Three rates, three questions
Open rate (opens ÷ delivered) measures subject lines and sender trust. Click-through rate (clicks ÷ delivered) measures the whole email. Click-to-open rate (clicks ÷ opens) isolates the body copy and offer, removing the subject-line variable.
Privacy changes broke open tracking
Apple's Mail Privacy Protection pre-fetches images, inflating opens for a large share of subscribers. Treat open rate as directional and shift your primary KPI to clicks and revenue per recipient, which cannot be faked by a proxy fetch.
What good looks like
- Open rate: 20–35% for engaged lists, higher for small transactional lists
- CTR: 2–5% is healthy for ecommerce campaigns
- CTOR: 10–20% indicates the body is doing its job
- Revenue per email sent is the metric that pays salaries
Diagnosing a weak campaign
Low opens with normal CTOR: fix the subject line or list hygiene. Normal opens with low CTOR: the offer or the layout. Both low: you are mailing people who do not remember you — clean the list before writing another email.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my open rates above 60%?
Likely Apple Mail Privacy Protection prefetching, or a small list with a few heavy openers.
What is a good click-to-open rate?
10–20% is solid; above 25% means the offer and copy are tightly matched to the audience.
Should I remove unengaged subscribers?
Yes — pruning 90-day non-openers usually raises deliverability and revenue per send.
Assumptions & disclaimer
Results are estimates for planning. Fee schedules, tax brackets and deduction limits change; confirm current figures with the marketplace, the IRS or a qualified accountant before making decisions. Nothing here is financial, tax or legal advice.
Privacy & Your Data
BizCalcTool runs entirely in your browser. The figures you enter are never uploaded, stored or shared — there is no backend to send them to.