2B sales, offering efficiency and measurable results.
But here’s the problem: none of them were made for cold outreach.
These tools are optimized for transactional or internal communication, not for volume-based, cold email sending. If you’re running outreach at scale, you’ll eventually hit limitations.
Here’s what they don’t provide out of the box:
No custom tracking domains
No warm-up or reputation monitoring
No bounce alerts or blacklisting notifications
No control over IP rotation or domain health
If you’re serious about cold outreach, you’ll need infrastructure like Warmforge, Infraforge, or a custom SMTP layered on top.
Let’s break down each tool below.
#19 Google Workspace – Great for Business Email, But Not for Cold Outreach
This image shows the Google workspace Homepage
What it's best for: Secure, branded inboxes for your team and internal communication.
Cold email drawbacks:
You're tied to shared Google IPs — high risk for domain flagging if misused.
No built-in warmup or custom tracking domain support.
No bounce or blacklist monitoring.
Sending limits (2,000/day per account max) without clear visibility or control.
Google Workspace Pricing
This image shows the Google workspace pricing
Plan
Monthly Price (INR/User)
Storage
Notes
Starter
₹160.65 (1st 3 months), ₹270 after
30 GB
Branded email only, basic features
Standard
₹864
2 TB
Mail merge, 150 participants Meet
Plus
₹1,700
5 TB
eDiscovery, attendance tracking
Enterprise
Custom
5+ TB
S/MIME, DLP, advanced controls
Great for inbox creation and management.
But for sending cold emails at scale, you’ll still need Infraforge or Warmforge.
#20. Outlook (Microsoft 365) – Enterprise-Grade Email, Limited for Outreach
This image shows the Outlook Homepage
What it does well: Integrates tightly with Windows and the Office Suite. Smooth experience for internal or customer-facing emails.
Cold email drawbacks:
Shared Microsoft IPs, which are not safe for cold outreach volume.
No dedicated bounce tracking or blacklist notifications.
Strict throttling and reputation-based limits.
Outlook Pricing
This image shows the Outlook Pricing
Plan
Price (INR/Year)
Mailbox
Notes
Free
₹0
15 GB
Ads, limited features
Microsoft 365 Basic
₹1,499/year
100 GB
Ad-free, 100 GB OneDrive
Microsoft 365 Family
₹8,199/year (6 users)
100 GB/user
Office apps + cloud storage
If you’re doing personal or customer comms, it’s fine. But if you’re sending cold outreach, Outlook will throttle you hard.
Pair with a sending infra or warmup tool for better control.
#21. SendGrid – Built for Email Volume, But Not for Cold Campaigns
This image shows the Sendgrid Homepage
What it's good for: Transactional and marketing emails at high scale. Trusted by SaaS teams for onboarding flows, receipts, and alerts.
Cold email limitations:
Free & Essentials plans don't include dedicated IPs.
You'll still need external tools for inbox warm-up, blacklist monitoring, and bounce alerts.
No native enrichment or contact management — it's just the mail pipe.
Sendgrid Pricing (Global)
This image shows the Sendgrid Pricing
Plan
Starting Price (USD)
Volume
Key Limits
Free Trial
$0
100 emails/day
No dedicated IP
Essentials
$19.95/month
Up to 100K/month
Shared IPs, no subusers
Pro
$89.95/month
100K–2.5M/month
Includes 1 dedicated IP
Premier
Custom
2.5M+
Includes warmup, support, validations
SendGrid’s Pro or Premier plan is more reliable for scale, but you still need tools like Warmforge to warm the IP, track blacklist issues, and manage domain health.
🧊 Final Verdict: Cold Email Infra Tools - From Best to Risky
Tier
Tool
Infra Type
Warmup
IP/DNS Control
Ideal For
Major Drawbacks
✅ Top Tier
Mailforge
Dedicated, private infra
✅ Yes
✅ Full
Agencies, founders scaling 50K+/month
Gmail-only, no Microsoft support
✅ Top Tier
Infraforge
Dedicated IP rotation + alerts
✅ Yes
✅ Full
Agencies needing full infra visibility
Microsoft-only setup, some Gmail gaps
✅ Top Tier
Warmforge
Warmup + deliverability monitor
✅ Yes
✅ Partial
Compliments other tools for DNS health
Doesn’t do sending or infra provisioning
⚠️ Breaks Under Pressure
Inframail
Microsoft inbox generator
✅ Yes
❌ Limited
Solo teams needing inboxes fast
Shared infra, scalability issues
⚠️ Breaks Under Pressure
Mailin
Private infra at low cost
✅ Yes
⚠️ Basic
High-volume teams needing 200–1000 inboxes
Unproven UI, early-stage platform
⚠️ Breaks Under Pressure
Outreach2Day
Mass inbox + DNS automation
✅ Yes
❌ Shared
Agencies needing 100+ inboxes instantly
Inbox bans, unstable UI, lack of support
⚠️ Breaks Under Pressure
InboxAutomate
Gmail infra, US IPs
✅ Yes
❌ Limited
Gmail-based teams scaling fast
Clunky dashboard, features still launching
❌ Almost There
Mailscale
Fast inbox launcher
✅ Yes
❌ Shared
Launching fast w/o DNS setup
No IP access, no backend control
❌ Almost There
InboxFlow
Basic cold email infra
⚠️ Basic
❌ None
Freelancers, early testers
Privacy risks, poor transparency
❌ Almost There
Mailmodo
Email marketing platform
❌ No
❌ None
Lifecycle/retention emails only
Not built for cold outreach at all
❌ Almost There
Halon
Enterprise SMTP backend
❌ No
✅ Full
ISPs, ESPs, email infra builders
Overkill, no warmup, not user-friendly
Final Tip: To maximize your cold email results, always take time to research and understand your target audience. Crafting personalized and relevant messages that address their specific needs and pain points will help your outreach stand out and drive better engagement.
✅ Want Infra That Actually Gets You Replies?
Try Mailforge – built for cold email, not newsletters.
→ DNS + inbox warmup + blacklist alerts in one stack