AI Index / Cold email outreach tools / History

Cold email outreach tools — AI Recommendation History

What AI assistants recommended for cold email outreach tools, date by date. Every ranking we publish is frozen the day it publishes, so this is a record of what was said — not a re-computation of what today's data would say about the past.

Record: 26 dated snapshots · Aug 14, 2026 – Sep 8, 2026

Answer archive Methodology Data studies JSON

What changed

Computed by comparing each dated snapshot with the one before it. Share moves smaller than 1pp are treated as noise and left out — the same threshold that suppresses trend arrows on the ranking.

Sep 8, 2026vs Sep 7, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Sep 7, 2026vs Sep 6, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Sep 6, 2026vs Sep 5, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Sep 5, 2026vs Sep 4, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Sep 4, 2026vs Sep 3, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Sep 3, 2026vs Sep 2, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Sep 2, 2026vs Sep 1, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Sep 1, 2026vs Aug 31, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 31, 2026vs Aug 30, 2026

Methodology change: extraction rules 4-7 → 7 between these dates. Differences below may reflect the rule change rather than a change in what AI recommends — see the methodology changelog.

▲Lemlist moved #6 → #5
▼Outreach.io moved #5 → #6
▲Snov.io +7.9pp (31.4% → 39.3%)
▲Lemlist +6.4pp (40% → 46.4%)
▲Make +5.7pp (22.9% → 28.6%)
▲Saleshandy +3.6pp (57.1% → 60.7%)
▲Outreach.io +3.5pp (42.9% → 46.4%)
▲Reply.io +2.9pp (25.7% → 28.6%)
▲Smartlead +2.8pp (54.3% → 57.1%)
▼Instantly -2.2pp (62.9% → 60.7%)
▼Woodpecker -2.2pp (48.6% → 46.4%)
▲Apollo AI +2.1pp (22.9% → 25%)

Aug 30, 2026vs Aug 29, 2026

▼Apollo AI moved #8 → #10
▲Saleshandy moved #3 → #2
▼Smartlead moved #2 → #3
▲Outreach.io moved #6 → #5
▼Lemlist moved #5 → #6
▲Reply.io moved #9 → #8
▲Make moved #10 → #9
▼Smartlead -5.2pp (59.5% → 54.3%)
▼Lemlist -5.2pp (45.2% → 40%)
▲Snov.io +5.2pp (26.2% → 31.4%)
▼Instantly -3.8pp (66.7% → 62.9%)
▼Apollo AI -3.3pp (26.2% → 22.9%)
▲Saleshandy +2.3pp (54.8% → 57.1%)
▼Outreach.io -2.3pp (45.2% → 42.9%)
▲Reply.io +1.9pp (23.8% → 25.7%)
▲Woodpecker +1pp (47.6% → 48.6%)

Aug 29, 2026vs Aug 28, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 28, 2026vs Aug 27, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 27, 2026vs Aug 26, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 26, 2026vs Aug 25, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 25, 2026vs Aug 24, 2026

▲ INMake entered the top 10 (#11 → #10)
▼ OUTGMass left the top 10 (#9 → #11)
▼Outreach.io moved #4 → #6
▼GMass moved #9 → #11
▲Smartlead moved #3 → #2
▼Saleshandy moved #2 → #3
▲Woodpecker moved #5 → #4
▲Lemlist moved #6 → #5
▲Snov.io moved #8 → #7
▼Apollo AI moved #7 → #8
▲Reply.io moved #10 → #9
▲Make moved #11 → #10
▼Outreach.io -11.9pp (57.1% → 45.2%)
▼Apollo AI -11.3pp (37.5% → 26.2%)
▼Saleshandy -7.7pp (62.5% → 54.8%)
▼GMass -7.2pp (28.6% → 21.4%)
▼Reply.io -4.8pp (28.6% → 23.8%)
▼Woodpecker -4.2pp (51.8% → 47.6%)
▼Snov.io -4.2pp (30.4% → 26.2%)
▲Make +4.2pp (19.6% → 23.8%)
▼Lemlist -3pp (48.2% → 45.2%)
▼Instantly -1.2pp (67.9% → 66.7%)

Aug 24, 2026vs Aug 23, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 23, 2026vs Aug 22, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 22, 2026vs Aug 21, 2026

▲Woodpecker moved #6 → #5
▼Lemlist moved #5 → #6
▲Woodpecker +5.4pp (46.4% → 51.8%)
▼Apollo AI -5.4pp (42.9% → 37.5%)
▲Saleshandy +3.6pp (58.9% → 62.5%)
▼Instantly -3.5pp (71.4% → 67.9%)
▼GMass -1.8pp (30.4% → 28.6%)
▲Reply.io +1.8pp (26.8% → 28.6%)
▼Snov.io -1.7pp (32.1% → 30.4%)

Aug 21, 2026vs Aug 20, 2026

Methodology change: extraction rules 4 → 4-7 between these dates. Differences below may reflect the rule change rather than a change in what AI recommends — see the methodology changelog.

▲ INReply.io entered the top 10 (#11 → #10)
▼ OUTDrip left the top 10 (#10 → #11)
▲Smartlead moved #6 → #3
▼Outreach.io moved #2 → #4
▲Lemlist moved #7 → #5
▼Woodpecker moved #4 → #6
▼Apollo AI moved #5 → #7
▲Saleshandy moved #3 → #2
▲Snov.io moved #9 → #8
▼GMass moved #8 → #9
▲Reply.io moved #11 → #10
▼Drip moved #10 → #11
▼Outreach.io -16.8pp (73.9% → 57.1%)
▼GMass -10.9pp (41.3% → 30.4%)
▼Woodpecker -10.1pp (56.5% → 46.4%)
▲Smartlead +8.9pp (50% → 58.9%)
▼Saleshandy -8.5pp (67.4% → 58.9%)
▼Drip -7.2pp (30.4% → 23.2%)
▼Apollo AI -7.1pp (50% → 42.9%)
▼Instantly -6.9pp (78.3% → 71.4%)
▼Snov.io -4.9pp (37% → 32.1%)
▲Lemlist +4.7pp (43.5% → 48.2%)
▼Reply.io -1.5pp (28.3% → 26.8%)

Aug 20, 2026vs Aug 19, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 19, 2026vs Aug 18, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 18, 2026vs Aug 17, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 17, 2026vs Aug 16, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 16, 2026vs Aug 15, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 15, 2026vs Aug 14, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

The ranking, date by date

Top 10 on each archived date, exactly as published. Cite a date and it stays true: snapshots are append-only, and a correction appends a new revision rather than overwriting the original.

Sep 8, 202628 sampled answers · window 2026-08-11 – 2026-09-08 · rules v7

#1Instantly60.7%
#2Saleshandy60.7%
#3Smartlead57.1%
#4Woodpecker46.4%
#5Lemlist46.4%
#6Outreach.io46.4%
#7Snov.io39.3%
#8Reply.io28.6%
#9Make28.6%
#10Apollo AI25%

Sep 7, 202628 sampled answers · window 2026-08-10 – 2026-09-07 · rules v7

#1Instantly60.7%
#2Saleshandy60.7%
#3Smartlead57.1%
#4Woodpecker46.4%
#5Lemlist46.4%
#6Outreach.io46.4%
#7Snov.io39.3%
#8Reply.io28.6%
#9Make28.6%
#10Apollo AI25%

Sep 6, 202628 sampled answers · window 2026-08-09 – 2026-09-06 · rules v7

#1Instantly60.7%
#2Saleshandy60.7%
#3Smartlead57.1%
#4Woodpecker46.4%
#5Lemlist46.4%
#6Outreach.io46.4%
#7Snov.io39.3%
#8Reply.io28.6%
#9Make28.6%
#10Apollo AI25%

Sep 5, 202628 sampled answers · window 2026-08-08 – 2026-09-05 · rules v7

#1Instantly60.7%
#2Saleshandy60.7%
#3Smartlead57.1%
#4Woodpecker46.4%
#5Lemlist46.4%
#6Outreach.io46.4%
#7Snov.io39.3%
#8Reply.io28.6%
#9Make28.6%
#10Apollo AI25%

Sep 4, 202628 sampled answers · window 2026-08-07 – 2026-09-04 · rules v7

#1Instantly60.7%
#2Saleshandy60.7%
#3Smartlead57.1%
#4Woodpecker46.4%
#5Lemlist46.4%
#6Outreach.io46.4%
#7Snov.io39.3%
#8Reply.io28.6%
#9Make28.6%
#10Apollo AI25%

Sep 3, 202628 sampled answers · window 2026-08-06 – 2026-09-03 · rules v7

#1Instantly60.7%
#2Saleshandy60.7%
#3Smartlead57.1%
#4Woodpecker46.4%
#5Lemlist46.4%
#6Outreach.io46.4%
#7Snov.io39.3%
#8Reply.io28.6%
#9Make28.6%
#10Apollo AI25%

Sep 2, 202628 sampled answers · window 2026-08-05 – 2026-09-02 · rules v7

#1Instantly60.7%
#2Saleshandy60.7%
#3Smartlead57.1%
#4Woodpecker46.4%
#5Lemlist46.4%
#6Outreach.io46.4%
#7Snov.io39.3%
#8Reply.io28.6%
#9Make28.6%
#10Apollo AI25%

Sep 1, 202628 sampled answers · window 2026-08-04 – 2026-09-01 · rules v7

#1Instantly60.7%
#2Saleshandy60.7%
#3Smartlead57.1%
#4Woodpecker46.4%
#5Lemlist46.4%
#6Outreach.io46.4%
#7Snov.io39.3%
#8Reply.io28.6%
#9Make28.6%
#10Apollo AI25%

Aug 31, 202628 sampled answers · window 2026-08-03 – 2026-08-31 · rules v7

#1Instantly60.7%
#2Saleshandy60.7%
#3Smartlead57.1%
#4Woodpecker46.4%
#5Lemlist46.4%
#6Outreach.io46.4%
#7Snov.io39.3%
#8Reply.io28.6%
#9Make28.6%
#10Apollo AI25%

Aug 30, 202635 sampled answers · window 2026-08-02 – 2026-08-30 · rules v4-7

#1Instantly62.9%
#2Saleshandy57.1%
#3Smartlead54.3%
#4Woodpecker48.6%
#5Outreach.io42.9%
#6Lemlist40%
#7Snov.io31.4%
#8Reply.io25.7%
#9Make22.9%
#10Apollo AI22.9%

Aug 29, 202642 sampled answers · window 2026-08-01 – 2026-08-29 · rules v4-7

#1Instantly66.7%
#2Smartlead59.5%
#3Saleshandy54.8%
#4Woodpecker47.6%
#5Lemlist45.2%
#6Outreach.io45.2%
#7Snov.io26.2%
#8Apollo AI26.2%
#9Reply.io23.8%
#10Make23.8%

Aug 28, 202642 sampled answers · window 2026-07-31 – 2026-08-28 · rules v4-7

#1Instantly66.7%
#2Smartlead59.5%
#3Saleshandy54.8%
#4Woodpecker47.6%
#5Lemlist45.2%
#6Outreach.io45.2%
#7Snov.io26.2%
#8Apollo AI26.2%
#9Reply.io23.8%
#10Make23.8%

Aug 27, 202642 sampled answers · window 2026-07-30 – 2026-08-27 · rules v4-7

#1Instantly66.7%
#2Smartlead59.5%
#3Saleshandy54.8%
#4Woodpecker47.6%
#5Lemlist45.2%
#6Outreach.io45.2%
#7Snov.io26.2%
#8Apollo AI26.2%
#9Reply.io23.8%
#10Make23.8%

Aug 26, 202642 sampled answers · window 2026-07-29 – 2026-08-26 · rules v4-7

#1Instantly66.7%
#2Smartlead59.5%
#3Saleshandy54.8%
#4Woodpecker47.6%
#5Lemlist45.2%
#6Outreach.io45.2%
#7Snov.io26.2%
#8Apollo AI26.2%
#9Reply.io23.8%
#10Make23.8%

Aug 25, 202642 sampled answers · window 2026-07-28 – 2026-08-25 · rules v4-7

#1Instantly66.7%
#2Smartlead59.5%
#3Saleshandy54.8%
#4Woodpecker47.6%
#5Lemlist45.2%
#6Outreach.io45.2%
#7Snov.io26.2%
#8Apollo AI26.2%
#9Reply.io23.8%
#10Make23.8%

Aug 24, 202656 sampled answers · window 2026-07-27 – 2026-08-24 · rules v4-7

#1Instantly67.9%
#2Saleshandy62.5%
#3Smartlead58.9%
#4Outreach.io57.1%
#5Woodpecker51.8%
#6Lemlist48.2%
#7Apollo AI37.5%
#8Snov.io30.4%
#9GMass28.6%
#10Reply.io28.6%

Aug 23, 202656 sampled answers · window 2026-07-26 – 2026-08-23 · rules v4-7

#1Instantly67.9%
#2Saleshandy62.5%
#3Smartlead58.9%
#4Outreach.io57.1%
#5Woodpecker51.8%
#6Lemlist48.2%
#7Apollo AI37.5%
#8Snov.io30.4%
#9GMass28.6%
#10Reply.io28.6%

Aug 22, 202656 sampled answers · window 2026-07-25 – 2026-08-22 · rules v4-7

#1Instantly67.9%
#2Saleshandy62.5%
#3Smartlead58.9%
#4Outreach.io57.1%
#5Woodpecker51.8%
#6Lemlist48.2%
#7Apollo AI37.5%
#8Snov.io30.4%
#9GMass28.6%
#10Reply.io28.6%

Aug 21, 202656 sampled answers · window 2026-07-24 – 2026-08-21 · rules v4-7

#1Instantly71.4%
#2Saleshandy58.9%
#3Smartlead58.9%
#4Outreach.io57.1%
#5Lemlist48.2%
#6Woodpecker46.4%
#7Apollo AI42.9%
#8Snov.io32.1%
#9GMass30.4%
#10Reply.io26.8%

Aug 20, 202646 sampled answers · window 2026-07-23 – 2026-08-20 · rules v4

#1Instantly78.3%
#2Outreach.io73.9%
#3Saleshandy67.4%
#4Woodpecker56.5%
#5Apollo AI50%
#6Smartlead50%
#7Lemlist43.5%
#8GMass41.3%
#9Snov.io37%
#10Drip30.4%

Aug 19, 202646 sampled answers · window 2026-07-22 – 2026-08-19 · rules v4

#1Instantly78.3%
#2Outreach.io73.9%
#3Saleshandy67.4%
#4Woodpecker56.5%
#5Apollo AI50%
#6Smartlead50%
#7Lemlist43.5%
#8GMass41.3%
#9Snov.io37%
#10Drip30.4%

Aug 18, 202646 sampled answers · window 2026-07-21 – 2026-08-18 · rules v4

#1Instantly78.3%
#2Outreach.io73.9%
#3Saleshandy67.4%
#4Woodpecker56.5%
#5Apollo AI50%
#6Smartlead50%
#7Lemlist43.5%
#8GMass41.3%
#9Snov.io37%
#10Drip30.4%

Aug 17, 202646 sampled answers · window 2026-07-20 – 2026-08-17 · rules v4

#1Instantly78.3%
#2Outreach.io73.9%
#3Saleshandy67.4%
#4Woodpecker56.5%
#5Apollo AI50%
#6Smartlead50%
#7Lemlist43.5%
#8GMass41.3%
#9Snov.io37%
#10Drip30.4%

Aug 16, 202646 sampled answers · window 2026-07-19 – 2026-08-16 · rules v4

#1Instantly78.3%
#2Outreach.io73.9%
#3Saleshandy67.4%
#4Woodpecker56.5%
#5Apollo AI50%
#6Smartlead50%
#7Lemlist43.5%
#8GMass41.3%
#9Snov.io37%
#10Drip30.4%

Aug 15, 202646 sampled answers · window 2026-07-18 – 2026-08-15 · rules v4

#1Instantly78.3%
#2Outreach.io73.9%
#3Saleshandy67.4%
#4Woodpecker56.5%
#5Apollo AI50%
#6Smartlead50%
#7Lemlist43.5%
#8GMass41.3%
#9Snov.io37%
#10Drip30.4%

Aug 14, 202646 sampled answers · window 2026-07-17 – 2026-08-14 · rules v4

#1Instantly78.3%
#2Outreach.io73.9%
#3Saleshandy67.4%
#4Woodpecker56.5%
#5Apollo AI50%
#6Smartlead50%
#7Lemlist43.5%
#8GMass41.3%
#9Snov.io37%
#10Drip30.4%

Read any date directly

Every archived date is machine-readable at /api/index/cold-email-outreach-tools/as-of/<YYYY-MM-DD>, which returns the ranking as it stood, with the extraction version and revision it was published under. Dates before the record begins return no_record rather than a recomputation — we do not reconstruct history on demand and present it as what we said. See what the engines actually said.

[ORBATOR]