Overview
The Metrics dashboard gives you a real-time view of your email sending performance. It tracks every email from the moment it’s sent through delivery, opens, clicks, bounces, and complaints — helping you understand what’s working and catch problems early.Filtering
You can narrow your metrics using two filters:- Domain — View metrics for a specific domain or all domains combined
- Date range — Select a custom time period. The available range depends on your plan’s data retention policy
Email metrics
These are the six core metrics tracked for every email you send.Sent
The total number of emails created and dispatched through SendKit — via API, campaigns, or automations. This is the base metric used as the denominator for all rate calculations.Delivered
Emails that were successfully accepted by the recipient’s mail server. An email counts as delivered if the receiving server confirmed receipt.“Delivered” means the email reached the server, not necessarily the inbox. It could still land in spam depending on content and sender reputation.
Opened
Emails where the recipient opened the message. Opens are detected via a small tracking pixel embedded in the email. Includes: Emails that were later clicked — since opening always happens before clicking.Clicked
Emails where the recipient clicked at least one link. Clicks are tracked by routing links through SendKit before redirecting to the original URL.Click tracking must be enabled on your domain configuration.
Bounced
Emails that were rejected by the recipient’s mail server. This typically happens when:- The email address doesn’t exist
- The recipient’s mailbox is full
- The receiving server blocked the email
Complained
Emails where the recipient marked the message as spam. This is the most damaging metric for your reputation.Rate metrics
Rates give you a percentage view of your performance, making it easier to compare across different time periods and sending volumes.Deliverability rate
The percentage of sent emails that were successfully delivered.| Formula | (Delivered ÷ Sent) × 100% |
| Healthy range | Above 95% |
| What affects it | Invalid addresses, blocklists, authentication issues, content filters |
Bounce rate
The percentage of sent emails that bounced.| Formula | (Bounced ÷ Sent) × 100% |
| Warning threshold | 5% |
| Critical threshold | 10% |
| What affects it | Invalid addresses, stale contact lists, blocklists |
Use email validation before sending to clean your contact list and reduce bounces.
Complaint rate
The percentage of sent emails that were marked as spam by recipients.| Formula | (Complained ÷ Sent) × 100% |
| Warning threshold | 0.1% |
| Critical threshold | 0.5% |
| What affects it | Unwanted emails, missing unsubscribe link, misleading content, sending to unengaged contacts |
Reputation
The reputation badge in the top-right corner gives you an at-a-glance view of your sending health based on the last 24 hours:| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Healthy | Bounce rate below 5% and complaint rate below 0.1%. Everything is normal |
| Warned | Bounce rate between 5–10% or complaint rate between 0.1–0.5%. Take action to improve |
| Paused | Bounce rate 10% or above, or complaint rate 0.5% or above. Sending is paused to protect your reputation |
Reputation is only evaluated when you’ve sent at least 200 emails in the last 24 hours. Below that volume, the status remains Healthy.
What to do if your reputation degrades
Warning status
Warning status
- Review recent bounces and remove invalid addresses
- Check if you’re sending to contacts who haven’t opted in
- Make sure your unsubscribe link is visible and working
- Consider slowing down your sending volume
Paused status
Paused status
- Sending is temporarily paused to protect your domain
- Clean your contact list immediately — remove bounced and unengaged contacts
- Review your suppression list for patterns
- Once you’ve addressed the issues, your reputation will recover as your 24-hour metrics improve
Charts
Email activity chart
The main area chart shows daily trends for all six metrics overlaid on the same timeline. Use it to:- Spot sudden drops in deliverability
- Identify spikes in bounces or complaints after a campaign
- See engagement trends (opens and clicks) over time
Bounce and complaint charts
Two dedicated charts below the main chart give you a focused view of bounces and complaints separately. These are the metrics that matter most for reputation, so they get their own visualization.Trend indicators
Each metric card shows a percentage change comparing the first half of your selected period to the second half. For example, if you’re viewing 14 days, it compares the first 7 days to the last 7.- Green arrow up — Metric increased (good for sent, delivered, opened, clicked)
- Red arrow up — Metric increased (bad for bounced, complained)
- Green arrow down — Metric decreased (good for bounced, complained)
- Red arrow down — Metric decreased (bad for sent, delivered, opened, clicked)
How metrics are tracked
SendKit tracks the final state of each email. Every email goes through a progression:- Delivered includes emails that were opened or clicked
- Opened includes emails that were clicked
- Clicked is the most specific engagement metric
FAQ
Why is my open rate low?
Why is my open rate low?
Many email clients (Apple Mail, Gmail) block tracking pixels by default or pre-fetch images in ways that don’t count as opens. Open rates are always underreported. Focus on click rates for a more reliable engagement signal.
What's the difference between bounced and failed?
What's the difference between bounced and failed?
A bounce means the recipient’s mail server rejected the email (e.g., address doesn’t exist). A failure means the email couldn’t be sent at all (e.g., invalid configuration, domain not verified).
How often is the dashboard updated?
How often is the dashboard updated?
Metrics update in real time. As new email events come in, the dashboard refreshes automatically — no need to reload the page.
Why don't my numbers add up to 100%?
Why don't my numbers add up to 100%?
Metrics are cumulative, not exclusive. A delivered email can also be opened, and an opened email can also be clicked. Each metric includes the more advanced states.
How far back can I see metrics?
How far back can I see metrics?
The available date range depends on your plan’s data retention policy. Check your plan details for the exact retention period.