Email remains one of the most reliable and cost-effective marketing channels for businesses of all sizes. However, with inboxes more crowded than ever, how do you know if your campaigns are making an impact? That’s where email open rate comes in. This metric offers a key glimpse into how your subject lines, send times, and overall content strategy resonate with your audience. In this guide, we’ll break down the latest email open rate benchmarks, explore what drives performance, and share actionable tips to help you boost engagement in 2025.
What is Email Open Rate?
Your email open rate refers to the percentage of recipients who open a specific email campaign. It’s calculated by dividing the number of unique opens by the total number of emails delivered (excluding bounces), then multiplying by 100. While open rate isn’t the only indicator of email success, it’s a valuable starting point for understanding how effectively your messages capture attention.
What Is the Average Email Open Rate?
Source: MailerLite
On average, email open rates across industries hover around 21.33%, giving marketers a helpful benchmark when evaluating performance. A “good” open rate typically falls between 17% and 28%, though this can vary depending on your industry and audience.
Some sectors perform well above average. Government emails lead the pack with an open rate of 28.77%, followed closely by hobbies-related industries like photography and writing at 27.74%, and religious organizations at 27.62%. On the other end of the spectrum, marketing and advertising emails see more modest results, with a 17.38% open rate.
Interestingly, industries with high customer volume, like e-commerce (31.08%), publishing (30.91%), and travel/transportation (22.57%), are among the worst performers this year, suggesting that message fatigue or high competition in the inbox may be at play.
Want to see how your industry stacks up? Check the chart below for the full list of open rate benchmarks.
| Industry | Open rate benchmark |
| Health and fitness | 48.9% |
| Author | 39.08% |
| Consulting | 45.74% |
| Non-profit | 53.21% |
| e-commerce | 31.08% |
| Educational institution | 45.32% |
| Marketing and advertising | 39.05% |
| Artist | 51.35% |
| Agency | 38.89% |
| Beauty and personal care | 39.81% |
| Entertainment and events | 43.79% |
| Online courses | 43.81% |
| Blogger | 44.39% |
| Software and web app | 38.14% |
Email Open Rate by Region
Source: MailerLite
Open rates also vary widely by geography. Campaigns sent in Australia performed the best with a remarkable 46.34% open rate. On the other end of the scale, LATAM (Latin America) recorded the lowest open rates at 30.67%. It’s worth noting that local preferences, email usage trends, and mobile adoption can all influence engagement.
What is the Open Rate Across Devices?
Device usage continues to shape how and when emails are opened. Globally, 85% of online users check email via mobile, and that number rises to 90% in the U.S. The vast majority of these users are between the ages of 25-34, suggesting that younger audiences prefer checking email on the go.
The impact on performance is significant. Email viewed on mobile devices generates over $1 billion in revenue, with a conversion rate of 4.29% and an open rate of 41.9%.
In contrast, desktop users represent a different engagement style. Around 68% of employees still prefer checking email on a laptop or desktop, but the average open rate there drops to just 16.2%. Clearly, mobile optimization is no longer optional—it’s essential.
What is Click-to-Open Rate (CTOR)?
While open rate tells you if people are seeing your email, the click-to-open rate (CTOR) measures how many of those opens actually result in clicks. This metric is calculated by dividing the number of unique clicks by the number of unique opens, offering a more accurate read on the effectiveness of your email content and call-to-action.
Email Click-to-Open Rate by Industry
Source: MailerLite
CTOR can vary just as widely as open rates. The media industry stands out with a CTOR of 10.71%, likely due to the abundance of engaging links to articles and videos in their messages. Government emails follow closely at 10%, while hobbies-related industries perform well with a CTOR of 9.18%.
On the lower end of the spectrum, restaurants (2.93%), marketing and advertising (3.32%), and real estate (3.4%) see the least engagement post-open. The key takeaway? Adding clickable, relevant content is essential if you want to increase CTOR.
Check the full dataset below to benchmark your industry.
| Industry | Click-to-open rate benchmark |
| Health and fitness | 4.27% |
| Author | 7.69% |
| Consulting | 4.88% |
| Non-profit | 7.14% |
| e-commerce | 4.55% |
| Educational institution | 5.96% |
| Marketing and advertising | 3.32% |
| Artist | 7.32% |
| Agency | 5.07% |
| Beauty and personal care | 4.30% |
| Entertainment and events | 4.57% |
| Online courses | 5.48% |
| Blogger | 8.43% |
| Software and web app | 6.18% |
| Business and finance | 4.36% |
| Retail | 4.62% |
Email Click-to-Open Rate by Region
Source: MailerLite
Unlike industry breakdowns, regional CTORs tend to be more consistent. Emails sent to Poland topped the charts at 6.90%, while those in Africa landed the lowest at 4.6%. While the variance is smaller, these insights can still guide adjustments to content strategy based on geographic trends.
Factors Affecting Open Rate
Many elements influence whether an email gets opened. Here are six key areas to focus on:
Subject Line Strategy
A compelling subject line is the first (and sometimes only) thing your audience sees. Short, relevant headlines with a personal touch tend to perform best. Avoid spammy language and test variations with A/B tools to find what resonates. Personalized subject lines often outperform generic ones, especially when you include names or locations.
Send Time
When you send matters almost as much as what you send. Weekday campaigns typically see better open rates than weekend ones, but the ideal time varies by audience. Use engagement data to identify patterns and run tests to optimize delivery windows.
Email Frequency
Finding the right cadence can be tricky. Sending too often can overwhelm your list, while infrequent emails risk being forgotten. Start with a weekly or monthly cadence and monitor open rates to determine whether to scale up or back. Use re-engagement campaigns for dormant subscribers.
Email List Quality
Your list is only as good as its relevance. Segment your audience, remove inactive contacts regularly, and focus on building your list through double opt-ins and valuable lead magnets. A clean, targeted list is much more likely to engage.
Content Relevance and Readability
Once opened, your content needs to deliver. Tailor emails to subscriber interests, use consistent branding, and keep messaging concise. Cluttered or confusing layouts can tank your engagement, while clean designs and strong CTAs improve results.
Deliverability and Technical Factors
Finally, don’t overlook the technical side. Use a recognizable sender name, authenticate your email domain (via SPF, DKIM, and DMARC), and avoid spam traps. Ensuring mobile-friendly formatting is also critical, given mobile’s dominance.
Best Practices for Increasing Your Open Rate
Looking to boost your email engagement in 2025? These tried-and-true tips can help:
Write Clear, Compelling Subject Lines
Stick to short, action-oriented headlines. Personalize whenever possible, and steer clear of spammy or clickbait terms that may trigger filters or erode trust.
Optimize Send Time
Your audience’s behavior should drive your timing. Run A/B test, review open time reports, and send based on users’ local time zones.
Use a Recognizable Sender Name and Address
Whether it’s a person or a brand, consistency builds trust. Avoid generic or no-reply addresses that feel impersonal.
Segment Your Audience
Deliver more targeted content by breaking your list into meaningful segments based on behavior, preferences, or demographics.
Clean Your Email List Regularly
Reduce bounce rates and improve deliverability by removing unengaged contacts and verifying new signups through double opt-ins.
Craft a Strong Preheader Text
This support copy reinforces your subject line and helps set expectations. Don’t leave it blank—use it to your advantage.
Deliver Relevant and Consistent Content
Consistency in content, design, and send cadence fosters loyalty and improves open rates over time. Use performance data to continually refine your strategy.
Ready to Turn Insights into Actions?
Staying on top of email marketing benchmarks and best practices isn’t just about numbers—it’s about understanding your audience and continually improving how you connect with them. If you’re ready to go beyond metrics and start optimizing every element of your strategy, The frank Agency’s email marketing services can help. Our experts provide actionable insights and expert strategies to power smarter marketing and better results.
