Nearly one-fifth of marketing emails fail to reach recipient inboxes, according to Sinch Mailgun’s Email Impact Report 2026. Many organizations lack the capacity to reliably track returns from their email campaigns, leading to significant revenue losses. The study analyzed over 400 billion emails sent in 2025 and surveyed more than 1,200 email senders.
Fewer than 50% of organizations can accurately track their email program’s return on investment (ROI). The gap between email’s demonstrated potential returns and actual execution contributes to losses for businesses that do not effectively measure performance. Strong ROI is primarily reported by companies that actively monitor these metrics.
Among those who do assess email ROI, 60% report returns exceeding $10 for every $1 spent. More than 10% of companies claim returns as high as 40 times their investment. Despite these figures, many businesses continue sending promotional emails without tracking their effectiveness.
AI adoption in email marketing is prevalent, though its impact varies significantly based on application. While 41% of teams utilize AI for content generation, only 23% believe AI substantially improves their email programs. “Using AI to generate content is a good starting point, but it’s not where the biggest impact happens,” said Kate Nowrouzi, VP of Deliverability at Sinch.
Organizations utilizing AI for optimization and segmentation are experiencing notably better results. The measurement gap is exacerbated by poor deliverability; nearly 18% of marketing emails do not reach inboxes at all, complicating the ability to measure ROI effectively. Up to one-fifth of potential returns remain at risk simply because messages never get seen.
Despite 78% of respondents viewing email as critical to business success, inadequate deliverability and ineffective ROI measurement are ongoing issues. Nonetheless, 79% of organizations plan to maintain or increase their email marketing investment, even with acknowledged gaps in tracking and execution.
Effective tools are available to close the gap between potential and realized returns. Improved tracking and deliverability can be achieved through adequate email hosting infrastructure and sophisticated service platforms. The extent to which businesses continue to operate without proper tracking remains uncertain, but those that measure their returns report more favorable results.
