56 Email Statistics You Must Learn: 2024 Data on User Behaviour & Best Practices

Emailing has become part of people’s everyday lives that they send and receive a staggering amount of emails per day. At a time when there are restrictions to face-to-face interactions, email is also an effective way to keep in touch with people and brands. This is why choosing the right email marketing software is crucial in helping businesses launch successful email marketing campaigns.

In this compilation of email statistics, not only can you find out how many emails are sent per day but also other interesting data about emails in general. With data ranging from how frequently users check their inbox to email best practices for marketers, one can gain insights into the email industry as a whole. This will be helpful to marketers in crafting an effective email marketing plan. The industry insights in this article are also useful to businesses that have yet to create an email strategy.

How Many Emails are Sent per Day?

If you’re wondering about how many emails are sent per day, the astonishing answer is that there are close to 300 billion emails sent and received on a daily basis. Moreover, an increase in the volume of emails sent was recorded between March and July 2020.

• In 2019, 293.6 billion emails were sent each day. (Templafy, 2020)
• An estimated 306.4 billion emails were sent and received per day in 2020. Email statistics predict that by 2025, this number will reach 376.4 billion. (Statista, 2021)
• Total send volume for emails increased by 7% in 2020. The highest increase was seen during March and July when there were an extra 1.5 billion emails sent each month compared to the same months in 2019. (Campaign Monitor, 2021)

Sent Emails by Purpose

When it comes to how many emails an average person receives in a day, it’s more than 100 emails for work. As if this is not enough, this number does not include spam. With the sea of emails that come into a typical person’s inbox, it’s important to know how to manage emails effectively. The good thing is the number of emails sent as spam has declined in the past few years. Despite this, they still amount to billions and take up almost half of the email traffic.

• In 2021, the total number of business and consumer emails sent and received per day is forecast to exceed 319 billion. (The Radicati Group, 2021).
• An average person sends and receives 121 business emails per day. (Campaign Monitor)
• Spam messages comprised 47.3% of email traffic during September 2020. (Kaspersky Lab, 2020)
• There are 3.4 billion fake emails sent every day such as phishing emails and other types of email attacks. (Valimail, 2019)
• In 2017, 5% of total emails were suspicious. In contrast, 1.2% of all email messages sent worldwide as of Q1 2019 are potentially malicious. (Valimail, 2019)

Benchmarking Statistics for Emails

Email open rates are one of the popular benchmarking statistics that marketers measure. A considerable percentage of emails are opened on mobile devices, primarily on iPhones. Meanwhile, for webmail clients, Gmail is edging out Microsoft for email services and office productivity tools.

• 42% of emails are opened on smartphones and tablets. 41.9% of emails were opened on mobile devices. 39.9% were opened via webmail while 18.2% were opened by desktop. (Litmus, 2019)
• 28.4% of email opens happen in iPhones. 9.3% of email opens come from iPads while only 2.3% come from Android devices. (Litmus, 2019)
• Viewing all opened emails received in a span of one year for just one second will take 330 years. (Litmus, 2019)
  Around 40% of emails are opened in webmail clients. In contrast, 18.2% of emails were opened on desktop clients. (Litmus, 2019)
• 26.2% of emails are opened in Gmail. 6.6% are opened from Yahoo Mail while 2.4% are opened through Outlook. (Litmus, 2019)
• 9.2% of emails are opened in Outlook. On the other hand, 7.8% are opened in Apple Mail, 0.5% in Windows Live Mail, and 0.5% in Thunderbird. (Litmus, 2019)
• The percentage of emails opened on mobile devices decreased from 63% to 54% in 2020. (Campaign Monitor, 2021)
• Government emails saw a 50% increase in click-through rates, which is the highest among all industries. (Campaign Monitor, 2021)
• The average open rate for all industries is 18%. (Campaign Monitor, 2021)
• In 2019, the real estate and construction industry saw the highest email click-through rates at 26%. In contrast, CTR for the electronics industry was the lowest at 19%. (Hubspot, 2021)
• The electronics industry had the highest bounce rate at 0.9%. Meanwhile, the media industry had the lowest bounce rate of 0.3%. (Hubspot, 2021)

Email Service Providers Statistics

With the prevalence of email for both business and personal use, it’s no surprise that the email market industry size is in the double-digit billions range. Gmail and the Apple iPhone email client dominate the market. In terms of email marketing clients, mid-sized and large businesses prefer Salesforce Marketing Cloud while small businesses are partial towards Mailchimp.

• The email market size is estimated to reach $73 billion by 2023. (T4, 2021)
• Gmail has 1.5 billion active users. (CNBC, 2019)
• The Apple iPhone email client has a 48% market share as of April 2021. In second place is Gmail at 28% and in third place is Apple Mail at 11%. (Litmus, 2021)
• 23% of marketers use Salesforce Marketing Cloud for marketing emails. On the other hand, 21% use Mailchimp while 10% use Adobe Marketo. (Litmus, 2021)
• 47% of marketers said they are satisfied with their email service providers. In contrast, 25% have neutral feelings about them while 8% are dissatisfied. (Litmus, 2021)
• 34% of small businesses use Mailchimp. Meanwhile, 15% use Hubspot and 9% use Constant Contact. (Litmus, 2021)
• Among mid-sized businesses, 22% use Salesforce Marketing Cloud. 15% use Mailchimp while 14% use Adobe Marketo. (Litmus, 2021)
• 44% of large businesses use Salesforce Marketing Cloud. On the other hand, 15% use Mailchimp and 15% use Adobe Marketo. (Litmus, 2021)

Consumer Behavior and Usage of Emails

Email has become ingrained in the lives of consumers that they check it constantly. In fact, they check email first before social media. In addition, users open their inbox while doing other activities.

• The number of email users worldwide today is estimated to be at 4.1 billion. By 2023, this number is expected to grow by 3% or to 4.4 billion. (The Radicati Group, 2019)
• 58% of users check email when they go online. They check email first before conducting a search (20%), social media (14%), or the news (5%). (OptinMonster, 2021)
• US adults spend five hours a day checking email. They spend 209 minutes or over three hours per day checking work email. On the other hand, they spend 143 minutes over two hours a day checking personal email. (Adobe, 2019)
• In the same survey, 80% of US adults said that they open emails frequently. In contrast, 57% said they open personal emails frequently. (Adobe, 2019)
• 31% said that millennials check personal emails multiple times per hour. On the other hand, 26% said that Gen Z email users do the same. (Adobe, 2019)
• 48% of US adults said that they don’t want to check work emails until they start working. On the other hand, 25% check emails while eating breakfast, 15% while commuting, and 13% while in bed. (Adobe, 2019)
• 42% of US adults said that they check personal emails while getting ready or eating breakfast. Meanwhile, 25% said that they do so while in bed, 17% when they get to work, and 16% on the way to work. (Adobe, 2019)

State of Email During the COVID-19 Pandemic

As people worked and studied from home, email afforded them a way to keep in touch with colleagues, family, and friends. Teens also stay updated with their school through email during the pandemic. In light of this, businesses have said that they changed email tactics. However, one challenge they face is email budget cuts.

• 4 out of 5 marketers said that they would rather give up social media as a marketing tactic than email marketing. (Litmus, 2020)
• 3 out of 4 marketers said that they have changed their email marketing strategies due to the pandemic. (Litmus, 2020)
• Over 40% of marketers said that they experienced budget cuts to email since the pandemic. (Litmus, 2020)
• 26% of US adults relied on email while working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (CivicScience, 2020)
• 76% of US adults used email or messaging services to communicate with others. Email usage is highest among adults aged 18 to 29 and 30 to 49 at 80%. In contrast, it is lowest for adults aged 50 to 64 at 71%. (Pew Research, 2020)
• 16% of US adults used the internet or email to connect with doctors or other medical professionals. (Pew Research, 2020)
• 37% of teens in the US used email to stay connected to friends and family that they could no longer see in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, 69% of them use email to stay connected at school. (Survey Monkey, 2020)

Email Best Practices for Marketers

From the subject line to content layout and interactive elements, there are a lot of things that email marketers should be mindful of. Considering the amount that an average person gets daily, it’s best to write a brief but catchy subject line. Data also shows that email personalization techniques increase audience engagement. Whatever their message or the industry they’re in, it’s crucial to conduct A/B testing to figure out the messages that click with their audience.

• 90% of marketers conduct A/B testing on their emails. (Litmus, 2020)
• 56% said that A/B testing for emails is a priority. (Litmus, 2020)
• 70% of marketers have brand email guidelines. (Litmus, 2020)
• 63% of marketers use a third-party email analytics tool to link email activity to web conversions. (Litmus, 2020)
• 91% of email subject lines are the top email element that is most likely to undergo A/B testing. This is followed by calls-to-action (51%), send time or send day (40%), and email layout and content position (36%). (Litmus, 2020)
• 75% of marketers say that personalization boosts engagement. For instance, birthday emails generate 3.42 times more revenue than standard emails. (Renegade, 2020)
• More than 50% of emails sent by top marketers contained 300 words or less, which means that it takes only 2.3 minutes to read them. (AWeber, 2019)
• On average, emails sent by top marketers have 43.85 characters in the subject line. (AWeber, 2019)
• Out of 100 marketing experts, 60% wrote email subject lines in sentence case. (AWeber, 2019)

Budget for Email Marketing

How much one should budget for email marketing depends on whether they plan to do it in-house or through an agency. Moreover, if they plan to acquire an email marketing list, they should be ready to spend over $100 for every 1,000 emails. Nevertheless, email plans can be hampered by inadequate resources and staffing, as experienced in some companies.

• 40% of marketers said that email marketing is under-resourced in their company. (Litmus, 2020)
• Only 12% of marketers planned to add to email staff in 2020, which was about half as many compared to 2019. (Litmus, 2020)
• Only 26% of marketers said that email is well-resourced or very well-resourced in their company. (Litmus, 2020)
• 45% of marketers planned budget increases for integrating email with other channels. (Litmus, 2020)
• A midsized business spends an average of $9 to $1,000 monthly for their email marketing needs if they do it themselves. On the other hand, they spend $300 to $500 if they do it through an agency. (Adobe Marketo, 2019)
• The cost of an email marketing list costs between $100 and $600 for 1,000 email addresses. (ActiveCampaign, 2020)
• A consumer email marketing list costs $100 to $400 per thousand emails. On the other hand, a business email marketing list costs $600 to $1,000 per one thousand emails. (ActiveCampaign, 2020)

Why Do Consumers Unsubscribe From Emails?

Understanding why consumers choose to unsubscribe from emails is crucial for businesses aiming to improve retention and engagement. Here are the primary reasons:

• Email Frequency Overload: Many users unsubscribe when they feel overwhelmed by too many emails. Receiving daily or even multiple emails per day from the same brand can lead to frustration, making consumers less likely to engage and more likely to hit “unsubscribe.”
• Irrelevant Content: Emails that don’t align with the recipient’s interests quickly lose value. Emails that don’t address user needs or preferences make it easy for users to opt-out, especially when the content feels generic or uninteresting.
• Poor Mobile Optimization: With a significant percentage of users reading emails on mobile devices, emails that aren’t optimized for mobile can lead to frustration. Emails that are difficult to read or navigate on smaller screens may result in unsubscribes.
• Lack of Personalization: Consumers today expect emails that feel tailored to their preferences. Generic emails that lack personalization can lead to disengagement, as customers feel they’re not receiving individualized attention.
• Unclear Value or Purpose: If subscribers don’t see a clear value in staying on an email list, they are more likely to leave. Ensuring each email provides something valuable, such as exclusive content or discounts, can help keep readers subscribed and engaged.

The Future of the Competitive Email Landscape

Consumers nowadays can easily access email from mobile phones, desktops, and tablets. This presents a challenge and an opportunity for marketers to have their emails read and opened. The ability to engage with email subscribers through concise messaging will set them apart from the competition.

Bold doomsday predictions have declared that email is dead. Yet if one considers the number of email users, then it’s safe to say that it’s very much thriving. Though hampered by pandemic-related challenges, adjustments made by marketers will help get the industry back on track.

Key Insights

• Volume of Emails Sent: Nearly 300 billion emails are sent and received daily. This number is expected to reach 376.4 billion by 2025. Email traffic saw a significant increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially from March to July 2020.
• Business vs. Personal Emails: An average person sends and receives 121 business emails per day. Business and consumer emails combined are projected to exceed 319 billion daily in 2021.
• Email Open Rates: 42% of emails are opened on smartphones and tablets, and 28.4% on iPhones. The average open rate for all industries is 18%, with government emails seeing a 50% increase in click-through rates during the pandemic.
• Email Service Providers: Gmail leads with 1.5 billion active users, followed by Apple iPhone email client with a 48% market share. Salesforce Marketing Cloud is preferred by large businesses, while Mailchimp is popular among small businesses.
• Consumer Email Behavior: 58% of users check email first when they go online. US adults spend an average of 5 hours daily checking email, with 80% frequently opening work emails.
• Impact of COVID-19 on Email Usage: 76% of US adults used email to communicate during the pandemic, with high usage among younger adults. 37% of teens in the US used email to stay connected to friends and family.
• Email Marketing Best Practices: 90% of marketers conduct A/B testing on their emails. Personalization boosts engagement, with birthday emails generating 3.42 times more revenue than standard emails. Most effective emails have subject lines with 43.85 characters on average.
• Email Marketing Budget: 40% of marketers report that email marketing is under-resourced in their companies. A midsized business spends between $9 to $1,000 monthly for email marketing if done in-house, and $300 to $500 if done through an agency.

FAQ

1. How many emails are sent and received daily? Nearly 300 billion emails are sent and received each day. This number is expected to increase to 376.4 billion by 2025.
2. What is the average number of business emails sent and received per day? An average person sends and receives 121 business emails daily.
3. How do most users check their emails? 42% of emails are opened on smartphones and tablets, with 28.4% of these on iPhones.
4. Which email service providers are the most popular? Gmail has the most users with 1.5 billion active users. The Apple iPhone email client holds a 48% market share.
5. How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected email usage? During the pandemic, 76% of US adults used email to communicate, with a significant increase in email traffic from March to July 2020.
6. What are some email marketing best practices? Marketers should focus on A/B testing, personalization, and keeping emails concise. Personalization, such as birthday emails, significantly boosts engagement.
7. What is the typical budget for email marketing for a midsized business? A midsized business spends an average of $9 to $1,000 monthly if doing email marketing in-house and $300 to $500 through an agency.
8. How important is A/B testing in email marketing? A/B testing is crucial, with 90% of marketers conducting it on their emails to improve engagement and effectiveness.
9. What are the common challenges marketers face with email marketing? Many marketers report that email marketing is under-resourced, and there have been budget cuts due to the pandemic. Only 26% of marketers say that email is well-resourced in their companies.
10. What is the future outlook for email marketing? Despite challenges, email marketing is thriving with an increasing number of users and significant engagement potential. Adjustments made by marketers during the pandemic are expected to help the industry recover and grow.

References:

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By Jenny Chang

Jenny Chang is a senior writer specializing in SaaS and B2B software solutions. Her decision to focus on these two industries was spurred by their explosive growth in the last decade, much of it she attributes to the emergence of disruptive technologies and the quick adoption by businesses that were quick to recognize their values to their organizations. She has covered all the major developments in SaaS and B2B software solutions, from the introduction of massive ERPs to small business platforms to help startups on their way to success.