What is a good email deliverability rate or benchmark?
Michael Ko
Co-founder & CEO, Suped
Published 4 Jun 2025
Updated 13 Oct 2025
6 min read
When discussing email performance, one of the most common questions is, 'What is a good email deliverability rate?' It's a critical question, yet the answer often comes with a layer of complexity because the terms 'delivery' and 'deliverability' are frequently, and incorrectly, used interchangeably. Understanding the nuances between these two metrics is the first step toward setting realistic benchmarks and improving your email program.
Many email service providers (ESPs) report a 'delivery rate', which measures the percentage of emails that didn't bounce back during the initial handoff to recipient networks. However, true email success hinges on 'deliverability', which means landing your email in the recipient's primary inbox, not just having it accepted by their server. This distinction is crucial for marketers aiming for actual engagement.
Understanding email delivery versus deliverability
Email delivery rate
The email delivery rate refers to the percentage of emails that were successfully accepted by the recipient's mail server. It simply confirms that the email didn't hard bounce. This metric doesn't tell you if the email landed in the inbox, spam folder, or was blocked.
Calculated by: (Total Sent - Bounced) / Total Sent × 100.
Primary focus: Preventing bounces and ensuring mail is received by the destination server.
Email deliverability rate
The email deliverability rate measures the percentage of emails that successfully reach the recipient's inbox. This is often referred to as inbox placement rate and is a far more accurate reflection of your email program's health and effectiveness.
Complex metric: Influenced by sender reputation, content, and authentication.
True indicator: Reflects how effectively your emails reach their intended audience.
For many, the term deliverability has historically encompassed both concepts, leading to confusion. However, focusing solely on a high delivery rate can mask significant issues with your emails landing in the spam folder. It's crucial to distinguish these to accurately assess your email program's health.
Understanding this distinction is foundational for any email marketer. If you want to dive deeper into how email delivery rate affects performance, a dedicated guide can provide more insights. Our goal is to ensure your messages not only get delivered but also land in the right place.
What is considered a good email deliverability rate?
Industry benchmarks suggest that a good email deliverability rate (inbox placement) should ideally be above 89%. Rates between 89-95% are considered good, indicating a healthy email program. Anything above 95% is generally excellent, suggesting strong sender reputation and effective email practices. Some top senders even achieve 99% or higher, although this is more common with highly engaged, smaller lists. For comparison, some reports suggest an average deliverability rate in 2024 to be around 85%, emphasizing the room for improvement for many businesses, according to EmailToolTester's deliverability statistics.
For the raw email delivery rate, you should aim for the high 90s, typically 97-99%. A lower delivery rate often points to issues with list hygiene, indicating a significant number of invalid or inactive email addresses leading to bounces. High bounce rates can negatively impact your sender reputation, making it harder for your emails to reach the inbox even when they are technically 'delivered'.
Category
Deliverability Rate (Inbox Placement)
Delivery Rate (Non-bounce)
Excellent
95% and above
97-99%
Good
89-95%
96%+
Needs Improvement
Below 89%
Below 96%
However, it's also important to remember that these are general benchmarks. Your specific acceptable rate can depend on your industry, audience, and email volume. Large-scale senders might experience slightly lower rates due to sheer volume, while niche, highly targeted campaigns could achieve near-perfect deliverability. The key is consistent monitoring and continuous improvement.
Key metrics impacting your deliverability rate
Several critical metrics directly influence your email deliverability. Keeping a close eye on these will provide early warnings and help you maintain a strong sender reputation, ensuring your emails reach the inbox.
Key metrics to monitor
Bounce rate: A low bounce rate (ideally under 2%) is crucial. High bounce rates signal to mailbox providers that your list is unhealthy, which can lead to blocklists and lower inbox placement. Hard bounces should be immediately removed.
Spam complaint rate: Keep this below 0.10% to stay in good standing. Anything above this, especially 0.3%, can trigger ISP filters. Attentive recommends keeping spam complaint rates below 0.10% for optimal performance.
Engagement rates: Mailbox providers prioritize emails that recipients open, click, and reply to. Low open, click, and complaint benchmarks can indicate a problem with your content or audience segmentation.
Authentication protocols: Implementing DMARC, SPF, and DKIM is non-negotiable for establishing sender trustworthiness and preventing spoofing. Without them, your emails are more likely to be flagged as spam.
Blocklist status: Regularly check if your sending IP or domain is on any major email blocklists or blacklists. Being listed can severely hamper your deliverability.
Monitoring these key performance indicators (KPIs) helps you quickly identify and address issues. Ignoring them can lead to a damaged sender reputation, lower inbox placement rates, and ultimately, a reduced return on investment from your email campaigns.
Strategies for improving your deliverability
Achieving and maintaining a high email deliverability rate requires a proactive and ongoing effort. It's not a one-time setup, but rather a continuous process of optimization and monitoring. Here are some key strategies:
Clean your email list regularly: Remove invalid and inactive subscribers to reduce bounce rates and avoid spam traps. Consider a free email deliverability tester to validate addresses.
Implement strong email authentication: Properly configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to prove your emails are legitimate. Suped offers DMARC monitoring to help you implement this.
Segment your audience and personalize content: Sending relevant content to engaged subscribers improves engagement metrics and reduces complaints.
Provide clear unsubscribe options: Make it easy for subscribers to opt out, reducing the likelihood of them marking your emails as spam.
By implementing these strategies, you are not just aiming for a number, but actively building a robust email program that respects recipient inboxes and fosters engagement. Consistent monitoring and adaptation are key to navigating the ever-evolving landscape of email deliverability. For more detailed advice, refer to our guide on how to improve email deliverability.
Remember, achieving excellent deliverability is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires dedication to best practices, keen observation of your metrics, and a willingness to adapt your strategy based on performance.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Always prioritize list hygiene to reduce bounces and improve sender reputation.
Consistently monitor DMARC reports to identify authentication issues early.
Segment your audience and personalize content to boost engagement and inbox placement.
Provide clear and easy unsubscribe options to prevent spam complaints.
Regularly check your domain and IP on email blocklists (or blacklists).
Common pitfalls
Confusing 'delivery rate' with 'deliverability' leads to inaccurate performance assessments.
Failing to implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC weakens sender authentication.
Ignoring low engagement metrics, which are crucial for inbox placement.
Sending emails to unengaged or old lists, increasing bounce and complaint rates.
Not having a clear strategy for managing spam complaints and unsubscribes.
Expert tips
Use a DMARC monitoring tool to gain visibility into your email authentication.
Set up alerts for sudden drops in delivery or spikes in complaint rates.
Continuously test your email content to ensure it resonates with your audience.
Focus on building a highly engaged subscriber base for long-term success.
Invest in tools that provide granular insights into inbox placement across providers.
Marketer view
A marketer from Email Geeks says that a 96% deliverability rate is the absolute minimum they would tolerate for their campaigns.
2019-09-12 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
A marketer from Email Geeks says that if their deliverability rate drops below 99%, it indicates a significant issue that needs immediate attention.
2019-09-12 - Email Geeks
The path to better inbox placement
Achieving a good email deliverability rate is fundamental to the success of any email marketing program. While benchmarks provide valuable guidance, true success comes from understanding the difference between delivery and deliverability, consistently monitoring key metrics, and implementing best practices to foster a strong sender reputation and optimal inbox placement.
By focusing on list hygiene, email authentication, engaging content, and diligent monitoring, you can significantly improve your chances of consistently landing in the inbox. Tools like Suped can help you gain the visibility and control needed to reach your deliverability goals and ensure your messages always connect with your audience.
