Hit rate

The definition problem

Hit rate is the share of lookups that return an email address. The number is meaningless until you know what counts as a hit:

• Any address returned, including guesses. Easy to make high, and many of the addresses bounce.
• A verified address only. Lower, and much closer to what you can actually send to.

A tool quoting "90% hit rate" and a tool quoting 60% may be measuring different things. The 60% one can be the better product.

A fairer way to compare

Run the same list of names through each tool, then verify every returned address independently, and compare:

1. Verified rate — returned addresses that the mail server confirms, as a share of lookups.
2. Bounce rate on the rest — send a small sample of the unconfirmed ones if you must, and measure.
3. Cost per verified address, not cost per lookup.

Anything else rewards a tool for returning more, not more correct.

What moves it

Hit rate depends heavily on your input, not only on the tool: company size, whether the domain is right, catch-all prevalence in your market, and how many contacts have a public email pattern. Domains behind a security gateway can be harder to confirm than ones that answer directly.

What to do with the number

Use it to forecast cost per usable contact, not to pick a winner. See waterfall enrichment and why verified email finders often are not.