The difference between an opened and an ignored email often comes down to timing. If you send your message when inboxes are overcrowded, it’ll disappear. However, if you send it during peak engagement hours, it’ll get the attention it deserves.
The question is: when should you hit send?
In this article, you’ll learn the best time to send an email for each day of the week, backed by email marketing studies. With these insights, you can optimize your email marketing strategy to maximize engagement.
When is the best time to send an email?
The best times to send an email, according to MailerLite, are:
Late afternoon in the midweek from 4–6 PM, when people are checking emails before leaving work
Early morning on weekends from 7–10 AM, when people are relaxing at home
Omnisend research suggests weekdays have the highest open rates, with Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday topping the charts.
Weekday vs. Open rates (%)
Omnisend research shows that Tuesday has the best average open rates, although Wednesday and Thursday have similarly good open rates.
Each weekday has comparable email open rates that drop slightly during the weekend (when many people are at home, not checking digital marketing or sales emails).
Here are the best times to send an email for each day of the week:
Day of the week | Best time to send an email |
Monday | 4 PM |
Tuesday | 7 PM |
Wednesday | 4 PM |
Thursday | 7 PM |
Friday | 6 PM |
Saturday | 7 AM |
Sunday | 9 AM |
Think of these times as a starting point. As you start sending out mass email campaigns, test and refine your timing based on your audience’s behavior. You can even fine-tune your email strategies for different customer segments with some tweaking.
The following sections provide a breakdown of MailerLite’s data and the best times of the day to send emails during the week.
The best time to send an email on a Monday is: 4 PM
People often spend Monday mornings catching up on weekend emails, attending meetings and planning the week. As a result, their inboxes become flooded, so they may be too busy to engage.
By the afternoon, especially after 2 PM, people have settled into their routines, cleared urgent tasks and are likely to check non-essential emails.
Here’s what MailerLite’s data reveals about open rates on a Monday:
Open rates increase around 9 AM, peaking from 2 to 7 PM. Setting a sample schedule during this window increases the chances of grabbing attention before the workday’s momentum fades.
Also, don’t forget Cyber Monday – use strong Cyber Monday email subject lines and templates to get higher click rates on this popular shopping holiday.
Note: The best time to send an email depends on who you want to reach. The afternoon (2–5 PM) might be ideal for office workers with more bandwidth to check emails. In contrast, the early evening (5–7 PM) is a good option for salespeople who might check their inboxes and social media before leaving work or during their commute.
The best time to send an email on a Tuesday is: 7 PM
Tuesdays are generally more structured than Mondays, with people getting into their workweek routines. Mornings are still busy, but inbox customer engagement increases significantly by the afternoon.
Here’s what MailerLite’s study shows about Tuesday’s typical open rates:
Open rates peak from 4 to 7 PM, with the highest engagement recorded at 7 PM. To maximize visibility, schedule your emails for the evening when recipients are more likely to check their inboxes after wrapping up their day.
Keep an eye on the calendar for Giving Tuesday – an event encouraging charitable giving on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. To maximize engagement during this event, use Giving Tuesday email templates with a heartfelt opening, clear CTA and engaging design.
Add a compelling Giving Tuesday email subject line, like “Make an impact – every gift counts!” A strong Giving Tuesday email header like “Together, we can make a difference!” reinforces your message and encourages the reader to take action.
Note: Send time isn’t the only factor impacting open rates – email cadence and the number of emails you send can also play a key role. Sending email blasts too often can overwhelm your subscribers, while infrequent emails can cause them to forget your brand. Test different sending frequencies to find the right balance to keep your audience engaged without email fatigue.
The best time to send an email on a Wednesday is: 4 PM
People have found their rhythm on Wednesday, making it a great day for email engagement. Omnisend’s study shows it’s the second-best day of the week for high open rates.
Here are the open rates on a typical Wednesday, according to MailerLite:
While there is a small spike early at 7 AM, the highest engagement occurs in the afternoon. The best time for emails on a Wednesday is at 4 PM, when open rates peak before declining by 7 PM.
Note: If your audience includes early risers, consider segmenting customers in your email list. Some check their inbox first thing in the morning, while others engage more actively in the afternoon. Sending emails at 7 AM and 4 PM to different segments captures attention at multiple points in the day.
The best time to send an email on a Thursday is: 7 PM
Thursday is the final stretch in most people’s workweek, making it a prime time for business decision-making and planning.
Many finalize tasks and prepare for the end of the week on Thursdays – which can influence when they engage with emails.
According to MailerLite, here are the open rates throughout an average Thursday:
Open rates start strong at 6 AM and dip between 7 and 10 AM. After this, open rates gradually rise throughout the day, hitting a smaller peak at 5 PM before the final high peak at 7 PM.
Note: Thursdays are an excellent time to send last-minute sales promotions or content that prepares people for the week ahead. It’s also an ideal day for B2B emails. Many professionals make purchasing decisions and set up meetings before the weekends – sending a follow-up or sales proposal can increase your chances of getting a response before Friday.
The best time to send an email on a Friday is: 6 PM
Friday is unique in email marketing because it signals the end of the workweek. People wrap up tasks, finalize plans and shift focus towards the weekend.
Email engagement on Fridays can be unpredictable. Some recipients check their inboxes more frequently to tie up loose ends, while others disconnect earlier in the day.
Here’s what MailerLite’s report shared about the average open rates for a regular Friday:
Open rates rise steadily throughout the morning and early afternoon, peaking around 6 PM when people check their emails before logging off for the weekend.
If you want to reach busy professionals before the weekend, scheduling emails in the late afternoon can maximize engagement.
Keep in mind that Friday emails (other than Black Friday) aren’t ideal for time-sensitive topics, as your recipients may not act on them until Monday.
AI-driven insights can determine the best time to send Friday AI email campaigns, ensuring messages reach recipients when they’re most responsive.
Note: Happy Fridays are great for light and engaging email content. Since people are winding down, create email newsletters or promotional e-commerce emails that are easy to skim. If you’re sending a business email, position it as a “weekend read” or something recipients can revisit when they have downtime.
The best time to send an email on a Saturday is: 7 AM
Saturdays bring a shift in email engagement as traditional weekday workers switch from work to personal activities. Saturday’s best window is in the morning, when people are more likely to check their inboxes while having coffee or catching up on unread messages.
According to MailerLite, here are the open rates through a typical Saturday:
Open rates start high at 7 AM, then drop steadily until 9 AM, reaching a final peak at 10 AM.
Since fewer companies send email campaigns on weekends, there’s less data on Saturday and Sunday than on weekdays.
If you’re targeting consumers, Saturday mornings are great for promotional emails and weekend deals. Business-related emails will likely see higher engagement during the week since many people disconnect from work over the weekend.
Keep your eye on Small Business Saturday, an annual shopping event that supports local and independent businesses.
Note: Use mobile-friendly emails since many people check emails on their phones in bed or while out and about. Keeping messages concise and easy to act on (like one-click purchases or engaging newsletters) can get more clicks.
The best time to send an email on a Sunday is: 9 AM
For those working weekdays, Sundays are a time to relax and mentally prepare for the week ahead. Recipients might be more open to catching up on unread messages over breakfast or before heading out for the day.
MailerLite’s data shows the following average open rates on a Sunday:
Open rates peak at around 9 AM on Sunday. After this, they decline as people likely focus on errands, social plans or relaxing before Monday.
Like Saturday, Sunday is a day for easy reading, and consumers might have more time to view an email newsletter or curated content – especially lifestyle or entertainment-focused messages.
Note: Sunday is a great day for reflection and planning. Many people use Sundays to set goals and plan for the coming week. Emails featuring self-improvement takeaways, productivity tools or upcoming events can perform well.
How to work out the best time to send an email for your business
While industry email benchmarks are a helpful starting point, they’re just guides. The best time to send emails for your business isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer – it depends on your unique audience, industry and engagement patterns.
The most effective approach is to rely on your own data.
Tracking email performance and customer behavior can reveal optimal send times. As you improve your campaign timing, you’ll see increased open rates, email click-through rates (CTRs) and engagement scores.
Here’s how to work out the best time to send an email for your business.
1. Review past email performance data
Before determining the best send times, analyze the performance of your previous emails. This data will show when your subscribers will likely open, click and act on your emails.
Here are the key email performance metrics to track:
Email performance metric | What it tracks |
Open rate | The percentage of recipients who open your email. It identifies when your audience is likely to engage with your content. |
Click-through rate | The percentage of recipients who click a link in your email. This email engagement metric shows when your audience actively engages with your content. |
The percentage of recipients who take the desired action after clicking a link (e.g., purchasing a new product or signing up for a webinar). | |
Bounce rate | The percentage of emails that don’t deliver. High bounce rates could indicate email deliverability issues, like inactive email addresses and other email list issues. |
Unsubscribe rate | The percentage of recipients who click the unsubscribe link after opening an email. If certain times lead to more unsubscribes, you’ll want to adjust your strategy. |
Gather your email performance reports, keeping these email marketing KPIs in mind. Most email marketing platforms provide built-in analytics tools to track these metrics.
Choose a timeframe that provides enough historical data for reliable email insights (like the last six months). Look for patterns in:
Best-performing days and times. Identify which times and days of the week consistently generate higher engagement.
Underperforming send times. Spot the worst times when engagement drops so you can avoid them, especially on the worst days for conversions.
Consistency across campaigns. Determine whether engagement trends remain stable or vary by campaign type, audience segment or email content.
Use your email marketing software to generate graphs for each metric to visualize engagement trends. This will help you spot patterns easily and use the insights for future campaigns.
How to use Campaigns by Pipedrive to analyze email performance
If you’re using Pipedrive’s Campaigns add-on, leverage its reporting tools to analyze email performance.
First, draft your email marketing campaign using Pipedrive’s built-in email builder. You can automate this process using Pipedrive’s AI email writer – just provide a simple prompt and let Pipedrive do all the work for you.
After creating your email content, toggle on “Track opening emails” and “Track clicking links in emails”.
Note the day and time you send the campaign. You could include this information in the title (e.g., “Thursday 2 PM test campaign”). After you click send, Pipedrive will track delivered emails, open rates and CTR.
The more data you have, the more accurate your analysis will be. After tracking engagement rates for several email campaigns, you’ll see which time works best for your audience.
2. Factor in your audience’s behavior and regional differences
Your customers’ demographics and habits can impact email performance. Consider how your subscribers’ daily routines and locations influence their email interactions to maximize engagement.
When analyzing your audience, think about:
Time zones. If your audience is spread across different regions, sending at one universal time may not work for everyone. Schedule campaigns for different segments to hit local peak engagement hours.
Industry-specific behaviors. Professionals in different industries have varying email habits. For example, they might work a typical Monday-to-Friday workweek or weekend night shifts. Knowing when they’re active on email will help you deliver at the right time.
Work versus leisure hours. If your target audience consists of working professionals, sending emails during business hours might be best. Evenings and weekends could perform better for general consumers.
Cultural and holiday differences. Different places have different regional holidays and typical work hours. For example, in the United Arab Emirates, the workweek runs from Sunday to Thursday – making Monday to Wednesday the optimal “midweek” timeframe for emailing.
The goal is to align email send times with when your audience will most likely check and engage with their inboxes. Keeping an updated marketing calendar can help you track holiday emails in different regions.
How Pipedrive schedules emails according to customer preferences
Pipedrive’s contact management and email scheduling features make it easy to send emails at the perfect time for each customer. You can use the Contacts section to add labels and segment your recipient list by location, industry and interaction history.
After segmenting your audience, use Pipedrive’s Campaigns to send emails to specific segments using filters. These filters let you set specific conditions for sending emails.
Example: Automatically send emails when your contacts perform a specific action, like clicking a link. You could also send the campaign just to customers in a particular region.
Then, schedule messages in advance with Pipedrive’s email builder.
When you press “Send later…”, you can set a time and date.
Click “Schedule email” and repeat this process to schedule emails for each of your key segments. Your scheduled emails will appear in the outbox folder, where you can edit their timing or cancel them.
3. Perform A/B testing to determine optimal timing
A/B testing is when you schedule different emails – or the same email at different times – to compare results. Using this method, you can further measure engagement patterns and refine your email marketing efforts.
Here are some email marketing best practices to ensure your email timing tests provide meaningful insights:
A/B testing best practices | What to do |
Test one variable at a time to get clear results | Only change the send time while keeping other elements the same (including the subject line, content and audience). It’ll ensure any differences in engagement are due to timing, not the type of email. |
Choose a large enough sample size | Testing with a group that is too small can lead to misleading results. Ensure each test group has enough recipients to produce reliable engagement data. If your list is small, run multiple tests over time to validate findings. |
Run tests across multiple campaigns | Engagement can fluctuate with seasonal sales trends. Running tests across multiple campaigns, rather than relying on one-off results, gives a clearer picture of engagement patterns. |
Apply what you learn, but keep testing | Once you identify a winning time, apply it to future emails – but continue testing to account for changes in audience behavior. Engagement patterns can shift over time, so regular testing helps with optimization. |
How Pipedrive can help you A/B test your campaigns
While Pipedrive’s Campaigns doesn’t have a specific A/B test feature, you can divide your audience into two or more groups and test different send times.
In the Contacts section, you can add new customer labels by going to the List View or Detail View and pressing “Add label”.
Pipedrive will prompt you to provide a name and color for your new label. If you want to A/B test Thursday 2 PM and Friday 2 PM, create new labels with these names.
Once done, press “Save” and repeat for as many time slots as you’d like to test.
Using Pipedrive’s email builder, you can design an email and schedule it for each segment at different times. The dashboard in the Email Campaigns section shows the open and click rates for each variation.
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Compare these metrics for each campaign to determine which send time is most effective.
To boost engagement rates further, use Pipedrive’s email automations to send follow-up emails at optimal times. For example, you can configure Pipedrive to send trigger emails when a customer replies or clicks a link in the original campaign.
Download Pipedrive’s general event checklist template
Final thoughts
Finding the best time to send emails depends on audience behavior, industry trends and continuous testing. While general trends suggest middle-of-the-week afternoons perform best, tracking email metrics and A/B testing will reveal what works for your unique audience.
Optimize your email timing with Pipedrive’s powerful tools. Use contact segmentation to tailor send times, track open and click-through rates for data-driven insights and automate campaigns for maximum engagement.
Sign up for Pipedrive’s 14-day free trial to see how it can help improve your campaign performance.
