What is a good unsubscribe rate for email marketing?
Matthew Whittaker
Co-founder & CTO, Suped
Published 14 Jul 2025
Updated 16 Aug 2025
6 min read
Understanding what constitutes a "good" unsubscribe rate in email marketing is crucial for assessing the health of your email list and the effectiveness of your campaigns. It is not just about the number of people opting out, but also what those numbers signal about your audience engagement and content relevance. A high unsubscribe rate can indicate issues with your targeting, content, or sending frequency, while a consistently low rate suggests your messages are resonating with subscribers.
While there are industry benchmarks, a truly good unsubscribe rate often depends on the specific context of your campaigns and the industry you operate within. It is also important to consider this metric alongside other key performance indicators, such as open rates, click-through rates, and complaint rates, to gain a holistic view of your email program's performance.
What is a good unsubscribe rate?
The unsubscribe rate is a straightforward metric, calculated by dividing the number of unsubscribes from a specific email campaign by the total number of emails delivered, then multiplying by 100 to get a percentage. For instance, if you send 10,000 emails and 50 people unsubscribe, your unsubscribe rate would be 0.5%.
Generally, an unsubscribe rate below 0.5% is considered very good, indicating a healthy and engaged audience. Many sources, including Mailmodo, often cite this as an ideal target. Rates up to 1% are typically seen as acceptable, and some industry benchmarks extend this to 2%. However, exceeding 2% often warrants immediate attention and a review of your email strategy.
It's important to remember that these are averages. A business in a niche industry with highly targeted content might naturally have a lower unsubscribe rate, while a broader consumer-facing brand might see slightly higher numbers. The key is to monitor your own historical performance and look for significant deviations from your average, as well as considering your overall email deliverability rates.
Industry
Average unsubscribe rate
General average
0.1% - 0.5%
Ecommerce
Around 0.27%
Marketing/advertising
Around 0.17%
B2B (non-retail)
Around 1.08%
Why subscribers opt out
Subscribers opt out for various reasons, and not all unsubscribes are negative. Sometimes, a recipient simply no longer needs your service or product, or their interests have shifted. This is a natural part of list decay. Allowing them to easily unsubscribe, often through a clearly visible unsubscribe link, is far better than having them mark your email as spam, which can severely damage your sender reputation and lead to your domain being blacklisted (or blocklisted).
High unsubscribe rates, however, often point to more serious underlying issues. These can include sending too frequently, delivering irrelevant content, or a mismatch between the subscriber's expectations and the emails they receive. Sometimes, the initial opt-in process might have been misleading, leading to a list full of unengaged subscribers who never truly wanted your emails in the first place.
Common reasons subscribers opt out
Irrelevant content: Emails that don't match subscriber interests or needs.
Too frequent emails: Overwhelming inboxes with too many messages.
Poor targeting/segmentation: Sending generic emails to a diverse list.
Content quality issues: Spammy subject lines, broken formatting, or lack of value.
List hygiene: Inactive or unengaged subscribers naturally opting out.
Understanding these reasons is the first step towards improvement. While some unsubscribes are unavoidable, consistently high rates indicate a need for deeper analysis into your email marketing strategy and potentially a refinement of your audience segmentation or content approach.
Impact on sender reputation and deliverability
A high unsubscribe rate can indeed impact your sender reputation. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and email clients monitor subscriber engagement metrics, including unsubscribes and spam complaints. A sudden spike in unsubscribes or a consistently high rate compared to industry benchmarks can signal to these providers that your emails are not valuable or wanted by recipients. This can lead to your emails being directed to the spam folder or even being blacklisted (or blocklisted) altogether.
It is a balancing act. While you want to minimize unsubscribes, it is healthier for your email program to have disinterested subscribers opt out gracefully than to have them mark your emails as spam. Spam complaints are far more detrimental to your sender reputation and deliverability than unsubscribes. Therefore, maintaining an easy unsubscribe process, such as one-click unsubscribe, can actually protect your reputation in the long run by preventing harsher negative signals.
Healthy unsubscribe rates
Indicates engaged audience: Subscribers find value in your content.
To maintain a healthy unsubscribe rate, focus on quality over quantity. Firstly, ensure your list acquisition methods are transparent and ethical. Subscribers should know exactly what kind of emails they will receive and how often. Implementing a double opt-in process can significantly improve the quality of your list from the start.
Secondly, content is king. Personalize your emails based on subscriber preferences, past interactions, and demographic data. Segment your audience to send highly relevant messages to smaller, more targeted groups. This ensures that each email feels valuable and timely to the recipient. A highly relevant email is less likely to be unsubscribed from and more likely to lead to engagement, which also helps with your email click-through rate.
Lastly, manage your sending frequency. Sending too many emails can lead to fatigue, while sending too few might cause subscribers to forget why they signed up. Test different frequencies to find the sweet spot for your audience. Regularly clean your email list by removing inactive subscribers, even if it means a smaller list. A smaller, highly engaged list is always more valuable than a large, disengaged one.
Best practices for reducing unsubscribes
Set clear expectations: Inform subscribers what to expect upon signup.
Segment your audience: Send targeted, relevant content.
Optimize sending frequency: Test and adapt based on subscriber engagement.
Provide value: Deliver engaging, high-quality content consistently.
Implement list hygiene: Remove unengaged subscribers regularly.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Monitor your unsubscribe rate over time to identify trends.
Offer a preference center to allow subscribers to customize email types or frequency.
Regularly clean your email list to remove inactive or unengaged subscribers.
Common pitfalls
Reacting to minor fluctuations without historical context.
Not segmenting your audience, leading to irrelevant content.
Ignoring the easy unsubscribe option, leading to spam complaints.
Expert tips
An unsubscribe survey can provide valuable feedback.
Focus on the percentage rather than raw numbers for a clearer picture.
Always prioritize quality over quantity in your subscriber list.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says that a half a percentage point unsubscribe rate monthly on a large list is not concerning at all.
February 13, 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says a 0.5% unsubscribe rate is a good rate.
February 13, 2023 - Email Geeks
Moving forward
In conclusion, a good unsubscribe rate for email marketing typically falls well below 1%, with many successful campaigns maintaining rates around 0.2% to 0.5%. However, these numbers are not absolute. Your unique industry, audience, and email strategy will influence what is considered acceptable.
The ultimate goal is to foster a highly engaged subscriber base that values your communications. By focusing on transparent acquisition, relevant content, optimal frequency, and continuous list hygiene, you can manage your unsubscribe rate effectively and ensure the long-term health and success of your email marketing efforts.
Ecommerce
Marketing/advertising
