Click-through rate (CTR) is the percentage of delivered emails in which a recipient clicked at least one link, calculated as unique clicks divided by emails delivered. It measures how compelling your content and calls to action are — a step deeper than whether someone simply opened the message.
For reference, the average click rate across Mailpro campaigns in 2026 was 2.47%, and 10.7% of people who opened an email clicked a link. Compare your own results in our 2026 email benchmark.
How is email click-through rate calculated?
CTR = (unique clicks ÷ delivered emails) × 100
Delivered emails are the emails sent minus bounces. Unique clicks count each recipient once, however many times or links they clicked.
Example: you send a newsletter to 10,200 contacts and 200 bounce, so 10,000 are delivered. 300 different people click at least one link. CTR = 300 ÷ 10,000 × 100 = 3%. If 1,800 of those recipients opened the email, the click-to-open rate is 300 ÷ 1,800 × 100 = 16.7%.
Note that some platforms divide clicks by opens instead of deliveries — that is a separate metric called click-to-open rate. Mailpro reports both so you can tell engagement from reach.
CTR vs click-to-open rate vs open rate
| Metric | Formula | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Open rate | unique opens ÷ delivered × 100 | Whether the sender name and subject line got attention |
| Click-through rate (CTR) | unique clicks ÷ delivered × 100 | How many recipients acted on the whole send |
| Click-to-open rate (CTOR) | unique clicks ÷ unique opens × 100 | How persuasive the content was for people who opened |
Because Apple Mail Privacy Protection inflates opens, CTR has become the more reliable engagement signal: a click requires a real action.
Unique clicks vs total clicks
Total clicks count every click, including repeat clicks by the same person. Unique clicks count each recipient once. Use unique clicks for CTR so one enthusiastic reader does not distort the rate, and use total clicks per link to see which content gets the most attention.
Some clicks are not human: corporate security filters may open and test links before the email reaches the inbox. If you see clicks on every link within seconds of sending, read our article on bot clicks in email.
What is a good click-through rate?
A typical email CTR sits around 2–5%, but it varies widely by industry, list quality, and email type. The number that matters is your own trend over time — measure against your baseline rather than a universal benchmark. See how Mailpro reports click-through statistics and our guide to improving email click-through rate.
What moves CTR up or down:
- Email type: transactional and triggered emails (welcome, order updates) usually get more clicks than broad promotional newsletters.
- List quality: a recent, permission-based, segmented list clicks more than an old, unsegmented one.
- Number and placement of links: a clear primary call to action near the top, repeated once lower down.
- Device: buttons that are hard to tap on a phone lose clicks.
How to improve your email CTR
- Use one clear call to action per email, with a button that says what happens next ("Book my table", not "Click here"). See call to action.
- Segment so the message is relevant to each group.
- Match the subject line to the content, so people who open find what they were promised.
- Keep buttons mobile-friendly: large enough to tap, with space around them.
- Test one element at a time (button text, offer, layout) and keep the winner.
- Clean your list of long-term inactive contacts, who lower CTR and deliverability.
Mailpro's click analysis shows which links each subscriber clicked, so you can act on real data. Related terms: open rate and conversion rate.
Click-through rate FAQ
Is click rate the same as click-through rate?
Usually yes: in email marketing both mean unique clicks divided by delivered emails. Check your platform's definition, because a few tools use "click-through rate" for clicks divided by opens.
Should CTR be calculated on sent or delivered emails?
On delivered emails. Bounced emails could never be clicked, so including them would understate your CTR.
Why is my CTR high but my sales low?
The email worked but the landing page did not, or clicks came from security bots. Check the conversion rate and look for clicks on every link at the moment of sending.
Does CTR affect deliverability?
Indirectly. Mailbox providers watch how recipients engage with your mail, and clicks are a positive signal, while ignored emails and complaints work against you.
Mailpro and click-through rates
See exactly which links your readers click
Mailpro tracks every click, per link and per subscriber, so you can lift your CTR with real data instead of guesswork.