The Honest Answer
Published studies from email platforms often point to weekday mornings, especially midweek, as a good time to send. Others find afternoons or early evenings work well for clicks. The studies disagree because they measure different audiences, industries and countries.
Your best time depends on when your readers check email and have time to act. A weekday morning default is a reasonable start, but your own results matter more than any study.
Sensible Starting Points
| Audience | Try first | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Business professionals | Tuesday to Thursday, mid-morning | Checking email during work hours |
| Consumers and shoppers | Weekday evenings or weekend mornings | More free time to browse |
| Parents | Mid-morning after school drop-off or evenings | Common gaps in the day |
| Local customers | Before the moment they'd act, such as Thursday for weekend plans | Timely reminders |
| Global audiences | Your largest time zone, or time-zone scheduling where available | Arrive at a sensible local time |
Match the Time to the Goal
The best time also depends on what you want readers to do:
- Reading a newsletter: when they have a few quiet minutes, such as morning or evening.
- Buying something: when they can complete a purchase, often evenings or weekends for consumers.
- Attending an event: a reminder a day before and another an hour before.
- Responding to a deadline: early enough on the final day to act.
What About Automated Emails?
Automated emails, such as welcome sequences, usually send based on when someone subscribed rather than at a fixed time. The first welcome email should go immediately. For later emails in a sequence, some tools let you choose a time of day or skip weekends.
Cart reminders and other behavior-triggered emails should follow the behavior, not a calendar. See abandoned cart emails.
How to Find Your Best Time
- Start with one default, such as Tuesday at 10 a.m. in your main time zone.
- Keep it for a month to establish a baseline.
- Test one alternative, such as Thursday evening, with the same type of email.
- Compare clicks, not just opens, since privacy features affect open data.
- Repeat a few times before switching for good.
AWeber Plus split tests can include send times, letting you compare two times with the same email. See A/B testing emails.
Consistency Matters Too
Readers who know your newsletter arrives every Tuesday morning start to look for it. A consistent day and time can matter as much as the "perfect" one.
Once you've found a time that works, stick with it and only change it with a reason.
Schedule broadcasts in AWeber, then test send times on Plus to find when your readers click most.
Best Time to Send Email FAQs
What is the best day to send marketing emails?
Many studies favor midweek, but it depends on your audience. Test against your own results.
What time of day should I send emails?
Weekday mid-morning is a common starting point. Consumers may respond better in evenings.
Should I send emails on weekends?
It can work for consumer audiences and hobby content. Test it before committing.
How do I find the best time for my list?
Pick a default, keep it for a month, then test one alternative and compare clicks.