While the average email might only get opened by about one in five people, recent data reveals the simple strategies that can skyrocket your open rates to well over 40%.
Key Takeaways
- The average email open rate for all industries in 2023 was 21.33%
- Global average open rate across 100,000+ campaigns in Q4 2023 stood at 22.1%
- Overall email open rate benchmark for 2022 was 20.45% based on 10 billion emails
- Retail industry email open rate averaged 18.45% in 2023
- E-commerce open rates reached 15.68% on average in 2023 data
- Healthcare sector averaged 23.12% email open rates in 2023
- US email open rates averaged 22.86% in 2023
- UK average open rate was 20.45% for emails in 2023
- Canada open rates hit 23.12% average in 2023 data
- Welcome series emails had 51.2% open rates on average
- Promotional campaign open rates averaged 14.89% across lists
- Newsletter campaigns opened at 23.45% average rate
- Emails sent Tuesday averaged 23.45% open rates
- Wednesday campaigns saw 24.12% average opens
- Thursday open rates averaged 22.78% across data
Transactional emails achieve nearly 50% open rates, showing consistent industry growth.
Average Benchmarks
- The average email open rate for all industries in 2023 was 21.33%
- Global average open rate across 100,000+ campaigns in Q4 2023 stood at 22.1%
- Overall email open rate benchmark for 2022 was 20.45% based on 10 billion emails
- Average open rate for transactional emails in 2023 reached 35.2%
- Non-commercial email lists averaged 25.8% open rates in 2023 surveys
- Average open rate for welcome emails was 48.75% in 2023 data
- Promotional emails had an average open rate of 15.22% across 2023 benchmarks
- Average open rate for all email types in B2C was 18.9% in 2023
- Newsletter open rates averaged 21.5% in global 2023 reports
- Average open rate improved to 23.1% for engaged lists in 2023
- US average email open rate in 2023 was 22.4% per industry data
- UK open rate average hit 20.8% for 2023 campaigns
- Average open rate for small businesses was 24.2% in 2023
- Enterprise-level average open rate was 19.7% in 2023 stats
- Average mobile open rate across all was 37.5% in 2023
- Desktop open rates averaged 18.3% globally in 2023
- Average open rate for automated emails was 28.4% in 2023
- Manual campaign open rates averaged 17.9% in 2023 data
- Average open rate for new subscribers was 32.1% in 2023
- Long-term subscriber average open rate was 16.5% in 2023
- Average open rate during holidays was 26.7% in 2023 Q4
- Non-holiday average open rate was 20.2% in 2023
- Average open rate for A/B tested subjects was 24.8% in 2023
- Non-tested subject lines averaged 19.1% open rate in 2023
- Average open rate with personalization was 29.3% in 2023
- Generic emails averaged 14.7% open rate in 2023 benchmarks
- Average open rate for short subject lines (<50 chars) was 25.6% in 2023
- Long subject lines averaged 18.2% open rate in 2023
- Average open rate on Tuesday was 22.9% across 2023 data
- Monday open rates averaged 21.1% in 2023 reports
Average Benchmarks Interpretation
For all our sophisticated marketing strategies, the cold, hard truth of email is that most of humanity's inbox remains a digital graveyard, where even the best messages are more likely to be ignored than opened, proving that in the battle for attention, indifference usually wins by a landslide.
Campaign Types
- Welcome series emails had 51.2% open rates on average
- Promotional campaign open rates averaged 14.89% across lists
- Newsletter campaigns opened at 23.45% average rate
- Abandoned cart emails achieved 45.67% open rates
- Re-engagement campaigns averaged 18.23% opens
- Product update emails had 32.1% open rates typically
- Event invitation campaigns opened 28.9% on average
- Birthday emails saw 37.45% average open rates
- Flash sale campaigns averaged 16.78% opens
- Educational content emails opened 29.34% average
- Testimonial campaigns at 24.67% open rate average
- Survey invitation emails averaged 31.2% opens
- Upsell campaign open rates 20.45% on average
- Cross-sell emails opened 26.89% typically
- Win-back campaigns averaged 15.67% open rates
- Order confirmation emails at 42.3% open average
- Shipping update campaigns opened 38.9% average
- Review request emails averaged 33.45% opens
- Loyalty program invites at 27.12% open rate
- Webinar registration campaigns averaged 24.78% opens
- Case study shares opened 30.56% on average
- Holiday greeting emails at 35.2% average open
- New subscriber onboarding averaged 48.9% opens
- Feedback request campaigns at 22.34% open rate
- Partner promotion emails averaged 19.67% opens
- Milestone celebration emails opened 40.1% average
- Content upgrade campaigns at 28.45% open rate
- Referral program invites averaged 25.89% opens
- Seasonal promotion emails at 17.23% average open
Campaign Types Interpretation
While our welcome series proves people are excited to meet us, the plummeting rates for promotions suggest they quickly realize we're just like that friend who only calls when they need something.
Industry Benchmarks
- Retail industry email open rate averaged 18.45% in 2023
- E-commerce open rates reached 15.68% on average in 2023 data
- Healthcare sector averaged 23.12% email open rates in 2023
- Education industry open rate was 28.47% average in 2023
- Non-profit organizations saw 26.39% average open rates in 2023
- Software & IT open rates averaged 24.56% in 2023 benchmarks
- Real estate emails opened at 20.34% average in 2023
- Hospitality industry averaged 19.87% open rates in 2023
- Finance & Banking open rate was 21.76% in 2023 data
- Publishing & Media averaged 22.91% open rates in 2023
- Automotive sector open rates at 17.23% average 2023
- Travel & Leisure averaged 16.89% open rates in 2023
- Legal services industry open rate 25.41% in 2023
- Manufacturing open rates averaged 22.67% in 2023
- Government & Public sector at 27.34% average open 2023
- Food & Beverage open rate 18.92% average in 2023
- Beauty & Personal Care averaged 20.15% in 2023
- Sports & Fitness open rates 23.78% average 2023
- Technology Hardware averaged 19.56% open rates 2023
- Construction industry open rate 24.12% in 2023 data
- Entertainment open rates averaged 21.45% in 2023
- Agriculture sector at 26.78% average open 2023
- Telecommunications open rate 18.67% average 2023
- Insurance industry averaged 22.34% open rates 2023
- Energy & Utilities open rate 25.89% in 2023
- Transportation & Logistics averaged 20.76% in 2023
Industry Benchmarks Interpretation
The data reveals that people will open emails about anything from tax forms to tractor parts more readily than they will a retail sale, suggesting we're all far more invested in our civic duties and hobbies than we are in buying another pair of socks.
Regional Variations
- US email open rates averaged 22.86% in 2023
- UK average open rate was 20.45% for emails in 2023
- Canada open rates hit 23.12% average in 2023 data
- Australia averaged 19.78% email open rates in 2023
- Germany open rate average 21.56% in 2023 benchmarks
- France emails opened at 18.94% average 2023
- India open rates averaged 26.34% in 2023 surveys
- Brazil average open rate was 24.67% for 2023
- Japan open rates at 17.89% average in 2023
- China email open rate averaged 19.23% in 2023 data
- Mexico open rates 25.41% average 2023
- Spain averaged 20.12% open rates in 2023
- Italy open rate 22.78% average for 2023 campaigns
- Netherlands at 23.45% average open rate 2023
- Sweden emails opened 21.67% on average 2023
- South Africa open rates averaged 27.89% in 2023
- UAE average open rate 24.56% for 2023
- Singapore open rates 19.34% average 2023
- New Zealand averaged 22.01% in 2023 data
- Argentina open rate 26.78% average 2023
- Russia emails at 18.45% average open 2023
- Turkey open rates averaged 23.12% in 2023
- Poland average 20.89% open rate 2023
- South Korea at 17.67% average 2023
- Indonesia open rates 28.34% average 2023
- Thailand averaged 21.23% in 2023 benchmarks
- Philippines open rate 25.67% average 2023
- Vietnam emails opened 24.12% on average 2023
- Malaysia average open rate 22.45% in 2023
Regional Variations Interpretation
The data suggests that while a global inbox is a crowded and often-ignored party, some countries, like Indonesia and South Africa, are still showing up with remarkable enthusiasm, proving that a well-timed subject line can beat the universal urge to hit 'delete'.
Technical Factors
- Mobile devices accounted for 46.23% of opens in 2023
- Desktop open rates averaged 35.67% of total opens
- Gmail users opened emails at 20.45% rate average
- Outlook open rates were 18.9% on average
- Apple Mail clients averaged 28.34% open rates
- Yahoo Mail open rate benchmark 22.12% average
- Subject lines 41-50 characters long opened 24.56% best
- Emojis in subjects boosted opens to 26.78% average
- Personalized subjects averaged 29.1% higher opens
- Preheader text optimized emails at 23.45% opens
- AMP emails saw 32.67% open rates in tests
- Dark mode compatible designs averaged 27.89% opens
- Image-heavy emails opened 19.23% on average
- Text-only emails averaged 25.34% open rates
- Responsive design emails at 41.2% mobile opens
- Sender reputation score >90 averaged 28.9% opens
- List hygiene improved opens by 15.67% average
- Authentication (DKIM/SPF) emails at 24.12% opens
- Shortened URLs in previews boosted 22.78% opens
- Numbered subject lines averaged 21.45% open rates
- Question-based subjects at 27.34% average open
- Urgency words (now, today) opened 25.67% average
- Bracketed subjects ([Offer]) at 23.89% open rate
- Preview text length 100+ chars averaged 20.12% opens
- High-res images on mobile at 30.45% opens
Technical Factors Interpretation
Your email is now a traveling performer who must first win over the skeptical, small-screen jury of a mobile device, then quickly employ a costume of personalization, a prop of emojis, and a script of psychological tricks just to earn a fleeting glance before the inevitable swipe into oblivion.
Temporal Factors
- Emails sent Tuesday averaged 23.45% open rates
- Wednesday campaigns saw 24.12% average opens
- Thursday open rates averaged 22.78% across data
- Friday emails opened 20.56% on average
- Weekend (Sat-Sun) open rates at 17.89% average
- Morning sends (8-10 AM) averaged 26.34% opens
- Afternoon (12-3 PM) open rates 22.1% average
- Evening sends averaged 19.67% open rates
- Q1 (Jan-Mar) campaigns at 21.45% average open
- Q2 open rates averaged 23.12% in seasonal data
- Q3 emails opened 20.89% on average
- Q4 holiday period averaged 25.67% opens
- January open rates at 22.34% average post-holiday
- Black Friday emails saw 28.9% average opens
- Cyber Monday open rates averaged 27.45%
- December holiday sends at 30.12% open average
- Summer months (Jun-Aug) averaged 18.78% opens
- Spring campaigns open rate 24.56% average
- Fall season emails at 22.01% average open
- Early week (Mon-Tue) averaged 23.67% opens
- Late week (Thu-Fri) open rates 21.23% average
- Night owl sends (8 PM+) at 16.89% open rate
- Business hours sends averaged 25.34% opens
- Pre-weekend Friday PM at 19.45% average
- Post-weekend Monday AM open 24.78% average
- Mid-week hump day (Wed) at 24.9% open peak
- Year-end December averaged 29.67% opens
Temporal Factors Interpretation
The data clearly shows your audience is most attentive when they're supposed to be working, especially near holidays, and least attentive when they're actually trying to enjoy their lives.
Sources & References
- Reference 1MAILCHIMPmailchimp.comVisit source
- Reference 2CAMPAIGNMONITORcampaignmonitor.comVisit source
- Reference 3LITMUSlitmus.comVisit source
- Reference 4GETRESPONSEgetresponse.comVisit source
- Reference 5KLAVIYOklaviyo.comVisit source
- Reference 6OPTINMONSTERoptinmonster.comVisit source
- Reference 7ACTIVECAMPAIGNactivecampaign.comVisit source
- Reference 8SENDINBLUEsendinblue.comVisit source
- Reference 9CONSTANTCONTACTconstantcontact.comVisit source
- Reference 10HUBSPOThubspot.comVisit source