If you have searched for "average email open rate", you have probably found a dozen different numbers. That is because open rate is no longer a reliable measure of attention, and a single industry figure can mislead more than it helps.
Why open rates became unreliable
Since Apple introduced Mail Privacy Protection with iOS 15, Apple Mail can pre-load an email's images on a user's behalf. Email platforms see that as an open even if the person never looked at the message. Security scanners and some corporate filters do the same. The result is inflated and uneven open rates, especially for audiences with many Apple Mail users.
What an open rate can still tell you
- Trends within your own account, on a stable segment, can still hint at deliverability changes.
- Subject line A/B tests are less trustworthy than before. Prefer tests judged on clicks or revenue.
Treat it as a rough directional signal, never as the number you optimize.
What to measure instead
| Metric | Why it is better |
|---|---|
| Click rate and click-to-open on engaged segments | Requires a real action. |
| Revenue per recipient | Ties email directly to money and works for flows and campaigns. |
| Conversion rate | Shows whether the email and landing page work together. |
| Unsubscribe and spam complaint rates | Early warning for list fatigue and deliverability trouble. |
| Second-order rate for post-purchase flows | Measures the retention goal itself. |
How to use benchmarks sensibly
Industry benchmark reports are useful for context, but your list, product and acquisition mix make comparison shaky. Set your own baseline for each flow and campaign type, then improve against it. A flow that earns more revenue per recipient is better, regardless of whether its open rate moved.
Practical steps
- Set revenue per recipient as the headline metric for every flow.
- Judge A/B tests on clicks or revenue, not opens.
- Segment engagement using clicks and purchases, not just opens.
- Watch complaint and unsubscribe rates alongside deliverability. See the deliverability checklist.
For lifecycle email, the real question is whether customers come back. That is measured with cohorts; see how to read cohort retention curves and the audit checklist for what to review.
Quick answers
What is a good email open rate?
There is no reliable universal number. Open rates vary by industry, list quality and measurement method, and they have been inflated by privacy features since 2021. Compare your own results over time instead of chasing an industry benchmark.
Why are my open rates so high?
Apple Mail Privacy Protection can load images automatically, which records an open even when no human read the email. Bots and security scanners can have the same effect.
What should I measure instead of open rate?
Click rate, conversion rate, revenue per recipient, unsubscribe and complaint rates, and the second-order rate for lifecycle flows.
Tehseen Arbab
Retention and lifecycle marketer for DTC supplement and coffee brands. I led retention for a supplement brand whose monthly run-rate grew from about $500K to $700K, and I work in Klaviyo, Skio, Recharge, Meta Ads and Shopify.