Newsletter benchmark checker
See how your newsletter's open rate, clicks, growth and churn compare to media benchmarks.
Benchmark your newsletter metrics
Benchmarks updated: 2026-08Your inputs
Share of recipients who open your newsletter.
Share of recipients who click a link in your newsletter.
Net percentage growth of your list each month.
Share of recipients who unsubscribe per send.
Optional context — does not affect the verdict.
Your benchmark results
Open rate
Strong opens suggest subject lines and sender reputation are working.
CTR
CTR is the most reliable engagement signal after Apple Mail Privacy Protection.
List growth
Sustained growth shows your acquisition channels are outpacing churn.
Unsubscribes
Low unsubscribes mean content, frequency and audience fit are aligned.
Turn newsletter readers into subscribers.
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How to use it
Enter your newsletter open rate, click-through rate, monthly list growth and unsubscribe rate. If you know your list size, add it for context — it does not change the verdict. The tool compares each metric against indicative media benchmarks and labels it strong, typical or needs work. Your inputs are stored in the URL so you can share or revisit a scenario.
Benchmarks & sources
Apple Mail Privacy Protection caveat: Open rates have been inflated since 2021 by Apple Mail Privacy Protection — treat open rate as directional and lean on clicks.
Sources
- Omeda — newsletter benchmark report for media (2026)
- Letterhead — newsletter open-rate benchmarks (2026)
- MailerLite — email benchmarks by industry (2026)
Indicative benchmarks compiled from public industry reports — figures vary by market and change over time. Treat as a rough guide, not a precise standard.
What good newsletter metrics look like for publishers
Strong publisher newsletters typically open at 45% or more, click at 5% or more, grow their list by 5% or more each month, and keep unsubscribes below 0.2% per send. Typical ranges sit a little lower: opens around 30–45%, clicks around 2–5%, list growth around 1–5% and unsubscribes around 0.2–0.5%.
These numbers vary by audience, frequency and content type. A daily news briefing will behave differently from a weekly analysis newsletter or a niche creator update. Use the benchmarks as a directional guide rather than a pass-or-fail test.
Why open rate is now unreliable — and clicks matter more
Since Apple introduced Mail Privacy Protection in 2021, opens are often counted automatically by Apple's servers before a human sees the email. That has inflated open rates across the industry and made the metric less useful for comparing performance over time.
Click-through rate is a harder signal to fake. If readers are clicking, they are engaged. List growth and unsubscribe rate add further context: a newsletter with modest opens but strong clicks and low churn is usually healthier than one with inflated opens and no clicks.
Mocono helps publishers turn engaged newsletter readers into paying subscribers with paywalls, guided onboarding and subscriber CRM tools built for media.
Frequently asked questions
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