The Hidden Billing Risk: Floating Contacts
One of the most common mistakes in SendX is deleting lists or tags without deleting the actual contacts. Here's what you need to know:
The Problem:
SendX charges you based on the total number of contacts in your account
Contacts can exist without being on any lists—these are called "floating contacts."
When you delete a list, the contacts on that list are NOT automatically deleted
Those contacts remain in your account (as floating contacts) and you continue to pay for them
The same applies to tags—deleting a tag doesn't delete the contacts who have that tag
Example scenario:
You have a list called "Old Newsletter Subscribers" with 5,000 contacts
You decide you don't need this list anymore
You go to Audience → Lists and delete "Old Newsletter Subscribers."
You think: "Great! I just removed 5,000 contacts from my account."
Reality: The list is gone, but all 5,000 contacts still exist in your account
They're now floating contacts (not on any lists)
You're still being billed for all 5,000 contacts
How to avoid this:
Never delete lists or tags, assuming it will remove contacts from your account
Always delete the contacts themselves using the bulk action method (explained below)
After deleting contacts, THEN you can safely delete the empty list or tag
How to Find Floating Contacts
Floating contacts are contacts that exist in your account but aren't on any lists.
Why floating contacts happen:
You deleted all the lists they were on
You removed them from all lists manually
They were added via API or import but never assigned to a list
You manually created the contact without adding them to a list
How to find them:
Step 1: Create a segment for floating contacts
Go to Audience → Segments
Click Create Segment
Name it: "Floating Contacts" or "Contacts Not On Any List."
Step 2: Set the segment conditions
Click Add Condition
Select: Contacts
Select: List
Choose the operator: None of (or "Is NOT in list")
Select all of your list names one by one
You're essentially saying: "Show me contacts who are NOT in List A AND NOT in List B AND NOT in List C..."
Or use a single condition like "Not in any list" if available
Alternative method:
Condition: "List" → "None of" → Select every single list in your account
This captures contacts that aren't on ANY list
Step 3: Save the segment
Click Save
Once the contacts are updated Save the segment by clicking on Create Segment
The segment will show all floating contacts in your account
Step 4: Review the results
Open the segment to see how many floating contacts you have
Decide if you want to:
Delete them (reduces billing)
Add them to a list (if they're still valuable)
Export them first (for record-keeping before deletion)
How to Properly Delete Contacts to Reduce Billing
To truly remove contacts from your account (and stop being billed for them), you must use the bulk action deletion method.
Method 1: Delete Contacts in a Specific Segment
This is the recommended approach for deleting unwanted contacts.
Step 1: Create a segment of contacts to delete
Go to Audience → Segments
Create a segment with the contacts you want to remove
Examples:
"Floating Contacts" (using the method above)
"Bounced Emails" (Condition: Email status = Bounced)
"Unengaged for 12+ Months" (Condition: Last opened email → More than 365 days ago)
"Old List to Delete" (Condition: Is in list → "Old Newsletter Subscribers")
Save the segment
Step 2: Export the segment (recommended)
Before deleting, always export for your records
Click Export in the segment view
Save the CSV file securely
This ensures you have a backup if needed for compliance or if you change your mind
Step 3: Set up the bulk action automation
Go to Automate → Bulk Action
Click Create Bulk Action (or similar)
Name your bulk action clearly: "Delete Floating Contacts" or "Delete Old List Contacts"
Step 4: Configure the trigger
Under Trigger, select: "Added to a segment" or "Contact added to a segment"
Select the segment you created in Step 1
Example: "Floating Contacts"
This means: "When a contact is in this segment, perform the action"
Step 5: Configure the action
Under Action, select: "Delete contact" or "Delete contacts"
Verify this is the action—it should explicitly say it will permanently delete contacts
Step 6: Save and activate
Click Run Bulk Action
Step 7: Wait for the bulk action to process
SendX will process all contacts currently in the segment
Depending on the number of contacts, this may take:
A few seconds for small segments (under 100 contacts)
Several minutes for large segments (1,000+ contacts)
Up to an hour for very large segments (10,000+ contacts)
Step 8: Verify deletion
After processing completes, go back to Audience → Contacts
Search for a few contacts that were in the segment
Confirm they no longer exist (search returns no results)
Check your total contact count—it should have decreased by the number of deleted contacts
Step 9: Delete the segment (optional)
Once contacts are deleted, the segment will be empty
You can delete the segment itself to keep things tidy
Go to Audience → Segments → Find the segment → Delete it
Remember to click on the check box to delete the segment along with the associated contacts
Step 10: Delete the bulk action (optional)
Go to Automate → Bulk Action
Find the bulk action you created
Delete or deactivate it (it's no longer needed since the segment is empty)
Method 2: Delete Contacts from an Existing List
If you want to delete all contacts on a specific list:
Step 1: Create a segment for that list
Go to Audience → Segments → Create Segment
Name it: "To Delete - [List Name]"
Condition: "Is in list" → Select the list you want to delete
Save the segment
Step 2: Follow Steps 2-10 from Method 1
Export the segment (backup)
Create bulk action: Trigger = "Added to segment" (the one you just created)
Action = "Delete contacts"
Wait for processing
Verify deletion
Now you can safely delete the empty list
Method 3: Bulk Delete from the Contacts Page (If Available)
Some interfaces may allow direct bulk deletion from the contacts list:
Step 1: Go to Audience → Contacts
Step 2: Select contacts to delete
Use checkboxes to select contacts individually
Or use filters/tabs to find the contacts you want (e.g., "Bounced" tab)
Select multiple contacts
Step 3: Look for bulk actions
A bulk actions menu should appear at the top of the page
Look for "Delete" or "Delete Contacts"
Step 4: Confirm deletion
Click Delete
Confirm in the dialog that appears
Contacts are permanently deleted
Note: This method is only practical for small numbers of contacts. For large-scale deletions (hundreds or thousands), use the segment + bulk action method instead.
Critical Billing Checklist: Before Deleting Lists
Use this checklist every time you're about to delete a list to avoid unexpected billing charges:
Before you delete a list:
[ ] Decide: Do I want to keep the contacts or delete them?
If you want to KEEP the contacts:
[ ] Move them to another list first (use bulk action to add to list)
[ ] Or leave them as floating contacts (but remember they still count toward billing)
[ ] Then delete the empty list
If you want to DELETE the contacts:
[ ] Create a segment: "Is in list" → [The list you're deleting]
[ ] Export the segment to CSV (backup)
[ ] Create bulk action: Trigger = "Added to segment," Action = "Delete contacts"
[ ] Wait for bulk action to process and delete all contacts
[ ] Verify contacts are deleted (check total contact count)
[ ] Now delete the empty list
Never:
❌ Delete a list assuming the contacts will be deleted too
❌ Delete a list without first exporting the contacts for backup
❌ Delete a list without checking if you still want those contacts
Understanding Your Contact Billing
How SendX counts contacts for billing:
✅ Active (subscribed) contacts: Count toward billing
✅ Unsubscribed contacts: Still count toward billing
✅ Bounced contacts: Still count toward billing
✅ Floating contacts (not on any lists): Still count toward billing
✅ Contacts marked as spam: Still count toward billing
The only way to reduce billing is to permanently DELETE contacts from your account.
Exception: Some plans may have different billing structures. Check your specific plan details or contact SendX Support to confirm.
Cost-Saving Strategy: Regular Contact Cleanup
To keep your SendX costs under control, implement a quarterly contact cleanup routine:
Every 3 months, review and delete:
Hard bounces (permanently invalid emails)
Segment condition: "Email status = Bounced"
These will never receive emails, so they're wasting billing space
Long-term unengaged contacts (12+ months no opens/clicks)
Segment condition: "Last opened email → More than 365 days ago"
These contacts are unlikely to ever engage again
Unsubscribed contacts you no longer need
Segment condition: "Subscription status = Unsubscribed"
Export for compliance records, then delete
Exception: Keep if required by law to maintain unsubscribe records
Floating contacts
Segment condition: "Not in any list"
Decide if they're valuable; if not, delete
Test contacts and fake emails
Manual review: Look for obvious test emails (test@example.com, asdf@asdf.com)
Delete them
Estimated savings:
If you have 10,000 contacts and 20% are dead weight (bounced, unengaged, floating)
That's 2,000 contacts you're paying for unnecessarily
Depending on your plan, this could save $20-$100+ per month
Common Mistakes That Cost Money
Mistake 1: "I deleted the list, so the contacts are gone, right?"
❌ Wrong! Contacts remain in your account as floating contacts
✅ Solution: Delete contacts first (using bulk action), THEN delete the list
Mistake 2: "I removed contacts from all lists, so I'm not being billed for them anymore"
❌ Wrong! Removing from lists doesn't delete them; they're now floating contacts
✅ Solution: Actually delete the contacts using the bulk action method
Mistake 3: "I unsubscribed everyone on this old list, so they don't count toward billing"
❌ Wrong! Unsubscribed contacts still exist and still count toward billing
✅ Solution: Export for compliance, then delete unsubscribed contacts
Mistake 4: "I deleted a tag, so those contacts are gone"
❌ Wrong! Deleting a tag only removes the tag label, not the contacts
✅ Solution: If you want to delete contacts with a specific tag, create a segment of tagged contacts and use bulk action to delete
Mistake 5: "I'll just delete contacts one-by-one from the contact profile"
❌ Inefficient! This works but takes forever for large numbers
✅ Solution: Use segment + bulk action for deleting 10+ contacts
FAQ: Contact Deletion and Billing
Q: I deleted a list last month. Am I still being billed for those contacts? A: Yes, unless you also deleted the contacts themselves using the bulk action method. The contacts still exist as floating contacts.
Solution:
Create a segment of floating contacts (see method above)
If you recognize contacts from the deleted list, they're still in your account
Use bulk action to delete them
Your next billing cycle will reflect the reduced count
Q: How do I know how many contacts I'm currently being billed for? A:
Go to Audience → Contacts
Look at the "All" tab—the number in parentheses is your total contact count
Example: "All (6,3714)" means you have 63,714 contacts
This is the number your billing is based on (check your plan details to confirm)
Q: Can I get a refund if I was accidentally billed for floating contacts I didn't know existed? A: This depends on SendX's billing policies.
Contact SendX Support and explain the situation
Provide evidence (e.g., "I deleted this list 2 months ago thinking it would remove contacts")
They may offer a partial refund or credit, especially if it's your first occurrence
No guarantees, but it's worth asking
Q: Is there a way to automatically delete floating contacts every month? A: Not directly, but you can set up a recurring reminder:
Create a permanent segment called "Floating Contacts"
Set a calendar reminder (monthly or quarterly)
Each month, review the segment and decide whether to delete those contacts
Use the bulk action method to delete
Alternative:
Create a bulk action that's always active
Trigger: "Added to segment" → "Floating Contacts"
Action: "Delete contacts"
Any time a contact becomes a floating contact (removed from all lists), they're auto-deleted
⚠️ Use with caution—make sure you want ALL floating contacts deleted immediately
Q: What if I want to keep some floating contacts but delete others? A: Create more specific segments:
Keep valuable floating contacts:
Segment 1: "Floating Contacts - High Value" (e.g., floating contacts with custom field "Lead Score" > 50)
Don't delete these
Delete unwanted floating contacts:
Segment 2: "Floating Contacts - Low Value" (e.g., floating contacts with last activity > 6 months ago)
Use bulk action to delete these
Updated Quick Reference: Deleting Contacts to Reduce Billing
To delete contacts and stop being billed for them:
Create a segment of contacts to delete:
[ ] Go to Audience → Segments → Create Segment
[ ] Add conditions to identify unwanted contacts (e.g., "Not in any list," "Bounced," "Unsubscribed")
[ ] Save the segment
Export the segment (always backup first!):
[ ] Open the segment
[ ] Click Export
[ ] Save the CSV file
Set up bulk action to delete:
[ ] Go to Automate → Bulk Action → Create Bulk Action
[ ] Trigger: "Added to a segment" → Select your segment
[ ] Action: "Delete contacts"
[ ] Save and activate
Wait for processing:
[ ] Give SendX time to delete all contacts in the segment
[ ] Check progress in Audience → Contacts (total count should decrease)
Verify deletion:
[ ] Search for a few contacts that were in the segment
[ ] Confirm they no longer exist
[ ] Check your total contact count
Clean up (optional):
[ ] Delete the now-empty segment
[ ] Delete or deactivate the bulk action
[ ] Delete any now-empty lists
Remember:
❌ Deleting lists ≠ Deleting contacts
❌ Removing from lists ≠ Deleting contacts
❌ Unsubscribing ≠ Deleting contacts
✅ Only the bulk action "Delete contacts" actually removes them from billing