Email marketing stats tell us something remarkable – this channel dominates the marketing world in 2025. The numbers paint an impressive picture: 4.48 billion people use email globally in 2024. Experts predict this number will surge to almost 4.9 billion by 2027. People send a staggering 361.1 billion emails each day, and this figure should reach 408.2 billion daily by 2027.

The effectiveness of email marketing shows up clearly in the data. Marketers earn $36 for every dollar they spend, making email one of today's most profitable digital marketing channels. On top of that, 87% of marketing leaders see email marketing as vital to their company's success.

This piece analyzes data from over 1000 marketers to showcase the most relevant email marketing stats for 2025. We'll get into performance measures, automation trends, mobile optimization strategies and AI applications. You'll learn what works in email marketing today and how to keep up with trends.

Email marketing in 2025: Key usage and growth stats

Email usage worldwide keeps growing at an amazing pace. The latest statistics prove its vital role in marketing strategies for 2025 and beyond. Recent data shows unprecedented growth in how people use email across regions, devices, and demographics.

Global email user base and daily volume

The worldwide email user base has grown by a lot, reaching about 4.6 billion users in 2025. This shows substantial growth from 4 billion users in 2020, and experts predict it will reach nearly 4.8 billion users by 2027. Since the average person has about 1.86 email accounts, roughly 8.3 billion email accounts exist globally.

The daily volume of emails is even more striking. People send and receive about 376.4 billion emails worldwide every day. That's about 4.2 million emails every second. These numbers show why email remains such a powerful communication channel. Daily email volume should reach 408.2 billion by 2027, showing a compound annual growth rate of about 4%.

Here's how email volume has grown over the years:

  • 2018: 281.1 billion daily emails
  • 2022: 333.2 billion daily emails
  • 2025: 376.4 billion daily emails
  • 2027: 408.2 billion daily emails (projected)

How often people check their inbox

Email has become part of our daily lives, with 93% of people checking their inbox every day. A closer look shows 42% of users check their emails three to five times daily. Another 28% check 10-20 times, while 19% look at their inbox more than 20 times per day.

Most people (58%) start their day by checking email before social media or news sites. Time spent on email varies – 35% spend less than an hour daily, while another 35% dedicate two to five hours to their inbox.

Email rules work communication, with 60% of people preferring it for professional messages. That's why 79% of users check their inbox specifically for work-related content. Many users (41%) also keep an eye out for brand discounts and special offers.

Top countries by email activity

Different countries show varying levels of email activity. The United States tops the list as of August 2025, sending nearly 10 billion emails daily. Germany and India come next with 8.5 billion and 8.3 billion daily emails.

Here are other countries with high email volumes:

  • Ireland: 8.5 billion daily emails
  • United Kingdom: 8.3 billion daily emails
  • France: 8.3 billion daily emails
  • Netherlands: 8.3 billion daily emails
  • Austria, Japan, and India: 8.2 billion daily emails each
  • Australia: 8.1 billion daily emails

Mobile devices now dominate how people check email, with 64% mainly using their phones. Younger generations, especially Millennials and Gen Z, strongly prefer mobile for accessing email. Companies should note that 75% of users delete emails that don't display well on mobile devices. This makes mobile optimization crucial for successful email marketing.

Performance benchmarks: Open rates, CTRs, and ROI

The true power of email marketing shows up clearly in the 2025 metrics. These measures explain why marketers still rely on email even as newer communication platforms emerge. A good grasp of these metrics helps teams review their campaigns and get better results.

Average open and click-through rates by industry

Email open rates average about 21% across industries, though this number changes quite a bit based on the industry and data source. Marketers get the best results by sending emails on Fridays, with open rates hitting 19%. Welcome emails do much better than other types, reaching amazing open rates of 69% (sometimes as high as 80%).

Looking at click-through rates (CTRs), businesses average around 2.4%. The rates vary quite a bit by industry:

Industry

Average Open Rate

Average CTR

Religion

59.70%

2.99%

Hobbies

53.33%

4.36%

Non-profit

53.21%

3.25%

Health & Fitness

48.9%

1.74%

Government

47.11%

4.31%

Retail/eCommerce

31.08%

1.19%

Automated flows work better than regular campaigns. To name just one example, abandoned cart emails get a 19.60% click-to-open rate. "Email my cart" messages do even better with a 39.42% click-to-open rate. These numbers show how behavior-triggered emails beat generic campaigns.

Email marketing ROI across sectors

Email marketing delivers amazing returns on investment. It stands out as one of the most profitable digital marketing channels. Reports show that email marketing gets USD 36.00 back for every USD 1.00 spent. Some sources claim even higher returns between USD 36.00 and USD 50.00 per invested dollar.

Different sectors see different ROI levels:

  • Retail, eCommerce, and Consumer Goods lead the pack with about 4500% ROI
  • Marketing, PR, and Advertising come next at 4200%
  • Software and Technology match the average at 3600%
  • Media, Publishing, and Events trail slightly at 3200%

These numbers look great, but only 25% of companies say they track their email marketing ROI well enough. About 50% of businesses admit they measure ROI poorly or skip it entirely. Many companies might not realize how valuable this channel really is.

Campaign relevance makes a big difference in results. The best 10% of campaigns get order rates five times higher than average across both email and SMS. These top performers also earn seven times more revenue per recipient.

How email compares to other channels

Email marketing beats other digital channels in several key areas. Email goes straight to subscribers' inboxes, avoiding the algorithm battles common in social media and paid search.

Email drives about 14% of web traffic. Social media leads with 16%, followed by organic search at 17%. Display ads get 12% while paid search brings in 9%. Email clicks convert better too – 15.22% of email click-throughs turn into sales. The overall conversion rate for all sent emails sits at 1.06%.

Email marketing costs much less than other options. Each email click costs between USD 0.01 and USD 0.05, while paid channels charge USD 0.50 to USD 5.00. Getting new customers through email usually costs USD 15.00 to USD 50.00. Paid channels can charge anywhere from USD 30.00 to USD 300.00.

Most marketers (73%) call email marketing crucial to their success. Marketing leaders agree – 87% say it's vital to their company's performance. These stats show why email remains central to successful digital marketing strategies in 2025.

Automation and triggered emails: What’s working now

Automated email campaigns are the life-blood of successful email marketing strategies in 2025. These campaigns deliver better engagement and conversion rates than standard broadcasts. Regular campaigns still matter, but triggered emails based on specific user actions perform better in all key metrics. Email automation has become vital to any marketing program that works.

Top-performing automated email types

Some automated email types consistently deliver exceptional results in a variety of industries in 2025. Abandoned cart emails top the list with a 45% open rate and 21% conversion rate—about 5x higher than standard promotional emails. These recovery emails can recapture up to 10% of sales that would otherwise be lost.

Welcome emails show remarkable results with 82% open rates, making them the most opened automated messages. Order confirmation emails hit 70% open rates and generate 8x more revenue than standard promotional messages. Customer relationships grow stronger through post-purchase follow-ups that achieve 53% open rates.

The most effective automated email sequences include:

  • Abandoned cart recovery (3-email series)
  • Welcome/onboarding series (3-5 emails)
  • Post-purchase follow-ups (2-3 emails)
  • Re-engagement campaigns (3-4 emails)
  • Browse abandonment reminders (1-2 emails)

New shoppers who get a welcome series spend 83% more than those who don't. This shows how vital these original touchpoints are. Product recommendation emails based on previous purchases see 26% higher open rates and generate 31% more revenue than generic promotional messages.

Conversion rates of welcome and cart emails

Welcome emails convert at much higher rates than standard broadcasts, besides their impressive open rates. Recent data shows welcome emails convert at 4.9%—3x higher than regular promotional emails. Notwithstanding that, welcome emails with content tailored to signup source convert even better at 6.8%.

Cart abandonment emails show even better conversion metrics:

Email Type

Average Conversion Rate

Revenue per Email

First cart reminder (1 hour)

4.6%

$3.69

Second reminder (24 hours)

3.2%

$2.89

Final reminder (72 hours)

1.8%

$1.65

Three-email series combined

10.7%

$8.23

Browse abandonment emails trigger when someone views products without adding to cart and convert at 3.1%. Re-engagement campaigns sent to inactive subscribers convert at 2.8%. Both types perform better than standard promotional emails.

Timing affects conversion effectiveness. Cart abandonment emails sent within an hour convert at 4.6%, compared to 1.8% after 24 hours. Quick follow-ups lead to better conversion rates.

Revenue share from automated campaigns

Automated emails generate 30-45% of email marketing revenue while making up only 5-15% of total email volume for most organizations. Companies with sophisticated automation see this revenue share rise to 58%, showing the power of targeted messages.

Industry-specific data reveals eCommerce businesses get 41% of their email revenue from automated flows. B2B companies generate 32% of email-driven pipeline through automated sequences. Retail brands with mature email programs earn $0.48 per automated email versus $0.08 per broadcast email—a 6x revenue difference.

Automated email ROI keeps growing year-over-year. Companies saw a 20% increase in automated email revenue from 2023 to 2025. Brands that exploit AI-enhanced segmentation in automated flows report 34% higher revenue per recipient than those using simple automation.

Companies using sophisticated email automation report 86% higher customer lifetime value compared to those without it. These compelling statistics make investing in sophisticated email automation capabilities essential for marketers who want to maximize their email programs' effectiveness in 2025.

Mobile-first email marketing: Why it matters more than ever

Mobile-first strategies have become a defining trend in email marketing statistics throughout 2025. Brands risk losing substantial engagement and revenue if they don't optimize for smaller screens, as 55% of all email opens now happen on mobile devices.

Mobile vs desktop open rates

The numbers tell a clear story about mobile's dominance in email consumption. Mobile devices now handle 55-62% of all email opens. Desktop usage has dropped to about 39% of total opens. This shows how mobile email consumption continues its upward trend from previous years.

Demographics paint an interesting picture. Users between ages 25-34 make up most mobile email users, which suggests younger audiences prefer checking emails on their phones. The numbers back this up – 67% of Gen Z and 59% of millennials use mobile email clients. This highlights how younger generations lean toward mobile-first email consumption.

Workplace communications follow a different pattern. Most employees (68%) still prefer desktop devices for checking email. The average desktop open rate sits at just 16.2%, while mobile boasts an impressive 41.9%.

Impact of mobile optimization on engagement

Mobile optimization directly shapes email performance metrics across industries. Users delete half of all non-mobile-friendly emails within three seconds. This represents a huge loss of potential audience for campaigns that aren't optimized.

The financial results speak volumes. Mobile-optimized emails get 24% more clicks than their non-optimized counterparts. Mobile email views generate over $1 billion in revenue, with a 4.29% conversion rate.

The conversion pathway has grown more mobile-centric:

Metric

Mobile Performance

Impact

Click engagement

Mobile-optimized emails

33% of all email clicks

Deletion rate

Non-optimized campaigns

50% within 3 seconds

Mobile-ready campaigns

Campaign optimization

80% of total campaigns

Users will delete or ignore 62% of emails that aren't mobile-responsive. Companies that implement mobile-responsive design see their unique mobile clicks rise by up to 15%.

Holiday season mobile behavior

Mobile email usage spikes during peak shopping periods. The period from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day sees 44.2% of emails opened on mobile devices, compared to 34.6% on webmail and 19.8% on desktop. Cyber Week numbers jump even higher, with mobile channels driving over 50% of online sales.

This year's holiday season looks to be the most mobile-focused yet. Projections show $128.1 billion in mobile device spending. Black Friday and Cyber Monday see peak mobile email opens during lunchtime (11am-1pm).

These statistics make it clear – a mobile-first approach is vital for success. Mobile-friendly designs need larger touch targets (minimum 44px × 44px), responsive layouts, and fast-loading content. This matters even more since people check their phones 144 times daily but only spend about 8 seconds deciding if an email deserves their attention.

Personalization and segmentation: Boosting engagement

Email marketing campaigns in 2025 have transformed through personalization, showing remarkable improvements in engagement when messages adapt to individual recipients. The numbers paint a clear picture: personalized emails achieve 29% higher open rates and 41% higher click-through rates compared to generic messages.

Subject line personalization stats

A campaign's first impression depends on its subject line. Recipients open emails with personalized subject lines 26% more often than standard ones. Recent surveys show 65% of marketers use subject line personalization in over half their campaigns. Only 9% of marketers skip this practice completely.

The results speak volumes – 80% of marketers see measurable performance improvements with subject line personalization. This success explains its growing adoption rate. Emails featuring the recipient's name or location in subject lines see up to 50% higher open rates. Some data suggests these results might vary by industry and audience type.

Behavioral triggers and dynamic content

Behavioral triggers stand out as powerful tools for email marketers. User action-triggered marketing emails generate 10 times more revenue than standard campaigns. Dynamic content has evolved into a sophisticated system that personalizes elements based on subscriber behavior.

Each recipient's message adapts to their circumstances, from product browsing patterns to abandoned shopping carts. Of course, this advanced personalization delivers results – emails with dynamic content that responds to recent subscriber interactions show much higher engagement rates.

Marketers can maintain relationships with large subscriber bases through automated personalization without losing the personal connection that drives conversions.

Segmentation and targeted messaging

Targeted campaigns consistently outshine broad-based approaches. These campaigns achieve 30-50% higher open rates, 50% higher click-through rates, and a stunning 760% revenue increase. Email marketing professionals agree – 90% confirm that subscriber segmentation boosts overall campaign performance.

Today's most effective segmentation strategies go beyond simple demographics to include:

  • Behavioral data (website visits, past purchases, email interactions)
  • Engagement levels (highly engaged vs. inactive subscribers)
  • Intent signals (research phase vs. purchase-ready behaviors)

Segmented and personalized emails now generate 58% of all email marketing revenue. These targeted approaches make a huge impact despite representing a smaller portion of total send volume.

The proof lies in the results – 60% of shoppers complete their purchase after receiving customized abandoned cart reminders, showing the direct conversion power of well-executed personalization.

AI and future trends in email marketing

AI is changing email marketing faster than ever in 2025. The adoption rates continue to climb in all industries. A remarkable 92% of companies plan to invest in generative AI tools in the next three years. This transformation brings major improvements to tailored content, automation, and ROI.

Adoption of generative AI tools

Experts project the email marketing AI market to reach USD 217.33 billion by 2034. About 73% of marketers now use AI to create tailored customer experiences. However, only 1% feel their AI investments have reached full potential. More marketers (34%) now use generative AI to write email copy. Most marketers (71%) believe AI-powered content will revolutionize their work.

AI use cases: copywriting, send time, CTAs

AI's role in email marketing goes beyond simple automation:

  • Copywriting enhancement: AI studies successful campaigns and identifies effective design elements and tone adjustments. It creates subject lines, body copy, and calls-to-action that match specific audience needs.
  • Send time optimization: Smart algorithms pick the best time to reach each recipient. This approach boosts click-through rates by 13% by analyzing customer engagement patterns.
  • CTA improvements: AI removes the guesswork by personalizing CTAs and predicting success rates. These systems test multiple variables simultaneously with live updates.

Hyper-personalization and predictive content

Hyper-personalization leads email marketing into the future. Advanced data analytics and AI create ultra-tailored experiences. AI processes huge customer datasets to understand individual behaviors and predict priorities. Dynamic content adapts based on recipient's recent actions. Smart analytics spot customers who might leave, which enables targeted re-engagement campaigns.

Companies that use AI-driven hyper-personalization see an 82% jump in conversion rates. By 2025, more businesses will use predictive insights to forecast open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribe risks. This ensures each subscriber gets content that strikes a chord with their unique priorities.

Conclusion

Email marketing remains a digital marketing powerhouse in 2025. The statistics in this piece show its dominance. By 2027, nearly 4.9 billion global users will use email, delivering an exceptional ROI of $36 for every dollar spent. Email outperforms most digital marketing channels consistently.

Daily email volume keeps climbing toward 408.2 billion by 2027. People's engagement with email stays strong – 93% check their email daily. For 58% of users, email is their first digital activity each morning. These numbers explain why marketers consider email crucial to their company's success.

Performance metrics prove email works well. Average open rates of 21% and click-through rates of 2.4% differ by industry but show substantial engagement. Automated campaigns make up just 5-15% of total email volume yet generate 30-45% of email marketing revenue. This shows how well triggered messaging works.

Mobile-friendly design has become crucial since 55-62% of all email opens happen on mobile devices. Users delete emails that don't work on mobile within three seconds. This makes responsive design essential for success.

Targeted communication delivers better results. Personalized emails get 29% higher open rates and 41% higher click-through rates than generic ones. Segmented campaigns bring in up to 760% more revenue than broad approaches.

AI speeds up these improvements. About 73% of marketers use AI to create individual-specific experiences. They optimize send times, predict content needs, and get advanced copywriting help. These AI-driven strategies help create more relevant messages at scale.

New communication platforms keep emerging. Yet email marketing statistics show this channel stays essential for businesses wanting reliable, measurable results. Marketers who welcome these insights about automation, mobile design, personalization, and AI will set themselves up for success through 2025 and beyond.

FAQs

Q1. How effective is email marketing in 2025?

Email marketing remains highly effective in 2025, with an average return on investment of $36 for every dollar spent. It outperforms many other digital marketing channels, with 87% of marketing leaders considering it critical to their company's success.

Q2. What are the average open rates for email marketing campaigns in 2025?

The average email open rate across industries in 2025 is approximately 21%. However, this figure varies considerably depending on the industry and type of email. For instance, welcome emails achieve an impressive average open rate of 69%.

Q3. How has mobile usage impacted email marketing in 2025?

Mobile usage has significantly impacted email marketing, with 55-62% of all email opens now occurring on mobile devices. This shift has made mobile optimization crucial, as 50% of recipients delete non-mobile-friendly emails within three seconds.

Q4. What role does personalization play in email marketing success?

Personalization plays a crucial role in email marketing success. Personalized emails deliver 29% higher open rates and 41% higher click-through rates compared to generic messages. Additionally, emails with personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened.

Q5. How is AI being used in email marketing in 2025?

AI is widely adopted in email marketing, with 73% of marketers using it for personalized customer experiences. AI applications include copywriting enhancement, send time optimization, and predictive content generation. Marketers implementing AI-driven hyper-personalization report an 82% increase in conversion rates.