The verdict
On the data we hold, Hunter comes out ahead. Here is why, point by point.
What the data says
- Both cover 3 of the 3 features we compared.
- Only Hunter has a free plan to start on.
- Only Hunter has an MCP server, so an AI employee can work in it directly.
- In our Outbound ranking, Hunter places 8 and Mailshake 12 of 33.
Side by side
| 7 points compared | ||
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | €34/mo | $25/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| MCP server | Yes | No |
| Built-in email warmup | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in lead database | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in outreach (sequences/dialer) | Yes | Yes |
| Links |
Plans and pricing
Hunter
- Free50 credits per month, 1 connected email account and 500 recipients per sequence; unlimited team members.Free
- Starter2,000 credits per month, 3 email accounts, auto-verification, lead enrichment and the AI Writing Assistant; unlimited team members.€49/mo
- Growth10,000 credits per month and 10 connected email accounts; adds weekly new opportunities and priority support.€149/mo
- Scale25,000 credits per month, 20 email accounts and an account manager.€299/mo
Mailshake
- Starter1 email address, 1,500 sends a month, unlimited contacts and campaigns. Annual shown as 25 per month.$29/mo/seat
- Email Outreach2 email addresses, unlimited sends, rotation, unified inbox and CRM integrations. Annual shown as 45 per month.$49/mo/seat
- Sales Engagement10 email addresses, unlimited sends and 5 phone numbers with a dialer. Annual shown as 85 per month.$99/mo/seat
Prices as the vendors list them. They change often; the final price is on their sites.
Who each is for
Choose Hunter if…
Small outbound teams, founders and agencies that build prospect lists by hand and need verified email addresses plus a simple way to send cold email sequences.
Choose Mailshake if…
B2B sales teams, agencies and founders who run email-led cold outreach and want simple sequences, follow-ups, deliverability tools and a built-in lead finder in one tool.
Other options worth a look
Tool·Client acquisitionRuns multichannel cold outreach with built-in email warmup, lead database, and deliverability scoring.Outbound
From $55/mo yearlyAffiliate link
Tool·Client acquisitionFind B2B prospects and run email and phone outreach campaigns from one unified platform.Outbound
From $49/moFree planAffiliate link
Tool·Client acquisitionSends high-volume cold email across multiple mailboxes with automated warmup and a unified reply inbox.Outbound
From $85/mo yearlyAffiliate link
Tool·Client acquisitionAutomates outreach across email, LinkedIn, calls and SMS to coordinate your sales prospecting in one place.Outbound
From $49/mo yearlyAffiliate link
Tool·Client acquisitionRun cold email outreach at scale with unlimited mailboxes, warm-up automation and lead verification.Outbound
From $32/mo yearly
Tool·Client acquisitionBuilds sender reputation for new email accounts by warming them through a network of real inboxes.Outbound
From $15/mo