Email List Quality Report: Global Trends & Data for 2025

The 2025 Email List Quality Report, published by SafetyMails, is the most in-depth study on email list quality across industries.

This edition analyzed almost 1 billion email addresses across 23 different industries and multiple countries, showing how businesses collect, manage, and validate their email lists.

With insights into email list quality, deliverability risks, bounce rates, and data accuracy, this report is an essential resource for marketing professionals, CRM managers, and anyone who relies on email campaigns to connect with customers.

Download it now for free and compare your email list performance with real market benchmarks.

Why you should download the full report

The 2025 edition goes beyond numbers: it provides a comprehensive view of email list quality and its direct impact on deliverability and ROI. The report combines market benchmarks, historical trends, error distribution, domain analysis, and corrective strategies, giving professionals a practical guide to build, protect, and optimize their subscriber databases.

Inside the report, you will find:

Sector-by-sector analysis: how email list quality varies across industries such as e-commerce, SaaS, finance, health, tourism, education, and manufacturing.
Historical comparisons: the evolution of mail list quality since 2015, highlighting trends and the impact of global events.
Invalid email distribution: detailed breakdowns of invalid addresses (syntax errors, domains, hard bounces) across markets and business segments.
Domain analysis: the presence and distribution of specific email domains across datasets.
Corrective actions: practical recommendations including continuous monitoring, duplicate removal, eliminating inactive contacts, and the use of professional email verification platforms.
Signup form analysis: data on how users input emails, the most common errors at the form level, and prevention strategies to stop invalid addresses at the source.

Key takeaway: More than just statistics, the 2025 report delivers a roadmap for maintaining healthy email lists, reducing risks, and improving email deliverability in a competitive digital landscape.

Key insights on email list quality

The 2025 report shows that list quality remains a critical challenge for marketers. While the majority of addresses are valid and safe to send, a significant share of contacts is still made up of invalid or risky emails. Nearly one in five addresses in active databases can generate hard bounces, harm deliverability, and damage sender reputation. The findings also reveal that most problems come from basic issues — nonexistent users, invalid domains, and syntax errors — showing how easily preventable mistakes can compromise campaign performance.

Some of the most relevant findings:

80.94% of emails are valid and safe to send;
11.7% are invalid, generating hard bounces;
7.9% are risky, including spamtraps and disposable emails;
That means almost 1 in 5 emails (19.6%) can damage email deliverability.

Invalid emails breakdown:

77.76% were no such user (nonexistent accounts);
14.47% had invalid domains;
7.77% had basic syntax errors.

Insight: Many of these problems could be avoided with real-time email verification and regular list cleaning.

The problem starts at the signup form

It’s not just legacy email lists that are problematic. The report also analyzed lead-capturing forms and revealed:

87.82% of emails typed in forms were valid;
However, 7.6% were already invalid, generating hard bounces immediately;
Another 4.57% were risky, often fake emails or disposables used to access free content.

Most common form errors:

47.6%: nonexistent addresses;
39.4%: invalid domains (e.g., “gamil” instead of “gmail”);
12.9%: syntax errors (missing @, commas, spaces, etc.).

The solution is simple: stop the problem at the source with real-time email verification.

The global email marketing market

In a world of fast-changing trends and emerging channels, email marketing continues to stand as one of the strongest pillars of digital communication.

More than 400 billion emails are sent every day, and in 2023 alone, the market generated $8.17 billion, with projections surpassing $27 billion by 2031.

This growth is fueled mainly by small and medium-sized businesses: 81% of them rely on email marketing as a key strategy. And it works — 60% of consumers say they’ve made a purchase after receiving a promotional email.

But with such scale, email deliverability has become the ultimate differentiator.

How email deliverability works

Reaching the inbox is more than just sending an email — it’s about overcoming multiple filters and reputation checks. Email deliverability measures whether your campaigns reach the primary inbox instead of the spam folder.

The process depends on key factors:

Clean and verified email lists: deliverability starts with data quality. Sending to lists full of hard bounces or risky emails (spamtraps, disposables) will quickly damage your sender reputation and block inbox placement.
Authentication: protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC confirm that your domain is legitimate.
Reputation: ISPs (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo) track spam complaints, bounces, spamtraps, and sending consistency.
Infrastructure: properly configured servers, IPs, and MX records ensure smooth delivery.
Content: subject lines, copy, links, and frequency all affect inbox placement.
Blacklists: public and private lists that identify domains or IPs sending suspicious traffic. Being listed reduces deliverability and often blocks emails from reaching the inbox.

Best practices to improve deliverability:

Keep your email list clean using real-time email verification to reduce invalid addresses.
Maintain low bounce rates and monitor engagement (opens, clicks, unsubscribes).
Provide a clear unsubscribe link to avoid spam complaints.
Segment and personalize content to increase relevance.
Use authentication protocols to protect your sender identity.

Insight: Good deliverability is built on trust. ISPs reward senders who respect subscribers’ choices, send consistent volumes, and use verified, valid data. Without this, even the best-designed emails may end up in spam.

Just 3% can ruin your email list performance

Email providers and sending platforms are stricter than ever. Today, any email list with over 3% hard bounces is at risk of:

Sending blocks;
Domain and IP reputation loss;
Being blacklisted;
Landing straight in the spam folder.

In other words: keeping a clean and verified email list is the foundation for campaign performance.

Validate your email lists and improve deliverability

Dirty or outdated email lists are the main cause of hard bounces, blacklisting, and low inbox placement. With SafetyMails, you can validate your databases before every campaign and eliminate invalid, disposable, and risky emails that harm your reputation. By keeping your list clean, you protect your sender score, improve inbox placement, and ensure that your campaigns reach real subscribers who engage.

What is an email list and why it matters

An email list is a collection of subscribers who have opted in to receive your communications, forming a direct line of communication between your brand and its audience. Unlike social networks where organic reach is limited or paid platforms where visibility depends on advertising budgets, an email marketing list is a long-term asset you fully control.

Why it matters:

Email campaigns consistently show the highest return on investment (ROI) compared to other digital channels.
Unlike social feeds, where posts are filtered by algorithms, an email lands directly in the inbox with just one email button click.
With proper audience segmentation and tagging, you can send broadcast emails or targeted campaigns that match subscriber interests.
It powers advanced strategies such as email list building through signup forms, referral programs like Rafflecopter, and automation tools that improve deliverability and engagement.

Key insight: Your email list is more than a database — it’s a proprietary asset that grows in value as you nurture it with relevant, personalized communication. Paired with email verification, it ensures that your most important marketing channel remains safe, effective, and profitable.

Common mistakes and pitfalls in email list building

Building an email list goes beyond collecting addresses — it requires strategy and ongoing maintenance. The 2025 report highlights that many companies still face issues that compromise list growth and email deliverability. Frequent mistakes include:

Collecting fake emails through poorly validated lead-capturing forms;
Using complex signup forms that discourage users, especially on mobile devices;
Lack of compliance with email marketing opt-in laws, increasing risks under GDPR, LGPD, and CCPA;
Neglecting email segmentation and sending generic campaigns to all subscribers;
Skipping list maintenance, which leads to high bounces and spam folder problems;
Ignoring analytics and performance metrics, missing opportunities to optimize campaigns;
Failing to leverage automation or a referral program to scale list growth effectively.

Insight: These pitfalls can be avoided with real-time email verification, transparent opt-in processes, and consistent list cleaning routines.

Best practices and compliance in email list building

Growing an email list responsibly requires more than collecting addresses — it demands ethical practices and compliance with privacy regulations. The 2025 report reinforces that companies which follow permission-based relationships achieve higher engagement and stronger deliverability.

Some of the essential best practices include:

Using clear opt-in forms and check-out opt-ins to collect data transparently;
Respecting opt-in email standards by obtaining explicit permission from subscribers;
Providing simple and visible opt-out options to maintain trust;
Following email marketing regulations like CAN-SPAM, GDPR, and CCPA to avoid penalties and protect your brand reputation;
Applying structured email list management and contact list management processes to ensure ongoing quality;
Establishing partnerships based on ethical lead generation, avoiding data purchased from unreliable sources;
Considering the subscriber experience across all channels, including mobile and even virtual consultation experiences, to foster lasting engagement.

Insight: Compliance is not only about legal safety — it is a competitive advantage. A transparent, opt-in based strategy ensures trust, higher open rates, and better long-term ROI.

Optimizing signup and opt-in processes

Building a strong email list requires not only collecting addresses but optimizing every step of the signup journey. The 2025 report shows that companies with structured and optimized opt-in processes achieve higher conversions and cleaner email lists.

Some best practices include:

Designing multi-step signup forms with simple fields and CTA buttons that are clear and persuasive;
Running A/B tests on form layouts, CTAs, and placements to increase conversion rates;
Using mobile optimization and drag-and-drop builders to ensure smooth experiences across devices;
Offering gated offers or testimonials to build trust and encourage opt-ins;
Leveraging exit-intent popups and post-purchase email opt-ins to capture subscribers at key decision moments;
Implementing double opt-in for compliance and stronger engagement.

Key insight: The most effective way to ensure quality during signup is to integrate an Email Checker API directly into your forms. Real-time verification alerts users when an email is invalid or risky (e.g., disposable or spamtrap), ensuring that only safe, deliverable addresses enter your email list. This protects conversion quality while boosting list segmentation and long-term email deliverability.

Protect your forms with the Email Checker API

Every invalid or fake email captured at signup weakens your marketing results. The SafetyMails Email Checker API verifies each address in less than 1 second, blocking spamtraps, disposables, and typos before they reach your database. This protects your lead generation strategy, ensures only valid subscribers join your list, and maximizes ROI from every campaign.

Activate your trial and get 1,000 free real-time verifications

Strategies for building and growing an email list

Expanding your email list is not only about capturing addresses — it’s about attracting the right subscribers with strategies that maximize both growth and quality. The 2025 report highlights that the most successful companies combine creativity, technology, and email verification to build sustainable lists.

Some proven strategies include:

Offering valuable lead magnets (guides, templates, discounts) in exchange for verified signups;
Running contests and giveaways with clear opt-in rules to attract engaged participants;
Designing optimized landing pages with strong signup forms, tested through A/B testing;
Using interactive popups, referral incentives, and social-exclusive offers to capture new subscribers;
Leveraging lookalike audiences and paid campaigns to reach potential high-quality leads;
Creating automated welcome sequences that start relationships immediately after signup;
Using segmentation from the first interaction to deliver tailored content.

Key insight: Every growth tactic should be paired with real-time email verification. This ensures that only valid, safe addresses enter your database, preventing fake or temporary emails from weakening engagement and deliverability.

Engagement and content for email subscribers

A growing email list is only valuable when subscribers stay engaged. The 2025 report highlights that successful companies go beyond acquisition, focusing on delivering unique content and maintaining relevance through personalization and automation.

Some effective engagement strategies include:

Creating automated autoresponder sequences and welcome emails to build early trust;
Sending targeted broadcast emails supported by engagement segmentation (e.g., active vs. inactive users);
Using email automation tools and email marketing software to personalize campaigns at scale;
Offering value-based lead magnets and even co-branded products to strengthen relationships;
Applying engagement metrics and a points system to score subscriber activity and adapt messaging;
Providing clear and accessible unsubscribe links to build trust and comply with regulations;
Delivering personalized content that adapts to user preferences and behaviors.

Key insight: Engagement starts with clean data. Without verified and valid addresses, even the best personalization strategy will fail. That’s why pairing email verification with tailored content ensures higher engagement, lower churn, and long-term deliverability.

SafetyMails: a global authority in email verification

SafetyMails specializes in bulk and real-time email verification, helping businesses worldwide:

Reduce bounce rates by up to 98%;
Protect domain and IP reputation;
Improve email deliverability and conversions;
Integrate verification into CRMs, forms, and marketing platforms.

More than 10,000 companies worldwide trust SafetyMails to keep their email lists safe, valid, and profitable.

Download the free report now

Don’t let poor data compromise your results.

Download the Email List Quality Report 2025 and discover how to improve your campaigns with clean, verified, and reliable email lists.