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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. 

 

List Growth Rate

List growth rate measures how fast your email list is expanding over a period, accounting for new subscribers minus unsubscribes and bounces. It shows whether your audience is growing or shrinking.

Also known as: subscriber growth rate, list growth

Email lists decay by roughly a fifth each year as people change addresses or disengage. List growth rate tells you whether you're outpacing that natural erosion — or quietly losing ground.

How is list growth rate calculated?

List growth rate = [(new subscribers − unsubscribes − bounces) ÷ total subscribers] × 100 over a chosen period. A positive rate means net growth; negative means your list is shrinking.

Why does list growth rate matter?

Because lists naturally decay, steady acquisition is essential just to stay flat. Tracking growth rate keeps list building a priority and flags problems early.

How do you grow your list faster?

Add high-converting opt-in forms and popups, offer a compelling lead magnet, run referral programs, and reduce churn with relevant, well-paced emails.

Related terms

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

Related reading from Drip

Email Marketing Analytics: 7 Metrics You Need to Track How to Grow and Maintain Your Email List

Frequently asked questions

What is email list growth rate?
List growth rate measures how quickly your email list is expanding over a period, after subtracting unsubscribes and bounces from new subscribers. It shows whether your audience is net growing or shrinking.
How is list growth rate calculated?
Subtract unsubscribes and bounces from new subscribers, divide by your total subscriber count, and multiply by 100 for a given period. A positive result means net growth; a negative result means decline.
Why does list growth rate matter?
Email lists naturally decay by roughly 20–25% a year as people change addresses or disengage. Tracking growth rate ensures your acquisition outpaces that erosion and keeps list building a priority.
How can I improve my list growth rate?
Use high-converting opt-in forms and popups, offer a compelling lead magnet, run referral programs, and reduce churn by sending relevant, well-paced emails so fewer people unsubscribe.
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