What are recommended initial email sending volumes for email deliverability?
Matthew Whittaker
Co-founder & CTO, Suped
Published 10 Jul 2025
Updated 19 Aug 2025
7 min read
When you embark on sending emails, especially from a new domain or IP address, one of the most critical considerations is your initial sending volume. This isn't just about how many emails you can physically send, but how many you *should* send to maintain excellent email deliverability and avoid landing in the spam folder. Getting this wrong can severely damage your sender reputation, making it incredibly difficult to reach your audience's inboxes.
Mailbox providers, such as Google and Yahoo, meticulously monitor sending patterns. They look for consistent, predictable behavior to differentiate legitimate senders from spammers. A sudden surge in email volume from a previously inactive or new sender is a major red flag that can trigger their spam filters, irrespective of your content quality. This process is often referred to as IP warming or domain warming, a crucial step for any new email program.
Building a strong sender reputation is a marathon, not a sprint. It involves starting small, sending to your most engaged recipients, and gradually increasing your volume over time. This approach signals to mailbox providers that you are a responsible sender, leading to better inbox placement and overall email program success. Neglecting this can lead to your emails being marked as spam, getting placed on a blocklist (or blacklist), or even having your sending domain flagged.
Recommended starting points
For new domains or IP addresses, the general consensus among deliverability experts is to start with very low volumes. The goal is to establish a positive sending history and build trust with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and mailbox providers before attempting to scale up. Think of it like building credit with a bank, you start with a small loan and gradually work your way up.
Many recommendations suggest beginning with as few as 10-20 emails per day, particularly to large mailbox providers like Gmail and Yahoo. Some even advise single digits for the very first day when targeting Gmail. This cautious approach allows these providers to observe your sending behavior and the engagement of your recipients without being overwhelmed by a sudden, large influx of mail.
The idea is to gradually increase your volume, typically by 20-50 emails per week, or by a small percentage (e.g., 10-20%) each day or week, over a period of 30 to 60 days. This slow ramp-up helps establish a consistent sending pattern and builds a positive sender reputation. It's crucial to segment your most engaged users for initial sends, as their positive interactions will significantly contribute to your reputation.
Best practices for warming up
Start small: Begin with a minimal number of emails daily, focusing on active and engaged subscribers.
Gradual increase: Slowly escalate your sending volume over several weeks or months.
Monitor engagement: Pay close attention to open rates, click rates, and bounce rates during warming.
High-quality content: Send valuable and relevant emails that recipients want to interact with.
Factors influencing initial volumes
The ideal initial email sending volume isn't just about a universal number, it's also heavily influenced by several factors unique to your sending infrastructure and list quality. These factors determine how quickly you can scale up your email program without hitting spam traps or being placed on an email blacklist (or blocklist).
For instance, a brand new domain or IP address with no prior sending history will require a much more conservative warming schedule than an established domain that's merely switching email service providers. Mailbox providers will be extra scrutinizing of new senders to prevent bad actors from quickly onboarding and blasting spam.
The quality and engagement of your recipient list also play a pivotal role. Sending to a highly engaged list of opt-in subscribers who consistently open and click your emails will allow for faster volume increases compared to a list with low engagement or one that hasn't been recently cleaned. High bounce rates or spam complaints from a low-quality list will quickly lead to deliverability issues, regardless of your sending volume.
New domains/IPs
Reputation: No prior reputation, requiring careful warming.
Initial volume: Start very low, 10-50 emails per day for the first week.
Ramp-up speed: Slow and steady, typically over 4-8 weeks.
Monitoring: Intense observation of engagement and complaint rates.
Established domains/IPs (new ESP)
Reputation: Existing reputation, potentially allowing a faster ramp-up.
Initial volume: Can start slightly higher, but still cautious, 40-100 emails per day.
Ramp-up speed: Faster, potentially over 2-4 weeks, matching previous volumes.
Monitoring: Still essential, but focus on maintaining consistency with historical patterns.
Monitoring and adjusting your volume
Once you begin sending, continuous monitoring of your email metrics is non-negotiable. This data provides crucial insights into how mailbox providers are perceiving your emails and allows you to adjust your sending strategy in real-time. Key metrics include open rates, click-through rates, bounce rates, and perhaps most importantly, spam complaint rates. A sudden drop in engagement or a spike in complaints indicates that you may be scaling too quickly or that your content isn't resonating with your audience.
Tools like Google Postmaster Tools and similar dashboards from other providers offer invaluable data on your sender reputation and deliverability. Keep a close eye on your spam complaint rate, aiming for well below 0.1%. If this rate creeps up, it's a strong signal to slow down your volume increases or re-evaluate your list quality and content strategy. Additionally, monitor for any signs of being placed on an email blocklist using a blocklist checker.
Remember, consistency is key. Erratic sending volumes, especially sudden spikes, can negatively impact your sender reputation. It's better to maintain a steady, gradual increase than to fluctuate wildly. If you need to send a large volume of emails quickly, consider segmenting your list and sending in smaller batches over several days, or review strategies for managing volume spikes.
By diligently monitoring these metrics, you can make informed decisions about your sending volumes and ensure your email program remains healthy and effective. This proactive approach helps prevent major deliverability issues before they impact your campaigns.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Start with extremely low volumes for new domains, sometimes single digits for key mailbox providers.
Segment your most engaged subscribers for initial sending during the warming period.
Maintain consistent sending patterns rather than erratic volume spikes.
Prioritize list hygiene to avoid bounces and spam traps, which can ruin warming efforts.
Always include clear and easy unsubscribe options to manage recipient feedback gracefully.
Common pitfalls
Attempting to send too many emails too quickly from a new domain or IP.
Ignoring feedback loops and recipient complaints, which signals poor sender behavior.
Sending to unengaged or old email lists, leading to low engagement and high complaint rates.
Failing to monitor deliverability metrics like bounce rates and spam complaints.
Not having a clear IP or domain warming plan, leading to reputation damage.
Expert tips
Focus on quality over quantity during the initial sending phase to build a solid reputation.
Understand that what is published as official guidelines might differ from real-world practices.
For Gmail specifically, very low hourly limits might be more critical than daily limits initially.
Consider the domain's history (new, subdomain, or previously used) when planning initial volumes.
If using a dedicated IP, ensure you have sufficient volume to maintain its reputation.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says that they had never seen an email service provider advocate for starting with only 10-20 emails for new sending.
2019-04-05 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says that for the last four or five years, Gmail representatives have consistently recommended starting with single-digit sending volumes to Gmail on the first day.
2019-04-05 - Email Geeks
Building a lasting sender reputation
Setting the right initial email sending volumes is fundamental to the long-term success of your email marketing efforts. It's not about how quickly you can send emails, but how effectively you can reach the inbox. By starting small, gradually increasing your volume, and diligently monitoring your metrics, you lay the groundwork for a robust sender reputation and consistent deliverability. This thoughtful approach ensures your messages land where they belong: in your subscribers' inboxes, not the spam folder.
Remember, every email sent contributes to your domain's reputation. Prioritize sending to engaged recipients with valuable content, and always be prepared to adjust your strategy based on feedback from mailbox providers. A strong sender reputation, built on consistent and responsible sending practices, is your greatest asset in email deliverability.
