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Email Marketing Glossary.

Clear, no-fluff definitions of every email marketing term that matters—from open rates to double opt-in. 

 

Deliverability Rate

Deliverability rate is the percentage of your emails that actually reach recipients' inboxes, rather than bouncing or being filtered to spam. It's a core measure of email program health.

Also known as: inbox placement rate, delivery rate

You can have a great list and great content, but if your emails don't reach the inbox, none of it matters. Deliverability rate is the number that captures whether you're actually getting through.

How is deliverability rate calculated?

At a basic level, deliverability rate = (emails delivered to the inbox ÷ emails sent) × 100. True inbox-placement measurement requires seed testing, since "delivered" in most tools doesn't distinguish inbox from spam.

What's a good deliverability rate?

Aim for 95% or higher. Real-world inbox placement often sits around 83–85%, so most senders have room to improve.

How do you improve it?

Authenticate your domain (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), keep a clean list, maintain a good sender reputation, and keep complaints low. Drip's free Email Marketing Health Calculator shows where you stand.

Related terms

Open Rate Click-Through Rate (CTR) Click-to-Open Rate (CTOR) Conversion Rate Bounce Rate Unsubscribe Rate

Related reading from Drip

What's a Good Email Deliverability Rate in 2026? Ecommerce Email Deliverability: 9 Ways to Reach the Inbox

Frequently asked questions

What is a good email deliverability rate?
Aim for 95% or higher — at least 95 of every 100 emails reaching the inbox. Average inbox placement across senders is closer to 83–85%, so there's usually room to improve.
What's the difference between delivery rate and deliverability rate?
Delivery rate counts emails the receiving server accepted, including those routed to spam. Deliverability (or inbox placement) rate counts only emails that reach the primary inbox. The gap between them is often significant.
How do I measure inbox placement?
Standard email metrics show 'delivered' but not whether mail landed in the inbox or spam. To measure true inbox placement, use seed-list or inbox-placement testing tools that check across major mailbox providers.
How do I improve my deliverability rate?
Authenticate your domain with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC; send only to engaged, opted-in subscribers; remove bounces and inactive contacts; keep spam complaints under 0.3%; and maintain a consistent sending reputation.
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