Test emails help you preview Email Campaigns and Automation Workflows before sending them live. Omnisend applies different limits to Email, SMS, and Push Notification tests based on the plan and channel.
Learn how many tests you can send, what restrictions apply, and how to troubleshoot delivery issues.
Note: Every email test recipient uses one email credit, just like a live email sent to a contact. This applies to test emails sent from both Email Campaigns and Automation Workflows.
Why Test Sending Limits Exist
Test emails can be sent to any email address, even contacts not on your subscriber list. To prevent abuse (e.g., spammers using test sends to reach non-subscribed recipients), Omnisend applies daily sending limits per account.
Key details:
Limits are store-wide, not per campaign or per user.
Each recipient email address counts as one test email. For example, sending one test to 5 addresses counts as 5 test emails.
Each recipient also uses one email credit.
Different channels (Email, SMS, Push) have different limits.
Email Test Sending Limits
Test Emails in Campaigns
Test email limits depend on your pricing plan:
Plan | 24-Hour Limit | Additional Restrictions |
Free | 100 test emails per rolling 24-hour window | 50 test emails per rolling 3-hour window |
Paid Plans (Standard and Pro) | Unlimited | None |
Important details:
The limits are rolling. Each test email counts toward your limit for 24 hours (3 hours for the short window) after it's sent, then frees up automatically. There is no fixed daily reset time.
You can send a test email to a maximum of five addresses at once. Sending to 5 addresses counts as 5 test emails.
Only successfully sent tests count toward the test-email limit. Tests that fail or are blocked during content review do not count toward the test-email limit or use email credits.
If a test send exceeds your remaining limit, the entire send is blocked. Reduce the number of email addresses and try again.
Each test recipient uses one email credit. If your store doesn't have enough email credits, the test email is not sent.
Limits are store-wide, not per campaign or user.
💡 Free plan users: If you hit the 3-hour window limit (50 tests), wait for earlier tests to move out of the 3-hour window or use the Preview feature in the email editor to check email rendering without sending a test.
Test Emails in Automation
All plans (Free, Standard, and Pro) have the following limit for test emails sent from Automation Workflows:
50 test emails per store in a 24-hour period.
This limit resets at UTC midnight.
The limit is global per store and does not vary by pricing plan.
You can send a test email to up to 5 email addresses at once.
Sending to five addresses counts as five test emails and uses five email credits.
Email-Credit Usage
Every recipient of an Email Campaign or Automation Workflow test email uses one email credit.
For example, sending one test email to five addresses:
Counts as five test emails.
Uses five email credits.
Reduces the remaining test-email limit by five, when a limit applies.
If your store does not have enough email credits, the test email is not sent. Check your current email-credit balance in your store menu.
💡 A live send to a test segment is different from a test email. It uses normal sending rules and email credits.
SMS & Push Notification Test Sending
SMS Campaigns have no hard limit on the number of test SMS messages you can send. Push Notification test sends are unlimited.
Both channels have separate restrictions:
SMS Campaigns: There are no hard limits on test SMS sends. However, test SMS sends are not exempt from contact-level frequency limits and quiet hours. If a contact has already reached their daily SMS limit (default: 3 per day), they won't receive your test SMS. Learn more about SMS limits.
SMS Automations: Test SMS functionality is not available for Automation Workflows.
Push Notifications (Campaigns & Automations): Unlimited test sends. Push tests are processed locally in your browser and only appear on your own device (the browser where you clicked "Send test"). They are not delivered to any contacts.
Note: SMS test sends consume your SMS credits balance.
What to Do If You Reach Your Limit
Email Campaigns (Free Plan Only)
If you've reached your test email limit, use the Preview feature in the campaign editor:
In the campaign editor, click Preview (next to "Send test")
Toggle between Desktop and Mobile views to see how your email renders on different devices
The Preview feature does not count toward your test email limit.
Email Automation Workflows (All Plans)
If you've reached the 50-test limit for automations:
Wait until UTC midnight for the limit to reset, or
Use the email preview feature in the workflow editor, or
Create a test segment with your own contact and activate the workflow to trigger a live send. Learn more.
Troubleshoot Test Email Delivery
If your test email didn't arrive, first, check your spam and promotions folders. Test emails are sent through Omnisend's shared test infrastructure and include [Preview] in the subject line, which some email clients flag as spam.
Common causes:
Sender email domain mismatch: If you use a custom sender domain (e.g., @yourstore.com) and send a test to the same domain, delivery may fail.
Solution: Send the test to a different domain (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo).Free email provider restrictions: Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook may block test emails sent from default Omnisend sender addresses.
Solution: Use a verified custom sender domain instead of a free email provider address.Test email limit reached: You've hit your 24-hour or 3-hour window limit (Free plan only).
Solution: Wait until earlier tests move out of the 3-hour window, or use the Preview feature.Reached 5-recipient maximum: You tried to send a test to more than 5 email addresses at once.
Solution: Split recipients into multiple test sends (max 5 per send).Not enough email credits: Each test recipient uses one email credit. If there aren't enough, the test isn't sent.
Solution: Check your current email credit balance.
FAQ
Can I send test emails to contacts not on my list?
Yes. Test emails can be sent to any email address, even if it's not in your Audience. This is why daily limits exist.
Do test emails count toward my monthly email sending limit?
Yes. Each test-email recipient uses one email credit, just like a live email sent to a contact. For example, sending one test to 5 email addresses consumes 5 email credits. If your store doesn't have enough credits, the test isn't sent.
Why can't I send a test to more than 5 email addresses at once?
Omnisend limits each test send to 5 recipients to prevent abuse and ensure test infrastructure remains fast and reliable. If you need to test with more addresses, send multiple tests.
I could send tests again even after reaching the limit. Why is that?
Limits are rolling. Each test stops counting 3 hours after it was sent for the 3-hour limit, and 24 hours after the 24-hour limit. For example, if you sent 50 tests at 10:00 UTC, you can send more from 13:00 UTC. These same tests count toward the 24-hour limit until 10:00 UTC the next day.
Does the 3-hour window limit on Free plans apply to paid plans?
No. Paid plans have no hourly or daily test email limits.
Can I request a test email limit increase on the Free plan?
No. Limits are fixed by plan. If you need to test more frequently, consider upgrading to a paid plan to have unlimited test emails or use the Preview feature.
Why is there a 50-test limit for Email Automations even on paid plans?
The 50-test limit for automations applies globally to all accounts regardless of plan. This is a separate system from Email Campaign testing. If you need to test automations extensively, use the preview feature or create a test segment for live sends.
Do SMS test sends count toward my SMS credits?
Yes. Test SMS sends deduct from your SMS credit balance.
Why didn't my test SMS arrive?
Test SMS sends are subject to the same frequency limits and quiet hours rules as live campaigns. If your contact has already received the daily SMS limit (default: 3 per day), the test won't send. Check your settings in Store Settings → SMS. Learn more.
Can I test SMS in Automation Workflows?
No. Test SMS functionality is not available for SMS Automation. To preview SMS content in automations, review the message editor or send a live automation to a test segment containing only your own contact.
Can I test push notifications on a different device?
No. Push test sends only appear in the browser where you clicked "Send test." To test delivery to actual devices, create a segment with your test contact and send a live push campaign.
Are there limits on push notification test sends?
No. Push notification test sends are unlimited for all plans. They are processed locally in your browser and do not involve Omnisend's backend, so there are no quotas.
Contact our Support Team via in-app chat or at [email protected] if you need any assistance.