Subscriber statuses and consent states
Every subscriber in your audience carries a status that controls whether they can receive a Broadcast. Some statuses reflect consent (the subscriber chose to opt in or out), while others are set automatically by the platform based on delivery outcomes. This page explains what each status means, whether that subscriber is mailable, and how the status typically changes.
Reference
| Status | Mailable? | What it means | How it is set |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active | Yes | Subscribed and eligible to receive Broadcasts. | Import, signup form, or API opt-in. |
| Unsubscribed | No | Opted out of future mailings. | Subscriber clicks an unsubscribe link, or you set it manually. |
| Bounced (soft) | Usually yes | A temporary delivery failure (for example, a full mailbox). | Set automatically when the mail server reports a transient error. |
| Bounced (hard) | No | A permanent delivery failure (for example, an unknown address). | Set automatically after a permanent error; may become suppressed. |
| Suppressed | No | Blocked from all mailings account-wide, regardless of list membership. | Added to the account suppression list (hard bounce, complaint, or manual entry). |
| Complained | No | Marked your mail as spam at the mailbox provider. | Set automatically from a feedback-loop complaint. |
| Pending / Unconfirmed | No (until confirmed) | Signed up but has not confirmed consent yet. | Awaiting a confirmed (double) opt-in response. |
Status names and availability can vary by account configuration — (confirm the exact labels in your account).
Notes
- Suppression is account-wide. A suppressed subscriber will not receive any Broadcast even if they appear Active on an individual list. Manage these on the suppression list.
- Soft vs. hard bounces. Repeated soft bounces are often escalated to a hard bounce automatically, which then removes the subscriber from future sends.
- Consent states are sticky. Unsubscribed and Complained states are honored globally and should not be overwritten by a re-import.
- Reporting. Bounce and unsubscribe counts appear in your Broadcast reports; see the metrics dictionary for exact definitions.
Related
Canonical terms: Author, Edition, Folder (Project Folder), Broadcast. See the Glossary.