Unsubscribe rate

Unsubscribe rate

Email Marketing

Unsubscribe rate is the share of delivered emails that led the recipient to unsubscribe.

What is Unsubscribe rate?

Some unsubscribes are healthy: people who aren't interested leaving on their own instead of marking you as spam. Watch for spikes. A jump after one campaign points to the wrong audience, too many sends close together or an offer that misses. Fixes: better segments, frequency limits like Smart Sending, and a preference center so people can choose less instead of nothing. For texts, the matching number is the opt-out rate from STOP replies.

Formula

Unsubscribe rate = Unsubscribes ÷ Emails delivered × 100

Example

A campaign to 20,000 people gets 60 unsubscribes: a 0.3% unsubscribe rate, double the store's usual.

Why Unsubscribe rate Matters

Rising unsubscribes tell you to send less, or better, before complaints follow.

Unsubscribe rate FAQ

Is a high unsubscribe rate bad for deliverability?

Unsubscribes themselves aren't, but they often come with spam complaints, which are.

Should I make unsubscribing harder?

No. People who can't find the link click "spam" instead, which does far more damage.

Explore More Terms

Browse our complete glossary of e-commerce and subscription terms.

Space, at your fingertips

What would you do with 22% more revenue?