Polymail

Overview

Polymail is an email platform that adds sequences, tracking, templates, and collaboration features to Gmail and Outlook accounts. Positioned as lightweight alternative to complex sales engagement platforms, Polymail focuses on basic email automation and tracking for small teams at budget pricing under $15/user/mo.

Founded in 2015, Polymail serves solopreneurs, freelancers, and small sales teams (2-10 reps) wanting Gmail enhancement without switching to dedicated outbound tools or paying premium pricing for enterprise platforms.

At a glance:

• Category: Email Sequences & Tracking (Gmail/Outlook layer)
• Best for: Budget-conscious solopreneurs needing basic email tracking
• Pricing: $10-13/user/mo
• Free trial: Available, no credit card required
• Setup: 1-2 hours to connect Gmail/Outlook and set up first sequence

Ideal For

• Budget-conscious solopreneurs: Freelancers and consultants needing basic email open/click tracking and simple follow-up automation at under $15/user/mo - Polymail's low pricing vs enterprise platforms ($50-150/user/mo).
• Small teams testing email automation: Teams 2-5 reps wanting to try email sequences before investing in full sales engagement platforms - entry-level pricing tests use case at low risk.
• Teams deeply invested in Gmail: Users wanting email enhancement staying within Gmail interface vs switching to standalone platforms - Polymail works as Gmail layer maintaining familiar workflow.

Not Ideal For

• Teams needing reliable sequences: User reviews report "very serious bugs" including images missing from emails sent in sequences and sequences not working consistently - unreliable for critical outbound campaigns where email delivery is non-negotiable.
• High-volume outbound teams: Teams sending 100+ emails daily per rep need proven deliverability and reliability - Polymail's reported bugs and feature limitations (can't edit sequences, can't add emails mid-sequence) create operational risk vs Instantly ($30/user) or Lemlist ($59/user) with better track records.
• Mobile-first sales reps: Polymail has NO Android app and doesn't sync with Gmail/Outlook mobile apps - limits on-the-go email management vs competitors with full mobile support.

The Bottom Line

Polymail's $10-13/user/mo pricing is attractive, but serious reliability issues (reported sequence bugs, missing images, inconsistent sending) make it difficult to recommend over proven alternatives. For just $17-20/user/mo more, Instantly ($30/user) or Yesware ($15-65/user) deliver reliable sequences without reported bugs. For budget-conscious users needing only tracking (not sequences), Yesware FREE tier or Mixmax FREE (50 tracked emails/mo) provide tracking at zero cost. Only consider Polymail if budget is absolute constraint AND you're willing to accept reliability risks.

Polymail adds email tracking (opens, clicks, attachments), automated sequences with personalization, message templates, follow-up reminders, and team collaboration features to Gmail and Outlook accounts. The platform works as layer on top of existing email client, maintaining familiar interface while adding sales-focused functionality.

Core Capabilities

1. Email Tracking: Track email opens, clicks, and attachment views with real-time notifications - see when prospects engage with emails for timely follow-up.
2. Email Sequences: Automated follow-up sequences send personalized emails over days/weeks without manual sending - set schedule (Day 1, Day 3, Day 7) and Polymail handles delivery.
3. Message Templates: Save frequently-used emails as templates with personalization tokens (name, company) - insert templates with keyboard shortcuts accelerating email composition.
4. Follow-Up Reminders: Set reminders on emails requiring responses - Polymail surfaces emails needing follow-up preventing leads from slipping through cracks.
5. Team Collaboration: Share email templates, track team email activity, assign emails to team members - visibility into who's contacting prospects and response status.

How It Works

1. Connect Gmail or Outlook account to Polymail via OAuth authorization
2. Enable email tracking on outbound emails - Polymail tracks opens, clicks, and attachments automatically
3. Create sequence with series of emails (3-7 touch points typical) scheduled over days/weeks with personalization tokens
4. Enroll contacts in sequences from spreadsheet import or manual addition - Polymail sends emails on schedule
5. Monitor activity in dashboard showing email opens, clicks, sequence progress, and follow-up reminders
6. Receive notifications when tracked emails are opened or clicked for timely follow-up

Our Take: Polymail's $10-13/user/mo pricing is compelling on paper, but user-reported bugs (images missing from sequence emails, inconsistent sending) create serious reliability concerns for critical outbound. One reviewer called sequence bugs "VERY serious" and noted sequences cannot be edited once created with no way to add emails mid-sequence - significant operational limitations. For $17-20/user/mo more, Instantly ($30/user) or Lemlist ($59/user) deliver proven reliability without reported bugs. For tracking-only users, Yesware FREE tier or Mixmax FREE (50 tracked/mo) provide tracking at zero cost. Only consider Polymail if budget is absolute constraint AND you're willing to accept reliability risks vs proven alternatives.

1. Email Tracking (Opens, Clicks, Attachments)

Track email opens, clicks on links, and attachment views with real-time notifications. Dashboard shows engagement timeline per email - see which prospects opened multiple times indicating high interest vs never opened suggesting wrong contact or bad timing.

Why it matters: Email tracking provides visibility into prospect engagement guiding follow-up timing and priority - focus on hot leads (multiple opens) vs cold contacts (no engagement). Real-time notifications enable timely follow-up within minutes of opens vs days later.

Limitation: Tracking accuracy depends on recipient's email client settings - Gmail blocks tracking pixels for many users, iOS Mail Privacy Protection randomizes opens, reducing tracking reliability to 40-60% accuracy industry-wide.

2. Email Sequences (Automated Follow-Ups)

Create automated follow-up sequences sending series of emails over days/weeks on schedule. Set trigger (immediate send, Day 3, Day 7 follow-ups), write emails with personalization tokens ({{first_name}}, {{company}}), enroll contacts from CSV import - Polymail handles automated sending.

Why it matters: Manual follow-up at scale is impossible for teams reaching 50-100+ prospects daily - sequences automate outreach ensuring every prospect receives consistent 3-7 touch points vs single cold email getting ignored.

Serious Limitations: User reviews report "very serious bugs" including:

• Images missing from sequence emails when sent (described as "unacceptable")
• Sequences not working consistently
• Cannot edit sequence once created
• No way to add emails mid-sequence
• These bugs make Polymail unreliable for critical outbound campaigns

3. Message Templates

Save frequently-used emails as templates with personalization tokens - insert templates via keyboard shortcuts or template library. Share templates across team for consistent messaging in common scenarios (intro emails, follow-ups, meeting requests).

Why it matters: Reps spend 20-30% of time writing repetitive emails - templates with personalization tokens reduce composition time 50-70% while maintaining personalization vs copy-pasting generic messages.

Limitation: Template library less robust than dedicated platforms (Instantly has 50+ proven templates, Lemlist includes multi-channel sequences) - Polymail focuses on basic template storage without pre-built proven templates.

4. Follow-Up Reminders

Set reminders on emails requiring responses - Polymail surfaces emails needing follow-up in dashboard with configurable reminder times (1 day, 3 days, 1 week if no response). Prevents leads from slipping through cracks due to missed replies.

Why it matters: Sales reps juggle 50-200 open conversations daily - manual tracking of follow-ups in spreadsheets or sticky notes is error-prone. Automated reminders ensure no prospect is forgotten vs losing deals to unresponsiveness.

Limitation: Reminder system basic vs competitors - Instantly and Lemlist auto-skip sequence emails if prospect replies (intelligent stopping) vs Polymail requiring manual monitoring.

5. Team Collaboration & Activity Feed

Share email templates across team, track team email activity in shared dashboard, assign emails to team members, see who's contacting which prospects. Activity feed shows team opens, clicks, sequence enrollments for visibility into outbound activity.

Why it matters: Team email activity visibility prevents duplicate outreach (2 reps contacting same prospect) and enables coaching (managers see email activity and response rates per rep).

Limitation: Collaboration features basic vs enterprise platforms (Outreach $100/user, Salesloft $125/user) with advanced workflow automation, A/B testing, and coaching analytics - Polymail focuses on basic visibility without optimization features.

1. Solopreneur Cold Outreach

Scenario: Freelance consultant with 200-prospect list wants to automate outreach sequence (intro email → value-add follow-up Day 3 → case study Day 7 → final check-in Day 14) without enterprise platform pricing.

Workflow:

1. Consultant connects Gmail to Polymail, creates 4-email sequence with personalization ({{first_name}}, {{company}})
2. Uploads 200 prospects from CSV, enrolls in sequence - Polymail sends intro emails immediately
3. Sequence automatically sends follow-ups Day 3, 7, 14 without manual intervention
4. Consultant monitors dashboard for email opens and replies, follows up with engaged prospects
5. Sequences generate 15 replies (7.5% response rate) and 8 meetings booked from 200 prospects

Outcome: Automated cold outreach for 200 prospects at $13/mo vs $50-100/mo enterprise platforms - budget pricing enabled testing outbound strategy at low risk. However, consultant encountered bugs (1 prospect reported missing images in Day 3 email) requiring manual verification of sequence sending.

2. Small Sales Team Follow-Up Automation

Scenario: 5-person sales team at early-stage SaaS startup needs follow-up automation for 500 demo requests monthly without investing $500-1,000/mo ($100-200/user/mo) in enterprise sales engagement platform.

Workflow:

1. Team connects Gmail accounts to Polymail at $65/mo total (5 users × $13/user)
2. Creates post-demo follow-up sequence (thank you + resources Day 1 → ROI calculator Day 3 → case study Day 7 → pricing Day 10)
3. Sales reps manually enroll demo attendees in sequence after each demo (20-30 enrollments daily across team)
4. Polymail sends automated follow-ups, team monitors dashboard for engagement and replies
5. Sequence improves demo → trial conversion from 20% to 28% (40% improvement) by ensuring consistent follow-up vs reps forgetting to follow up manually

Outcome: Increased demo → trial conversion 40% (20% to 28%) through automated follow-up at $65/mo total cost - significant ROI vs $500-1,000/mo enterprise platforms. However, team experienced reliability issues (sequences occasionally skipping sends, images missing from emails) requiring manual verification adding 2-3 hours weekly of admin work checking sequence delivery.

Polymail Pricing: $10-13/user/mo subscription (exact pricing varies by source - $10/user/mo per some sources, $13/user/mo others)

Free Trial: Available, no credit card required

Cost Comparison (per user/mo):

What We Recommend

For tracking only (no sequences): Yesware FREE (10 tracked/day) or Mixmax FREE (50 tracked/mo) provides email tracking at zero cost vs Polymail $10-13/mo - sufficient for solopreneurs tracking 5-10 daily emails.

For basic sequences: Yesware Pro ($15-25/mo) delivers reliable sequences without Polymail's reported bugs for just $2-15/mo more - worth premium for reliability vs risk of sequence failures in critical outbound.

For serious outbound: Instantly ($30/mo) or Lemlist ($59/mo) provide proven deliverability, warmup, and multi-channel outreach - $17-46/mo premium over Polymail justified by reliability and advanced features vs basic buggy sequences.

Only choose Polymail if: Budget is absolute constraint ($10-13/mo max) AND you're willing to accept reported reliability issues (sequence bugs, missing images, inconsistent sending) vs proven alternatives.

1. Sign up for free trial at polymail.io - no credit card required, test sequences and tracking before committing

2. Connect Gmail or Outlook account via OAuth authorization - Polymail requests permissions for email sending and tracking

3. Enable email tracking on outbound emails - configure tracking preferences (notify on opens, clicks)

4. Create first sequence with 3-5 emails scheduled over 7-14 days - write emails with personalization tokens ({{first_name}}, {{company}})

5. Import prospect list from CSV and enroll in sequence - Polymail sends first emails immediately, schedules follow-ups

6. Monitor dashboard for email opens, clicks, and replies - follow up with engaged prospects prioritizing hot leads

Pro tip: Before relying on Polymail for critical outbound campaigns, test sequences thoroughly with test accounts verifying all emails send correctly with images/formatting intact. User reports of "very serious bugs" (missing images, inconsistent sending) suggest sequence reliability issues - validate platform works for your use case during free trial before committing. Consider Yesware Pro ($15-25/mo), Instantly ($30/mo), or Lemlist ($59/mo) as more reliable alternatives if budget allows $2-46/mo premium over Polymail's $10-13/mo.

• Polymail Website
• Polymail Premium Help
• G2 Reviews
• Capterra Reviews
• Software Suggest Reviews

• Yesware: More reliable email tracking and sequences alternative at $15-25/user/mo (Pro) - proven track record without Polymail's reported bugs, FREE tier available for tracking-only users
• Instantly: High-volume outbound platform at $30/user/mo with unlimited sequences, warmup, and deliverability optimization - proven reliability for teams sending 50-200 emails/day per rep
• Gmail: Email client Polymail layers on top of - Polymail works within Gmail interface vs standalone platform maintaining familiar workflow