What counts as a good open rate?

Everyone asks this, so let's give a real number instead of a shrug.

Why it matters: knowing the benchmark tells you whether to celebrate or fix something.

— For most lists, 20-40% opens is healthy. Below 15% usually means a list or subject-line problem.
— New, eager subscribers open more (sometimes 50%+). Older, forgotten lists open less.
— One catch: Apple now auto-opens many emails, so opens are a bit inflated. Trust clicks more.

✅ Look up your last campaign's open rate and compare it to that 20-40% range.

An "open rate" is just the share of people who opened your email — like counting how many letters got unsealed.

New here? Start with the basics above.