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How many emails can I send per second per IP to Gmail, Yahoo and O365?

Summary

Determining how many emails you can send per second per IP to Gmail, Yahoo, and O365 is a multifaceted issue with no single, straightforward answer. While some sources reference specific numbers (e.g., 1-4 million per day, historical Hotmail limits), the consensus emphasizes that sender reputation, IP warming, engagement, and authentication are paramount. There isn't technically a hard limit, with some senders achieving millions of emails per day per IP. However, ISPs like Gmail, Yahoo, and Microsoft employ algorithms that dynamically adjust limits based on sender behavior and reputation. A gradual ramp-up of volume (IP warming), starting with a few hundred emails per day and consistently increasing, is advised to build a positive reputation. Monitoring bounce rates and engagement metrics is crucial, as poor list hygiene or low engagement can trigger spam filters. Moreover, suitable hardware and infrastructure are necessary for efficiently sending large volumes. Ultimately, prioritize building a strong sender reputation, implement proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), maintain a clean email list, and focus on delivering relevant, engaging content to subscribers.

Key findings

  • Reputation-Driven: Email sending limits are primarily governed by sender reputation with ISPs.
  • No Fixed Limit: There's no universal 'magic number' for emails per second per IP.
  • IP Warming Critical: Gradual IP warming is essential for establishing trust with ISPs.
  • Engagement Matters: High engagement rates (opens, clicks) positively impact deliverability.
  • Authentication Required: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is a must.
  • Limits Vary: Specific sending limits depend on the type of account and the recipient's domain.

Key considerations

  • IP Warming Strategy: Develop a strategic IP warming plan to gradually increase sending volume.
  • List Hygiene Practices: Implement rigorous list cleaning procedures to minimize bounce rates and spam complaints.
  • Engagement Monitoring: Continuously monitor engagement metrics (opens, clicks, unsubscribes) to identify potential deliverability issues.
  • Authentication Setup: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are properly configured for your sending domain.
  • Reputation Management: Proactively monitor sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS.
  • Content Relevance: Focus on delivering highly relevant and personalized content to engaged subscribers.
  • Hardware Capacity: Ensure that you have sufficient hardware capacity to handle the scale of your email sending operations.

What email marketers say

11 marketer opinions

There is no fixed limit on the number of emails you can send per second per IP to Gmail, Yahoo, and O365. Instead, ISPs like Gmail, Yahoo and Microsoft use algorithms based on sender reputation, authentication, and engagement to determine acceptable sending volumes. Gradual IP warming, starting with a few hundred emails per day and increasing gradually, is crucial for building a positive sender reputation. Maintaining a clean email list, monitoring bounce rates, and ensuring high engagement are essential. Exceeding thresholds, like sending over 5,000 emails to Gmail within a short time without proper authentication, can lead to deliverability issues. Sender reputation tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS are valuable for proactive monitoring. Sending relevant, personalized emails to engaged subscribers is more important than sending large volumes of unpersonalized messages.

Key opinions

  • No Hard Limits: ISPs don't publish specific sending rates.
  • Reputation Matters: Sender reputation is a primary factor in determining deliverability.
  • Gradual Ramp-Up: IP warming is recommended to build sender reputation.
  • Engagement is Key: High engagement rates improve deliverability.
  • Authentication is Essential: Proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is necessary.

Key considerations

  • List Hygiene: Maintain a clean email list to reduce bounce rates.
  • Monitor Engagement: Track open rates, click-through rates, and bounce rates.
  • Sender Reputation Tools: Use Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS to monitor sender reputation.
  • Content Quality: Send relevant and personalized content to engaged subscribers.
  • Sending Volume: Gradually increase sending volume to avoid triggering spam filters.

Marketer view

Email marketer from SuperOffice advises focusing on quality over quantity when it comes to email deliverability. Send relevant emails to people who want them. Don't send high volume emails. Instead personalize each one.

14 Jul 2022 - SuperOffice

Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus recommends monitoring your sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS to identify and address deliverability issues proactively. These tools provide insights into your sending reputation and potential problems.

19 Jun 2022 - Litmus

What the experts say

7 expert opinions

Determining email sending limits to Gmail, Yahoo, and O365 is complex and highly dependent on sender reputation. While some sources mention specific numbers like 1-4 million emails per day per IP as a guideline or historical data point, it's crucial to understand that these are not hard limits. Throttling is largely reputation-driven, making a universal answer difficult. Successfully sending high volumes, like 20 million emails per day per IP, is possible with a good reputation, proper IP warming, and suitable hardware. Ultimately, the focus should be on building and maintaining a strong sender reputation and gradually increasing sending volume.

Key opinions

  • Reputation is Key: Throttling is primarily driven by sender reputation.
  • No Universal Limit: There's no single answer to the per-second/per-IP sending limit.
  • High Volumes Possible: Sending millions of emails per day per IP is achievable with a good reputation.
  • IP Warming Matters: Properly warming IPs is more important than the number of IPs used.
  • Hardware Considerations: Suitable hardware is required for fast email sending.

Key considerations

  • Focus on Reputation: Prioritize building and maintaining a strong sender reputation.
  • Gradual Increase: Incrementally increase sending volume during IP warming.
  • Hardware Capacity: Ensure adequate hardware to handle the desired sending volume.
  • Historical Context: Be aware that specific volume recommendations (e.g., Hotmail limits) may be outdated.
  • Throttling Can Vary: Understand that throttling limits will vary depending on your individual sending reputation.

Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that throttling limits will vary for each sender, and depends on your individual reputation. A strong reputation allows for higher sending volumes.

11 Apr 2022 - Word to the Wise

Expert view

Email marketer from Email Geeks recalls Craig Spiezle mentioning a maximum of 4 million emails per day per IP at Hotmail with perfect reputation and recommends 1 million per IP per day.

12 Sep 2021 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says

4 technical articles

Gmail, Yahoo, and Microsoft Exchange Online all have sending limits in place to prevent spam, maintain system stability, and ensure service quality. These limits can depend on several factors, including the type of account, the user's license, and the recipient's domain. While specific sending rates are not always explicitly provided, focusing on email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial for improving deliverability and avoiding spam filters. Platforms like SparkPost offer tools to monitor and optimize throttle rates based on sender reputation.

Key findings

  • Sending Limits Exist: Gmail, Yahoo, and Microsoft all have sending limits.
  • Limits Vary: Limits depend on account type, license, and recipient domain.
  • Authentication Matters: Email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial for deliverability.
  • Tools for Optimization: Platforms like SparkPost provide tools to monitor and optimize throttle rates.

Key considerations

  • Check Documentation: Consult the specific documentation for your email provider to understand sending limits.
  • Authenticate Email: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to improve deliverability.
  • Monitor Sending Rates: Use tools to monitor your sending rates and identify potential issues.
  • Sender Reputation: Understand that sending limits are also based on your sending reputation with ISPs.

Technical article

Documentation from SparkPost states while specific rates depend on reputation, they provide tools to monitor and optimize throttle rates for each ISP to ensure optimal delivery without triggering spam filters.

5 Oct 2023 - SparkPost

Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft Learn details sending limits in Exchange Online, which depend on the user's license and the recipient's domain. These limits are enforced to prevent abuse and maintain service quality.

9 Dec 2021 - Microsoft Learn

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