Email Open Rate Benchmarks by Industry

If you’re running email marketing campaigns, you’re probably asking: “Are my open rates good?” It’s a fair question. Without context, it’s hard to know if a 25% open rate is excellent—or underwhelming. That’s where email open rate benchmarks by industry come into play.

Understanding what’s average for your industry helps you gauge performance, set realistic goals, and improve your strategy over time. In this guide, we’ll explore average open rates across industries, what affects them, and how you can boost your own numbers.

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What Is an Email Open Rate?

Your email open rate is the percentage of recipients who open your email compared to the number of emails delivered. It’s calculated using this formula:

Open Rate = (Unique Opens ÷ Emails Delivered) × 100

It’s one of the first metrics marketers use to evaluate campaign performance. High open rates generally indicate strong subject lines, good timing, and engaged subscribers.

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Why Industry Benchmarks Matter

Different industries have different norms. For example, a nonprofit organization might enjoy higher open rates than an ecommerce brand simply because of the audience’s emotional connection and expectations.

Knowing your industry benchmark helps you:

• Compare apples to apples

• Identify underperforming campaigns

• Set goals tailored to your audience

Let’s dive into the most recent email open rate benchmarks by industry.

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Average Email Open Rates by Industry (2024 Data)

Here are average open rates based on various studies (such as Mailchimp, Campaign Monitor, and Constant Contact):

Note: Open rates may vary depending on list size, segmentation, and email frequency. Also, Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) update has inflated open rate metrics in some ESPs, so interpret results accordingly.

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What’s a “Good” Open Rate?

A good open rate depends on your niche. But in general:

• Excellent: 30%+

• Good: 20%–29%

• Needs Improvement: Below 20%

If your open rate is below your industry average, it’s a sign that something needs attention—likely your subject lines, send times, or list health.

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Factors That Influence Open Rates

Here are some key reasons why open rates vary—and how you can control them:

✅ 1. Subject Line Quality

Your subject line is the first thing subscribers see. It should be:

• Clear and relevant

• Brief (ideally under 50 characters)

• Personal (use first names or relevant tags)

• Compelling enough to spark curiosity

✅ 2. Sender Name and Reputation

People open emails from trusted names. Avoid sending from generic addresses (e.g., “noreply@yourcompany.com”) and build a recognizable, reputable sender name.

✅ 3. List Quality

A clean, engaged list outperforms large but unresponsive ones. Regularly clean your list by removing inactive or invalid emails.

✅ 4. Timing and Frequency

Sending emails at the right time (e.g., Tuesday or Thursday mornings) can make a big difference. Also, don’t overwhelm subscribers with too many emails.

✅ 5. Mobile Optimization

Over 60% of emails are opened on mobile. If your emails aren’t mobile-friendly, subscribers may skip them entirely.

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How to Improve Your Email Open Rates

Here’s a quick checklist to help you boost your open rates above industry benchmarks:

1. Segment Your List – Send targeted content based on user behavior, location, or preferences.

2. Test Subject Lines – A/B test different versions to see what resonates.

3. Use Preview Text Wisely – This second line of text can reinforce the subject line and encourage opens.

4. Maintain List Hygiene – Regularly clean your list of bounced or inactive contacts.

5. Send Valuable Content – If your emails consistently provide value, subscribers are more likely to open future ones.

6. Use Double Opt-In – Ensure subscribers really want to hear from you, reducing spam complaints.

7. Monitor Deliverability – Make sure your emails aren’t landing in spam folders. Authenticate your domain with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.

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How Apple MPP Affects Open Rate Data

Since Apple introduced Mail Privacy Protection (MPP), open rates may be inflated due to automatic pre-loading of tracking pixels. This means:

• Open rates might show higher than actual engagement

• Use additional metrics like click-through rates and conversions to get a fuller picture

• Focus on engaged opens or click-based interactions for more reliable insights

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Final Thoughts

Benchmarking your performance against email open rate benchmarks by industry gives you the context you need to make informed decisions. While open rates aren’t the only metric that matters, they’re a critical early signal of subscriber engagement and campaign success.

Focus on writing better subject lines, sending at optimal times, and keeping your list clean. If you stay consistent and data-driven, you’ll not only meet your industry’s average—you’ll beat it.
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