The Ultimate Email Tracking Tools list for Gmail in 2023

Email marketing revenue is projected to reach almost 11 billion by the end of 2023. And with the number of total email users set to reach 4.6 billion by 2025, it's clear that the platform will remain an essential business tool for reaching target audiences worldwide.

But while sending regular emails will almost always result in positive outcomes for your business, that's only part of the equation for achieving success. You must also know how to track email performance to discover what your audience prefers.

And that's where email tracking tools can be so valuable.

If you pick the right tools and track the essential KPIs, you can stay on top of your email marketing performance and know exactly what to do in any situation. But how can you pick the right email marketing tool for your needs?

In this article, you'll discover:

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The Ultimate Email Tracking Tools list for Gmail:

Why You Should Implement Tracking in Your Email Routine
     Understand What to Do Next
     Automate Your Processes
     Provide a Better Experience
   
 How to Track Email Opens and Clicks in Gmail
     Use Gmail Read Receipts
     Manage Email Tracking with Google Analytics
     Use Professional Email Tracker Tools

Top Email Trackers for Gmail
     Best for Personal Gmail Tracking
     Best Email Tracking Solutions for Business
     Bonus: Absolutely Free Email Trackers for Gmail
 

Ready to get started? Then read on below.

Why You Should Implement Tracking in Your Email Routine

Having more information is almost always a good thing. And when it comes to Gmail email tracking, even a simple system will dramatically improve your email quality, engagement rate, and the results you can achieve.

Here are the main reasons why using an email tracker for Gmail makes so much sense.

Understand What to Do Next

When it comes to email marketing, more emails will almost always deliver better results. But even so, you still need to figure out what emails to send next, when to send them, and how to make them more engaging and impossible to ignore.

And that's where Gmail email open tracking can help you plan each step with more precision and confidence.

Even if you just track whether your email was opened, you can make better decisions about your next step. For example, if the email was opened but didn't receive a response, you may need to try a different angle. But if the email wasn't opened at all, that means your subject line didn't work, so that's what you should focus on.

And if you can also track link clicks, that will tell you even more about how engaging your email was and what you should do in the next one. For example, you can offer or emphasize an incentive that drives the recipient to click through in the follow-up email.

Automate Your Processes

If you want to scale your email marketing efforts, you'll need to set up email automations so that you don't have to send each message manually. But the only way to ensure your automated email campaigns deliver results is to personalize them according to your email recipients' actions.

You can use automations such as automated follow-ups for all emails you send out, but they're especially effective for emails where you want the recipient to perform an action.

For example, if you want them to click through to a landing page, you need to know how they respond to the initial email before figuring out which one should go out next. If they don't even open your email, you need to send perfectly timed follow-up emails to get them to reconsider. And if they click through but don't buy, you need to add an extra incentive that motivates them or reframe your arguments in a way that shows more value.

Provide a Better Experience

The success of your email campaigns will come down to how well you anticipate the needs of the people you're communicating with. And the best way to understand those needs is to use Gmail email tracking to discover how people respond to different types of emails.

source: SFWP

Over time, you'll learn valuable insights about what people prefer to see and their email behavior, developing an effective email marketing strategy that works for your audience. This will not only provide an overall performance boost but will also be vital in ensuring you achieve consistent results in every campaign you work on.

Whether you use automations to scale your email marketing efforts or want more control in manual outreach campaigns, having data about which emails are opened, read, and responded to can become the driving force behind every decision you make.

How to Track Email Opens and Clicks in Gmail

You can use a few methods to start tracking email opens and clicks in Gmail. It's possible to get started with built-in tools available in Gmail, but you can also utilize more advanced solutions to give yourself more options and develop a more effective email strategy.
Here are three quick hacks that will help you get started with more detailed email tracking

Hack #1: Use Gmail Read Receipts

Read receipts are a convenient built-in feature of Gmail that allows users to verify that their message actually got delivered and didn't end up in the spam folder. But although its original purpose was to help educational institutions or businesses communicate internally, you can also utilize it when reaching out to prospects or clients.

source: PC

To turn on Gmail read receipts:

1. Head to your Gmail account and select "Compose" to start a new email.
   
   
2. Once you're done creating the email, find a down arrow at the bottom right of the email and expand it.
   
   
3. Select "Request read receipt" on the menu and send the email.

Drawbacks

Although setting up Gmail read receipts is pretty simple, it also has significant drawbacks.

First off, when you use it to track email opens, your recipient will have the option to either accept the read-receipt request or deny it. And if they deny it, you'll have no way of knowing whether they opened it or not. The second problem is that it can only be used with Google Workspace, which is a paid version of Gmail.

Hack #2: Manage Email Tracking with Google Analytics

Another effective Gmail email tracking free method is to use Google Analytics. This email tracker solution is fairly easy to set up and will allow you to track whenever someone clicks the links in your emails. And if someone clicks the link, you can be reasonably sure they also opened the email.

Here's how you can set up an email tracker for Gmail using Google Analytics:

1. Sign up for Google Analytics and connect it with your Website. This is required if you want to start collecting and reviewing data.
   
   
2. Create a trackable URL using the Campaign URL Builder. 
   
   
3. Once you set up the tracking campaign, paste your generated trackable URL into your email. 
   
   source: Agency Analytics
   
   
4. You'll be able to see clicks from your email in your Google Analytics account. 

Drawbacks

The primary issue with using Google Analytics is that you can only track clicks. That limits your ability to understand what emails your audience finds interesting and prevents you from sending automated email follow-ups based on initial activity.

Another problem with Google Analytics is that the reports it generates can be quite limiting. For example, while you can get data on clicks and opens, it can't provide information about the actions of individual recipients.

Hack #3: Use Professional Email Tracker Tools

If you want to have the most control over how you track your email performance, your best bet is to opt for a professional email tracker tool that is designed to provide accurate, timely, and specific data you can use to make informed decisions.

But what can an email tracker do? Here are five ways you can use a tool like MySignature:

1. Track Email Opens and Number of Opens
   
   Your subject line is the most impactful part of your emails. If it fails, the body copy won't matter, as the email won't even get opened in the first place.
   
   By tracking whether your email was opened and how many times it was opened, you can learn what's working with your audience and continually improve your open rate and overall email performance.
   
   
2. Track Clicks on Links in the Email
   
   You want your email recipient to take a specific action. Whether it's clicking through to your landing page, checking out a piece of content, or scheduling a call, you will usually want them to click through and take the next step in their journey.
   
   And that's where tracking email clicks can be so valuable. By knowing whether your links have been clicked (and how many times they were clicked), you'll be able to optimize your email body copy to generate interest, create a desire, and drive action consistently.
   
   
3. Show Time and Date When the Email Was Opened
   
   In email marketing, timing can be just as important as what you send. You need to know when your email recipients are the most likely to respond and take action, or you might waste valuable opportunities. It also helps to understand how to pace your emails and how long to wait until an email has been opened before sending a follow-up.
   
   Comprehensive email tracking solutions allow you to know the exact date and time when the email was opened. Using this information, you can discover insights about the times of day or days of the week that work best with your audience.
   
   
4. Show the Location Where the Email Was Opened
   
   If your business involves meeting with people in person, their location impacts the types of email messages you want to send. For example, if their location is too far from you, it might not be feasible for you to do business. At the same time, you can figure out how national holidays in different regions might affect your chances of landing the client.
   
   By knowing the location where the email was opened, you give yourself a much better chance of adjusting the next steps accordingly. For instance, if you find out that an in-person meeting is impossible, you can shift towards a video conference or call instead.
   
   
5. Show a Device the Email Was Opened On

An email doesn't always look the same on mobile and desktop. And the device also impacts how people view, react to, and respond to the emails they receive.

Knowing what devices your audience uses can help you optimize performance, email deliverability, and design accordingly. You can test out how your email body and signature look on desktop and  mobile versions, making changes and optimizing based on the results. 

Top Email Trackers for Gmail

With the abundance of email trackers for Gmail, it's easy to get overwhelmed when choosing the option that matches your needs and budget. And with various email trackers catering to different types of clients, a solution that could work perfectly for one situation might not be the right fit for another.

With that in mind, let's look at a few of the best Gmail email tracking solutions available today. We'll look at the best options for personal Gmail tracking, as well as the leading tools for businesses.

Best for Personal Gmail Tracking

Here are the leading Gmail email tracking tools for personal users.

MySignature

MySignature  has been a leading signature generator for a while now, but the tool has taken a big step forward by recently introducing comprehensive Gmail email tracking features as part of the Pro Plus plan.
You can track unlimited opens and clicks in all emails you send from your Gmail account. And that's on top of enjoying a list of excellent email signature features, which include professional templates, advanced signature customization, signature banners, signature management for multiple users, and much more. You can even set up company-wide email signatures that will close the gap between email and marketing.
MySignature works with all major email clients and makes it very easy for business owners to set up email signatures and tracking metrics for emails on Gmail/G Suite.

MailTrack

Mailtrack is an easy-to-use email tracking Chrome extension for Gmail that comes with a range of powerful features such as real-time notifications, read receipts, daily reports, and more. It's a good option for freelancers who need to track emails but don't want a complicated solution with features that aren't necessary. 

RightInbox

RightInbox is another email tracking extension that you can use for free. It offers open and link click tracking, convenient reminders to send emails, scheduled emails, templates, and other features that will help you take complete control over how you manage email conversations with prospects.

Best Email Tracking Solutions for Business

If you want more flexibility and advanced features, you might benefit from one of the email tracking solutions designed for businesses.

Let's explore the top options you could consider below.

Mixmax

Mixmax offers a complete sales engagement solution for Gmail, and tracking email performance is a vital part of its functionality. But even if you don't need the comprehensive features geared for account executives or customer success, you can still take advantage of convenient tracking combined with an email scheduling feature and a variety of templates.

Boomerang

Boomerang is one of the top-rated email management solutions on the market, so it's not surprising that it comes with many powerful features. In fact, it's an entire productivity solution for business that extends much further than just email tracking. But you can also use it as a convenient tool for tracking emails in Gmail that will let you know when the recipient opens the email or clicks your link.

Snov.io

Snov.io offers a sales and marketing solution that includes features like an email finder, email drip campaigns, sales CRM, technology checker, and a range of integrations. But it stands out on this list because it also offers unlimited email tracking through a Chrome extension. You can track when recipients open your email and click links.

Gmelius

Gmelius is an all-in-one business productivity solution that seamlessly integrates with Google Workspace. And it's also designed to help teams supercharge their collaboration, providing a range of tools that help manage, respond to, and track email performance. As part of the features, it offers an email tracking service that helps you improve your campaigns.

That being said, if you need a leaner and more focused solution for tracking email performance, it might not be the best fit.

Saleshandy

Saleshandy is primarily a cold email automation tool, but it comes with email tracking features as well. By adding a Chrome extension to your browser, you can track every email you send and get real-time desktop notifications whenever your email is read. It will also show unique open and click counts, including the time when it happened. 

Bonus: Absolutely Free Email Trackers for Gmail

Having a premium tool for tracking emails will usually provide you with more flexibility and better features. That being said, there are free alternatives that can help you get started if you don't want to invest money right now. 

Here are a few of the best Gmail email tracking free options.

Mailpanion

Mailpanion is a simple yet very useful tool that aims to eliminate the anxiety that comes from not knowing whether your email has been opened. It's a Chrome extension you can add in seconds, allowing you to track whether an email has been opened and how many times it happened right in your Gmail dashboard.

Mailalert

Mailalert is a lightweight and convenient free email tracker that lets you know when your emails are opened and links clicked. By adding the Chrome extension, you can send tracked emails that don't have any branding, which is a big plus with a free tool.

HunterMailTracker

Hunter is an established company that specializes in helping users find professional email addresses in seconds. But it also has a free Chrome that can let you know when your email was opened.

Openedornot

Openedornot offers a range of features that help with email management, but its free email tracking Chrome extension provides simple functionality that you can use immediately. You can get real-time notifications about every email you send, discovering when your emails are opened, where it's opened, and how many times it has been read.

Conclusion

If you want to get started with tracking emails, there's an abundance of email tracking apps to choose from at all complexity levels and price points. Whether you just want to track whether an email was opened, or need a complete suite of tracking and analytics features, this list has the right option for you.

And if you want the perfect blend of email signature management and email tracking functionality in one place, you can't go wrong with MySignature. You can design beautiful-looking email signatures and showcase your best offers in every email while also continually optimizing performance based on your open-and-click performance

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Ostap

Ostap is a marketing professional (PMM) with 5+ years of experience in the software industry (B2B and B2C). Having worked with email marketing products and services, Ostap has a deep understanding of various email marketing strategies and solutions.