To keep systems healthy and accounts safe, Google limits the number of Gmail messages users can send per day and the number of recipients per message.
If your users exceed an email sending limit, they’ll see an error message, such as:
- You have reached a limit for sending email.
- You reached a Gmail sending limit.
- You exceeded the maximum recipients.
After reaching one of these limits, a user can't send new messages for up to 24 hours. However, they can still access their G Suite account and receive incoming email. The user can also access their other Google services. After this suspension period, sending limits are automatically reset and the user can resume sending mail.
Sending limits
Sending limits can change without notice. Limits per day are applied over a rolling 24-hour period, not a set time of day.
Notes:
- Sending limits are different if your organization uses the SMTP relay service to route outgoing mail through Google. Instead, go to sending limits for the SMTP relay service.
- Quotas might be different if you're using Google Apps Script.
| Limit type | Limit |
|---|---|
| Messages per day Daily sending limit* |
2,000 (500 for trial accounts) |
| Messages auto-forwarded Messages automatically forwarded to another account, not included in the daily sending limit |
10,000 |
| Auto-forward mail filters Account filters that automatically forward mail |
20 |
| Recipients per message Addresses in the To, Cc, and Bcc fields of a single email* |
2,000 total per message (maximum of 500 external recipients) |
| Recipients per message sent via SMTP (by POP or IMAP users) or the Gmail API Addresses in the To, Cc, and Bcc fields of a single email. Includes email sent using smtp-relay.gmail.com or smtp.gmail.com* |
100 |
| Total recipients per day Email addresses (recipients) count each time a message is sent; 5 emails sent to 10 addresses count as 50 total recipients.* |
10,000 |
| External recipients per day Email addresses outside your primary domain, including domain aliases and alternate domains |
3,000 |
|
Unique recipients per day
|
3,000 (2,000 external, 500 external for trial accounts) |
*Applies to internal and external recipients
What also counts towards a user's limits
- Mail sent from a user's alternate address, or alias
- Mail an assistant sends on your behalf (if you delegate mail to an assistant)
- Mail sent from Gmail’s vacation responder
Gmail sending limits for mobile devices
When you use the Gmail for mobile app in Google Sync mode, the same sending limits apply as when you use Gmail in a web browser (described in the table above).
When you use the Gmail for mobile app in IMAP mode, the IMAP sending limits (described in the table above) apply.
Restore a suspended Gmail account
G Suite administrators can check the Users section of the Google Admin console to find details on which limits were reached. In some cases, an administrator can take action to restore access. For instructions, go to Restore a suspended Gmail account.
Accounts that are detected as sending spam might be permanently restricted from sending email. For details, go to Google's Spam and abuse policy.
Limits related to group messages & trial accounts
If you're using Google Groups through a G Suite trial account, you might experience the following limits:
- Your sending limits might be lower than those stated above. Sending limits are automatically increased at the end of your trial period.
Important: Sending limits are not increased during your trial period. Your account must have started a subscription and ended the trial period before sending limits can be increased. - You cannot turn on auto-replies for anyone outside your organization, whether or not they are members of the group.
- You cannot set the option to allow posting of messages flagged by Google’s spam filters directly to a group.
These limits are removed when the following two requirements have been met:
- The account is no longer in trial and has started an active subscription.
- The account is cumulatively billed for at least $30 USD (or the same amount in local currency).
To end your trial and convert to a paid account, go to Set up paid G Suite service.
Limits for Groups and Drive and editors
These limits apply to Groups and Drive and editors for trial accounts:
- If you’re using Google Groups, you can only send group email to recipients inside your organization.
- If you’re using Drive and apps including Docs, Sheets, and Slides, you can share with recipients inside and outside your organization. When you reach the Gmail trial limit, you can share with external recipients, but they won't get email notifications for sharing.
Recommendations for sending bulk email
Here are some ways to avoid exceeding limits when sending a large amount of mail, such as for a marketing campaign:
- Stagger mass communications over 2 days—Send messages to one group of recipients, wait 24 hours, and then send to another group.
- Send mail to a group address—Send mail to many email addresses using a single group address. For example, contact all users in your organization by adding everyone in the domain to an email list. For more details, go to Groups and Group policies and limits.
- Use a Marketplace solution—Many third-party developers offer apps for sending bulk mailings. For ideas, go to the G Suite Marketplace.
Note: Google does not offer technical support for Marketplace apps. Marketplace solutions are created by third-party developers for a general audience. - Build an App Engine solution—Developers can increase mail limits by building a customized application. To learn more, go to App Engine for mail.
- Use a local mail server—If you have a local mail server, use it to send mail directly to recipients to avoid sending limits. This local server should also be added to your SPF record to stop the messages from being marked as spam.
- Review bulk sending guidelines and best practices—Some email recipients might report bulk messages as spam. Therefore, you need to ensure that all recipients are willing to receive the emails. You can also check email settings for any incorrectly configured forwarding rules or filters. For details, go to Prevent mail to Gmail users from being blocked or sent to spam.
