Not a sequencer
It does not run automated message steps or drip campaigns.
Comparison
Embers vs Cleverly: pricing, features, and best fit
Last reviewed August 26, 2026 · Product positioning, published pricing, workflow, and account-access criteria.
What is the difference?
Cleverly runs outreach for you. Embers gives founders the signal layer and message context to run a tighter workflow themselves. Instead of outsourcing prospecting and copy, Embers surfaces ICP-fit people from public LinkedIn engagement, shows why they matter, and drafts a manual DM you can edit in your own voice.
They are
Cleverly Done-for-You LinkedIn Outreach
done-for-you B2B lead generation agency for LinkedIn outreach
From $397/mo
We are
Embers Signal qualification
Ranks the people already engaging with your public LinkedIn activity, so you follow up manually with context.
From $49/mo · First 2,000 engagers free
Best-fit decision
Embers wins when you want a signup-ready warm lead workflow.
Use Cleverly when small businesses and b2b teams that want a managed linkedin outreach campaign and have budget for outsourced execution. Choose Embers when your best pipeline source is already visible in LinkedIn engagement and you need ICP scoring, context, and a manual follow-up queue.
Compare on the buying criteria
- Pricing fit: self-serve trial vs. $397/mo entry point.
- Setup time: ICP and signals vs. maintaining a done-for-you linkedin outreach process.
- Signal quality: ranked warm engagement vs. broader workflow data.
Choose Cleverly if
Small businesses and B2B teams that want a managed LinkedIn outreach campaign and have budget for outsourced execution.
Choose Embers if
You need a ranked queue of ICP-fit people already engaging with your posts, comments, or selected competitor content, with no LinkedIn login or Chrome extension.
What Embers is not
If you are comparing Embers with Cleverly, start with the category boundary: one automates LinkedIn actions. Embers does not.
Not a connection-request blaster
It does not auto-connect, auto-message, or chase invitation volume.
Not a login-powered scraper
It never asks for your LinkedIn password, cookies, or browser session.
No login. No extension. No automated account actions. Embers reads supported public engagement signals, ranks people by ICP fit, and leaves the follow-up to you.
Feature comparison
| Capability | Embers | Cleverly |
|---|---|---|
| Done-for-you service | No | Yes |
| Self-serve lead queue | Yes | No |
| LinkedIn engagement signals | Yes | No (not the core workflow) |
| Person-level ICP scoring | Yes | No (agency-led targeting) |
| AI DM drafts | Yes | No (agency-written copy) |
| Founder controls final message | Yes | No (outsourced execution) |
| Prospect list building | Signal-based queue | Yes |
| Account manager | No | Yes |
| Starting price | $49/mo | $397/mo |
| Best workflow | 30-minute daily review and follow-up | Managed campaign with feedback cycles |
Where Cleverly is strong
Cleverly is a done-for-you B2B lead generation agency. Its LinkedIn outreach service builds prospect lists, writes outreach copy, manages follow-up, and routes interested prospects back to you. It is a service-led option for companies that want outsourced execution rather than another tool to run themselves.
- Fully managed service for teams that do not want to run outreach themselves
- Lower starting price than many traditional lead generation agencies
- Prospecting, copy, and follow-up are bundled into one service
- Useful when the internal team has no time for founder-led outreach
- Clear fit for companies that want outsourced campaign execution
Pricing
Cleverly pricing vs Embers
Embers
$49/mo Solo
first 2,000 engagers free, payment method required. Growth is $99/mo with unlimited members. Enterprise is $199/mo. Built for ICP scoring and warm public LinkedIn signal follow-up.
Cleverly
$397/mo
Account manager, 600+ prospects per month
Evaluate the full cost by seats, senders, credits, usage caps, setup time, and the workflow your team must maintain.
Where Embers is different
- Primary job
- Surface warm LinkedIn leads, score fit, and draft manual DMs for the founder to send
- Outsource LinkedIn prospecting, copy, and follow-up to a managed agency team
- Control
- Founder controls targeting, review, message edits, and every conversation
- Agency manages campaign execution and feeds interested prospects back to you
- Learning loop
- Every reply teaches the founder which pains, posts, and signals convert
- Campaign learning is mediated through account-manager reporting and feedback cycles
- Lead source
- Public LinkedIn engagement from your posts, comments, selected competitor content, and keyword mentions
- Prospect lists built for outbound campaigns
- Message voice
- AI draft plus founder edits before sending
- Agency-written campaign copy
- Time per week
- About 30 minutes a day to review, edit, and send
- Lower daily effort, but needs onboarding, approvals, and performance feedback
- Starting price
- $49/mo (first 2,000 engagers free, payment method required)
- $397/mo for LinkedIn outreach
- Best for
- Self-serve founders who want to own sales conversations
- Teams that would rather pay for outsourced campaign execution
Which one is right for you?
Use Cleverly if…
Small businesses and B2B teams that want a managed LinkedIn outreach campaign and have budget for outsourced execution.
Key strengths
- → Fully managed service for teams that do not want to run outreach themselves
- → Lower starting price than many traditional lead generation agencies
- → Prospecting, copy, and follow-up are bundled into one service
Use Embers if…
You want warm leads from public LinkedIn signals: your posts, your comments, and the competitor content already attracting prospects in your market.
Why sellers choose Embers
- ✓ Warm leads from your posts, comments, and competitor signals
- ✓ Every lead scored against your ICP
- ✓ No LinkedIn login or browser-session access
- ✓ You write the message. Genuine conversations
Related resources
Keep evaluating the full LinkedIn sales workflow
Founder-led sales
Decide which parts of sales a founder should keep before hiring or outsourcing the motion.
LinkedIn outreach strategyBuild an engagement-first outreach motion before deciding whether to outsource execution.
Lead generation outsourcingUnderstand when outsourced lead generation helps and where it can weaken market learning.
Review your warm signal queue
Set up your ICP, add supported signal sources, and Embers will show which public engagement signals deserve a manual follow-up.
Review my LinkedIn signals
No LinkedIn login · No Chrome extension · First 2,000 engagers free
Methodology and disclosure
We compare the products by their documented workflow, published pricing represented in this page’s source data, account-access model, signal source, and appropriate buyer. Category differences and disadvantages are kept visible; Embers is highlighted with colour without changing the table structure.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Cleverly alternative for founders?
Embers is a strong Cleverly alternative when you want to keep outreach self-serve. It surfaces ICP-fit people from public LinkedIn engagement, drafts a message, and lets the founder control the conversation instead of outsourcing it.
Is Cleverly a tool or an agency?
Cleverly is primarily a done-for-you B2B lead generation agency. Its LinkedIn outreach offer includes prospect list building, outreach copy, follow-up, and account-manager support.
When should I choose Cleverly instead of Embers?
Choose Cleverly if you have budget, very little time, and want someone else to run LinkedIn outreach campaigns for you. Choose Embers if founder voice, warm engagement signals, and direct sales learning matter more.
How much does Cleverly cost?
Cleverly publicly advertises LinkedIn outreach starting at $397 per month, with broader lead generation plans ranging from $397 to $997 per month depending on campaign needs.
Does Embers replace a lead generation agency?
It can for founders who are willing to own the daily follow-up workflow. Embers does not run campaigns for you; it gives you the ranked leads and context to send better manual DMs yourself.
Your next follow-up may already be in public engagement.
Stop sorting reactions by hand. Let Embers qualify who engaged, why they surfaced, and whether they match your ICP.
✓ No LinkedIn login · ✓ No Chrome extension · ✓ First 2,000 engagers free