SMTP vs Groove vs AroundDeal vs CrankWheel Comparison
SMTP
Starting at Contact for pricing
- Individuals
- Freelancers / Consultants
SMTP was built to solve the challenges of sending email from devices behind restrictive firewalls or communicating directly with a server over SMTP. It features multiple design elements and components that have been opti…
Groove
Starting at Contact for pricing
- Large Enterprises
- Medium Business
Groove is a sales engagement platform that makes communication and collaboration easy. Feature rich, the system is used by thousands of companies to connect sales teams, track deals from lead to close, and drive revenue.…
AroundDeal
Starting at Contact for pricing
- Large Enterprises
- Medium Business
AroundDeal is the ultimate tool for B2B marketing initiatives. Our extension helps you quickly and accurately identify leads necessary to close deals faster. We provide you with a list of high-quality, high-value prospec…
CrankWheel
Starting at $89 /Month
- Large Enterprises
- Medium Business
CrankWheel provides instant screen-sharing and helps you to quickly reduce your sales cycle by half. It can broadcast your visual presentation from your phone in just 10 seconds, simplifying the process of responding to…
Groove leads on user satisfaction with a 4.7-star rating across 4,260 reviews.
SMTP vs Groove vs AroundDeal vs CrankWheel — at a glance
| Feature | SMTP | Groove | AroundDeal | CrankWheel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 3.9 / 5 | 4.7 / 5 | 3.5 / 5 | 5.0 / 5 |
| Reviews | 16 | 4,260 | 73 | 30 |
| Starting price | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing | $89 /Month |
| Free trial | No | No | No | No |
| Free version | No | No | No | No |
| Best for | Individuals, Freelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises | Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business | Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business | Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business |
| Category | Transactional Email Software | Sales Engagement Software | Sales Intelligence Software | Sales Engagement Software |
| Platforms | SaaS/Web/Cloud | SaaS/Web/Cloud | SaaS/Web/Cloud | SaaS/Web/Cloud, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac |
| API | Available | — | — | Available |
| Support modes | 24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, Online | Business Hours, Online | Online | 24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, Online |
| Certifications | — | SOC 2, GDPR | — | — |
| Data residency | US | Global | US | — |
Key differences between SMTP and Groove
- Target audience: SMTP is built for Individuals and Freelancers / Consultants, while Groove targets Large Enterprises and Medium Business.
- User satisfaction: Groove scores higher with a 4.7-star average.
- Deployment: SMTP supports SaaS/Web/Cloud; Groove supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.
Compare SMTP vs Groove vs AroundDeal vs CrankWheel — and walk away knowing which one fits.
Which tool fits your team best
Which is actually cheaper for your team size
Where each product wins, per real buyers
Most Transactional Email Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.
Biggest differences
Features
Pricing
Buying details
Security
Buyer feedback
Integrations
Product tour
Other options
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Biggest differences
Start here before you go deeper into features.
Individuals, Freelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises
Best for medium-sized sales teams needing seamless Salesforce and Gmail integration.
- You want a simple, streamlined sales engagement platform with medium setup complexity.
- Your team relies heavily on Salesforce and Gmail for sales communication and tracking.
- You need effective email management and client interaction tracking via built-in Flows.
- Your organization requires highly customizable or complex sales workflows beyond Groove's scope.
- You need transparent, fixed pricing without engaging sales for quotes.
Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business
Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business
SMTP typically suits Individuals and Freelancers / Consultants. Groove tends to fit Large Enterprises and Medium Business better. The right choice depends on your team size, workflow, and whether a free trial matters.
Description | SMTP was built to solve the challenges of sending email from devices behind restrictive firewalls or communicating directly with a server over SMTP. It features multiple design elements and ... Read More about SMTP | Groove is a sales engagement platform that makes communication and collaboration easy. Feature rich, the system is used by thousands of companies to connect sales teams, track deals from ... Read More about Groove | AroundDeal is the ultimate tool for B2B marketing initiatives. Our extension helps you quickly and accurately identify leads necessary to close deals faster. We provide you with a list of ... Read More about AroundDeal | CrankWheel provides instant screen-sharing and helps you to quickly reduce your sales cycle by half. It can broadcast your visual presentation from your phone in just 10 seconds, ... Read More about CrankWheel |
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SpotScoreWhat's this? ↗ | 7.2/10 | 9.4/10 | Not Available | Not Available |
User RatingsBased on verified Spotsaas reviews | ||||
Best Company Size | 50 to 500 employees | 100 to 1,000 employeesMedium Business | — | — |
Get pricing help | Get pricing help |
Where each option fits best
See where each product is strongest, which teams it fits, and what causes buyers to keep looking — before you commit.
Based on buyer reviews and verified product data collected by Spotsaas.
Key strengths
- Reliable Email Delivery: With SMTP, your emails reach their intended recipients consistently. Businesses benefit from reduced bounce rates and improved communication efficiency.
- Scalability: Whether you're sending a few emails or millions, SMTP scales easily to meet your growing needs. This flexibility helps companies expand their outreach without hitting technical limits.
- Security Features: SMTP protocols improve the security of your email communications. Use its built-in encryption methods to protect sensitive information and build stakeholder trust.
- Smooth Collaboration: Groove improves team communication by integrating various tools into one platform. Managers will appreciate the ease of collaboration, while team members can easily share updates and feedback in real time.
- Increased Productivity: With Groove's intuitive interface and automation features, teams can focus on their core tasks rather than getting bogged down by administrative duties. Executives will find that this boost in productivity leads to faster decision-making and improved outcomes.
- Data-Driven Insights: Groove provides reliable analytics and reporting capabilities, allowing administrators to track performance metrics effectively. This data lets leaders make informed decisions that drive growth and efficiency across the organization.
No key benefits available yet.
No key benefits available yet.
Best fit
- 50 to 500 employees
- Martech, Fintech, SaaS, E-commerce, and Digital Marketing
- Marketing Managers, IT Administrators, Email Marketing Specialists, Sales Executives, and Customer Success Managers
- 100 to 1,000 employees
- Sales Automation, SaaS, Consulting, and Revtech
- Sales Managers, Account Executives, Business Development Representatives, and CRM Administrators
No best-fit guidance available yet.
No best-fit guidance available yet.
Reasons buyers look elsewhere
- Users may seek alternatives to SMTP due to deliverability issues, as emails can often be marked as spam or face filtering challenges, impacting communication effectiveness and business operations.
- Security concerns are a common reason for exploring alternatives; SMTP lacks advanced encryption and authentication measures, making it vulnerable to interception and unauthorized access.
- The increasing need for real-time communication drives users towards alternatives that offer instant messaging or collaboration features, which are not supported by traditional SMTP protocols.
- Users may seek alternatives to Groove if they find the platform's pricing model to be restrictive, especially for small businesses or startups with limited budgets that require cost-effective solutions.
- Some users might consider alternatives due to specific feature gaps in Groove, such as advanced reporting capabilities or integrations with niche tools that better suit their unique business needs.
- A need for improved customer support could drive users to explore other options, especially if they experience delays or inadequate assistance from Groove’s support team during critical times.
No alternatives guidance available yet.
No alternatives guidance available yet.
Software Demo
Demo |
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How do SMTP, Groove, AroundDeal and CrankWheel Compare on Features?
Total Features | 5 Features | 25 Features | 5 Features | 6 Features |
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Unique Features | No unique features | No unique features | No unique features | No unique features |
Get Quote | Get Quote |
Compare SMTP, Groove, AroundDeal and CrankWheel on pricing
Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.
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Pricing Page |  | Pricing information not available | Pricing information not available |  |
Other Details
Organization Types supported |
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Platforms Supported |
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Get help choosing | Get help choosing |
Security & Compliance
Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.
SOC 2 | — | ✓ Yes |
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HIPAA | — | ✗ No |
GDPR | — | ✓ Yes |
Single Sign-On (SSO) | — | ✓ Yes |
Multi-Factor Auth (MFA) | — | ✓ Yes |
Data Encryption | — | ✓ Yes |
Audit Logs | — | ✓ Yes |
Data Residency | 🇺🇸 US | 🌐 Global |
SMTP vs Groove vs AroundDeal User Reviews & Rating Comparison
User Ratings | 5 (based on 30 reviews) | |||
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Rating Distribution | ||||
Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI | Buyer sentiment Buyer sentiment is mixed to positive across 11 reviews, with clear strengths and a few common watchouts. What buyers like
Common complaints
| Buyer sentiment Overall, users praise Groove for its ease of use, seamless integrations, and productivity enhancements, though some desire improved organization features and clearer pricing. What buyers like
Common complaints
| Buyer sentiment Buyer sentiment is mixed to positive across 154 reviews, with clear strengths and a few common watchouts. What buyers like
Common complaints
| Buyer sentiment Buyer sentiment is very strong across 30 reviews, with consistently positive feedback. What buyers like
Common complaints
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Pros and Cons |
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Positive Reviews | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product |
| Negative Reviews | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product |
List of Customers
Customers | No Customers information available. |  Uber  BBVA  | No Customers information available. |  CrankWheel_customers_0  CrankWheel_customers_1  CrankWheel_customers_2 |
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Media and Screenshots
Screenshots | No screenshots available. |  5 Screenshots |
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Videos |  1 Videos |  1 Videos |
Alternatives
Alternatives |
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Related Blogs and Articles for Sales Engagement Software
Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
- Which is better, SMTP or Groove?
- Groove edges out the other on user ratings (4.7 vs 3.9). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
- Do SMTP and Groove offer a free trial?
- Neither SMTP nor Groove currently lists a free trial.
- What is the starting price of SMTP vs Groove?
- SMTP starts at Contact for pricing. Groove starts at Contact for pricing.
- What are the top alternatives to SMTP?
- Top alternatives to SMTP include Campaigner, Moosend, GreenArrow Engine, MailerSend, Netcore Email API.
- What are the top alternatives to Groove?
- Top alternatives to Groove include AroundDeal, CrankWheel, ZoomInfo Engage, EngageBay, Captavi.