Glossary/Email & Lifecycle/Transactional Email
Email & Lifecycle
Transactional Email
An automated email triggered by a user action that delivers necessary information, such as a receipt, password reset, or shipping notice.
By Brandon Mina·CEO, BrandPilot AI·Updated November 2026
Short answer
A transactional email is an automated message triggered by a user action that delivers necessary information, such as a receipt, password reset or shipping notice. These emails are expected and typically see high engagement. They are generally treated differently from marketing email under anti-spam laws, though promotional content within them can change that.