Unsubscribe rate

An unsubscribe rate is the rate at which users unsubscribe from an email list. It’s a great metric to gauge an email program’s health, as it provides insights into user engagement – and whether subscribers are finding the content relevant. When demonstrated in a formula, the unsubscribe rate accounts for the total number of unsubscribes divided by the total number of emails delivered and multiplied by 100, expressed as a percentage. Here’s how:

(Total number of unsubscribes / Total number of emails delivered) * 100 = Unsubscribe rate

For instance, if a brand sent 5,000 emails and 100 subscribers chose to opt out of its email list, the unsubscribe rate would be 2%.

100 / 5,000 * 100 = 2%

Unsubscribes on their own are not bad for deliverability. In fact, they’re often a healthy signal that your program is trustworthy. 

A user who clicks your unsubscribe link is telling the inbox provider: “I trust this sender to honor my request.” That’s a sign of positive engagement, and it prevents spam complaints, which carry more weight.