Octopus CRM is a budget LinkedIn automation tool: it sends connection requests, bulk messages, profile visits, and endorsements, starting around $9.99 a month (2026), though the useful features sit on the higher tiers. People look for alternatives for three reasons: they want more capable automation, they want to get off automation because of account risk, or they realize they mainly wanted the tracking. Your best alternative depends on which of those you are.
Full disclosure: Outscore, one of the options below, is our product. It is a tracking tool, not an automation tool, so it is the right answer for one of those three groups and the wrong answer for the other two. We have said so plainly.
Octopus CRM alternatives at a glance
| Tool | What it does | Sends outreach for you? | Account risk | Pricing (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outscore (our product) | Tracks invitation statuses as you browse | No, tracking only | Same as normal browsing | $20 one time |
| Waalaxy | Automation plus multichannel sequences | Yes | Elevated | Free tier, then from about €19/mo |
| Dux-Soup | Browser or cloud automation | Yes | Elevated | From about $15/user/mo |
| Expandi | Cloud automation for agencies | Yes | Elevated | Subscription, per seat |
| HeyReach | Agency-scale LinkedIn automation | Yes | Elevated | Subscription |
| LinkedIn plus a spreadsheet | Manual tracking | No | None | Free, costs weekly effort |
The alternatives, briefly
Outscore (ours, $20 one time)
A Chrome extension that records what happens to every connection request (accepted, pending, declined) as you use LinkedIn normally, with dates, an accept rate, and CSV export. It sends nothing, so it does not carry the account risk automation does, and the tracked data stays in your browser. If you left Octopus because you were nervous about a restriction, or because the only part you used was the dashboard, this is the direct swap.
Waalaxy (free tier, then subscription)
The most common upgrade from Octopus for people who want more automation. It runs LinkedIn and email sequences from the cloud and has a genuinely usable free tier. It is still automation, so the account-risk trade-off is the same or larger than Octopus.
Dux-Soup (from about $15/user/mo)
The veteran browser-based automation tool, with an always-on cloud option on higher tiers. A reasonable like-for-like if you want to keep automating but move to a more established product. See our dedicated Dux-Soup comparison for the details.
Expandi and HeyReach (agency-focused, subscription)
Both target teams and agencies running outreach across many accounts, with warm-up controls and multi-account dashboards. Overkill for a solo seller, and the cloud model means they hold your LinkedIn session, which is exactly the third-party access LinkedIn's agreement prohibits.
LinkedIn plus a spreadsheet (free)
If you send a modest number of requests and just need to know your accept rate, the manual method costs nothing and carries zero risk. The catch is discipline: skip a week of reconciling and the history is gone, because LinkedIn deletes declined and expired requests.
Choosing by why you are leaving
If you want stronger automation and accept the risk, Waalaxy or Dux-Soup. If you run outreach for many clients, Expandi or HeyReach. If you left because a restriction scared you, or because the reporting was the only part you cared about, drop automation entirely and use a tracker: you keep the accept rate and history and your account activity stays identical to normal browsing. That last group is who we built Outscore for.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Octopus CRM alternative?
It depends on why you are leaving. If you want more capable automation, Waalaxy and Expandi are the common upgrades. If you left because of account risk or because you only wanted the reporting, a read-only tracker like Outscore gives you the accept-rate history without sending anything. If budget is the issue, LinkedIn's own tools plus a spreadsheet cost nothing.
Is Octopus CRM safe for my LinkedIn account?
Octopus CRM automates activity on your account (connection requests, messages, profile visits), which LinkedIn's user agreement prohibits. Enforcement is inconsistent, but restrictions and bans are a documented risk for automation users. A tool that only reads pages you already visit does not sit in that risk category.
Is there a free Octopus CRM alternative?
For automation, Waalaxy has a free tier (around 80 invitations a month as of 2026). For tracking, LinkedIn's invitation manager plus a spreadsheet is free and completely safe, it just takes weekly effort to maintain.
Does Octopus CRM track my connection requests?
It tracks the campaigns it runs for you. Connection requests you send by hand, outside the tool, are invisible to it. A dedicated tracker records every request regardless of how you sent it.