Understanding the email sending limits of various providers is important to ensure your messages reach their destination without any hitches. Different email services have distinct policies that cap the number of emails you can send within a certain time frame. These caps help control spam and manage the service’s load. Exceeding these limits may not just interrupt your email flow but can also affect your account status.
In this article, we’ll guide you through the sending restrictions for several widely used email services so you can plan your email campaigns or daily communications accordingly, avoiding potential blocks or penalties.
Is There a Limit to Emails?
Email service providers enforce specific limitations to mitigate spam and manage network resources effectively. These limits are crucial for maintaining the provider’s reputation and ensuring the deliverability of emails. Here’s an outline of common restrictions:
- Daily Sending Limit: This is the total number of emails an account can send in one day. Exceeding this limit may lead to temporary account suspension or other restrictions.
- Hourly Sending Limit: Providers may also restrict the number of emails sent within an hour to prevent server overloading and spamming activities.
- Recipient Limit Per Email: There’s often a cap on how many recipients can be included in a single email to prevent mass spamming.
- Attachment Size Limit: Email services set a maximum size for attachments to prevent excessive use of bandwidth and ensure quick delivery of emails.
These limitations vary across providers and can be influenced by the user’s account type (free or paid), the age of the account, and the account’s sending history.
| Email Service Provider | Daily Sending Limit | Hourly Sending Limit | Recipient Limit Per Email | Attachment Size Limit | Additional Information |
| Free Gmail | 100 via SMTP, 500 via browser | – | 500 | 25MB | Blocked if exceeded |
| Google Workspace | 2000 messages, 500 on trial | – | – | 25MB | Blocked if exceeded |
| Office365 | 10,000 emails | 30 messages/min | 500 | 150MB via Outlook, less on other clients | – |
| Outlook.com | 5,000 emails | – | 500 | 25MB | Account age and usage affect limits |
| GoDaddy | 500 emails | 300 messages/hour200 messages/min | – | 30MB | – |
| Rackspace | 10,000 recipients | – | – | 50MB | Message quality focused |
| BlueHost | Not specified | 150 emails/hour | – | 50MB | Hourly limit can be increased |
| DreamHost | – | 100 recipients/hour | – | 40MB | Different limits for sending multiple messages |
| Yahoo! | 500 emails | 100 emails/hour estimated | 100 | 25MB | Each recipient counts towards the limit |
| Yandex.mail | 500 emails | – | 50 | 1GB | Each recipient counts separately towards the limit |
| Host Gator | 12,000 emails | 500 emails/hour | – | 20MB | Mailing lists over 900 addresses only allowed during off-peak hours |
| iCloud Mail | 1,000 emails | – | 500 | 20MB | – |
| ProtonMail | 150 emails (Free) | 50 emails/hour | – | 25MB | Account age and usage affect limits |
| Zoho Mail | Standard: 250/day, Professional: 500/day, Enterprise: 1,000/day, Ultimate: 2,000/day. | – | – | Depends on your plan | Possible to increase the mass email limit up to 2500 per day for an additional cost |
| one.com | No official limits | 25 emails per 5 min | – | 70MB total | Caution advised not to overdo it |
| OVH | Pack Perso: 500/day, Pack Pro: 500/day, Pack Business: 1,200/day, Pack Premium: 2,000/day | Max 100/hour | – | Depends on plan | SMTP and php Mail function options available |
| PHPNet | Unlimited queued | 600/hour | – | – | – |
| Rochen | 1,000/day | 100/10 minutes | – | – | – |
| ServerMX.com | Trial: 15/day, Less or Equal 5GB: 400/day, Above 5GB: 1,000/day, SMX: 3,000/day | Trial: 10/hour, Less or Equal 5GB: 300/hour, Above 5GB: 700/hour, SMX: 1,000/hour | – | – | – |
| Siteground | – | 800/hour | 80 | 50MB | – |
| AOL | 500 emails | – | 100 | 25MB | – |
| Tutanota | – | 100/hour | – | 20 MB | – |
Why Do You Need to Be Aware of Sending Limits?
Understanding and adhering to the email sending limits set by service providers is crucial for several reasons that affect both individual and organizational email practices.
Ensuring Email Delivery
Email service providers implement limits mainly to control spam and ensure the health of their email systems. These restrictions are in place so that mailbox providers have enough time to process emails correctly and filter out spam.
Without these limitations, not only would spam be more prevalent, but legitimate transactional emails could also get delayed, leading to inefficiencies and potential loss of business or communication opportunities.
Preventing Account Blockage
Sending excessive emails within a short timeframe can lead to your email account being temporarily blocked. This disruption can significantly impact your communication ability, especially if you rely on emails for critical business operations.
In some cases, accounts may be blocked for 24 hours or more, which can be detrimental to time-sensitive tasks and workflows.
Avoiding Performance Issues
Email systems are not designed to transfer large volumes of data. Sending limits are, therefore, also a measure to prevent performance degradation. If you try to send attachments that are too large or send to too many recipients at once, it can strain the email server and your own computer, potentially leading to failed email deliveries and a poor user experience.
Preserving Email Ecosystem Health
Service providers impose sending limits to maintain the overall health of their email ecosystem. Providers can better manage their storage resources and ensure security by preventing users from sending large amounts of email.
Keeping these limits in check helps prevent the email system from becoming a medium for malware distribution and other security risks.
Strategic Email Campaigns
For businesses and marketers, knowing the sending limits is essential for planning effective email campaigns. Staying within limits means avoiding the risk of being labeled as spam and ensuring that your emails land in the inbox rather than the spam folder. This strategic approach to email sending can lead to better engagement and conversion rates.
Being aware of these sending limits is not only a matter of following rules but also about ensuring effective and uninterrupted email communication. Whether for personal use or within a professional context, respecting these limits will help maintain the credibility and functionality of your email correspondence.
How to Stay Within Your Email Sending Limits
Maintaining the integrity of your email sending practices is essential to ensure uninterrupted communication and to prevent being flagged as spam. Here are strategies to help you manage your email sending limits effectively:
Monitor Your Sending Frequency
Keep a close watch on how many emails you send daily. It’s important to stay under the daily limit to avoid temporary or permanent restrictions on your account.
Gradual Increase in Sending Volume
If you plan to ramp up your email sending, do it gradually. A sudden spike in email volume can trigger spam filters, resulting in account limitations.
Segment Your Email List
Divide your email list into segments and schedule your emails to go out to different segments on different days. This approach not only helps in managing your sending limit but also allows for more tailored communications, which can enhance engagement rates.
Watch for Error Messages
Regularly check for any error messages that indicate you’ve exceeded your sending limits. If you receive such a message, you should pause sending for a day to let your limit reset.
Maintain a Good Account Standing
Avoid spam-like behavior and keep your email lists clean. This includes removing invalid email addresses and not sending unsolicited emails.
Avoid Email Blacklists
Use tools to ensure your IP and domain are not on email blacklists, as being listed can affect your ability to send emails.
Verify Email Lists
Ensure that your email lists are up to date and verified. This reduces bounce rates and helps maintain a strong sender reputation.
Plan Your Campaigns Thoughtfully
Be aware of the cumulative effect of multiple follow-ups and overlapping campaigns. Plan accordingly to avoid exceeding your limits when multiple emails are scheduled to be sent.
By implementing these strategies, you can navigate the restrictions while maximizing your email outreach potential. It’s a combination of awareness, strategic planning, and continuous monitoring that will keep your email campaigns running smoothly and compliantly.
Know Your Limits
Navigating the email sending limits of various service providers is an integral part of managing digital communication, especially for those using email for outreach or marketing purposes. Being informed about these limits is just the first step; applying best practices to stay within them is crucial for maintaining effective communication channels.
As email continues to be a vital tool in personal and professional realms, understanding and respecting these boundaries will ensure your messages are delivered successfully, and your digital presence remains positive. Remember, the goal is not just to avoid penalties but to engage responsibly and constructively with your audience through every email sent.
References
https://www.secureax.com/blog/maximum-attachment-size-for-email/
https://help.mailgun.com/hc/en-us/articles/203306850-Why-does-the-amount-of-email-I-send-matter-
https://mailtrap.io/blog/email-size/
https://engage.funnelflare.io/hc/en-us/articles/360048568913-What-Are-Email-Sending-Rate-Limits-Email-Throttling-How-Do-They-Affect-Me-
https://www.mailmunch.com/blog/email-deliverability
https://support.google.com/mail/answer/22839?hl=en#zippy=%2Cyou-have-reached-a-limit-for-sending-mail
https://support.google.com/a/answer/166852?hl=en
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/sending-limits-in-outlook-com-279ee200-594c-40f0-9ec8-bb6af7735c2e
https://in.godaddy.com/help/professional-email-account-limitations-31970
https://docs.rackspace.com/docs/rackspace-hosted-email-system-daily-sending-limit
https://www.bluehost.com/help/article/email-returned-error-speed-limit-exceeded
https://help.dreamhost.com/hc/en-us/articles/215730437-SMTP-quota-limits
https://woodpecker.co/blog/email-sending-limits/
https://yandex.com/support/mail/web/letter/create/send-many-letters.html
https://help.one.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005586409-How-do-I-send-newsletters-using-one-com-s-mail-service-