How to Track Emails in Gmail (2026 Guide)

You sent an important email and heard nothing back. Tracking shows whether it was opened, so you know when to follow up.

How to track emails in Gmail depends on your account. Google Workspace accounts can request a read receipt. Personal @gmail.com accounts have no built-in option, so they need a tracking extension.

Here are both methods, plus three more Gmail trackers.

How to track emails in Gmail: the short answer

• Tracking extension (any Gmail account): Install a tool like Mailbutler. It shows opens and link clicks inside Gmail.
• Read receipts (Google Workspace only): Click More options in the compose window, then Request read receipt.

What to look for in a Gmail email tracker

• Account support: Works with your Gmail or Workspace account.
• Tracking depth: Opens only, or also clicks, devices, and per-recipient data.
• Free plan limits: Tracking caps or missing features.
• Follow-up tools: Suggestions based on tracking data.

Quick comparison

1. Mailbutler: track emails in Gmail with an extension

Mailbutler adds tracking to Gmail's inbox. It works in Chrome, Edge, and Safari. The free Starter plan includes basic open and link tracking with real-time notifications. Emails sent on the free plan carry a visible Mailbutler watermark.

How to track emails in Gmail with Mailbutler

1. Install the Mailbutler for Gmail extension from the Get started page.
2. In Gmail, open the Mailbutler sidebar and click Start using Mailbutler.
3. Create your account, then click Allow access and approve the permissions.
4. Compose an email and click the checkmarks icon to track it. Or enable Tracking by default in Account & Preferences.
5. Send it. Two blue checkmarks mean the recipient opened it.

What Mailbutler adds

• Tracking history: See a full history of all opens and link clicks, with device and location details for each event (Smart plan and above).
• Per-recipient tracking: See who opened a multi-recipient email, with time, location, and device (Smart plan and above).
• Smart Follow-ups: Rates tracked emails by urgency and drafts the follow-up.
• Send-time optimization: Uses tracking history to pick the best delivery time per recipient.
• Business plan: Custom tracking subdomain, IP blacklisting, and HubSpot and Salesforce sync.

The same add-on includes mail merge, shared inbox collaboration, and signature marketing. The free plan covers open and link tracking, but your emails carry a Mailbutler watermark. Paid plans remove it from $4 per user per month, billed yearly. For advanced tracking such as per-recipient data, choose the Smart plan at $11 per user per month, billed yearly. Every new account starts with a free 14-day trial that includes all features.

Use Mailbutler if:

• You want opens, clicks, a full tracking history with device and location data, and per-recipient data in one add-on.
• You want follow-ups and send-time optimization based on tracking.

Skip it if:

• You need watermark-free emails on a free plan.
• You want a full sales pipeline inside Gmail.

2. Gmail read receipts: the built-in option

Read receipts are the built-in answer to how to track emails in Gmail on Workspace. An admin must turn them on first, per Google's admin guide.

1. Open Gmail on a computer and start a new email.
2. Click More options (three dots) in the compose window.
3. Click Request read receipt and send.

The receipt arrives as an email with the time of the open. The recipient may need to approve it first. Google notes that a receipt doesn't always prove the person read the message.

Use read receipts if:

• You run Google Workspace and email mostly colleagues.

Skip them if:

• You use a personal Gmail account or need click data.

3. Mailsuite

Mailsuite has tracked Gmail emails since 2013. The free plan has no tracking cap but adds a promotional signature. Paid plans start at $9.99 per user per month.

Use Mailsuite if:

• You want free open tracking and accept the signature.

Skip it if:

• You want unbranded emails.

4. Streak

Streak is a CRM built into Gmail. You manage pipelines, contacts, and tasks from a sidebar next to your email threads. Its email tracking shows when an email is read and when a link is opened.

Use Streak if:

• You want deal tracking and email tracking in one Gmail sidebar.

Skip it if:

• You only need email tracking.

5. HubSpot Sales

HubSpot's email tracking comes with its Sales extension for Gmail and Outlook. Click tracking needs a Sales Hub seat and opens on multi-recipient emails are anonymous.

Use HubSpot Sales if:

• HubSpot is already your CRM.

Skip it if:

• You need per-recipient data on group emails.

How accurate is email tracking in Gmail?

Trackers add an invisible image to your email. When the recipient's app loads it, you see an open.

• Apple Mail Privacy Protection preloads images and hides IP addresses. That can hide location and device details.
• Blocked images mean no open is recorded.
• Clicks are a stronger signal than opens.

FAQ

How to track emails in Gmail on a personal account?

Install a tracking extension such as Mailbutler. Google's read receipts don't work with personal accounts.

Can I track emails in Gmail for free?

Yes. Mailbutler, Mailsuite, Streak, and HubSpot all have free plans.

Which method should you choose?

Final thoughts

Now you know how to track emails in Gmail with both methods. Read receipts suit Workspace teams that accept their limits. For opens, clicks, and follow-ups on any account, an extension works better. Of the tools covered here, Mailbutler is the best fit for most users. It combines tracking history, per-recipient data, and follow-up suggestions in one add-on.