Apollo, Instantly, Smartlead and Lemlist versus a done-for-you service, job by job, with the responsibilities of each.
Cold email software such as Apollo, Instantly, Smartlead and Lemlist sells you the tools to run outbound. A managed outbound service such as Rept maps your entire target market, researches every company in it for intent signals, and crafts each campaign from pages of context on the prospect, then runs it for you and is measured on the outcome.
| Job | Cold email software | Managed service (Rept) |
|---|---|---|
| Target list and contact data | You build it (some platforms bundle a database) | Your entire target market mapped: every company suited to you, verified and maintained |
| Buying-signal monitoring | Partial, via intent add-ons you configure | Every company in the market researched continuously for ten intent signals, scored per account |
| Domains and inbox warming | You buy, configure and warm them | Dedicated domains bought, warmed and monitored for you |
| Copy | You write it, with AI assistance | Written from pages of context on the prospect, around the signal, human-reviewed |
| Compliance judgement | Yours | Built in: PECR, UK GDPR, financial promotions awareness |
| Replies and booking | Your team handles the inbox | Handled and booked onto your calendar |
| Measured on | Whatever you measure | Qualified opportunities against agreed criteria |
No. Rept is a fully managed service. It uses its own engine and sending infrastructure, but clients do not log in to run campaigns; they approve the strategy, receive replies and meetings, and read the weekly report.
Rept does not, because sending domains, inbox reputation and suppression lists need to be controlled end to end for deliverability and compliance. Existing suppression lists and CRM data are imported instead.
If you have someone who can spend a few hours a day on outbound and want to learn the craft, software is fine. If you need meetings in the next month without hiring, a managed service that already knows fintech buyers is faster.
A thirty-minute call. We will map a slice of your market live and show you the signals in it.
Book a call or email hello@rept.co