Find the best email tracker and elevate your app’s email game

Discover the best in-app email tracker tools for Gmail, Outlook, and more, and learn how email trackers can enhance your users’ productivity.

Best email tracker

Email has solidified its role as the primary communication channel for businesses — one report found that brands’ usage surged by 26% year over year. It’s easy to see the importance of integrating email functionality directly within your app — everyone uses it, so why not keep your users in your application? To eliminate context-switching further, you should strongly consider including sought-after features like email tracking. Implementing this via an email tracker or using the features of an email API for email tracking capabilities can cater to your users’ needs and enhance your app’s stickiness.

Email tracking tools reveal whether users’ emails are being opened and provide insights into how recipients engage with their messages. This functionality is vital for businesses aiming to enrich their app with robust email capabilities. It ensures that your customers can fine-tune their communication strategies and boost productivity seamlessly within your platform.

What is an email tracker?

At its core, an email tracker is a software tool or feature that allows you to see when a recipient opens your emails and track clicks on any links within those messages. This information enables users to understand the effectiveness of their communications and tailor their approach to maximize engagement.

Email tracker capabilities 

Email tracking is not just about knowing if an email has been opened; your solution should have functionalities to enhance your users’ email communication strategies significantly.

 Let’s look at the capabilities that set the best email tracking tools apart: 

  • App integration: Integrating email tracking in your app is a game-changer. Direct integration provides your users with a seamless flow of communication data, enabling them and their teams to understand client interactions better and tailor their outreach accordingly.
  • Real-time notifications: This feature notifies the sender the moment an email is opened or a link within it is clicked, allowing for timely follow-ups. 
  • Detailed engagement analytics: The best email tracking capabilities provide comprehensive insights into how recipients interact with emails. From the number of times an email is opened to the specific links clicked, these analytics help refine email strategies to increase engagement and conversions.
  • Link and attachment tracking: Beyond tracking opens, advanced email trackers can monitor who clicked on specific links or downloaded attachments from emails. This level of detail is crucial for understanding what content resonates most with audiences, enabling users to tailor their messages for greater impact.
  • A/B testing: Some email tracking tools include A/B testing capabilities, allowing users to send two variations of an email to see which performs better. This allows for optimized subject lines, email content, and sending times to improve open rates and engagement.
  • Multi-platform compatibility: The best email trackers offer compatibility across various email platforms — think email trackers for Gmail, Outlook, and all other providers — ensuring users can leverage the capabilities regardless of their preferred email service provider.
  • Automated follow-up reminders: Keeping up with follow-ups can be challenging, but email trackers can automate this process. Users can ensure no lead goes unattended by setting reminders based on recipient actions (or inactions).

Incorporating email tracking with these capabilities into your email integration can bring more value to your end-users, providing them with the insights and automation needed to enhance communication, productivity, and results.

The importance of email tracking

Email tracking provides valuable data that enables businesses and individuals to make informed decisions. With email tracking capabilities in your application (as part of your email integration), your users can: 

  • Optimize send times: Discover the best times to send emails to increase open rates and engagement.
  • Enhance email content: Learn which links and content generate the most clicks, helping tailor emails for better performance.
  • Improve follow-ups: Knowing if and when an email was opened can guide follow-up strategies, making them more timely and relevant.
  • Boost campaign success: For marketing professionals, email tracking is essential for analyzing the success of campaigns and adjusting tactics accordingly.

Types of email tracking tools 

Choosing the ideal email tracking solution involves understanding the available options and determining which best aligns with your needs. Let’s explore the two primary routes: opting for ready-made solutions or leveraging the capabilities of an email API for more customized functionality.

Ready-made email trackers

Ready-made solutions are email-tracking software programs designed for immediate use. They cater to broad email tracking requirements with user-friendly interfaces and features. Individuals or businesses seeking a straightforward, no-fuss approach to email tracking and looking for quick deployment without technical customization may opt for a ready-made solution. 

Email tracking with an email API

Building with an email API presents a compelling option for those seeking a personalized approach to email (and email tracking). This method provides unparalleled flexibility, allowing for the development of bespoke email tracking functionalities that can be precisely adjusted to meet unique operational demands. While it does necessitate a certain level of technical know-how and development input, the potential for creating a robust and highly customized email integration makes it an attractive choice for businesses with specific needs or ambitions to seamlessly merge email tracking into their existing digital ecosystem.

The choice between ready-made solutions and building with an email API hinges on your requirements, resources, and the level of customization you desire. 

The best email trackers

Considering the factors outlined, you can choose an email tracking solution that meets your communication needs and enhances your app’s overall productivity and email management capabilities. Now, let’s dive into the list of the best email tracking tools. 

  1. Nylas Email API 

How it works: The Nylas Email API streamlines in-app email, from creation and sending to tracking open rates, all in one solution. Beyond tracking, it offers seamless inbox connectivity and bi-directional email capabilities with a 99.6% deliverability rate, supporting all email providers like Google and Outlook quickly. This saves countless development hours, enhancing user engagement and driving growth.

Key features: 

  • Universal compatibility: Integrates with 100% of email service providers (e.g., Google, Yahoo, iCloud, Outlook, IMAP, and more). 
  • Email analytics: Track and show email status, including opens, clicks, replies, and bounces, for users to deliver more effective outreach.
  • Scalable infrastructure: Supports scaling as your app grows.
  • Scheduled Send: Your users can send messages at a predetermined time to optimize recipient engagement and warm up new email lists.
  • API for custom integration: Designed for seamless integration with various systems, from applicant tracking software to document management software, to communications software, and more. 
  • Calendar and contacts capabilities: In addition to email, Nylas enables calendar and contacts integration for better, more seamless app engagement.

Pros and cons: 

  • Pros: Highly flexible and customizable, integrates with 100% of email service providers. Ideal for personalized, conversational email strategies.
  • Cons: May require a higher level of technical expertise for setup and customization. 

Pricing: Nylas’ pricing tiers are designed to be simple and easy, with clear benefits that prioritize customers. With three tiers (free, pay-as-you-go, and custom), customers can select value-added features while balancing growth with maximizing cost savings, making choosing the plan that best meets your requirements simple.

  1. Mailtrack (ready-made) 

How it works: Mailtrack is a browser extension for Gmail that adds double-check marks to sent emails, letting users know when messages are read. It’s a simple tool for individuals and businesses looking to track email opens without needing any technical setup.

Key features:

  • Read receipts: Get instant notifications when emails are opened.
  • Link tracking: See when and how often links within emails are clicked.
  • Daily reports: Receive summaries of email tracking activity.

Pros and cons:

  • Pros: Easy installation and use; immediate feedback on email opens.
  • Cons: Limited to Gmail; basic functionality without advanced analytics or customization.

Pricing: Free for basic functionality; Pro version available with a monthly subscription for advanced features and removal of Mailtrack signature.

  1. HubSpot Sales Hub (ready-made) 

How it works: HubSpot Sales includes email tracking as part of its broader sales and CRM platform. It integrates directly with your email client and provides notifications and a suite of tools designed to streamline the sales process.

Key features:

  • CRM integration: Emails are automatically logged and tracked within the HubSpot CRM.
  • Notification system: Receive real-time alerts when emails are opened or links are clicked.
  • Email scheduling: Plan to send emails at the most reasonable time.

Pros and cons:

  • Pros: Comprehensive set of sales tools; excellent CRM integration.
  • Cons: Potentially costly for small businesses; features may exceed the needs of users only looking for email tracking.

Pricing: Free CRM features; Sales Hub starts with a monthly fee per user, with premium features available at higher price points.

  1. Sendgrid (API) 

How it works: SendGrid is a cloud-based email service that supports transactional email, and its API offers detailed analytics and flexible integration options. It’s great for businesses managing large-scale email campaigns and other transactional email sends. 

Key features:

  • Analytics and reporting: Detailed reports on opens, clicks, and more, for in-depth campaign analysis.
  • Email scheduling: Allows scheduling of marketing and transactional emails by using either its Marketing Campaigns, SMTP API header, or API.
  • Scalable infrastructure: Capable of handling large volumes of email without sacrificing performance.
  • API integration: Integrates with existing systems for streamlined operations.

Pros and cons:

  • Pros: Reliable for high volumes, robust analytics, and flexible API.
  • Cons: Transactional APIs aren’t built with reply management in mind and offer no out-of-the-box support for critical quality-of-life features. Additionally, transactional APIs send email through proxy (third-party) IPs, achieving 80% deliverability on average.

Pricing: Free tier available; paid plans based on email volume, more advanced features, and dedicated IP options for higher tiers.

  1. Yesware (ready-made)

How it works: Yesware is an email productivity platform that integrates with Gmail and Outlook. It offers tools like email tracking, templates, and analytics to enhance sales efforts.

Key features:

  • Email tracking: Alerts when emails are opened, links clicked, and attachments viewed.
  • Templates and analytics: Use and analyze the effectiveness of email templates.
  • Meeting scheduler: Embed scheduling links directly into your emails.

Pros and cons:

  • Pros: Robust toolset for sales professionals; good integration with Gmail and Microsoft Outlook.
  • Cons: Higher cost for accessing full features; may be more suited for sales teams than individual users; doesn’t integrate with all email service providers. 

Pricing: Subscription-based pricing per user per month, with different tiers based on feature access.

  1. Mixmax (ready-made)

How it works: Mixmax enhances Gmail with productivity tools, including email tracking, scheduling, and automation, aimed at sales and customer success teams.

Key features:

  • Detailed analytics: Comprehensive insights on email engagement and performance.
  • Sequence automation: Automate follow-up emails based on recipient actions.

Pros and cons:

  • Pros: Extensive feature set tailored to Gmail users; enhances email interactions.
  • Cons: Mainly focused on Gmail; might offer more features than needed for simple tracking.

Pricing: Subscription-based pricing per user per month, with different tiers based on feature access.

You May Also Like

hero banner for blog post
How to track emails in Gmail
hero banner
How to Track Email Open Rates
Best email scheduler software

Subscribe for our updates

Please enter your email address and receive the latest updates.