“Best Regards”: Meaning, When to Use It, and Alternatives
What “Best regards” means, how it compares to “Kind regards” and “Sincerely,” how to punctuate it, and 20 alternatives for different situations.
2 min read
Quick answer
“Best regards” is a polite, professional way to end an email. It means “I wish you well” and works for almost any work email: clients, colleagues, recruiters and people you don’t know well. Write it with a comma (“Best regards,”) and put your name on the next line.
“Best regards” is one of the most common email sign-offs in the world, and for good reason: it’s polite, neutral, and safe in almost every professional situation.
What “Best regards” means
“Regards” means good wishes. “Best regards” is a short way of saying “I send you my best wishes.” Nobody reads it literally; it simply signals a friendly, professional close.
When to use “Best regards”
It’s a great choice for:
- First emails to clients, partners and recruiters
- Job applications and interview follow-ups
- Emails to people more senior than you
- Any time you’re unsure which sign-off to use
It can feel a little formal for quick messages to teammates you email every day. “Thanks,” or just your name works better there.
Best regards vs. Kind regards vs. Sincerely
| Sign-off | Tone | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Sincerely, | Formal | Cover letters, official letters |
| Best regards, | Professional | Most work emails |
| Kind regards, | Professional, a bit warmer | Clients, UK and European contacts |
| Warm regards, | Friendly professional | People you’ve worked with before |
| Regards, | Neutral, can feel cool | Short, transactional emails |
| Best, | Casual professional | Colleagues, ongoing threads |
How to write “Best regards”
- Capitalize only the first word: “Best regards,”
- Add a comma after it
- Put your name on the next line
20 alternatives to “Best regards”
Professional
- Kind regards,
- Warm regards,
- Regards,
- With best regards,
- Respectfully,
- Sincerely,
Grateful 7. Thank you, 8. Many thanks, 9. With appreciation, 10. Thanks again, 11. Thank you for your time,
Friendly 12. Best, 13. All the best, 14. Best wishes, 15. Warmly, 16. Cheers, 17. Take care,
Forward-looking 18. Looking forward to hearing from you, 19. Talk soon, 20. Speak soon,
For more ideas, including funny ones, see our full list of email sign-offs.
Frequently asked questions
What does “Best regards” mean?
It’s short for “with my best regards to you,” meaning you wish the reader well. In practice it’s simply a polite, neutral way to close an email.
Is “Best regards” formal?
It’s semi-formal: professional enough for clients and job applications, but not as formal as “Sincerely.”
What is the difference between “Best regards” and “Kind regards”?
They’re nearly interchangeable. “Kind regards” sounds slightly warmer and is more common in British and European English; “Best regards” is more common in American English.
Should “regards” be capitalized in “Best regards”?
No. Only the first word of a sign-off is capitalized: “Best regards,” not “Best Regards,”.