You want to thank two people, and two phrases come to mind: “thank you both” and “thanks to both of you.” Both are correct English. They work a little differently, and one has a second meaning the other doesn’t.
The short answer
- Use “thank you both” to thank two people directly. It is the simplest, most natural choice.
- Use “thanks to both of you” to thank two people in a warmer, slightly more formal way, or to say that two people caused something good to happen.
Both phrases are for exactly two people. For three or more, use “thank you all” or “thanks to all of you.”
When to use “thank you both”
“Thank you both” speaks directly to two people. It works in emails, messages, and conversation.
- Thank you both for coming today.
- Hi Sara and Omar, thank you both for your quick replies.
- I really appreciate it. Thank you both.
It is short, polite, and fits almost any situation, from a text to a coworker to a formal email.
Where “both” can go. You can place it right after “you” or move it to the end. Both versions are natural:
- Thank you both for your help.
- Thank you for your help, both of you.
When to use “thanks to both of you”
This phrase has two jobs.
1. A warm way to thank two people
It is often used in speeches, toasts, and announcements, where it sounds a bit more personal.
- Thanks to both of you for staying late.
- A big thanks to both of you for organizing this event.
Here it means about the same as “thank you both.” The tone is a little warmer and less clipped.
2. To give credit for a result
“Thanks to” is also a two-word preposition meaning “because of.” It points to the people or things that made something happen.
- Thanks to both of you, we finished the project a week early.
- We found the right house thanks to both of you.
This is the big difference. “Thank you both” cannot do this job. You would not say “Thank you both, we finished early” to give credit, because the sentence would sound like a thank-you with a fact added on, not a statement about cause.
The meaning can also turn sarcastic. “Thanks to both of you, we missed the train” blames the two people for a bad result. Tone and context make that clear, but be careful in writing, where sarcasm is easy to miss.
Side-by-side comparison
| Thank you both | Thanks to both of you | |
| Thanks two people directly | Yes | Yes |
| Credits two people for a result | No | Yes |
| Can be sarcastic | Rarely | Yes, in the “because of” sense |
| Tone | Simple and neutral | Warm, a little more formal |
| Best for | Emails, messages, daily use | Speeches, announcements, crediting results |
Which sounds better in an email?
For a quick thank-you email, “thank you both” is usually the cleaner choice:
Hi Ana and James,
Thank you both for sending the report so quickly. It was exactly what I needed.
Use “thanks to both of you” when you want to name what their help made possible:
Thanks to both of you, the client signed this morning.
Small mistakes to avoid
Using “both” for more than two people.
- Not correct: Thank you both, Sam, Lee, and Maya.
- Correct: Thank you all, Sam, Lee, and Maya.
Dropping “of” in the longer phrase.
- Not standard: Thanks to both you.
- Correct: Thanks to both of you.
The word “both” can sit directly before “you” in some patterns, as in “thank you both.” But after “thanks to,” the standard form is “both of you.”
Using “thanks to” when you mean a plain thank-you for an item.
- Awkward: Thanks to both of you the gift.
- Natural: Thank you both for the gift.
If you are thanking someone for something, “thank you” (or “thanks”) with “for” is the usual pattern. Save “thanks to” for credit, or for a direct address to the two people, as in the speech examples above.
Quick rule
Ask yourself: “Am I thanking them, or crediting them?”
- Thanking them directly: “thank you both” is the safe default.
- Crediting them for a result: use “thanks to both of you.”
- Not sure: “thank you both” is correct almost every time.
FAQs
Is “thanks both” correct?
It is informal but used in quick chats and texts. In an email or anything formal, write “thank you both.”
Is there a comma in “thank you both”?
No comma is needed. If you add a name, use a comma: “Thank you both, Sara and Omar.”
Can I say “thank you both of you”?
No. That repeats the idea twice. Say “thank you both” or “thank both of you.”
Is “thank you both” too casual for work?
No. It is polite and common in professional emails.
Final takeaway
“Thank you both” is the simple, direct way to thank two people. “Thanks to both of you” is warmer and can also credit two people for a result. Pick the one that matches what you want to say, and both will be correct.
Read more about these:
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I write clear, practical English lessons for everyday use. On Lingotexting, I break down grammar, vocabulary, and word types into simple ideas you can apply quickly. My focus is accuracy, real examples, and helpful visuals, so learners build confidence, improve writing, and communicate naturally in school, work, and daily life.