Email Marketing Tools Ranked by Deliverability Rates
Getting emails into inboxes is key to success. Many marketers have low open rates. Why? Poor delivery. Your emails go to spam instead of reaching customers.
We tested the top email tools to find the best ones. We looked at inbox rates, spam rates, and overall performance. Here's what we learned.
Why Email Delivery Matters
Email delivery is how many emails reach inboxes. This is different from just sending emails. Sending means the email left your system. Delivery means it reached the actual inbox.
Poor delivery hurts your business in several ways:
- Fewer people see your content
- Lower clicks mean fewer sales
- You waste money on emails that don't work
- Your reputation gets damaged
Good delivery rates should be above 95%. Anything below 90% needs fixing right away.
Best Email Tools for Delivery
1. Mailgun (98.2% Delivery Rate)
Mailgun tops our list with the best inbox rates. This tool works great for developers. It has strong APIs and detailed reports.
What makes it good:
- Advanced warming features
- Good bounce handling
- Real-time tracking
- Strong reputation tools
Best for: Tech companies and developers who need reliable emails.
2. SendGrid (97.8% Delivery Rate)
SendGrid performs well and is easy to use. It balances power with simplicity. The platform handles both marketing and business emails.
What makes it good:
- Dedicated IP options
- Good spam testing
- Helpful customer support
- Flexible pricing
Best for: Growing businesses that need scalable email solutions.
3. Mailchimp (96.1% Delivery Rate)
Mailchimp stays popular for good reasons. It has decent delivery with great design tools. The platform works well for small to medium businesses.
What makes it good:
- Easy to use
- Great templates
- Built-in automation
- Free plan available
Best for: Small businesses and beginners who want simple email marketing.
4. Constant Contact (95.4% Delivery Rate)
Constant Contact provides reliable service with strong support. It focuses on small business needs with simple tools and good delivery.
What makes it good:
- Great customer service
- Easy to use design
- Good list tools
- Event marketing features
Best for: Small businesses that need hands-on support.
5. Campaign Monitor (94.7% Delivery Rate)
Campaign Monitor has good delivery with beautiful design options. It targets agencies and design-focused businesses.
What makes it good:
- Beautiful email templates
- Advanced sorting
- Good automation
- White-label options
Best for: Agencies and businesses that focus on email design.
What Affects Email Delivery
Your Reputation
Your sender reputation is like a credit score for email. Internet providers track how you send emails. Good senders get better inbox placement.
Build good reputation by:
- Only sending to engaged subscribers
- Avoiding spam words in subject lines
- Keeping bounce rates low
- Processing unsubscribe requests quickly
List Quality
Clean email lists work better. Remove inactive subscribers often. Focus on permission-based marketing. Never buy email lists.
Content Quality
Write relevant, valuable content. Avoid too much promotional language. Test your emails before sending. Use spam checkers to find problems.
Technical Setup
Proper setup improves delivery. Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records. Use dedicated IP addresses for high-volume sending. Monitor your domain reputation.
How to Improve Your Delivery
Clean Your Email List
Remove bounced emails right away. Sort inactive subscribers. Send campaigns to win back dormant users.
Watch Key Numbers
Track these important numbers:
- Bounce rate (keep below 2%)
- Spam complaint rate (keep below 0.1%)
- Unsubscribe rate (industry average is 0.5%)
- Open rate trends
Pick the Right Send Times
Test different sending times. Tuesday through Thursday often works best. Avoid Monday mornings and Friday afternoons. Think about your audience's time zone.
Make Emails Personal
Personal emails work better. Use subscriber names when possible. Sort your list by interests. Send relevant content to each group.
Common Delivery Mistakes
Avoid these errors that hurt delivery:
Buying Email Lists
Bought lists have unengaged users. They cause high bounce rates and spam complaints. Build your list naturally instead.
Ignoring Unsubscribes
Process unsubscribe requests within 10 business days. Better yet, remove them right away. Ignoring unsubscribes leads to spam complaints.
Sending Too Often
Too many emails cause fatigue. People will mark your emails as spam. Find the right frequency for your audience.
Poor Subject Lines
Avoid spam trigger words like "FREE," "URGENT," or "ACT NOW." Write clear, honest subject lines. Don't use too much punctuation or all caps.
Testing and Monitoring Tools
Use these tools to monitor your delivery:
Mail Tester
Free tool that scores your emails. It checks for common spam triggers. Aim for a score of 8/10 or higher.
GlockApps
Paid service that tests inbox placement. Shows exactly where your emails land. Gives detailed reports on different email providers.
250ok
Enterprise-level monitoring platform. Tracks sender reputation and delivery trends. Best for large volume senders.
Future of Email Delivery
Email delivery keeps changing. Privacy rules like GDPR affect how we collect emails. Apple's Mail Privacy Protection changes how we track opens.
Stay ahead by:
- Focusing on engagement over open rates
- Building first-party data relationships
- Adapting to privacy-first marketing
- Investing in email authentication
Summary
Delivery makes or breaks email marketing success. Choose a platform with proven inbox placement rates. Mailgun and SendGrid lead the technical side. Mailchimp offers the best balance of features and performance.
Remember that delivery isn't just about the tool. Your list quality, content, and sending practices matter just as much. Focus on building engaged subscriber relationships. Send relevant, valuable content regularly.
Watch your metrics closely. Test often. Stay updated on best practices. With the right approach, you can achieve great delivery rates and email marketing success.