How do they differ from ESP dashboards?

ESP dashboards show your activity within that platform: campaigns sent, opens, clicks, bounces, and unsubscribes. They focus on campaign-level metrics and ESP-specific features. They're the starting point for email analytics.

Analytics tools add: cross-ESP visibility (if using multiple senders), deeper engagement analysis (time-to-open patterns, engagement decay), inbox placement insights (beyond delivery confirmation), and integration with business systems (connecting email to revenue).

Difference in focus: ESP dashboards optimize sending operations; analytics tools optimize email program strategy. ESPs show what happened with your sends; analytics tools help understand why and what it means for business outcomes.