Email is one of the most ubiquitous and depended-on forms of communication, both at work and in our personal lives. But with billions of emails flooding inboxes around the world every day, how much of that torrent ends up in front of the average user?
In this article, we’ll dive deep into the latest data and research around global email volume, inbox overload, user habits, and more to uncover both broad trends and individual behavior patterns. Read on to find out just how crowded the average inbox is in 2023!
Email Isn’t Dead—Global Usage is Exploding
Let’s start with some context on the massive scale of email today. Rather than fading into obsolesce, email is thriving around the world.
An estimated 319.6 billion emails are sent and received globally per day as of mid-2022, according to researchers at Lifewire. And that figure is predicted to grow nearly 15% by the end of 2025, topping 376 billion emails sent daily.
To put the volume of daily email in perspective, 319 billion messages per day means over 3.6 million emails are sent every second across the globe.
Several key factors are fueling the continued growth and dominance of email:
- Businesses rely on email marketing: Email is an inexpensive, direct way for companies to engage customers. Studies show approximately 3.9 billion people globally use email regularly, making it the top channel for digital marketing and outreach.
- Consumers prefer email for critical functions: For most personal and professional tasks, from correspondence to notifications to promotions, email remains the primary digital communication channel. Alternative options like social media or texts can’t match email’s versatility.
- Developing markets are gaining internet access: As growing countries build more broadband infrastructure, millions of new users are coming online and adopting email for the first time. India alone is expected to have over 1.1 billion internet users by 2040.
- Younger generations retain email alongside new tech: While often stereotyped as social media-obsessed, younger demographics like Gen Z actively use email as one of their regular communication mediums.
Overall, the data shows email is still thriving in our increasingly-digital world. And as more people gain internet access, the astounding number of emails sent each day is sure to keep climbing.
Just How Crowded is the Average Inbox?
Okay, so clearly a lot of email is flowing around the globe daily. But how much of it ends up in front of the typical user?
According to research by Adobe, the average inbox takes in about 206 emails per day as of 2021. That figure lumps together both personal and work accounts.
For enterprise and corporate users, inbound volumes jump much higher. An IBM study found business emailers average around 122 incoming messages daily, with that number skyrocketing for frequent communicators like executives and managers.
On the consumer side, personal inboxes handle a lower but still substantial load. IBM found non-work account owners average around 80 incoming emails per day.
Inbox overload varies by age as well. According to Lifewire, users from 45 to 65 get the highest email volumes, with around 110 messages daily. Younger groups see lower volumes on average, but still deal with 50+ emails per day minimum.
So while experiences differ, the typical inbox is crowded both at work and home. For office employees, email represents one of the single biggest daily time sinks.
Data source: Adobe
Most Users Check Email Constantly Throughout the Day
With emails continuously flowing in, how often do most people actually look at their inboxes?
For the majority of consumers and professionals alike, checking email becomes a frequent habit throughout the day:
- 99% check email daily – Almost all email users look at their inboxes at least once per day. Email is simply too vital for work, life logistics, and communication to ignore entirely for any 24-hour period.
- 61% check 5+ times daily – Well over half of users check email more than 5 separate times per day, indicating near-constant monitoring.
- 46% check 10+ times daily – Nearly half of users qualify as “power checkers,” looking at email upwards of 10 times throughout the day.
According to Optionmonster, professionals scan their inboxes even more actively:
- 15x per hour – The average office worker checks email a staggering 15 times per hour, or about once every 4 minutes
- 5+ hours per weekday – That habit adds up to professionals spending over 5 hours per day on email alone
Outside of work, most consumers follow a pattern of frequent email checking in the morning, afternoon, and evening. The average user now checks email 14 times daily solely on a smartphone as well.
For most inbox owners, email has become a near-constant pull. The implication? Our attention is highly fragmented throughout the day, with constant email interrupts inhibiting productivity and focus.
Spam and Phishing Undermine Inbox Security
With inbox volumes already high, spam and phishing emails make the flood of incoming messages even more unmanageable.
As of 2021, a staggering 55% of global emails were spam, per research from Kaspersky. That equates to over 175 billion spam emails sent per day.
Of those, phishing emails are particularly dangerous. Phishing messages impersonate trusted contacts or brands to manipulate users into revealing login credentials, financial information, or other sensitive details.
According to Google, Gmail blocks a staggering 100+ million phishing attempts daily. Other email providers likely contend with similar volumes.
Even with those efforts, phishing remains rampant. Security company Barracuda Networks found 91% of businesses experienced a phishing attack last year.
With phishing volume high and threats constantly evolving, users must remain vigilant. Never click questionable links or attachments. Check the sender address for inaccuracies. Question any urgent requests for sensitive data. Enable two-factor authentication where possible.
By understanding the phishing landscape, we can keep our inboxes secure.
Data source: Kaspersky
Taming the Crowded Inbox to Regain Productivity
Faced with a daily flood of emails, many inbox owners struggle to stay organized and focused.
According to Adobe research, office workers lose over 4 hours per week searching crowded inboxes for information.
Beyond outright spam, unnecessary CC‘s and irrelevant forward chains burn mental energy. Keeping focused on priorities becomes a challenge.
To take back control of your inbox:
- Check email in set windows: Limit checking to 2-3 set times per day. Avoid constant interrupts.
- Use one or two folders max: Complex folder systems decrease efficiency. An Archive folder replaces most deletions.
- Clean fully-handled emails: Keep any unanswered emails, but clear out read messages. An empty inbox saves re-reading time.
- Disable notifications: Constant vibration or pop-up alerts from new emails fragment attention. Set boundaries.
- Block distractions: Chrome extensions like Simplify remove clutter from Gmail and highlight priority incoming messages.
With focused habits, we can cut through inbox noise to what matters most.
The Forecast for Email in 2023 and Beyond
Despite the growing array of digital communication channels available today, email continues to play an indispensable role in how the world connects personally and professionally.
Far from fading away or becoming obsolete, experts predict global email usage and volume will only expand in the years ahead as billions more come online.
For the average inbox owner, this means continuing to hone email habits and safeguards amidst ever-rising message volumes. But by understanding trends around email engagement, security, and productivity challenges, we can utilize this important medium more effectively.
Some key takeaways around email in 2023:
- 319+ billion emails sent globally per day – Volume continues to grow rapidly
- 200+ emails received daily – Both work and personal inboxes see high loads
- 61% check 5+ times daily – Most users check email constantly
- 55% of emails are spam – Phishing remains a major threat
- 4+ hours per week lost to disorganization – Keeping inboxes clean boosts productivity
While debates continue around the merits and future lifespan of email, the data confirms it remains the world’s digital communication backbone. Like it or not, our collective reliance on email will only grow in 2023 and beyond.
