Email tracking for Gmail
A simple, honest email tracker for Gmail
An email tracker tells you what happens after you hit Send: whether your email was opened, when, how often, and which links were clicked. Here’s how it works, what it can’t do, and how to pick a good one.
What you’ll see
What an email tracker shows you
All of it right inside Gmail, next to the emails you sent.
Opens
Whether your email was opened, when it was first opened, and how many times since.
Device and app
Computer or phone, and the email app used — when the recipient’s software reveals it.
Link clicks
Which link was clicked and when, so you know what caught their interest.
What’s still waiting
The emails nobody has opened yet — your follow-up list, ready made.
Who it’s for
Who uses an email tracker?
Anyone whose next step depends on whether an email was read.
Sales and business development
Follow up when the proposal is opened — not three days later, not too soon.
Recruiters and job seekers
Know your application or offer was seen before you chase it.
Freelancers and agencies
See that the invoice was opened, and send a friendly reminder if it wasn’t.
Real estate and rentals
Spot the buyer or tenant who keeps coming back to your listing email.
Customer success
Check that important updates and renewal notices actually reach people.
Everyday important emails
Paperwork, introductions, applications — stop wondering if they arrived.
Under the hood
How email tracking works
When you send a tracked email, the tracker adds a tiny, invisible image to it. When the recipient’s email app displays the message, it downloads that image from the tracker’s server — and that request is the “open”.
Link tracking works in a similar way. Each link is pointed at the tracker first, which records the click and immediately forwards the reader to the real page.
Why accuracy is the hard part
Plenty of software downloads images without a person looking: Apple Mail Privacy Protection does it for every message, and company security scanners open emails to check them. You also trigger your own tracker when you look at your Sent folder. A naive tracker counts all of these as reads.
OpenedYet flags Apple Mail auto-opens, filters scanners and ignores your own views, so a green ✓✓ means a person opened your email. How we keep opens accurate.
Buyer’s checklist
How to choose an email tracker for Gmail
Six questions worth asking before you install anything.
- Does it work inside Gmail?
You shouldn’t need a separate app or to send through someone else’s servers. OpenedYet adds ticks right to your Sent folder.
- Does it handle Apple Mail Privacy Protection?
If not, many of your “opens” will be Apple’s servers, not people.
- Does it ignore your own opens?
Re-reading your own email shouldn’t count as your recipient reading it.
- What permissions does it ask for?
An email tracker doesn’t need to read your inbox. OpenedYet’s Google sign-in uses only your basic profile.
- Is it fair to recipients?
Look for an opt-out for recipients and no storage of raw IP addresses.
- Is the pricing clear?
A real free plan and simple prices. OpenedYet is free to start, with paid plans from €0.99/month. See pricing.
FAQ
Email tracking questions
Is email tracking legal?
Read receipts and open tracking are widely used, but the rules depend on your country and how you use them. If you’re in the EU, for example, the GDPR applies. OpenedYet keeps recipient data to a minimum and gives every recipient a one-click opt-out to help you use tracking responsibly. This isn’t legal advice.
Does it work when recipients use Outlook, Apple Mail or Yahoo?
Yes. Tracking works in any email app that displays images. OpenedYet also tells you which app and device were used when it can.
Can I track emails sent from my phone?
Tracked emails are sent from Gmail in Chrome on your computer. Emails you send from the Gmail phone app aren’t tracked. Your recipients can open your tracked emails on any device, though, and you’ll see those opens.
Will it slow Gmail down?
No. OpenedYet for Chrome is lightweight, only runs on Gmail and openedyet.com, and does its work when you press Send.
Can recipients tell their email is tracked?
The tracking image is invisible. On the Free plan, a short footer says the email has a read receipt and offers an opt-out link. Paid plans don’t add the footer, and every recipient can opt out on our website at any time.
Want the details? Read what ✓ and ✓✓ mean or our guide to read receipts in Gmail.
Try the email tracker built for Gmail
Unlimited tracked emails on the Free plan. Accurate opens, instant alerts, and a fair deal for the people you email.