In 2025, choose based on your goal: richer, verified lead data at scale or simple LinkedIn + email sequences.
You need a tool that sends a safe number of actions per day, protects accounts, and gives you verified emails you can trust, without adding extra admin work.
PhantomBuster runs LinkedIn prospecting workflows, from live profile extraction and verified email enrichment to cloud-based outreach with account rotation, designed to reduce restriction risk. Waalaxy automates LinkedIn outreach and email in one interface with templates for quick setup.
This guide shows where each tool fits so you can run more LinkedIn campaigns without risking account restrictions.
PhantomBuster vs. Waalaxy for LinkedIn prospecting: quick overview
| Category | PhantomBuster | Waalaxy |
|---|---|---|
| Primary use case | End-to-end LinkedIn prospecting: extract, enrich, warm, connect, and follow up | Multichannel outreach: run LinkedIn + email sequences from a Chrome extension |
| Target audience | Sales reps, SDRs, data-driven teams managing LinkedIn as a core revenue channel | Small sales teams or solo users who value quick setup and visual campaign builders |
| Ease of use | No-code, cloud-run workflows with chaining and triggers; export thousands of profiles per run (limits vary by plan) | Quick to start with templates; requires the browser to stay open and offers fewer options for large-scale teams |
| Key features | Real-time LinkedIn data extraction, verified email enrichment, account rotation, CRM/Sheets sync | Use templates to start fast, find emails with built-in credits, and manage LinkedIn replies in one inbox |
| Sales Navigator integration | Cloud-run bulk automation on Sales Navigator searches and lists | Compatible via browser extension; requires manual setup per campaign |
| Compliance & account safety | Cloud execution with human-like delays, quotas, and account rotation to reduce restriction risk when managing multiple profiles | Browser-based throttling with delays; teams should monitor limits closely when running several accounts |
| Pricing model | Workspace pricing shared across teams; 14-day free trial (starts at $56/month annual) | Freemium plan, then paid tiers starting around $21–$66/user/month |
| G2 rating (Oct 2025) | 4.4/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Capterra rating (Oct 2025) | 4.5/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Best for | Teams prioritizing LinkedIn-native automation, verified data, and scale with safety controls | Users wanting quick, template-driven LinkedIn + email campaigns without complex setup |
PhantomBuster for LinkedIn prospecting overview
PhantomBuster speeds up LinkedIn prospecting by automating search, enrichment, and first-touch. Everything runs in the cloud, so you don’t need to keep a tab open or monitor it.
The real power comes from chaining automations together. For example, you can collect leads from LinkedIn Sales Navigator, enrich them with verified contact data, and then push them into an outreach flow. Connect the steps so prospects move from search to message automatically.
Run during business hours with randomized delays to mimic normal activity and help reduce restriction risk. Always follow LinkedIn’s guidelines. Managers set limits per account to keep activity within sensible ranges. A 14-day free trial gives you the chance to try the whole setup before committing.
Core features and capabilities
Here’s what PhantomBuster helps you accomplish:
- Build LinkedIn lead lists with verified emails: Run the LinkedIn Search Export automation across LinkedIn, Sales Navigator, and X (formerly Twitter) to collect complete contact data for daily prospecting.
- Pull profile and company details into your CRM: Map LinkedIn data directly to your CRM fields—Title becomes Job title, Company becomes Account name, and enriched Email becomes Work email in HubSpot.
- Automate connection requests and message sequences: Use PhantomBuster to send connection requests and personalized messages with AI-powered message personalization, then automatically stop the sequence when a prospect replies.
- Run end-to-end workflows without manual steps: Chain the LinkedIn Search Export → AI Enricher → LinkedIn Outreach workflow inside PhantomBuster so contacts flow from list to first touch without manual work in between.
- Enrich leads with verified contact data: Use PhantomBuster’s AI-powered enrichment to add verified work emails and firmographics, then sync everything to HubSpot.
- Manage teams with shared workspaces: Set per-account limits, review activity logs, and rotate accounts to keep teams within safe daily ranges.
You can chain automations together. For example, extract businesses from Google Maps, enrich with LinkedIn company data, then start outreach in the same PhantomBuster workflow.”
Nathan Guillaumin, PhantomBuster Product Expert
Data compliance and account safety considerations
PhantomBuster includes safety controls in each workflow for sales and marketing teams: schedules in business hours, randomized delays, per-account limits, and manager oversight. The goal is to protect accounts while staying aligned with platform rules.
Here’s how to set up account rotation safely:
- Set per-account daily limits: Use account rotation and per-account limits to maintain natural usage patterns and avoid spikes.
- Define business hours: Run automations during standard working hours with randomized delays that mimic authentic user behavior.
- Assign sequences by account pool: Each rep engages their named accounts with relevant messages at a safe daily pace.
Always try to mimic your behavior. If you’ve been using your LinkedIn account from 9 to 5 and you keep using your account at these times, then it’s best to put the automation at these times.”
Nathan Guillaumin, PhantomBuster Product Expert
This setup lets your team reach more prospects without exceeding daily limits or risking account restrictions.
Who is PhantomBuster best for?
PhantomBuster fits teams and professionals who:
- Need prospect data that’s always up to date
- Rely on verified contact details to drive campaigns
- Want to run sales outreach on current LinkedIn data
- Prefer automating workflows without having to code or build complex setups
Start with the LinkedIn Search Export → AI Enricher → Message Sender workflow in PhantomBuster. Test it for 14 days free.
PhantomBuster pricing summary
PhantomBuster uses workspace-based pricing that scales with capacity rather than charging per seat. Pricing starts at $56/month on annual billing.
Plans differ by capacity (execution time, credits, concurrent automations). A 14-day free trial lets teams test everything with no credit card required.
Waalaxy for LinkedIn prospecting overview
Waalaxy runs LinkedIn and email steps in one workflow. It’s a Chrome extension built for small teams and solo users who want quick setup and a visual builder.
Core features and capabilities
Here’s what you get with Waalaxy:
- Chrome extension interface: Operates directly inside the LinkedIn UI, overlaying automation options on profile pages, search results, and Sales Navigator lists.
- Contact extraction: Capture leads from LinkedIn search, Sales Navigator, or Recruiter Lite.
- Multichannel outreach: Combine LinkedIn actions (visit, connect, message) with automated email steps for lightweight, cross-channel campaigns.
- Templates and triggers: Use pre-built message templates and simple automation triggers to personalize and schedule follow-ups quickly.
- Email finder credits and LinkedIn Inbox add-on: Get built-in email finder credits and manage LinkedIn replies in a single inbox to streamline follow-ups.
LinkedIn compliance and safety
Waalaxy adds guardrails to help users stay within LinkedIn limits:
- Behavioral delays: Introduces time gaps and pauses between actions when activity looks abnormal, reducing restriction risk.
- Extension dependency: Because automation runs in-browser, teams should monitor quotas carefully and avoid scaling multiple LinkedIn accounts simultaneously to maintain safety.
Use reasonable daily caps, business-hour schedules, and randomized delays to mimic normal activity. Always follow LinkedIn’s guidelines; third-party automation can carry restriction risk.
Pricing plans
As of October 2025, Waalaxy offers the following pricing tiers:
- Free Plan: $0/month with limited daily actions
- Pro Plan: Starting at ~$21/month per user
- Advanced Plan: Starting at ~$44/month per user
- Business Plan: Starting at ~$66/month per user
Feature-by-feature analysis for LinkedIn prospecting
For sales teams evaluating LinkedIn automation tools, workflow depth, ease of use, and scalability determine real-world results.
LinkedIn automation depth and workflow sophistication
True LinkedIn prospecting requires more than basic sequences. Teams need flexible workflows that adapt to prospect behavior.
PhantomBuster:
- PhantomBuster supports conditional logic (for example, trigger a follow-up after connection acceptance)
- Chain multiple actions: search → extract → warm → connect → message → follow-up
- Account rotation across multiple LinkedIn accounts for safer scaling
Waalaxy:
- Pre-built sequence templates with drag-and-drop interface
- Automated messages and profile visits
- Simpler triggers and branching compared to full workflow builders
Best fit if: You need conditional logic and team controls. PhantomBuster offers more depth than template-first tools.
Sales Navigator integration and data extraction
LinkedIn Sales Navigator offers precise targeting, and your automation determines how quickly you can extract leads.
PhantomBuster:
- Cloud-based bulk processing of Sales Navigator searches in parallel
- Scheduled refreshes keep lists updated automatically
- Processes thousands of profiles without manual clicking
Waalaxy:
- Chrome extension for extraction from Sales Navigator
- Requires manual browsing through Sales Navigator
- Must keep browser tab open during extraction
Best fit if: You’re treating Sales Navigator as your primary lead source and need scalable, recurring automation. PhantomBuster handles bulk extraction that browser extensions can’t match.
Data freshness and accuracy
Live data extraction ensures contact information reflects current job titles and company changes.
PhantomBuster:
- Pulls live data from LinkedIn profiles at run time
- Scheduled refreshes keep lists updated automatically
- Email verification to improve accuracy
Waalaxy:
- Live overlay from LinkedIn profiles during extraction
- Email enrichment via DropContact integration (credit-based)
- Accuracy depends on enrichment sources and database currency
Best fit if: You need scheduled Sales Navigator refreshes and live data extraction. PhantomBuster edges ahead for automated recurring pulls that stay current.
Connection requests, acceptance rates, and social warming
Strategic warming before outreach can improve connection acceptance rates.
PhantomBuster:
- Automates profile visits and lightweight engagement with randomized delays
- Conditional messages triggered automatically after connection acceptance
- Teams often see higher acceptance rates after warming actions
Waalaxy:
- Automates connection requests and messages in sequences
- Basic profile visits included in pre-built templates
- Warming capabilities are more limited
Best fit if: You want to test social warming workflows. PhantomBuster provides dedicated sequences to lift acceptance rates through strategic engagement before outreach.
Account safety and LinkedIn compliance
Scaling LinkedIn prospecting and overall sales and marketing efforts requires safeguards that protect accounts from restrictions.
PhantomBuster:
- Cloud-based execution reduces browser fingerprinting risks
- Randomized pacing with business-hours scheduling and daily quotas
- Account rotation distributes activity across multiple LinkedIn accounts
Waalaxy:
- Client-side throttling helps manage daily limits
- Browser-based tools can leave a local footprint; cloud options reduce the need to keep tabs open
- Each user manages their own account limits
Best fit if: You’re managing multiple LinkedIn accounts or scaling a larger team. PhantomBuster provides team-scale guardrails and account rotation that browser extensions can’t match.
Pricing and value for LinkedIn-focused teams
PhantomBuster:
- Workspace pricing: starts at $56/month shared across unlimited users
- No per-seat fees as team grows
- Example: 15-person team on mid-tier plan
Waalaxy:
- Per-user pricing model
- Costs scale with each additional team member
- Example: 15-person team requires 15 separate subscriptions
Best fit if: You want predictable costs that don’t increase with headcount. Workspace pricing can be more cost-efficient for larger teams compared to per-seat tools. Waalaxy works for solo users or very small teams (one to three people) who value simplicity.
Pros and cons of PhantomBuster vs. Waalaxy for LinkedIn prospecting
Pros and cons of PhantomBuster for LinkedIn prospecting
PhantomBuster handles complex Sales Navigator workflows and team controls. Advanced flows can add a learning curve, and you’ll need to pair it with email tools for full multichannel campaigns.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| End-to-end LinkedIn prospecting automation (extract → warm → connect → follow-up) | Advanced flows introduce a learning curve for users without technical backgrounds |
| Cloud execution with quotas and account rotation | Broader dialer/email stack requires pairing with other tools |
| Sales Navigator workflows with scheduled refresh | More setup time to configure complex workflows |
| Exports to Google Sheets and CRM integration for analysis | Requires familiarity with workflow logic for best results |
Pros and cons of Waalaxy for LinkedIn prospecting
Waalaxy provides a user-friendly interface via a browser extension, enabling multichannel prospecting campaigns with message templates and responsive customer support. It’s well-suited for smaller teams prioritizing ease of use over complex automation.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Fast setup via browser extension with intuitive interface | Extension dependency; scaling across multiple LinkedIn accounts requires strict quotas |
| Multichannel campaigns (LinkedIn + email) with message templates | Less flexible for complex workflows and heavy Sales Navigator automation |
Use-case scenarios for LinkedIn prospecting
Scenario 1: Building targeted prospect lists from Sales Navigator
The challenge: Extract 5,000 qualified leads from multiple Sales Navigator searches and refresh them weekly.
PhantomBuster: Automates multiple Sales Navigator searches in parallel, schedules recurring updates, and exports structured data (47+ fields) directly to your CRM, all running in the cloud.
Waalaxy: Extraction through a Chrome extension; manual clicks and open tabs required.
Best when: You need scale and automation depth. PhantomBuster handles recurring, bulk extraction. Waalaxy suits small, one-off lists.
Scenario 2: Warming prospects before outreach
The challenge: Boost acceptance rates by engaging before sending connection requests.
PhantomBuster: Automates profile visits and lightweight engagement with randomized delays. Always follow LinkedIn’s guidelines and avoid actions that could feel intrusive.
Waalaxy: Limited pre-warming; focuses mainly on sending requests and messages.
Best when: You want to test social warming. PhantomBuster engagement sequencing can help lift acceptance rates.
Scenario 3: Running LinkedIn + email campaigns
The challenge: Combine LinkedIn actions with email steps for multichannel outreach.
PhantomBuster: Handles LinkedIn-native triggers and conditional workflows; integrates with HubSpot and Salesforce but needs an external email tool.
Waalaxy: Runs simple LinkedIn + email sequences in one interface using pre-built templates.
Choose this if: You value simplicity, Waalaxy offers quick setup. If you need workflow control and CRM sync, PhantomBuster provides more logic and customization.
Scenario 4: Scaling LinkedIn prospecting across teams
The challenge: Grow from three to 15 sales reps while keeping costs predictable and accounts protected.
PhantomBuster: Workspace-based pricing covers unlimited users with account rotation and central monitoring.
Waalaxy: Per-seat pricing scales with each rep; each user manages their own campaigns.
Best when: You’re scaling a team. PhantomBuster offers more cost-efficient workspace pricing for LinkedIn-focused teams.
Expert opinions and user reviews for LinkedIn prospecting
What users like about PhantomBuster
“It saves me hours of manual work, and I haven’t been able to replicate these kinds of automations with other tools.” Verified user, G2 Review
Users value PhantomBuster for handling repetitive LinkedIn prospecting tasks automatically. The platform runs workflows in the background weekly, letting reps focus on conversations instead of list-building.
What users dislike about PhantomBuster
There’s also a learning curve when setting up more advanced workflows, especially for users without technical backgrounds.” Mat G., PhantomBuster user, G2 review
The main challenge is staying on top of platform changes, especially with LinkedIn, where updates can temporarily affect automations. Advanced workflows take time to learn for non-technical users.
What users like about Waalaxy
This tool has been instrumental in helping me save considerable time while still keeping interactions personal and organic.” Maria B., Waalaxy user, G2 review
Users appreciate Waalaxy’s ability to automate and manage LinkedIn outreach efficiently. The multichannel features, including email enrichment, broaden outreach scope while maintaining a personal touch.
What users dislike about Waalaxy
Limited personalization options a bit restrictive for tailored outreach. Also lack of integration with certain tools.” Maria B., Waalaxy user, G2 review
Final verdict on PhantomBuster vs. Waalaxy for LinkedIn prospecting
Choose PhantomBuster if LinkedIn is a primary revenue channel and you want cloud-run, LinkedIn-native workflows (including social warming) with team-safe limits and account rotation. It’s strong for teams who want to optimize campaigns, run tests, and centralize results via CRM integration and Google Sheets.
Choose Waalaxy if you want fast setup for multichannel prospecting via a browser extension, value a user-friendly interface, and prefer built-in templates and responsive customer support over highly customized flows.
If LinkedIn drives most of your pipeline, choose LinkedIn-native automation built to mimic normal activity and grow with your team. That’s PhantomBuster.
Next: Run one ICP campaign in each tool for 14 days. Track these metrics:
- Sample size: minimum 500 prospects per tool
- Daily caps: set to 80 connection requests max per account
- Acceptance rate: (accepted connections / sent requests) × 100
- Bounce rate: target under 5% for email enrichment
- Success threshold: 15%+ acceptance rate with zero restrictions
Let your KPIs decide which approach drives more qualified pipeline.
FAQs about PhantomBuster vs. Waalaxy for LinkedIn prospecting
Is PhantomBuster safe for LinkedIn?
PhantomBuster runs in the cloud with human-like scheduling and quota controls to reduce restriction risk. Always follow LinkedIn’s guidelines and usage limits. Account rotation can help when scaling multiple LinkedIn profiles.
Does Waalaxy work with Sales Navigator?
Yes. Waalaxy’s Chrome extension can extract leads directly from Sales Navigator searches and add them to lists.
Can either tool be used without technical skills?
Yes. Waalaxy is beginner-friendly with simple templates and guided flows. PhantomBuster also suits non-technical users, though advanced workflows shine with teams comfortable analyzing campaign data and running tests.
How do both tools connect with CRMs?
Both export data. PhantomBuster connects to Google Sheets, HubSpot, and Salesforce so your CRM updates automatically after each run.
What are some other LinkedIn automation alternatives?
Several exist, but your choice depends on priorities: choose PhantomBuster for deep, cloud-run LinkedIn automation and verified data enrichment, or Waalaxy for faster, extension-based multichannel outreach.