The best time to send an email blast is when your readers are at their inbox with a few minutes to act, in their own time zone. For most lists that means a weekday morning, Tuesday to Thursday. That is a starting point, not a law: your own list will tell you more than any study.
Start here: Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, between 9 and 11 a.m. in the recipient's time zone. Then test one other slot against it.
The best day to send an email blast
Send-time studies published by email platforms keep landing on the middle of the week. Monday morning inboxes are full of weekend email, and by Friday afternoon people are already switching off. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday give your message the least competition and the most attention.
Weekends are not off limits. Consumer offers (retail, restaurants, events, real estate open houses) often do well on Saturday or Sunday morning, when people have time to browse and act.
The best time of day
| Audience | Good starting window | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Businesses (B2B) | Tue-Thu, 9-11 a.m. | First inbox check after the morning rush |
| Consumers | Weekdays 7-9 a.m. or 7-9 p.m. | Before work and after dinner, on the phone |
| Weekend offers | Sat-Sun, 9-11 a.m. | Time to browse, visit or buy that day |
| Deadlines and reminders | The morning of, or the day before | Close enough to act on |
Avoid the top of the hour if you can. Many senders schedule at exactly 9:00 or 10:00, so 9:20 or 10:40 lands in a quieter inbox.
Time zones on a big list
A blast sent at 10 a.m. New York time reaches Los Angeles at 7 a.m. and London at 3 p.m. If your list spans regions, split it by time zone or country and send each part at the same local time. On a list of hundreds of thousands, this alone changes how many people see the email while it is still near the top of their inbox.
How to find your own best time
- Pick two slots, for example Tuesday 10 a.m. and Thursday 7 p.m.
- Split a sample of your list at random into two equal groups.
- Send the same email to each group in its slot.
- Compare clicks, not just opens. Open counts are unreliable now that many email apps preload images.
- Send the rest of the list at the winning time, and keep it as your default until a new test beats it.
Timing matters less than the list and the message
A great send time won't rescue an old list or a vague message. Clean the list, say who you are in the first line and give one clear reason to click. Our guide on how to send bulk email without landing in spam covers the setup.
Sending a large email blast
With Smarterblast you send us your list and message and we agree the send timing with you, including splitting a large list by time zone. Bronze is $599 for up to 500,000 emails, Silver $799 for up to 2,000,000, and Gold $1,199 for up to 5,000,000. You pay in crypto and get a delivery report by email.
Want your email blast sent at the right time?
Bring your list and your message. One price per campaign from $599, up to 5,000,000 emails, with a delivery report.
See email blast packages →Frequently Asked Questions
What day is best to send an email blast?
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are the safest choices for most lists. Monday inboxes are crowded and Friday attention drops. Consumer offers can also do well on weekend mornings.
What time should I send an email blast?
Between 9 and 11 a.m. in the recipient’s time zone is a good start for business lists. For consumers, early morning (7-9 a.m.) and evening (7-9 p.m.) are worth testing.
Is it bad to send an email blast on the weekend?
Not for consumer offers. Retail, events and real estate often get good results on Saturday or Sunday morning. For business audiences, weekdays usually win.
How often should I send email blasts?
Often enough that people remember you, but only when you have something worth saying. For most businesses that is somewhere between once a week and once a month. Sudden jumps in frequency raise unsubscribes and spam complaints.
Is the best time different for text messages?
Yes. Texts are read within minutes, so the timing is tighter. See the best time to send a text blast.