# What is a good LinkedIn message reply rate?
> On cold lists, a few percent is common. On signal-based outreach after an accept, double digits is a healthier target. Measure replies after accept, not replies per invite sent.
- HTML: https://omentir.com/help/what-is-a-good-linkedin-reply-rate
- Markdown: https://omentir.com/help/what-is-a-good-linkedin-reply-rate.md

Decide the denominator. Reply rate after they accept is the useful one for DMs. Reply rate on InMail is a different funnel. Mixing them with invite sends will make a bad campaign look even worse, or a good one look mysterious.

Cold list DMs after a weak accept often sit in the low single digits. Signal-based notes (job change, post, hire, funding) can land much higher, sometimes in the teens or better, because the person already had a reason to care. InMail reply rates are often quoted in a 10 to 25 percent band for targeted sends, and lower for spray.

Vendor benchmarks disagree, and 2026 reports showed replies getting harder even when accepts held up. Use someone else's percentage as a sanity check, not a KPI you promise the board. Your ICP, price, and whether you asked for a meeting in line one will move the number more than the tool.

If replies are near zero after 50 to 100 first messages, stop. The offer, the list, or the first line is wrong. Sending 500 more of the same will not find a hidden 8 percent.

Count positive replies separately from "not now" and "unsubscribe." A 12 percent reply rate that is all "take me off this" is not a win. Pipeline is booked conversations, not inbox activity.

## Related

- [What is a good LinkedIn connection acceptance rate?](https://omentir.com/help/what-is-a-good-linkedin-acceptance-rate.md)
- [How do I follow up on LinkedIn without sounding spammy?](https://omentir.com/help/how-to-follow-up-on-linkedin-without-being-spammy.md)
- [Should I use LinkedIn or cold email for B2B outreach?](https://omentir.com/help/linkedin-vs-cold-email-for-b2b-outreach.md)

## Frequently asked questions

**Should I include "stop" replies in the rate?**

Track them. Do not celebrate them. They are data that the list or the pitch was off. Honor them immediately.

**Is a high accept rate enough?**

No. 2026 operator writeups kept saying accepts can hold while replies fall. The first DM has to earn a conversation, not repeat the invite.

**How many sends before I judge a campaign?**

Enough that one lucky thread cannot fool you. For a tight segment, 40 to 80 first messages is a fair look. For a messy segment, you will know sooner that it is messy.

**Do AI-written messages reply better?**

Only if they are edited and tied to a real trigger. Generic AI notes can accept worse than a human template. We would rather a short human sentence than a fluent paragraph that could fit anyone.

[Create an Omentir account](https://omentir.com/signup). Pro is $49/month.