Need help with the numbers?
We’ve put together a Google Sheets calculator to help you estimate costs based on your own assumptions. To access it, reach out to our team:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ij6rc6sgVrjqXRXndgNULbyNaZT-bPVaEs-oMdG2HBU/edit?usp=sharing
Mailboxes
Most people don’t realize that for inbox placement, you can’t send more than ~20 cold emails per day per mailbox. So if your goal is to send 20,000 emails per month, you’ll need around 40 individual mailboxes.- These must be real Google or Microsoft Workspace accounts — aliases and SMTP services like SendGrid won’t work.
- Expect to pay roughly $7/month per mailbox.
- Tools like Zapmail can help automate and reduce the cost of setting up these mailboxes in bulk.
Domains
You should avoid using more than 3–4 mailboxes per domain to maintain a good sending reputation.- With 40 mailboxes, you’ll need at least 10+ domains, each costing around $1–2/month.
- Never use your primary business domain for outbound — if it gets flagged or blocked, your main email operations could be affected.
Warming
New mailboxes need to behave like real inboxes before sending cold emails — this includes sending, receiving, and replying to emails over time.- Some tools like Instantly offer unlimited warming for a flat rate (e.g. $100/month).
- Others like Mailreach or Warmup Inbox charge per mailbox (around $20/month per inbox).
- For 40 mailboxes + backups, warming can easily exceed $1,000/month.
Mailbox rotation
Even warmed inboxes will occasionally get flagged. When this happens, you’ll need to pause and rotate in backups.- We recommend having 20–30% extra mailboxes warmed and ready.
- This adds cost, but it’s necessary to ensure uninterrupted sending.
Sequencing tool
You’ll need software to manage sequences, follow-ups, delays, and reply logic.- Tools like Apollo or Reply start at around $150/month and scale based on usage.
- FirstQuadrant can also handle this part if you’re already using the platform — it’s not positioned as a sequencing tool, but it integrates well for teams looking to centralize operations.
Prospecting and enrichment
- For broad outreach, tools like Apollo data (around $0.05/contact) might suffice.
- For more targeted efforts, enrichment tools like Clay can cost anywhere between $0.10–$0.80/contact.
- Don’t forget email verification if you’re sourcing raw data.
Example breakdown
Let’s say you want to reach out to 5,000 new contacts per month with 3–4 follow-ups. That’s about 20,000 emails/month. Here’s a rough cost estimate:| Component | Estimated Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| Mailboxes (40) | $280 |
| Domains (10+) | $10–20 |
| Warming (40–50 boxes) | ~$1,000 |
| Sequencing tool | ~$150 |
| Prospecting/enrichment | ~$500+ |
| Total | ~$2,000/month |