---
title: "Reply rate: definition, formula and example"
url: "https://coldmeetings.com/glossary/reply-rate.md"
canonical_url: "https://coldmeetings.com/glossary/reply-rate"
last_updated: "2026-10-19"
type: "conceptual"
summary: "Reply rate measures how many delivered emails draw a response. See the formula, a worked example and what to do when it is low."
related: ["https://coldmeetings.com/glossary/bounce-rate.md", "https://coldmeetings.com/glossary/meeting-booked-rate.md", "https://coldmeetings.com/glossary/a-b-testing.md"]
---

# Reply rate: definition, formula and example

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Reply rate measures how many delivered emails draw a response. See the formula, a worked example and what to do when it is low.

**What is reply rate?**

Reply rate is the portion of delivered emails answered by the recipient. It is the clearest early signal that a message reached the right person with a reason to answer.

Group: 5. Pipeline measures.

## Reply rate

- reply rate = replies / delivered x 100

## The parts

1. **Replies**: Count every human answer, positive, neutral or negative. Out-of-office notices and automatic bounces are not replies.
2. **Delivered**: Sent messages minus bounces. Using delivered keeps a bad list from hiding how the message itself performed.
3. **What it reflects**: Targeting, the opening line, the offer and the ask all feed it. It also depends on the mail landing in the inbox at all.
4. **Read it by step**: Compare the first message with each follow-up. A step that adds replies earns its place; one that adds only unsubscribes does not.

## One sequence at Oakmere Scheduling

Oakmere Scheduling is an invented company that sent a three-step sequence and counted the results at the end of the week.

1. Sent: 1,550. Bounced: 50. Delivered: 1,550 - 50 = 1,500.
2. Replies: 60.
3. 60 / 1,500 x 100 = 4%.

The counts behind the reply rate.

| Field | Value | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sent | 1,550 | Every message handed off. |
| Delivered | 1,500 | Sent minus bounced. |
| Replies | 60 | Human answers only. |
| Reply rate | 4% | Replies divided by delivered. |

## How to apply it

1. Count replies and delivered messages per sequence, not across the whole account.
2. Exclude out-of-office and automatic messages before dividing.
3. Change one thing at a time, such as the opening line or the ask, and compare the rate after each change.
4. Check that bounce rate and complaints are low before blaming the copy for a low reply rate.

## Common mistakes

- Dividing by sent instead of delivered.
- Counting automatic replies as wins.
- Judging a variant on a handful of sends.

## Related terms

- [Bounce rate](https://coldmeetings.com/glossary/bounce-rate.md): Bounce rate is the portion of the emails you sent that came back undelivered.
- [Meeting booked rate](https://coldmeetings.com/glossary/meeting-booked-rate.md): Meeting booked rate is the share of replies that end with a meeting on the calendar.
- [A/B testing](https://coldmeetings.com/glossary/a-b-testing.md): A/B testing sends two versions of a message, differing in one element, to similar groups at the same time to see which version gets the better result.

## Keep reading

- [Cold email metrics](https://coldmeetings.com/blog/cold-email-metrics.md)
- [Cold email follow-up sequences](https://coldmeetings.com/blog/cold-email-follow-up-sequences.md)
- [Replies and meetings](https://coldmeetings.com/product/replies-and-meetings.md)

## Questions

### Is a negative reply still a reply?

Yes for this measure. A reply shows the message reached a person. Track positive replies on their own as a second number.

### Why use delivered instead of sent?

Bounced mail was never seen by anyone, so it says nothing about the message. Delivered keeps list quality and message quality apart.

### What reply rate should I aim for?

Compare against your own earlier sequences first.

Questions about outbound for your own company? Email hello@coldmeetings.com.

## Related

- [Bounce rate: definition, formula and example](https://coldmeetings.com/glossary/bounce-rate.md)
- [Meeting booked rate: formula and example](https://coldmeetings.com/glossary/meeting-booked-rate.md)
- [A/B testing: definition, method and example](https://coldmeetings.com/glossary/a-b-testing.md)