What is email list growth rate?

Growth rate = ((New subscribers − Unsubscribes) ÷ Total subscribers at start of period) × 100. It measures the net percentage change in list size over one period.

What is a good email list growth rate?

Industry benchmarks vary widely, but a monthly growth rate of 2–5% is considered healthy for most B2C and newsletter businesses. B2B lists often grow more slowly (0.5–2% monthly) but tend to have higher engagement.

How does the projection work?

The calculator applies your current net growth (new − unsubscribes) repeatedly to the starting list size for each future period. It assumes the same absolute net gain per period, not the same percentage — a conservative approach that avoids compounding optimism.

Why can growth rate be negative?

If unsubscribes exceed new sign-ups in a period, net growth is negative and the list is shrinking. This is common after list hygiene campaigns, deliverability fixes, or a drop in acquisition activity.

Should I track growth rate or absolute net new subscribers?

Both matter. Growth rate normalizes for list size and lets you compare across time periods or campaigns. Absolute net new subscribers shows raw momentum. A small list with a 10% growth rate may add fewer subscribers than a large list at 1%.

Email List Growth Rate Calculator

Enter your current subscriber count, new sign-ups, and unsubscribes per period to get growth rate, net new subscribers, and a 12-period list size projection.

Subscriber Data

Current Subscribers

Total list size at the start of the period

New Subscribers This Period

Unsubscribes This Period

Period

Weekly Monthly Quarterly

Enter your subscriber data and click Calculate Growth

12-Period Projection

Assumes the same net gain (0 subscribers) each period.

Period	List Size	Growth Rate

Summary

Enter your current subscriber count, new sign-ups, and unsubscribes per period to get growth rate, net new subscribers, and a 12-period list size projection.

How it works

Enter your current total subscriber count.
Enter new subscribers gained during the period.
Enter subscribers lost (unsubscribes) during the period.
Select whether the period is weekly, monthly, or quarterly.
The calculator shows net new subscribers, growth rate, and a 12-period projection.

Use cases

Track month-over-month email list growth for a newsletter or SaaS product.
Set subscriber targets by working backwards from a desired list size.
Identify whether unsubscribe volume is eroding growth gains.
Compare growth rate across different acquisition channels or campaigns.
Project when your list will hit a milestone (e.g. 10,000 subscribers).
Report email program health to stakeholders using a single key metric.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-09-22 · Reviewed by Nham Vu