Delivery Rate

Delivery rate refers to the percentage of emails that were successfully accepted by recipients’ mail servers out of the total emails sent. It is an important metric for evaluating the effectiveness of email campaigns and sender reputation.

What Is a Delivery Rate?

Delivery rate measures how many emails successfully reach the recipient’s mail server, not necessarily their inbox.

A high delivery rate means the majority of your emails are being accepted for delivery. In contrast, a low delivery rate can indicate problems with list quality, domain configuration, or sender reputation.

Unlike inbox placement, delivery rate does not guarantee that emails land in the inbox as they could still end up in spam folders. However, it is the first step toward ensuring strong campaign performance.

How Does Delivery Rate Work?

Delivery rate is calculated using this formula: (Delivered Emails ÷ Sent Emails) × 100

For example, if you send 10,000 emails and recipient servers accept 9,600, your delivery rate is: (9,600 ÷ 10,000) × 100 = 96%

Email validation, list hygiene, and proper authentication protocols all impact delivery rate.

Why Is Delivery Rate Important?

Delivery rate matters because it:

• Indicates email health: A strong delivery rate shows your domain and IP have good standing with internet service providers (ISPs)
• Reduces wasted effort: Low delivery rates often mean you are sending to invalid or inactive addresses
• Protects sender reputation: Consistently poor delivery rates can lead to domain blacklisting
• Affects ROI: If emails don’t reach mail servers, your campaign can’t generate engagement or revenue

Common Use Cases

Delivery rate is used by marketers and email teams for:

• Campaign performance analysis: Evaluating list quality and sending infrastructure
• Reputation monitoring: Detecting issues with authentication, DNS, or blacklists
• ESP reporting: Ensuring compliance with provider guidelines to avoid penalties
• Email optimization: Adjusting sending frequency and segmenting lists based on engagement

FAQs About Delivery Rate

What is a good email delivery rate?

A rate above 95% is generally considered good. Anything below 90% should be investigated immediately.

How is a delivery rate different from inbox placement?

Delivery rate measures acceptance by the mail server, while inbox placement measures whether the email lands in the inbox or spam folder.

How can delivery rates be improved?

By validating email lists regularly, authenticating with SPF/DKIM/DMARC, and maintaining clean sending practices.

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