Comparison

Embers vs. Cleverly

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.

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.

Start with Embers →

Feature comparison

	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

Where Embers is different

Primary job

Embers

Surface warm LinkedIn leads, score fit, and draft manual DMs for the founder to send

Cleverly

Outsource LinkedIn prospecting, copy, and follow-up to a managed agency team

Control

Embers

Founder controls targeting, review, message edits, and every conversation

Cleverly

Agency manages campaign execution and feeds interested prospects back to you

Learning loop

Embers

Every reply teaches the founder which pains, posts, and signals convert

Cleverly

Campaign learning is mediated through account-manager reporting and feedback cycles

Lead source

Embers

Public LinkedIn engagement from your posts, comments, selected competitor content, and keyword mentions

Cleverly

Prospect lists built for outbound campaigns

Message voice

Embers

AI draft plus founder edits before sending

Cleverly

Agency-written campaign copy

Time per week

Embers

About 30 minutes a day to review, edit, and send

Cleverly

Lower daily effort, but needs onboarding, approvals, and performance feedback

Starting price

Embers

$49/mo (free 7-day trial, payment method required)

Cleverly

$397/mo for LinkedIn outreach

Best for

Embers

Self-serve founders who want to own sales conversations

Cleverly

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 strategy

Build an engagement-first outreach motion before deciding whether to outsource execution.

Lead generation outsourcing

Understand 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 · Free 7-day trial

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.