Is the emailtooltester.com email deliverability test data reliable?

Summary

Experts and email marketers generally agree that emailtooltester.com and similar deliverability tests offer a limited and potentially flawed assessment of email deliverability. The consensus is that these tests should not be relied upon as a sole source of truth. Issues range from flawed testing methodologies (small sample sizes, unrepresentative seed accounts, generic templates, free ESP accounts) to the neglect of crucial factors like sender reputation, list hygiene, engagement metrics, and real-world conditions. Instead, a multi-faceted approach combining personalized testing, consistent reputation monitoring, engagement analysis, proper email authentication, and diverse testing tools is recommended for a more accurate understanding of deliverability performance.

Key findings

  • Flawed Testing: Emailtooltester.com's methodology is often flawed, utilizing small sample sizes, unrepresentative seed accounts, and generic templates.
  • Limited Scope: Public deliverability tests lack the nuance of real-world scenarios and fail to account for dynamic factors.
  • Single Point in Time: Deliverability tests provide a snapshot in time and don't reflect the continuous changes in filtering algorithms and email environments.
  • Not a Guarantee: Testing tools can't guarantee deliverability; many other factors are involved.
  • SEO Bait: Some suggest the site is primarily focused on SEO and may not prioritize accuracy.

Key considerations

  • Personalized Testing: Conduct your own seeded testing to verify results in your specific email environment.
  • Monitor Reputation: Consistently monitor your sender reputation with tools like Google Postmaster Tools.
  • Analyze Engagement: Track engagement metrics (opens, clicks, complaints) as indicators of deliverability health.
  • Implement Authentication: Implement and maintain proper email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
  • Maintain List Quality: Practice good list hygiene by removing unengaged subscribers and invalid email addresses.
  • Diverse Testing: Utilize a variety of deliverability testing tools and techniques, avoiding reliance on a single source.
  • Consider Context: Understand the limitations of deliverability tests and interpret results within the context of your own sending practices and audience.

What email marketers say
9Marketer opinions

Experts and email marketers generally agree that emailtooltester.com and similar deliverability tests can provide a basic overview but should not be the sole source of truth for assessing email deliverability. These tests often lack the nuance of real-world scenarios and can be easily skewed by factors such as sender reputation, list hygiene, content quality, and the use of free ESP accounts or generic email templates. A more comprehensive approach involves personalized testing, monitoring sender reputation, analyzing engagement metrics, and ensuring proper email authentication.

Key opinions

  • Flawed Data: Tests often use flawed data (free ESP accounts, improper seed address setup, generic templates) which leads to inaccurate deliverability assessment.
  • Not Comprehensive: These tests don't capture the dynamic nature of email deliverability, which is influenced by sender reputation, list hygiene, and content quality.
  • Single Data Point: Deliverability tests are best used as one data point among many, not the definitive measure of success.
  • Limited Accuracy: Email testing tools offer a snapshot of rendering and performance but cannot guarantee perfect deliverability due to various external factors.

Key considerations

  • Personalized Testing: Conduct personalized testing to reflect your specific sender reputation and email content.
  • Monitor Reputation: Regularly monitor your sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools.
  • Analyze Metrics: Pay close attention to engagement metrics (open rates, click-through rates) and complaint rates.
  • Ensure Authentication: Implement proper email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
  • Maintain List Hygiene: Maintain a clean and engaged email list to improve deliverability.
  • Multiple Tools: Use multiple tools and sources over time to monitor trends and avoid drawing definitive conclusions from a single test.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Quora user John M shares that EmailToolTester can be a useful starting point, but emphasizes the need for personalized testing due to varying sender reputations and email content. They highlight that deliverability depends heavily on your specific email practices.

October 2022 - Quora
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus.com explains that email testing tools provide a snapshot of how your email renders and performs across different email clients and devices, but they can't guarantee perfect deliverability. Factors such as IP reputation, authentication, and subscriber engagement play a significant role.

July 2023 - Litmus.com
Marketer view

Email marketer from Emailonacid.com shares that deliverability is influenced by numerous dynamic factors. Sender reputation, engagement metrics, and spam filter updates are all important. Using a single deliverability test is too static, instead use multiple sources over time.

October 2024 - Emailonacid.com
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackExchange user Emily R. answers that Deliverability test sites are useful as a single data point but should not be the only means for determining success. Inbox placement, engagement metrics and complaint rates should also be used.

November 2022 - StackExchange
Marketer view

Email marketer from GlockApps.com recommends that you use various tools when testing your deliverability, which includes performing sender reputation checks, email authentication checks, and content analysis for spam triggers. GlockApps emphasizes that deliverability tests should be used for monitoring trends over time rather than for drawing definitive conclusions from a single test.

February 2025 - GlockApps.com
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that the data used in the test is flawed and not indicative of actual deliverability due to using free ESP accounts, not adding seed addresses properly, using generic templates with abused 3rd party domains and the fact that seed addresses aren't representative of real world deliverability.

August 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit user jsmith explains that while the site provides a general overview, the results are not always accurate and should be taken with a grain of salt due to the constantly evolving nature of email deliverability.

March 2024 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Gmass.co shares that deliverability tests are valuable, but they should not be the only tool in your arsenal. Focus on building a positive sender reputation, maintaining clean email lists, and creating engaging content. Avoid relying solely on test results.

November 2022 - Gmass.co
Marketer view

Email marketer from EmailVendorSelection.com explains that public deliverability tests often lack the nuance of real-world scenarios. IP reputation, list hygiene, and content quality are more important than a single test score.

March 2021 - EmailVendorSelection.com

What the experts say
4Expert opinions

Experts across various platforms concur that the emailtooltester.com deliverability test data is unreliable. The testing methodology is often flawed, using small sample sizes, unrepresentative seed accounts, and poorly designed experiments. They emphasize that no single test provides an accurate view of email placement and recommend verifying results with your own data using seeded testing or exploring alternative testing methods.

Key opinions

  • Flawed Methodology: Testing methodologies are often flawed with small sample sizes and unrepresentative seed accounts.
  • Poor Experiment Design: Experiments are often poorly designed, leading to unreliable conclusions.
  • Single Tests Unreliable: No single deliverability test can provide an accurate view of email placement.
  • General Unreliability: Testing tools in general can be flawed and unreliable.

Key considerations

  • Verify with Seeded Testing: Verify the results from any deliverability testing site with your own data using seeded testing.
  • Use Alternative Methods: Explore and utilize alternative testing methods for optimal deliverability insights.
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise states that testing tools are flawed and generally unreliable, they recommend other testing methods for optimal deliverability

December 2022 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource explains that results from any deliverability testing site should be verified with your own data using seeded testing. No single test can give you an accurate view of your email placement.

July 2021 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains the mentioned article is SEO bait and the testing methodology is flawed due to small sample size of 4 plain text emails and 1 HTML email using seed accounts, which aren’t generally representative of delivery to real accounts.

May 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains the experiment is not well designed and therefore no conclusions can be drawn from it.

January 2023 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

Official documentation from various email platforms like Mailchimp, SendGrid, SparkPost, and Google Postmaster Tools indicates that single deliverability tests, like those offered by emailtooltester.com, are unreliable. Deliverability is affected by numerous dynamic factors including sender reputation, email authentication, list quality, engagement metrics, sending volume, email content, and time of day. These platforms recommend a multi-faceted approach to monitoring deliverability that includes consistent monitoring of sender reputation, analyzing engagement rates, implementing feedback loops, and monitoring inbox placement.

Key findings

  • Multiple Factors: Deliverability is affected by many factors, including sender reputation, authentication, list quality, and engagement.
  • Fluctuating Results: Deliverability results fluctuate based on test parameters, making single snapshot tests unreliable.
  • Inherent Limitations: Deliverability tests cannot fully replicate real-world conditions or adapt to changes in filtering algorithms.
  • Reputation Matters: Sender reputation is critical for email deliverability.

Key considerations

  • Monitor Reputation: Consistently monitor sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools.
  • Analyze Engagement: Regularly analyze engagement rates (opens, clicks) to identify potential deliverability issues.
  • Implement Feedback Loops: Implement feedback loops to receive notifications about spam complaints.
  • Monitor Inbox Placement: Monitor inbox placement to see where emails are landing (inbox, spam, promotions).
  • Clean Email List: Maintain a clean email list to avoid sending to invalid or unengaged addresses.
  • Authentication: Ensure proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
Technical article

Documentation from Mailchimp explains that various factors, including sender reputation, authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), list quality, and engagement metrics, affect deliverability. They emphasize the importance of maintaining a clean email list and adhering to best practices.

January 2025 - Mailchimp.com
Technical article

Documentation from SparkPost explains deliverability tests have inherent limitations because they can't fully replicate real-world conditions or adapt to ongoing changes in filtering algorithms. They recommend a multi-faceted approach, including feedback loops and inbox placement monitoring.

January 2022 - SparkPost.com
Technical article

Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools explains sender reputation is a critical factor in determining email deliverability. Monitoring your reputation with Google is essential for identifying and addressing potential issues affecting your email deliverability.

November 2023 - Google.com
Technical article

Documentation from SendGrid explains that deliverability results can fluctuate significantly based on test parameters, like sending volume, email content and time of day, rendering single snapshot tests unreliable. SendGrid recommends consistent monitoring of sender reputation and engagement rates as more reliable metrics.

July 2024 - SendGrid.com