Alternatives · Frontal (formerly ColdIQ Agency)

Frontal (formerly ColdIQ Agency) alternatives

ColdIQ is now a software product, a GTM data API and skills marketplace; the agency became Frontal, same team, per Clay's partner directory. Six verified alternatives for 2026 if you want a lighter first commitment, one motion rather than the whole system, or month-to-month terms from day one.

By Rahul Bageria, co-founder · Updated August 2026

Real Good GTM is one of the alternatives on this list. We do not rank ourselves first, we say where we fit and where we do not, and every agency here is verified on its own site. Judge for yourself.

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The short answer Verified August 2026

No single best alternative, only the best for how much you want built or run for you and how big a first commitment you want. The short version, by use case:

Best done-for-you allbound

Understory

Outbound and paid run as one motion.

Best European managed Clay outbound

Saleslift Studio

An SDR pod plus Clay-built prospecting.

Best system you own afterward

Nebor

Built in your accounts, then it is yours.

Most transparent, founder-scale

The GTM Engineering Company

Fractional build, public $4k to $6k a month.

Our slice (that's us)

Real Good GTM

Founder-led, signal-based, seed to Series A. We use Clay heavily but are not a certified Clay shop.

Every agency below is verified on its own site, and Frontal's own offer on frontal.so and in Clay's partner directory, August 2026. No paid placements, no affiliate links.

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Why switch

Why teams look for a Frontal alternative

Frontal, the former ColdIQ Agency, is a genuinely strong Clay Elite Studio shop, so most teams look elsewhere for fit reasons, not quality ones. Here is the honest read, strengths first.

What Frontal does well

A revenue system built inside your own stack, then owned or run

Frontal's first engagement is a fixed 90-day build it calls The Foundation: a data foundation, a signal layer of 10 to 15 live buying signals, and 4 to 6 signal-triggered plays, built inside your own tools; at day 90 you own it. After that it either hands the engine over or its operators run outbound, ads, and content month to month (Run the Execution Layer). It is a Clay Elite Studio partner and counts 275+ companies served, its figure.

If you are a post-PMF B2B company with a real sales team that wants one partner to build the whole system, it is a strong pick.

Where the fit can break

A full-system build for post-PMF teams, on a fixed first engagement

Frontal describes its fit as B2B companies past product-market fit with a real sales team; the Foundation is a fixed 90-day engagement before anything is month to month; and pricing is scoped on a call, not published on its own site (Clay's directory lists $5k+ a month with a three-month minimum engagement, a directory field, not a price list).

Worth knowing it does not do cold calling and says so, the whole system (outbound, ads, and content) is more than a team that only wants outbound needs, and we found no third-party review score on its own site, testimonials and case studies instead.

The read

This is not a takedown. The reasons to consider an alternative are about shape: whether you are past PMF, whether you want a fixed 90-day system build before month-to-month terms, and whether you need the whole system or one motion. The six below each answer one of those. Match the shape of your problem to the agency, not the other way around.

At a glance

The Frontal alternatives at a glance

Grouped by fit, not ranked. Pricing is the lowest figure each agency publishes on its own site, checked August 2026. Where nothing is published, it shows as "custom."

Agency	What they do	Best-fit stage	Pricing	Based
Understory	Allbound: outbound + paid	Funded B2B SaaS	Custom	US
Saleslift Studio	Managed SDR + Clay outbound	European B2B	Custom	Amsterdam, NL
Nebor	GTM infra you own (Clay)	Funded B2B	Setup fee + retainer	Amsterdam, NL
Kinetyca	Systemized GTM, intent loops	Post-PMF B2B	Custom	Miami, US
Peakora	Build-and-train GTM systems	Post-PMF, DACH/EU	Custom	Baar, CH
Real Good GTM	Signal-based outbound	Seed to early Series A	Month to month	Paris (remote)
The GTM Engineering Company	Fractional GTM engineer	Seed to Series B	$4k to $6k/mo	Remote

Details move. Treat this as an August 2026 snapshot and confirm on each agency's own site before you commit.

How we built this list

A practitioner read, not a reposted directory

Each entry was verified on the agency's own current site in August 2026: offer, audience, engagement model, and any price shown. The shortlist keeps only true Frontal peers, the GTM-engineering and Clay-native shops a founder would seriously consider as a swap for the former ColdIQ Agency, with anything unconfirmable removed.

We run outbound on Clay for a living, so the read on each shop comes from knowing the work. Where an agency's Clay partner tier is verifiable in Clay's own directory, we say so; where it is a self-description, we flag it. Ratings are shown only where a credible sample exists, and for this category none did, so we show none.

How we built this list

→ Every agency verified on its own current site, August 2026
→ Clay partner tiers checked against Clay's own directory, self-claims flagged as such
→ No affiliate links, no paid placements, no pay-to-list
→ We publish this list and we are on it. We do not rank ourselves first, and we say where we are not the fit
→ Grouped by fit, not ranked. If a fact could not be verified, we left it out. Read how we evaluate.

The real test

The whole system, or one motion?

Clay-native shops now split on two things that matter more than any logo wall: how big a first commitment they ask for (Frontal's Foundation is a fixed 90-day system build), and whether you want the whole revenue system, data, signals, outbound, ads, and content, or one motion run well. Two honest brackets, and neither is wrong.

The whole system (post-PMF)

A fixed multi-month build of the full engine

If you are past PMF and want one partner on the whole system, a full-system builder like Frontal fits, and so do Understory and Saleslift Studio on the run-it-for-you side, or Nebor, Kinetyca, and Peakora on the build-it-you-own side. You get a sophisticated engine, but the first commitment assumes post-PMF budget and a real sales team.

Use it when you are past PMF and want one partner to build or run the whole system.

One motion (lighter first commitment)

Outbound run well, before you buy the whole system

If you want one motion first, the fit is a lighter-commitment shop: The GTM Engineering Company at a public $4,000 to $6,000 a month, or Real Good GTM month to month after a two-month start (that is us, disclosed). A smaller first commitment, but you are buying one motion, not the whole engine.

Use it when you want outbound running well before you buy the whole system, or want terms you can exit sooner.

The through-line

Start with the shape of the first commitment, not the logo. Frontal's Foundation is a fixed 90-day system build for post-PMF teams; if you want something lighter first, a fractional builder or a founder-led shop fits better. The second axis is scope: the whole system, or one motion. The third: if you want the machine built and handed over, several shops here do that, and so does Frontal after its build.

The alternatives

The six alternatives, grouped by fit

Grouped by whether they run the motion for you, build it for you to keep, or fit a smaller team. Read the group that matches where you are.

Group A

Done-for-you Clay outbound engines

The closest swaps for Frontal's Execution Layer: a managed team runs the motion for you. The pick when you want a sophisticated engine live fast and off your plate.

01

Understory

US Allbound

A Clay Advanced Artisan partner that runs paid media, GTM engineering, and LinkedIn content as one allbound system, with a marquee client roster.

Best for

Funded B2B SaaS that wants outbound, paid, and RevOps run as one compounding motion.

Model & pricing (Aug 2026)

Flat retainer based on the services and service level you pick, quoted on a call, with a four-to-six-month minimum. Pricing not published.

Where they're strong

A verified Clay partner running outbound and paid together, with clients named on-page including Clay, HockeyStack, and RB2B.

Consider elsewhere if

You need a small, single-channel, or short engagement. Minimum terms run four to six months and pricing is quoted per scope.

Bottom line

The pick when you want outbound and paid run as one motion, if you can commit for four to six months.

Visit Understory Verified Aug 2026

02

Saleslift Studio

Amsterdam, NL Managed SDR + Clay

An Amsterdam sales-development agency running outsourced SDR programs and Clay-powered multichannel outbound, so a European team can buy the motion without building it.

Best for

European B2B teams wanting a managed SDR plus Clay outbound motion without building it in-house.

Model & pricing (Aug 2026)

Managed SDR and outbound programs on a retainer shape, quoted per scope. Pricing not published.

Where they're strong

A verified Clay partner (Studio tier), an Amsterdam team pairing Clay-driven prospecting with a full meeting-booking motion.

Consider elsewhere if

You want US-based delivery or a CRM-enrichment focus rather than a Europe-based SDR motion.

Bottom line

The European done-for-you pick when you want Clay-built outbound plus reps booking the meetings.

Visit Saleslift Studio Verified Aug 2026

Group B

Build-and-own GTM systems

The closest swaps for Frontal's 90-day Foundation build: they build the Clay-powered system in your accounts and hand it to your team. The pick when you want to keep the machine rather than rent it.

03

Nebor

Amsterdam, NL Build-and-own

Full-stack GTM infrastructure, outbound, demand gen, and CRM hygiene, built by operator founders with Clay as the spine and delivered in your own accounts. Co-founded in 2026 by the founder of Utmost Agency.

Best for

Funded B2B that would rather own an implemented GTM stack than rent another agency's campaigns.

Model & pricing (Aug 2026)

Build packages: one setup fee up front, then monthly monitoring, quoted to scope.

Where they're strong

Integrated GTM and RevOps built on Clay, operator founders, and systems that live in your accounts after the engagement.

Consider elsewhere if

You want a long-tenured brand or a fully managed ongoing service. The model hands the system back to you to run.

Bottom line

The pick when you want a Clay GTM system you will own and run yourself afterward.

Visit Nebor Verified Aug 2026

04

Kinetyca

Miami, US Systemized GTM

Founder-led, ops-disciplined GTM: intent loops that run from ad to booked call, with enrichment, scoring, and routing wired together and built so you can run them in-house.

Best for

Post-PMF B2B that wants disciplined GTM infrastructure and TAM mapping it can later run itself.

Model & pricing (Aug 2026)

Done-for-you build and run, quoted per scope. Pricing not published.

Where they're strong

An operations-first approach, verified Clay partner status, and Clay intent loops that run from ad to booked call.

Consider elsewhere if

You are pre-PMF or pre-revenue. The model assumes an existing motion to systemize.

Bottom line

The pick when you want disciplined, ops-first Clay infrastructure feeding booked calls.

Visit Kinetyca Verified Aug 2026

05

Peakora

Baar, CH Build-and-train

A leading Clay partner in the DACH region that builds end-to-end marketing and sales systems and then trains your team to run them.

Best for

Post-PMF European teams, especially in DACH, that want a built and transferable GTM system they own afterward.

Model & pricing (Aug 2026)

Project-based build plus enablement, quoted per scope. Pricing not published.

Where they're strong

DACH Clay leadership, a build-and-train model that transfers knowledge, and 200-plus companies supported.

Consider elsewhere if

You want a purely done-for-you US-timezone SDR team. Peakora is systems-and-enablement-led and Europe-centric.

Bottom line

The DACH and Europe pick when you want a GTM system built and then handed to your team.

Visit Peakora Verified Aug 2026

Not sure whether you need the whole system built or a smaller motion run well? Book a fit check. We will tell you straight which of these fits your stage, even when it is not us.

Book a Fit Check

Group C

Founder-led and fractional

Smaller-scale options for teams earlier than Frontal's post-PMF fit, or that want a lighter first commitment than a fixed 90-day system build. The pick at seed and early stage, or when you want a part-time expert or the founders themselves.

06

The GTM Engineering Company

Remote Fractional

The lightest-touch counter to a full-service retainer: a fractional GTM engineer embedded part-time to build clean CRM data and an outbound engine, pricing in public.

Best for

Seed to Series B founders earlier than Frontal's post-PMF fit who need an expert builder part-time, not a permanent operator.

Model & pricing (Aug 2026)

A fractional retainer of three to six months at roughly 5 to 10 hours a week, published at $4,000 to $6,000 a month.

Where they're strong

A clear fractional model, transparent published pricing, and YC-founder pedigree focused on VC-backed startups.

Consider elsewhere if

You need a full done-for-you team running daily execution rather than a part-time builder.

Bottom line

The most transparent, founder-scale option if you want to build the engine and keep it, not rent a full team.

Visit the site Verified Aug 2026

07

Real Good GTM (that's us)

Paris · US/Europe Founder-led · signal-based

For the stage before Frontal's post-PMF fit: two founders running signal-based outbound for seed to early Series A B2B, with booked pipeline and a read on what to scale.

Best for

Seed to early Series A founders who want founders on the account and a system they keep, not a six-figure managed engine.

Model

A two-month start, then month to month, no lock-in. Signals over lists, built per segment. We use Clay heavily in the stack.

Where we're strong

The founders stay on the account throughout, targeting follows live buying signals, and a continuously written learning document maps what converts.

Not for you if

You want a certified Clay build partner, an enterprise-scale done-for-you engine, cold calling, or guaranteed lead counts. We do not do those.

Straight talk

We use Clay extensively but we are not a certified Clay agency, and we are not the pick for a full revenue-system build across outbound, ads, and content. If outbound is not right for you yet, we will say so on the call.

Book a Fit Check

How to choose

Who each one is for

Start from whichever situation reads like yours and take that agency first. An entry point, not the answer.

Seed or early stage, founder-led

Real Good GTM (that's us) for founder-led, signal-based outbound, or The GTM Engineering Company for a fractional build.

You want the engine run for you

Understory for allbound plus paid, or Saleslift Studio for a European SDR motion.

You want a system you own afterward

Nebor or Kinetyca. Clay-powered infrastructure built for your team to run.

You are based in Europe or DACH

Peakora for a build-and-train system, or Saleslift Studio for a managed motion.

You want public, transparent pricing

The GTM Engineering Company, published at $4,000 to $6,000 a month for a fractional build.

You want outbound and paid as one motion

Understory, which runs GTM engineering, paid media, and LinkedIn content together.

Putting it together

How we'd actually choose

We run outbound on Clay for a living, so here is the order we would run the decision in, whether or not we are on your list.

1

Match the first commitment to your stage

Frontal's Foundation is a fixed 90-day build for post-PMF teams. At seed, that narrows you fast to a fractional builder or a founder-led shop.

2

Decide if you want the whole system or one motion

A full-system build (or run) gets you outbound, ads, and content off one account list; a single-motion shop gets you outbound running sooner, on a smaller first commitment. Pick the scope before the logo.

3

Check the Clay credential and the scope

If a formal Clay build is the whole job, confirm the partner is listed in Clay's directory. If you only need part of the motion, do not buy the whole engine.

Want a second opinion? Book a fit check and we will tell you which of these fits your stage, even when it is not us.

Book a Fit Check

FAQ

Questions people ask

Why do teams look for a Frontal alternative?

Frontal is the former ColdIQ Agency under its new name: in 2026 ColdIQ Agency became Frontal, same team, per Clay's partner directory, while the ColdIQ brand now sells a GTM data API. It is a strong Clay Elite Studio shop, so most teams look elsewhere for fit reasons: it is built for B2B companies past product-market fit, its first engagement is a fixed 90-day system build, its pricing is scoped on a call rather than published, and it delivers the whole system where some teams only want outbound run well.

How much does Frontal cost, and are the alternatives cheaper?

Frontal publishes no price on its own site: pricing is scoped on a 30-minute call, the 90-day build is a fixed engagement, operators after it are month to month, and Clay's partner directory lists $5k+ a month with a three-month minimum (a directory field, not a price list). Among the alternatives, The GTM Engineering Company publishes $4,000 to $6,000 a month; Understory quotes a flat retainer per scope with a four-to-six-month minimum; Nebor, Kinetyca, Peakora, and Saleslift Studio quote per scope, and Real Good GTM scopes pricing on a fit check. Always confirm on each agency's own site.

What is the best Frontal alternative for an early-stage startup?

Frontal describes its fit as B2B companies past product-market fit with a real sales team, so at seed to early Series A the realistic options are a fractional builder like The GTM Engineering Company (public $4,000 to $6,000 a month) or a founder-led, signal-based shop like Real Good GTM (that is us). Both fit smaller teams that are not ready for a fixed 90-day full-system build.

Is Frontal a Clay agency, and are these alternatives Clay specialists?

Frontal is a Clay Elite Studio partner, Clay's top tier, listed in Clay's own directory as Frontal AI (the directory entry is where Clay records that ColdIQ Agency became Frontal). Several alternatives here are also verified Clay partners in Clay's directory, including Understory, Saleslift Studio, Peakora, and Kinetyca, and Nebor is a listed Clay partner too (Artisan tier). Real Good GTM uses Clay extensively in its outbound but is not a certified Clay agency. If a formal Clay build is the whole job, start with a directory-listed Clay partner.

Which of these alternatives build a system you own versus run it for you?

Frontal now does both: its 90-day Foundation is built inside your own tools and handed over, and its Execution Layer runs outbound, ads, and content for you month to month. Nebor, Peakora, and Kinetyca lean toward build-and-transfer; Understory and Saleslift Studio lean toward done-for-you; The GTM Engineering Company builds fractionally and hands it off; and Real Good GTM runs the outbound but leaves you the system. Decide which you want before you shortlist.

How did you choose and verify this list?

We verified each agency on its own site, and Frontal's offer on frontal.so and in Clay's partner directory, in August 2026: what it does, who it serves, its engagement model, and any pricing it publishes. Ratings appear only where a credible sample of roughly ten or more reviews exists, read off Clutch; for these newer GTM-engineering shops we found none, so we show none. No paid placements, no affiliate links. We publish this list and we are on it, we do not rank ourselves first, and we say where we are not the fit.

About the author

Rahul Bageria

Co-founder of Real Good GTM. He builds and runs signal-based outbound, much of it on Clay, for seed to early Series A B2B startups. This comparison comes from working alongside and against agencies like these on live programs, and from verifying every claim here on each agency's own site, not a directory listing.

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