The stack I actually run.
Every tool here is one I use, have used or frequently recommend.
Grouped by job, favourites marked with a .
The point isn't to buy everything, it's to buy the right things. Most of these solve one specific problem, and you only need the ones that match the play you're running. I've grouped them by job — my favourites have a on them.
Data and research
Finding the right people and knowing enough about them to be worth a reply.
Clay ★
AffiliateAccess 100+ premium data sources and AI research agents in one enrichment table.
Honest caveat: The most powerful tool here by a mile, but the learning curve is real and credits burn fast — overkill if you just need a simple list.
Try Clay →
Apollo
AffiliateA huge B2B contact database with sequencing built in, so you can find and email prospects in one place.
Honest caveat: Brilliant value to get started, but data accuracy drops off outside the US and the all-in-one features are shallower than the dedicated tools.
Try Apollo →.png)
Prospeo
AffiliateThe most accurate email finder. Find emails from everywhere.
Honest caveat: Best as a finder/verification layer, not a full database — you still need a source of prospects to feed it.
Try Prospeo →Sending and infrastructure
The unglamorous layer that decides whether your email lands or rots in spam.
Sendkit ★
AffiliateDone-for-you cold email infrastructure — domains, inboxes and warmup set up to land in the primary inbox.
Honest caveat: Worth it if you're scaling volume and don't want to babysit DNS, but unnecessary if you only run a mailbox or two.
Try Sendkit →
Smartlead
AffiliateScale your cold email outreach with unlimited mailboxes & warmup.
Honest caveat: Fantastic for volume and deliverability, but the interface is dense and there's a learning curve to set up properly.
Try Smartlead →Outreach and sequencing
Running the play at volume without sounding like a robot.
Instantly
AffiliateCold email at scale with inbox rotation, warmup and a built-in lead database.
Honest caveat: Slick and beginner-friendly, but the lead data is hit-and-miss — best paired with a stronger data source.
Try Instantly →
HeyReach
AffiliateLinkedIn outreach automation built for agencies — run multiple sender accounts safely.
Honest caveat: The safest way to scale LinkedIn, but you still need warm, well-aged profiles for it to work without flags.
Try HeyReach →Claude
AI assistant for researching accounts and drafting genuinely personalised outreach at the message level.
Honest caveat: Only as good as the brief you give it — great for first drafts and research, not a hands-off copywriter.
Try Claude →CRM and orchestration
Keeping the machine organised once it's running.
Attio
A modern, flexible CRM that feels like a spreadsheet and keeps your data in sync automatically.
Honest caveat: A joy to use for lean teams, but lighter on mature sales features than the legacy CRMs if you need heavy process.
Try Attio →Want to see these tools inside a real play?
The Plays show you the exact stack, configured, for each channel.