Octopus CRM is one of the most affordable LinkedIn automation tools on the market. At $6.99/month on annual billing for the Starter plan, it's hard to beat on price. It's simple, it has a built-in mini-CRM, and it holds a 4.6/5 on Capterra from 274 reviews.
But there are a few things worth understanding about how Octopus CRM's pricing tiers work, which LinkedIn account types are compatible with each plan, and what you're actually giving up at each price point before you commit.
This guide breaks down how Octopus CRM and Botdog compare so you can decide which tool is best for your use case in 2026.
Octopus CRM at a glance
Octopus CRM is a Chrome browser extension that automates LinkedIn connection requests, bulk messaging, profile visits, and skill endorsements. It runs inside your browser, which means campaigns operate while Chrome is open and your computer is on.
Octopus CRM holds a 4.3/5 on G2 from 118 reviews, a 4.6/5 on Capterra from 274 reviews, and a 3.5/5 on Trustpilot from 203 reviews.
Octopus CRM’s key features include:
- Automated connection requests, messages, profile visits, and skill endorsements.
- Built-in personal CRM with stats dashboard.
- Campaign creation (Advanced and Unlimited plans only).
- Zapier and HubSpot integrations (Unlimited plan only).
- Activity Control safety monitoring (Unlimited plan only).
- 7-day free trial with no credit card required.
Botdog at a glance
Botdog is a cloud-based LinkedIn automation tool built for salespeople, recruiters, and founders who want simple, safe outreach without complexity. It focuses exclusively on LinkedIn and has comprehensive safety features, team features, and unlimited campaigns included on all plans.
Botdog holds a 4.9/5 rating on G2 from 62 reviews.
Botdog's key features include:
- Cloud-based LinkedIn automation running 24/7 with no computer required.
- Unlimited campaigns and full LinkedIn quotas on all plans.
- Automatic safety features on all plans (no configuration, no paywall).
- Auto-withdrawal of pending invitations (14, 30, or 60 days).
- Shared inbox and team collaboration on all plans.
- AI lead review and reply snippets (Professional + AI tier).
- Full refund guarantee if your account is suspended due to Botdog activity.
Browser extension vs cloud-based automation tools
The single biggest difference between the two tools is that Octopus CRM runs as a Chrome extension, whereas Botdog runs in the cloud.
If you’re an Octopus CRM user, your campaigns will only send connection requests, messages, and follow-ups while Chrome is open on your computer. If you close your laptop, your outreach will stop until you open it again in the morning. For salespeople who want outreach running while they sleep, travel, or focus on closing deals, this is a significant limitation.
Botdog runs entirely in the cloud, so campaigns operate 24/7, regardless of whether your computer is on or off. You set up a campaign, and it runs continuously until you pause or stop it. There's nothing to install, no browser to keep open, and no dependency on a machine.
LinkedIn account compatibility
This is where Octopus CRM's low pricing becomes a bit more complicated.
Octopus CRM's Starter, Pro, and Advanced plans are only compatible with free LinkedIn accounts and Sales Navigator. If you have LinkedIn Premium or Recruiter, your only option is the Unlimited plan at $24.99/month annually or $39.99/month monthly.
Botdog, on the other hand, is compatible with all LinkedIn account types on every plan. Whether you're on a free account, Premium, Sales Navigator, or Recruiter, you can use any Botdog tier with no hidden add-ons.
Safety features
Octopus CRM includes basic safety measures across all plans, such as conservative default sending limits and delays between actions. However, Activity Control, the feature that monitors your LinkedIn account and sends you alerts when the system detects excessive activity, is only available on the Unlimited plan ($24.99/month annually). On the Starter, Pro, and Advanced plans, you'll be operating without that extra layer of monitoring.
It's worth noting that Octopus CRM markets itself as "the safest LinkedIn automation tool on the market." At the same time, its most advanced safety feature is reserved for the highest-paying tier.
Botdog's safety features are identical across every plan. Every Botdog user gets randomized send timing, daily limit enforcement based on their LinkedIn account type, and real-time account health monitoring. There is no configuration required unless you want to make adjustments, and no safety-related features are paywalled behind higher tiers.
Botdog's detection rate is less than 0.1% for users on paid LinkedIn accounts (roughly 1 in 1,000 users). If your account is suspended as a direct result of using Botdog, you receive a full refund of everything paid since signing up.
Campaign features
Octopus CRM's campaign capabilities depend heavily on which tier you're on. The Starter plan ($6.99/month annually) gives you personalized connection requests, a personal CRM with stats, and the ability to connect with premium LinkedIn users only. That means you don’t get access to bulk messaging, auto-viewing profiles, endorsing skills, campaigns, or data exports.
The Pro plan ($9.99/month annually) adds bulk messaging, auto-viewing profiles, and auto-endorsing skills. But you still can't create structured campaigns, export or import data, or build funnels.
The Advanced plan ($14.99/month annually) is where campaign creation, data import/export, and funnel building become available.
The Unlimited plan ($24.99/month annually) removes all restrictions and adds Zapier/HubSpot integration, Activity Control, and compatibility with Premium and Recruiter Lite accounts.
Botdog includes unlimited campaigns and full quotas (in line with LinkedIn’s limits) on every plan, so we don’t lock essential features behind a paywall. Instead, we offer add-on capabilities to users on higher tiers, like API access on Professional and AI features on Professional + AI.
Inbox and conversation management
Octopus CRM doesn’t include an in-platform inbox, so when a prospect replies to your message, you’ll need to switch to LinkedIn to read and respond. For salespeople managing dozens of active conversations, switching back and forth between the Octopus CRM dashboard and LinkedIn can be quite frustrating.
Botdog offers a unified inbox to users on all plans, where you can read, reply to, and manage prospect conversations in one place. For teams, this also means managers can see all conversations across team members without logging into individual LinkedIn accounts.
Team features
Octopus CRM doesn’t offer team management features, so each user needs their own Chrome extension installation. There's also no shared dashboard, no team analytics, and no way for a manager to view or manage multiple team members' campaigns from one place. For solo users, this isn't a problem, but for teams of 3 or more, it might become a bit of a headache.
Botdog includes team collaboration features on all plans. A shared inbox, multi-account switching, and team-wide campaign visibility are available from Starter at $35/month per user annually. Botdog also recently added a new feature that prevents team members from accidentally contacting the same prospects.
Integrations
Octopus CRM integrates with Zapier and HubSpot, but only on the Unlimited plan ($24.99/month annually). The Starter, Pro, and Advanced plans have no integration capabilities, and Octopus CRM does not offer an API.
Botdog offers API and webhook access on the Professional plan ($39/month annually) and above. This allows connections to HubSpot, Salesforce, and other CRMs through Zapier, webhooks, or direct API calls. For teams that need to sync LinkedIn activity with their CRM, Botdog’s API provides more flexibility than Octopus CRM's Zapier-only approach.
Pricing
It’s no secret that Octopus CRM is cheaper than Botdog, but here’s what that $10-$20/month price difference gets you on Botdog:
Octopus CRM pricing in April 2026:
- Starter: $9.99/month billed monthly or $6.99/month billed annually. Works with free LinkedIn + Sales Navigator only and includes personalized invites and a CRM with stats.
- Pro: $14.99/month billed monthly or $9.99/month billed annually. Works with free LinkedIn + Sales Navigator only and adds bulk messaging, auto profile visits, and auto skill endorsements.
- Advanced: $21.99/month billed monthly or $14.99/month billed annually. Works with free LinkedIn + Sales Navigator only and adds campaign creation, data export/import, and funnel building.
- Unlimited: $39.99/month billed monthly or $24.99/month billed annually. Works with all LinkedIn account types (free, Premium, Sales Navigator, Recruiter) and adds Zapier/HubSpot integration and Activity Control safety monitoring.
Botdog pricing in April 2026:
- Starter: $69/month billed monthly or $35/month billed annually. Works with all LinkedIn account types and includes unlimited campaigns, full safety features, shared inbox, team collaboration, and auto-withdrawal of pending invitations.
- Professional: $79/month billed monthly or $39/month billed annually. Everything in Starter plus API and webhook access for CRM integrations.
- Professional + AI: $99/month billed monthly or $49/month billed annually. Everything in Professional plus AI lead review and AI reply snippets.
- Botdog also offers 3-monthly and 6-monthly billing options and volume pricing for users who need 10+ accounts from $28/month billed annually.
The like-for-like comparison between Octopus CRM and Botdog depends on your LinkedIn account type. If you're on LinkedIn Premium or Recruiter Lite, your only Octopus CRM option is Unlimited at $24.99/month, making the comparison Octopus Unlimited ($24.99) vs Botdog Starter ($35). That's a difference of $10.01/month, or $120.12/year.
If you're on a free LinkedIn account or Sales Navigator, you could use Octopus CRM's cheaper tiers. But the Advanced plan at $14.99/month is the lowest tier that includes campaign creation, and it still doesn't include Activity Control, integrations, or Premium/Recruiter compatibility.
6 things worth knowing before you sign up for Octopus CRM:
1. The lower tiers are more limited than they appear.
At $6.99/month, Octopus CRM looks like a steal, but the Starter plan only automates connection requests. Even the Pro plan ($9.99/month) doesn't include campaign creation or data exports. Most users who want full automation end up on the Advanced ($14.99/month) or Unlimited ($24.99/month) plan, which narrows the price gap with Botdog considerably.
2. LinkedIn Premium and Recruiter users are locked to the Unlimited plan.
If you're not on a free LinkedIn account or Sales Navigator, the $6.99-$14.99 tiers aren't available to you. Your starting price is $24.99/month, which puts the comparison much closer to Botdog's $35/month Starter plan.
3. Octopus CRM's FAQ advertises bypassing LinkedIn's weekly connection request limit.
Their FAQ states that you can "bypass this limit and start sending a higher volume of invitations per week without any risk to your LinkedIn account" by sending connection requests via email. Under LinkedIn's current detection systems, any tool advertising ways to exceed LinkedIn's built-in limits is putting users' accounts at risk, because LinkedIn's systems are specifically designed to identify this kind of activity.
4. Activity Control is only available on the Unlimited plan.
If you're on Starter, Pro, or Advanced, you're automating LinkedIn outreach without the real-time monitoring that alerts you when LinkedIn flags excessive activity. That means you should manually track your daily activity to avoid triggering LinkedIn's limits.
5. There's no in-platform inbox.
Every reply from a prospect requires you to switch to LinkedIn to respond. For high-volume outreach, this creates friction and makes it easy to miss or delay responses to warm leads.
6. Team use requires separate installations.
There's no centralized team dashboard, no shared analytics, and no way to manage multiple accounts from one place. Each team member operates independently.
TLDR?
Choose Octopus CRM if:
- You're a solo user on a tight budget who needs basic LinkedIn automation
- You're on a free LinkedIn account or Sales Navigator (otherwise, you're limited to the Unlimited plan)
- You're comfortable with browser-based automation (computer must be on, Chrome must be open)
- You don't need team management features, a shared inbox, or real-time safety monitoring
- You're willing to pay for the Advanced or Unlimited plan to get basic functionality
Choose Botdog if:
- You want outreach running 24/7 without keeping your computer on
- You're on LinkedIn Premium or Recruiter and don't want to be forced onto the most expensive tier
- You don't want safety features locked behind a higher tier
- You need team management features and a shared inbox
- You want the simplest possible setup with campaigns live in under 3 minutes
- You value the security of a full refund guarantee
Octopus CRM is a reasonable choice for budget-conscious solo users on free LinkedIn accounts who are comfortable with the browser-based trade-offs, but Botdog is the better choice for salespeople, recruiters, and teams who need reliable, always-on LinkedIn automation with safety and team features built into every plan.
Ready to try Botdog? Start your 7-day free trial today and set up your first campaign in under 3 minutes with no credit card required.
