Cold Email Open Rates: The Data-Driven Guide to Getting Opened in 2025
Luka Pecavar
Cold Email Open Rates show the percentage of recipients who opened your email. It’s a key metric that tells you how well your subject line, timing, and sender info are working.
But in 2025, open rates aren’t as reliable as they used to be. Email providers are blocking open tracking, spam filters are triggering false opens, and privacy updates hide real user actions.
Still, cold emailing isn’t dead; it just needs to be smarter. Personalization, clean lists, and solid deliverability can help you with that.
What Is a Cold Email Open Rate?
The cold email open rate is the percentage of people who open your email, even though you have never interacted with them.
Cold email open rates used to be a good way to see how well your emails were doing. On average, about 40% of people would open them.
But in the past 2/3 years, open rates have stopped being reliable.Â
Why? Because of privacy updates, some email providers now block open tracking, mark it as suspicious, or even treat it like spam. And in some cases, spam filters "open" the email first to scan it, before it can reach the person you're sending it to.
So now, instead of just checking who opened your emails, it’s better to look at who’s replying, clicking links, or taking action. These things show you what’s actually working.
How Subject Lines Impact Cold Email Open Rates
Your subject line is your first impression. It’s the only thing standing between your email and the trash folder.
Personalization
Adding the recipient's name or company can lift open rates by up to 50%. No one likes a generic message.
Questions
Curiosity always works! That’s why, subject lines that ask a question see a striking increase in opens.
Numbers
Including numbers in your subject can increase open rates. Lists and data create a clear value proposition.
Length
Aim for subject lines that are under 4 words; these tend to perform best.
The goal isn’t to be read. The goal is to be noticed and clicked.
Best Time to Send Cold Emails for Higher Open Rates
The best days to send cold emails for a higher open rate are the weekdays for major corporations. And the best time to send cold emails for higher open rates is from 10 AM to 4 PM, local time.Â
However, if you’re targeting a small-scale company, you can target the weekends. This is the time small-scale business owners and decision makers are on their computers looking for new business partnerships.Â
It’s not about blasting emails at 9 AM on a Monday. It’s about timing your emails for when someone might actually be looking.
Why Follow-Ups Improve Cold Email Engagement
The first email is just the start. People are busy, inboxes are crowded, and your email might get lost. So a follow-up brings attention back to your offer without starting from scratch.
Here is why follow-up emails improve your chances of getting replies from your prospects:
Response Rates
A single follow-up can increase your response rate by 20%. That’s not a maybe, that’s statistical. Many replies don’t happen after the second or third reminder. So if you don’t follow up, you’re leaving leads on the table.
Email sequence
A follow-up schedule of every 3, 7, and 14 days works the best. It’s persistent without being obnoxious. This timing gives your prospects the time to consider your offers and reply to your emails.
Limit
Sales happen between five to twelve follow-ups. That’s because most prospects need more than two touchpoints before they start responding. However, remember not to overdo it, otherwise the emails might start looking spammy, and work negatively.Â
How Personalization Affects Cold Email Open and Reply Rates
Personalization matters way more than just using someone’s name. With tools like Manyreach, you can personalize better using spintags to change details like the prospect’s job title, industry, or specific pain point.Â
It helps you send emails that feel personal, without typing each one by hand. You can also use Spintax to mix up how things are phrased, so your emails don’t all look the same.Â
That keeps your messages from landing in spam and makes them sound more natural, like something you’d actually say.
When your email feels like it was written for someone, they’re much more likely to open it, reply, and even click.Â
But if it feels generic or mass-sent, most people won’t bother reading it. Keep it real, keep it relevant, and people will pay attention.
Things to Do to Improve Cold Email Open Rates
If your cold emails aren’t getting opened, you’re not alone. But the good news is, there are a few simple things you can do to get more people to open your cold emails.
Write Subject Lines That Sound Real
Avoid clickbait or overly salesy subject lines. Think about how you’d email a coworker or a friend. Keep it short, specific, and natural.
Example: “Quick question about [company name]” sounds better than “Boost Your ROI by 300%!!!”
Use the Sender Name Wisely
People are more likely to open emails from someone who looks real. Use your full name, not a generic address like sales@company.com. If possible, add a friendly profile photo.
Personalize More Than Just the Name
Real personalization goes beyond using someone’s first name. Mention their company, role, or a pain point they’re likely facing. Tools like Manyreach let you do this easily with spintags—so each email still feels personal, even at scale.
Send at the Right Time
1 PM to 4 PM is the best time to send cold emails, as the open rates are higher. And the best days to send cold emails are Tuesdays through Thursdays. But testing different times is key to finding what works for your audience.
Avoid Spam Triggers
Too many links, using all caps, or stuffing your email with words like “free,” “guaranteed,” or “urgent” can get your emails flagged. Also, make sure you warm up your domain if it’s new.
Use Smart Variations with Spintax
Sending the same email to hundreds of people can hurt your deliverability. Using Spintax helps rotate your wording and keep each message unique. This reduces the chance of ending up in spam folders.
Keep Your Email List Clean
If you’re emailing the wrong people or outdated addresses your open rate will drop. Use verified, updated lists and remove bounced or inactive emails regularly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What's a good open rate for cold emails?
Before 40% email open rates were considered a good number. However, for the past 3–4 months open rates are not considered reliable metrics. That’s because email providers block open tracking, mark it as potential spam and spam filters check emails even before landing in the user's inbox.
Q2: How many follow-ups should I send?
Start with three to four. Space them out: 3 days after the first, then a week later, then another one a week after that. Don’t overdo it, but don’t stop too soon either.
Q3: Should I use emojis in subject lines?
Only if your audience is informal. Emojis can boost open rates slightly but can also come off as unprofessional or gimmicky.
Q4: What's the best time to send cold emails?
Between 1 PM and 4 PM on Tuesdays through Thursdays. That’s when your message is least likely to get buried or ignored.
Q5: How important is mobile optimization?
Critical. More than 60% of emails are opened on mobile. If your message doesn’t display correctly, it’ll be closed immediately.
Conclusion
Cold emailing isn’t about luck; it’s about using data to make informed choices: subject lines, timing, personalization, mobile optimization, and follow-ups. Stop guessing and start testing. Tools like Manyreach make it easier to execute all of this without the manual overhead.
If you treat cold outreach like a strategic campaign, not a numbers game, your open rates will reflect that. And once you're opened, you're one step closer to converting.
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