In a world where every lead counts, B2B automation has become the secret weapon of marketers and salespeople in 2025. Between data scraping, LinkedIn prospecting, and cold email campaigns, choosing the right tool can mean the difference between a winning strategy and a waste of time. PhantomBuster, with its technical versatility, Waalaxy, the champion of simplicity on LinkedIn, and Emelia, the underdog, are locked in a fierce battle to dominate the market.
In this article, we break down their features, compare their strengths and weaknesses, and guide you to find the perfect tool, whether you're a seasoned growth hacker or a small team looking for efficiency. Ready to transform your prospecting?
Introducing the Top Tools to Revolutionize Your Leads
PhantomBuster
PhantomBuster is automation software designed for technical users, offering unmatched versatility with over 150 workflows (“Phantoms”) for scraping and automating on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and many more. From email extraction to CRM enrichment via integrations such as HubSpot or Zapier, the tool excels in complex, multi-platform campaigns.
However, this great diversity has a downside: in its quest to do everything, PhantomBuster can sometimes lack reliability or depth on certain specific tasks such as LinkedIn prospecting, which is not very advanced: For example, there are no voice notes, and you cannot link emails to LinkedIn.
Its complexity, high cost (starting at $69/month, based on hours of use), and occasional outages mean that it is best suited for teams willing to invest time, technical skills, and budget to achieve truly customized results.
Data scraping
Extract profiles, verified professional emails, phone numbers, URLs, followers, comments, likes, and other public data from LinkedIn, Sales Navigator, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, GitHub, Google Maps, and more.
Specific examples:
-LinkedIn Profile Scraper: Retrieves names, titles, companies, education, and emails from a LinkedIn search (limit: ~40 profiles/day on standard LinkedIn to avoid restrictions).
-Sales Navigator Search Export: Extracts prospect lists with advanced filters (seniority level, industry, geography, years of experience).
-Instagram Follower Collector: Collects information about a account's followers (URL, photo, name).
-Google Maps Search to Contact Data: Extract contact data (names, addresses, numbers) from localized searches.
Export data in CSV or JSON formats for analysis in spreadsheets or CRM.
Enrich data through integrations with tools such as Dropcontact, Hunter, or Snov.io to add verified emails or phone numbers.
Action automation:
Send personalized LinkedIn invitations (up to 100/week, respecting LinkedIn limits to minimize the risk of restrictions).
Send automated messages on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Instagram with customization via variables (e.g., “Hello first name, I saw that you work at company”).
Specific actions:
-LinkedIn Network Booster: Automates connection requests and follow-up messages.
-LinkedIn Message Sender: Sends messages to existing or new connections.
-LinkedIn Group Members: Extracts up to 2,500 members from a LinkedIn group.
-Twitter Auto-Follow: Automatically follows targeted profiles.
Automated content publishing on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Instagram.
Interaction tracking (likes, comments, shares) to identify engaged prospects (“Intent Data”).
Workflows and Phantoms:
Library of over 150 “Phantoms” (predefined scripts) for various use cases, such as scraping comments from a LinkedIn post or extracting event attendees.
Flows: Chain multiple Phantoms to create complex workflows (e.g., scrape a LinkedIn search → enrich with emails via Dropcontact → and finally send to Emelia 😉 for an email campaign).
Ready-to-use workflows for scenarios such as transforming a LinkedIn search into an email list or automating a multi-channel prospecting campaign.
Integrations:
CRM: HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive to automatically synchronize prospect data.
Automation: Zapier, Integromat to connect PhantomBuster to over 2,000 applications (Slack, Google Sheets, Trello, etc.).
Enrichment: Dropcontact, Hunter, Snov.io to find emails or phone numbers.
Google Sheets: Direct data import via formulas or automatic export.
API for developers:
Complete API allowing you to:
Launch, stop, or modify Phantoms remotely.
Create custom scripts (Node.js compatible).
Retrieve results, status reports, and logs in real time.
Full control for developers who want to integrate PhantomBuster into their own systems.
Chrome extension:
Simplifies the collection of session cookies for scraping or automating multiple accounts simultaneously (e.g., LinkedIn, Instagram).
Facilitates Phantom configuration by automatically retrieving data such as the “li_at” cookie for LinkedIn.
Security and compliance:
Use of proxies to reduce the risk of detection by platforms (recommended for Google Maps or Instagram).
Compliance with social media limits (e.g., 100 invitations/week on LinkedIn, 40 profiles scraped/day).
Recommendations to avoid restrictions, such as not launching multiple Phantoms simultaneously without proxies.
Phantombuster Pricing
Free trial:
14 days with 2 hours of execution, 5 slots for Phantoms, 50 emails to explore, and 1,000 AI credits, no credit card required.
Waalaxy
Waalaxy is known for B2B prospecting on LinkedIn, with multi-channel campaigns (LinkedIn + cold email) accessible even to beginners. Its strengths include sending invitations (up to 800/month), personalized messages, scraping via a Chrome extension, and a Smart Inbox for managing leads. However, its rising prices, limitations (7 follow-ups max per campaign), and almost exclusive focus on LinkedIn make it less versatile, with a risk of restrictions if poorly configured.
Automated LinkedIn prospecting:
Sending invitations: Up to 800 invitations/month (Advanced/Business paid plans) or 80/month (Freemium), with or without personalized notes. Waalaxy simulates human behavior to bypass LinkedIn's limit of 100 invitations/week, although this can be unstable.
Automated messages: Send personalized messages to 1st-degree connections (max. 7 follow-ups per campaign), with variables (first name, company, etc.) for ultra-personalization.
Additional actions: Profile visits, profile follow-ups, or interactions (likes, comments) to increase visibility.
LinkedIn/Sales Navigator scraping: Import prospect lists from LinkedIn searches, Sales Navigator, Premium, or Recruiter Lite via the Chrome extension.
Auto-import: Automatically add prospects to a sequence based on actions (e.g., comment on a post, profile visit, or connection request received)..
Advanced sequences: Create complex workflows with conditions (e.g., “if no response after 3 days, send an email”) and customizable deadlines (0 to unlimited).
Cold emailing:
Cold email campaigns: Send personalized emails from imported or enriched lists, with a text editor that supports variables and emojis.
Email Finder: Integration with Dropcontact to retrieve 60-70% of verified professional emails (up to 500 enrichments/month on the Business plan, 10,000 credits on Elite). GDPR compliant.
Multi-channel sequences: Combine LinkedIn actions (invitations, messages) and email in a single campaign to maximize touchpoints and response rates.
Limitations: No native “email warm-up” or A/B testing functionality, and the email editor remains basic.
Integrated lead management and CRM:
Lead import: From LinkedIn, Sales Navigator, or CSV files, with segmentation by tags, company, location, or other criteria.
CRM database: Centralized lead management with interaction history (invitations, messages, responses) without the need for a third-party tool.
Smart Inbox: Interface for managing LinkedIn conversations, with response templates, scheduled follow-ups, and tags for prioritizing leads.
Duplicate detection: Automatic detection of leads that have already been contacted or are in other lists, even within a team.
Export: Data can be exported to an external CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive) or in CSV format.
Sequences and templates:
99+ predefined sequences: Templates for different objectives (prospecting, recruitment, networking), such as “Orion” (for prospects with pending invitations) or “Elysium” (multi-branch).
Customization: Create reusable message/email templates with variables and conditions (e.g., “message read/unread,” “replied/did not reply”).
Smart triggers: Launch sequences based on specific actions (e.g., a prospect likes a post).
Integrations and webhooks:
CRM: Automatic synchronization with HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, or others via Zapier/Integromat.
Email clients: Connection to Gmail, Outlook, or others to send cold emails.
Webhooks: Connection to custom workflows (e.g., send a Slack notification after a reply).
Dropcontact: Email enrichment for multichannel campaigns.
Dashboard and performance tracking:
Campaign tracking: Statistics on acceptance, response, and engagement rates (visits, messages, emails).
Stage/status filters: View prospects by stage (in progress, completed) or status (pending, connected).
Limitations: Some users find the analytics unclear or poorly designed.
Team features (Team plan):
Manage multiple LinkedIn accounts from a single interface, with role and permission assignment.
Share prospect lists between accounts, with synchronization of a single Sales Navigator account for the entire team.
Cross-account deduplication to avoid duplicate contacts.
AI and personalization:
Waami (AI): Search for similar prospects and write optimized messages (but no advanced AI writing for emails).
Boolean search: Optimize LinkedIn searches with operators (AND, OR, NOT) for accurate results.
Security and compliance:
Simulate human behavior (random delays, daily quotas) to minimize the risk of LinkedIn restrictions.
Uses a Chrome extension, but no cloud solution in the basic plans, which may increase the risk of detection if the computer is left on.
GDPR-compliant enrichment via Dropcontact.
Free trial and Freemium:
7-day trial of the Elite plan, no credit card required, with access to all features.
Freemium plan: 80 invitations/month, 25 Email Finder credits, message templates, but limited to 3 actions/day per type.
Waalaxy Pricing
Emelia
Emelia transforms B2B prospecting by brilliantly combining LinkedIn and cold emailing in a seamless, affordable platform designed for freelancers and small teams. With high-end features—accurate scraping, multi-channel campaigns, seamless CRM integrations—it rivals tools like Waalaxy, while offering ultra-competitive pricing and smart billing based on discovered emails.
Easy to get started with and offering a free trial that hits the mark, Emelia is the ideal solution for maximizing your prospecting without breaking the bank. Take action with Emelia and boost your growth today!
Automated LinkedIn prospecting:
Sending invitations: Automation of connection requests on LinkedIn, with customization via variables (first name, company, position) for natural-sounding messages. Exact volumes are not specified, but are configured to comply with LinkedIn limits and minimize the risk of restrictions.
Automated messages: Send personalized messages to first-degree connections, with conditional sequences (e.g., “if no response after 3 days, send a follow-up message”).
LinkedIn/Sales Navigator scraping: Extraction of profiles via a Chrome extension from LinkedIn searches, Sales Navigator, or LinkedIn groups. Data includes names, titles, companies, and profile URLs, which can be exported for campaigns.
Here is a quick and simple video showing you how to scrape LinkedIn:
Additional actions: Automatic profile visits and page follows to increase visibility and simulate human behavior.
Advanced sequences: Creation of workflows with customizable “nodes” (added weekly based on user feedback), enabling complex scenarios (e.g., follow-up after a post is liked).
To carry out your first cold email campaign, here is a short demonstration video:
Cold email campaigns: Creation and sending of personalized emails from imported (CSV) or scraped lists, with a simple editor supporting variables, emojis, and Spintext (text variants such as “Hello”/“Hi” to avoid spam).Hi“/”Hello" to avoid spam).
Multi-channel sequences: Combination of LinkedIn actions (invitations, messages) and emails in the same campaign, with conditions (e.g., switch to email if no LinkedIn response after 5 days).
Multi-senders: Connect multiple email addresses (included in the basic plan) to distribute mailings and preserve domain reputation. Each step in a sequence can use a different address (e.g., email 1 by a sales representative, email 2 by a manager).
Integrated email warm-up: Free feature to “warm up” email inboxes before campaigns, simulating conversations to improve deliverability and avoid spam. Deliverability scores above 95% with a dedicated domain.
Email Finder and enrichment:
Search for verified professional emails from LinkedIn profiles or other sources, with a minimal bounce rate (<1%). Also includes Phone Finder
Database enrichment: Add information such as phone numbers or company details for more targeted campaigns.
Database management: Create custom lists with segmentation by industry, location, or other criteria.
Sequences and advanced automation:
Custom sequences: Create automated scenarios (e.g., email 1 → wait 3 days → LinkedIn message → email 2 if no response), with triggers based on prospect actions (opens, clicks, responses)..
A/B testing: Test different versions of emails (subject line, content) to identify the most effective ones.
Spintext: Automatically insert text variations to personalize messages at scale and reduce the risk of spam.
Integrated lead management and CRM:
Lead import: From LinkedIn, Sales Navigator, or CSV files, with automatic duplicate detection to avoid redundant contacts.
Centralized database: Lead management with interaction history (sends, responses, clicks) in an intuitive interface, without the need for an external CRM.
Response from the platform: Conversation management (LinkedIn and email) directly in Emelia, with response templates and scheduled follow-ups.
Tracking and analytics:
Dashboard with real-time statistics: open rates, click-through rates, response rates, and performance by campaign.
Detailed analysis to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
Unsubscription management: Add an unsubscribe link in signatures to comply with GDPR.
Limitations: Reporting considered basic by some expert users, lacking email previews or direct contact editing.
Integrations:
CRM: Native connections with HubSpot, Pipedrive, and synchronization via Zapier or Make for Salesforce, Slack, or other tools.
Automation: Integrations with Integromat, n8n, and Make for custom workflows (e.g., send a prospect to a CRM after a click).
Email verification: Integration with third-party services to ensure valid addresses.
Webhooks: Connection to external systems for advanced automation.
Emelia Pricing:
Security and compliance:
Simulation of human behavior (random delays, daily limits) to minimize the risk of LinkedIn restrictions.
GDPR compliance: Data enrichment via compliant partners (Dropcontact) and unsubscription management.
Bounce management: Intelligent system to handle soft/hard bounces and preserve domain reputation.
Chrome extension:
Quick extraction of LinkedIn/Sales Navigator profiles to add to campaigns.
Direct access to automation features from the browser, simplifying prospecting.
Support and assistance:
Highly responsive human support: talk to Marie, Niels, and Charles and get your issues resolved in minutes
Blog and video tutorials to guide users, with tips on cold emailing and LinkedIn.
Personalized coaching on demand to optimize campaigns.
Free trial and pricing:
7-day free trial, no credit card required, with access to all features.
Starting price of $37/month
Credit-based pricing also available
Customer reviews
PhantomBuster
Enjoying a solid reputation with an average rating of 4.5/5 on platforms such as Capterra and Trustpilot, based on around 500 reviews. Users praise its versatility for multi-platform scraping (LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter) and its power for growth hackers, thanks in particular to its 150+ Phantoms and its API.
However, critics point to its intimidating complexity for beginners, frequent outages (e.g., errors on Instagram), and confusing pricing based on hours of use, which is considered expensive for intensive use. Some users also complain about slow customer support and strict refund policies, which tarnishes the experience for non-technical users.
Waalaxy
It has an average rating of 4.4/5 on Trustpilot (895 reviews) and 4.6/5 on G2, reflecting its popularity for LinkedIn prospecting. Users appreciate its simplicity, intuitive interface, and effectiveness in launching multi-channel campaigns quickly, even without technical skills. Clear statistics and the Smart Inbox are strong points.
However, price increases since 2023 have been criticized, as have recurring bugs in the Chrome extension (disconnections, blocked campaigns) and intrusive ads (LinkedIn banners, surveys). The no-refund policy and sometimes ineffective support for complex bugs frustrate some customers.
Emelia
With an average rating of 4.7/5 on its website (limited reviews), it is highly appreciated for its value for money. Users praise its ease of use, affordable price, and modern features such as the free warm-up and scraper.
Responsive support and a smooth interface are assets, as are the email and phone finder, email verifier, and voice messages on LinkedIn.
Customer support
PhantomBuster offers support via email, chat, and an extensive knowledge base, but its responsiveness is average (1-2 days) and often criticized for being slow, especially for complex technical issues such as Phantom outages. Technical users appreciate the resources (guides, videos), but beginners find the support insufficient to resolve specific errors (e.g., API configuration). Personalized coaching sessions with experts are a plus, but they are limited to higher plans and do not fully compensate for the shortcomings of standard support.
Waalaxy offers chat support (5 days/week, 6 days/week on the Elite plan), email, and a YouTube channel with detailed tutorials, which are particularly useful for beginners. Responsiveness is good (~1 hour on average), but users report frustration when support fails to resolve recurring bugs, such as Chrome extension disconnections or blocked campaigns. Personalized coaching (1 hour of onboarding and quarterly follow-up on the Elite plan) is appreciated, but the inability to quickly address complex technical issues detracts from the experience, especially for large teams.
Emelia stands out brilliantly with exceptional customer support, often cited as the best among B2B automation tools in 2025. Based in Paris, the French-speaking team offers impressive responsiveness, responding to requests via chat or video, even for complex technical questions. This level of attention, combined with a warm and personalized approach, makes Emelia a trusted partner, especially for small teams or freelancers who need close support.
In addition to a blog and clear video tutorials, support includes on-demand coaching sessions to optimize your campaigns, a rare asset. Unlike its competitors, where responses can be slow or lack depth, Emelia excels in its ability to quickly resolve issues, whether minor bugs or complex configurations, ensuring a smooth and frustration-free experience.
Conclusion
PhantomBuster
is the ideal choice for technical users and large companies that need multi-platform automation (LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, etc.).Its strength lies in its versatility (150+ Phantoms, API) and customization, but it is complex, expensive ($56/month minimum), and prone to outages. Its lack of native cold emailing and integrated reporting limits its appeal for simplified campaigns.
Waalaxy
excels at fast and intuitive LinkedIn prospecting, with multi-channel campaigns (LinkedIn + email) and a UX tailored to non-technical users. However, its high prices (up to $960/year), limitations (7 follow-ups max, no warm-up), and occasional bugs make it less competitive compared to more affordable alternatives.
Emelia
is establishing itself as a must-have gem in the world of B2B automation in 2025, combining power, simplicity, and unmatched value for money. Far from being a mere outsider, this French tool shines with its flagship features that rival Waalaxy and PhantomBuster, while remaining accessible to freelancers and SMEs alike. Its
LinkedIn/Sales Navigator scraping via a Chrome extension allows you to collect profiles with formidable accuracy, fueling ultra-targeted campaigns. The free email warm-up, a rarity at this price point, guarantees exceptional deliverability (>95%), while the Magic Writer (thanks to the integration of Spintext) generates endless personalized messages and emails, bypassing spam filters with effortless creativity.
Multichannel campaigns (LinkedIn + email) orchestrate dynamic sequences with conditional nodes added each week, offering flexibility that boosts response rates.
Emelia is the obvious choice for those who want to maximize their leads without breaking the bank. In 2025, Emelia is not just an affordable alternative: it is a revolution that redefines B2B prospecting with elegance and efficiency.
