Agency or in-house SDR? Run your own numbers
The honest comparison is not salary against retainer. It is the full cost of a working outbound seat against the full cost of a working agency, including the months before either books a meeting. Change any number below to match your situation.
An SDR still makes sense when you need someone on the phone all day, or your deal needs heavy technical discovery before a meeting. For getting qualified first meetings on the calendar, an agency is usually faster and cheaper to start. You can always hire later and hand them a working playbook.
What we charge, and why
Agencies price in four ways. Each one tells you what the agency is protecting.
| Model | How it works | The catch |
|---|
| Monthly retainer | Fixed fee for the whole service | Only fair if the agency reports outcomes, not activity |
|---|
| Setup fee plus retainer | Large upfront fee, then monthly | You pay for infrastructure before any proof |
|---|
| Pay per meeting | A fee for each booked meeting | Pushes the agency to book anyone who says yes |
|---|
| Revenue share only | Paid only when deals close | Rarely survives a 2 to 6 month sales cycle |
|---|
We charge a flat monthly fee because it lets us turn down unqualified meetings without losing money. Our annual plan adds a small share of sales so we win only when you do.
Why we won't work for a cut of closed deals only
People ask for it a lot, so here is the plain answer. B2B deals take 2 to 6 months to close, and what happens after the first meeting depends on your sales team, your pricing and your timing. An agency paid only on closed revenue either cuts corners to survive or walks away by month three. Neither helps you.
Score any cold email agency in 2 minutes
Use this on us or on anyone else. Tick what the agency confirmed on the call, in writing if you can.
Your first 30 days
- Days 1 to 3Kickoff call. We map your offer, your best customers and what counts as a qualified meeting.
- Days 1 to 14We buy and authenticate domains, create inboxes and warm them. Nothing goes to prospects yet.
- Days 7 to 12You approve the ICP, the first list sample and the first sequence.
- Day 15Sending starts at a low daily volume per inbox and ramps over the next weeks.
- Around day 17First meetings typically land. Every reply is handled the same day.
- Every week afterA plain report: sent, replied, positive, booked, held. Plus what we changed and why.
What it has looked like for clients
- More than 400 meetings booked in a year for one healthcare client, and around 280 for another.
- 22 qualified calls in six weeks for a cybersecurity SaaS company.
- 9.4% average reply rate across active clients.
Results depend on your offer, deal size and market, so we will tell you on the first call what we think is realistic for you, including when the answer is "not much".
Who we are not for
Anyone selling to consumers, offers under about $3,000 in contract value, and gaming or gambling. In those cases a meeting rarely pays for itself, and we would rather say so up front.
Questions people ask
How much does a cold email agency cost?
It depends on the model: monthly retainer, setup plus retainer, pay per meeting, or revenue share. We charge $1,250 a month all inclusive, or $3,500 a year plus 1 to 2% of sales from meetings we book in the first 12 months.
How long until the first meeting?
Domains warm for about 14 days. First meetings typically land inside 3 weeks of kickoff, and volume builds from there.
What if it does not work?
You stay month to month after the first 90 days. If we cannot hit the targets we agreed to, we stop billing.
Do you outsource anything?
No. Strategy, copy, deliverability and reply handling are all done in house.
Which tools do you use?
We send on Instantly, enrich with Clay and Apollo, and sync to your CRM. Here is why we chose Instantly over the alternatives.
Is cold email legal?
Yes, in the US, UK and Canada when you follow the rules. Read our plain words guide to CAN-SPAM, GDPR and CASL.