The Best Times to Send Emails
When it comes to email marketing, timing isn’t everything—but it’s close. You can craft the most compelling copy and design an eye-catching campaign, but if your email hits inboxes at the wrong moment, it might never be opened. As an email marketing agency, we know just how crucial send times are to campaign success. In this article, we’ll break down the best times to send emails based on industry data, audience behavior, and testing strategies that really work.
Email marketing is a crowded space. The average person receives dozens of emails a day—many of which are promotional. To rise above the noise, your email needs to land in inboxes at a time when your audience is most likely to engage. That means understanding both when your audience checks their inbox and when they’re willing to take action.
Studies across the industry consistently point to midweek as the sweet spot for email engagement.
Tuesday is widely considered the best day to send emails. People are usually settled into their workweek and ready to focus, making them more likely to open and engage with emails.
Wednesday and Thursday are strong contenders as well. These days maintain the momentum from Tuesday, especially for B2B audiences.
Monday tends to be hit or miss. People are catching up from the weekend and often overwhelmed with a flood of messages.
Friday sees a drop in engagement as people mentally check out for the weekend.
Weekends (Saturday and Sunday) typically have the lowest open and click-through rates, especially for professional or B2B emails. However, for B2C emails, weekends can work—especially for sales and ecommerce promotions.
When looking at the best times to send emails, think about your audience’s daily routine.
Early Morning (6 a.m. – 8 a.m.): Many people check their email first thing in the morning. This can be a prime window for B2C emails and newsletters.
Mid-Morning (9 a.m. – 11 a.m.): For professional audiences, this is a golden time slot. People are at their desks and not yet bogged down by meetings or tasks.
Early Afternoon (1 p.m. – 2 p.m.): This window can be effective as people return from lunch and catch up on digital communications.
Late Afternoon (4 p.m. – 5 p.m.): Engagement begins to drop, but this time can work for more casual or promotional content.
Evening (6 p.m. – 8 p.m.): Some audiences, especially those who work non-traditional hours or are highly mobile, check email during this time. It’s worth testing if you have a consumer audience.
The "best" time is never universal. The key is knowing your specific audience.
B2B: Aim for midweek mornings. These professionals are most active during typical business hours.
B2C: Evenings and weekends can be effective, especially if you're promoting a sale or event.
Global Audiences: Consider time zones. Segment your list based on region to ensure you’re sending at optimal local times.
No matter what general advice says, the best way to find your ideal send time is to test.
Use A/B split testing to experiment with different days and times.
Monitor open rates, click-through rates, and conversions—not just one metric.
Over time, you’ll identify patterns that are unique to your brand and audience.
Avoid major holidays unless your message is holiday-specific.
Use pre-send tools to schedule based on local time zones.
Pay attention to mobile behavior—many users check email on mobile during off-hours.
While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, data shows that mid-mornings during the middle of the week are generally the best times to send emails. But your audience is unique, and the real magic happens when you combine industry best practices with tailored testing and strategy.
Why Timing Matters
Email marketing is a crowded space. The average person receives dozens of emails a day—many of which are promotional. To rise above the noise, your email needs to land in inboxes at a time when your audience is most likely to engage. That means understanding both when your audience checks their inbox and when they’re willing to take action.
The Best Days to Send Emails
Studies across the industry consistently point to midweek as the sweet spot for email engagement.
Tuesday is widely considered the best day to send emails. People are usually settled into their workweek and ready to focus, making them more likely to open and engage with emails.
Wednesday and Thursday are strong contenders as well. These days maintain the momentum from Tuesday, especially for B2B audiences.
Monday tends to be hit or miss. People are catching up from the weekend and often overwhelmed with a flood of messages.
Friday sees a drop in engagement as people mentally check out for the weekend.
Weekends (Saturday and Sunday) typically have the lowest open and click-through rates, especially for professional or B2B emails. However, for B2C emails, weekends can work—especially for sales and ecommerce promotions.
The Best Times of Day to Send Emails
When looking at the best times to send emails, think about your audience’s daily routine.
Early Morning (6 a.m. – 8 a.m.): Many people check their email first thing in the morning. This can be a prime window for B2C emails and newsletters.
Mid-Morning (9 a.m. – 11 a.m.): For professional audiences, this is a golden time slot. People are at their desks and not yet bogged down by meetings or tasks.
Early Afternoon (1 p.m. – 2 p.m.): This window can be effective as people return from lunch and catch up on digital communications.
Late Afternoon (4 p.m. – 5 p.m.): Engagement begins to drop, but this time can work for more casual or promotional content.
Evening (6 p.m. – 8 p.m.): Some audiences, especially those who work non-traditional hours or are highly mobile, check email during this time. It’s worth testing if you have a consumer audience.
Consider Your Audience
The "best" time is never universal. The key is knowing your specific audience.
B2B: Aim for midweek mornings. These professionals are most active during typical business hours.
B2C: Evenings and weekends can be effective, especially if you're promoting a sale or event.
Global Audiences: Consider time zones. Segment your list based on region to ensure you’re sending at optimal local times.
A/B Testing Is Your Best Friend
No matter what general advice says, the best way to find your ideal send time is to test.
Use A/B split testing to experiment with different days and times.
Monitor open rates, click-through rates, and conversions—not just one metric.
Over time, you’ll identify patterns that are unique to your brand and audience.
Don’t Forget the Basics
Avoid major holidays unless your message is holiday-specific.
Use pre-send tools to schedule based on local time zones.
Pay attention to mobile behavior—many users check email on mobile during off-hours.
Final Thoughts
While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, data shows that mid-mornings during the middle of the week are generally the best times to send emails. But your audience is unique, and the real magic happens when you combine industry best practices with tailored testing and strategy.