The average email open rate across all industries is 35.63%, according to Mailchimp’s benchmark data. Government emails lead at 40.55% and vitamin-supplement emails trail at 27.34%. Anything in the 30–40% band is normal for a healthy, permission-based list.
Average email open rate by industry
Mailchimp calculated these figures by scanning billions of emails sent through its platform, counting only campaigns delivered to at least 1,000 subscribers. The data reflects its December 2023 update.
| Industry | Avg. open rate | Avg. click rate | Unsubscribe rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-profits | 40.04% | 3.27% | 0.18% |
| Education & Training | 35.64% | 3.02% | 0.18% |
| Business & Finance | 31.35% | 2.78% | 0.15% |
| Ecommerce | 29.81% | 1.74% | 0.19% |
| All users | 35.63% | 2.62% | 0.22% |
Source: Mailchimp, Email Marketing Benchmarks (data as of December 2023). Mailchimp separately reports government as the highest-opening sector at 40.55% and vitamin supplements as the lowest at 27.34%.
A second dataset: GetResponse
Benchmarks vary by provider because each platform serves a different mix of senders. GetResponse analysed 4.4 billion messages sent by its customers in 2023 (senders with at least 500 contacts) and reported a higher all-industry average of 39.64%.
| Industry | Open rate | Click-through rate | Click-to-open rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communications | 65.14% | 8.66% | 13.29% |
| Non-profits | 54.54% | 6.70% | 12.29% |
| Arts & Entertainment | 51.19% | 4.16% | 8.13% |
| Legal services | 47.26% | 12.11% | 25.63% |
| Technology & High Tech | 44.72% | 7.40% | 16.54% |
| Health Care | 43.95% | 3.08% | 7.01% |
| Retail | 41.77% | 5.10% | 12.22% |
| Financial Services | 34.70% | 5.34% | 15.40% |
| Travel | 32.83% | 2.52% | 7.69% |
| All industries | 42.53% | 5.14% | 11.95% |
Source: GetResponse, Email Marketing Benchmarks (2024 edition, 2023 send data). The “all industries” row is the average of the industry-segmented subset, which runs higher than GetResponse’s 39.64% global average.
How to use these benchmarks
An industry average is a starting line, not a target. Your own results depend far more on list quality, send frequency and how recently a subscriber opted in than on the sector you happen to be in.
Compare like with like
Match the benchmark to your email type. Triggered emails average 45.38% opens versus 40.08% for newsletters (GetResponse), and welcome emails hit 83.63%.
Trend beats absolute
A 28% open rate climbing month over month is healthier than a flat 40%. Track your own 12-month line before you chase someone else’s number.
Segment before you panic
Mailchimp’s data shows unsubscribe rates cluster tightly (0.15–0.22%). If yours is far higher, the fix is relevance and frequency, not subject lines.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good email open rate?
A good email open rate is roughly 30–40% for a permission-based list. Mailchimp puts the all-industry average at 35.63% and advises aiming for about 34%; GetResponse reports 39.64%. Below 20% usually signals a list-hygiene or deliverability problem rather than a copywriting one.
Which industry has the highest email open rate?
In Mailchimp’s dataset, government emails open highest at 40.55%. In GetResponse’s dataset, communications leads at 65.14%. Both sit at the top because their audiences actively expect and rely on the message.
Why is my ecommerce open rate lower than average?
It probably is not a problem. Ecommerce averages 29.81% opens in Mailchimp’s data — the lowest of the four sectors it publishes — because promotional email competes with a crowded inbox. Ecommerce senders should watch click and conversion rates instead.
Are open rates still reliable in 2026?
Only partially. Apple Mail Privacy Protection inflates reported opens for any list with a meaningful share of Apple Mail users. Use open rate for A/B comparisons within your own account, and use click-through rate, click-to-open rate and revenue per email for decisions that matter.
How is open rate calculated?
Unique opens divided by delivered emails, expressed as a percentage. Delivered means sent minus bounces. See our open rate glossary entry for the formula and worked example.
Related reading
- Email click-through rates by industry
- Best day and time to send email
- All email marketing benchmarks
- Free subject line tester — the fastest lever on opens
- Email marketing glossary
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