If you are looking for an article that compares various Linkedin automation tools, this is for you.
In it, we will compare 5 of the most popular automation tools on the market. The comparison will compare pricing, various plans, reviews, and features.
But we will also consider if these Linkedin automation tools are safe. How to use them the right way and if they are worth your hard-earned cash.
(Linkedin outreach can be time-consuming. If you need more leads for your business asap, hop on a free 15-minute consultation call with Salesbread.
We can help you figure out your lead generation needs, or run outreach campaigns for your business. (With pricing less than hiring a full-time SDR.) Read this article to see how we generate 1 qualified lead per day.)
First… Are Linkedin automation tools helpful?
These tools can be helpful for running outreach campaigns, but there is also a caveat here. If you use these tools the wrong way, you run the risk of having your Linkedin account blocked. At Salesbread, for example, we have used Expandi.io for years and have never had an account blocked or restricted. The reason? We don’t misuse the tool by sending hundreds of messages a day. We also use personalization in all our Linkedin messages, whether it’s a connection request or a follow-up. So if you’re thinking that these tools can simplify your life to the extent where you don’t have to put in the work, think again. Sending hundreds of messages that prospects don’t want with no personalization is just going to label you as a spammer. Your outreach won’t be as successful as you would like (personalization is imperative for successful campaigns.) And secondly, Linkedin won’t be happy if they view you as a spammer. You could be hit with this message:
The worst part, is if you are a lead generation agency and you’re running campaigns for clients through their personal Linkedin accounts, explaining how their account has been blocked isn’t going to be a fun meeting to be part of.
So, if you would like to use automation tools, use only the best Linkedin automation tools. Don’t spam prospects, use personalization and remember to not automate everything. Bots can be helpful, but prospects want to interact with real people.
Even the best bot that seems to imitate human behavior can be spotted by a discerning prospect.
Let’s dive in.
1. Expandi.io
Expandi allows you to send Linkedin messages via automated sequences.
“You can automatically send connection requests and messages, as well as Open Inmail messages and skill endorsements. It is also possible within Expandi to automatically like a post as well as follow any profile or company page.”
You can also use Expandi to upload your list of prospects and begin connecting with them automatically.
Another reason why Expandi works so well is that you can only send 100 connection requests per day, and a max of 200 follow-ups per day.
This means that the chances of getting your account restricted will be limited.
You can choose how many messages you would like to send per day. At Salesbread we suggest sending between 30 -50 per day.
(We have also sent up to 100 connection requests recently, with no issues.)
Expandi Pricing
Expandi offers a free 7-day trial, which is helpful if you are unsure of signing up for the tool. But for $99 / seat per month, you will have an excellent automation tool that mimics human behavior.
Expandi Reviews
Note: These reviews come from G2.com and on average Expandi has a 4-star rating.
All in all, reviewers have mentioned that the tool itself is excellent, but that customer support is lacking.
Side Note: Why we use Expandi
One of the major reasons why we use Expandi at Salesbread is that it mimics human behavior. In our opinion it is one of the safest Linkedin automation tools on the market. It’s not a Chrome extension and has a dedicated IP address. This helps when it comes to “tricking” Linkedin into thinking that you aren’t using automation tools. Expandi also randomizes delays between interactions, which replicates human behavior. You can also only send up to 100 invites and messages per day, so this ensures that your Linkedin profile will not get blocked. They also withdraw pending invites on autopilot Salesbread has used Expandi to send over 1 million messages since we started using the tool and as mentioned above we have never had any major issues. It’s an excellent tool for automation but remember, if you don’t write personalized messages, build super-targeted lists and use human interaction, it doesn’t matter what kind of automation tool you use, your outreach won’t be successful.2. Meet Alfred
Meet Alfred is a 100% cloud-based on automation software for Linkedin that can automate “hundreds of messages” across various platforms.
From Linkedin connection requests to follow-up messages. Some sales teams enjoy using Meet Alfred because it can be used across other outreach channels like Twitter and email.
“When you run a campaign on LinkedIn, Alfred allows you to import your leads using CSV, LinkedIn Sales Navigator lead lists, or saved search pages, LinkedIn posts, LinkedIn group members or events.” – Meet Alfred.When it comes to sending messages there are various limits in place, so that your account doesn’t get blocked. See below:
Meet Alfred Pricing
Below you can compare the various features of the different Meet Alfred Plans.
Meet Alfred Reviews
These reviews are from G2. As you can see Meet Alfred has a 3-star rating on average.
3. Dux Soup
Dux-Soup is one of the cheaper LinkedIn automation software on the market. And this is why some sales teams or small businesses choose to use this tool for their b2b outreach.
After reading some of the reviews, most users find the tool helpful, but they do mention that it is quite complicated to use and they would require more tutorials on how to use it the right way.
What does it do?
Well, it “automatically engages with prospects on Linkedin. It endorses their skills, sends them personalized connection requests and multiple, delayed, personalized direct messages.”
The tool is a Chrome extension, so you can use it from your browser directly. Dux-soup can enrich your CRM data with Linkedin information and you can also download profile data to a CSV file, which might sound promising.
But for us at Salebread, we personally find this tool a bit risky in the sense that you could be viewed as a spammer and have your account blocked.
Dux-Soup Pricing
Dux soup has various pricing plans available; whether you are an individual who would like to scale your lead generation efforts, or a team or an agency. Below are the various options available.
If you’re interested in learning more about this popular Linkedin automation tool read here, it explains in more detail what Dux-Soup offers.
Dux Soup Reviews
These reviews are from G2.com. As you can see, Dux-Soup has a 4-star rating on average according to G2, but if we had to give Dux-Soup a rating, we would rate it at 2 stars.
See why we say this below:
NOTE: Salesbread has heard from some of our clients, who have used Dux-Soup in the past, that their Linkedin accounts had been banned after using the tool. Dux-Soup is a Chrome extension, which means that it is a dangerous tool for Bot detection. It’s important to have a dedicated IP address whenever using automation.
This is what users had to say:
This is quite an interesting video review for you to check out: https://www.g2.com/products/dux-soup/reviews/dux-soup-review-2082880
The above review is quite helpful as it mentions how Linkedin realized that this tool was trying to “cheat” the system, and some users had their accounts shut down. So be wary. As we mentioned above, we know clients who had their Linkedin accounts banned because of Dux-Soup
4. Octopus CRM
Below is an example of the interface.
Octopus CRM allows you to automate sending messages and connection requests.
You can also use the tool to send connection requests via email, which helps you to bypass the connection request weekly limit.
They also mention how you can send bulk messages to hundreds of prospects in your first degree. (Remember what we mentioned though earlier about being a spammer? So be wary of this.)
Octopus does mention though that they have safety measures in place so that your Linkedin account doesn’t get blocked. See below:
Octopus CRM Pricing
There are various pricing options available for this automation platform. Just note that if you are an agency, you would have to contact them directly to find a price point that works for you.
Octopus CRM Reviews
As you can see above Octopus CRM has a 4.5-star rating.
This is what users had to say about this Linkedin automation software.
5. Linked Helper
“Linked Helper CRM is very useful even when you interact with contacts manually: when you visit a profile within LinkedIn, Sales Navigator or Recruiter on the left panel of Linked Helper window you will see tags and notes for the current profile …or you can go to the profile card within LH CRM to check history of automated interactions with them, add custom fields or add it to a new automated LH campaign.”You can also use Linked Helper to create drip campaigns and personalize messages with their “smart” template. They also mention that they have several ways of getting around the 100-a-day connection request limit.
Linked Helper Pricing
Linked Helper Reviews
These reviews were taken from G2.com. On average Linekdin Helper scored 4.4 stars.
Should you automate Linkedin messages?
The answer here is yes, you can. But, be wary. If you are sending the same messages to all your prospects, then it doesn’t matter whether you use Linkedin automation tools, your new leads are going to be few and far between. You want to create campaigns that bring in proper engagement and you can only do this by working hard. What do we mean by working hard?- Building ultra-targeted lists of your ideal target audience and filtering them through your second-degree network.
- Researching each prospect on that list in order to write personalized messages; not just sending out generic templates.
- Following up in real-time as a real human. Once again not just sending an automated reply.
- And asking for a booked meeting.
- Don’t send hundreds of messages per day. Keep it to 30-50 (even if it’s just initially and slowly build up to more messages. Never send more than 100 messages.)
- Vary the number of messages and connection request messages that you send per day to mimic human behavior. You can set the message sequences, depending on which tool you decide to try out.
- Don’t use automation tools that don’t have a dedicated IP address
- Don’t continue with automation if you see metrics below a 20% response rate or below a 25% new connections rate. This means that your engagement is low.
- Don’t create fake profiles; always send messages as yourself.
- Don’t try to automate without a Linkedin sales navigator account. (Sales navigator makes your life just so much easier when it comes to social selling. As you can use advanced filters to build lists and find the right Linkedin users to reach out to.)
- Don’t use chrome extensions because this does not mimic human behavior.
