Do all email template builders seem alike? You are now confused about which one to choose for your email campaigns, aren’t you? No wonder, as there are so many of them.
We will survey the most popular builders to find their distinguishing features to help you find the best HTML email builder for your current needs. I will try to create one template in all these editors with the same media files to see if the builders differ.
The best email template builders
For our survey, we have picked Stripo, HubSpot, Campaign Monitor, AWeber, Mailchimp, Taxi for Email, Topol.io, BEE Free, Postcards by Designmodo, Chamaileon.
1. Stripo
Stripo is one of the best free email template builders, a next-generation editor. It’s listed on Google’s amp.dev page as the first Drag-n-Drop AMP email builder.
Our blog has many articles that explain how to build effective promo and transactional emails, and how to design interactive emails. Some articles are dedicated to email marketing trends.
Stripo’s designers prepared for you over 1000 responsive email templates. The number of templates is growing every day.
Not only does Stripo help create responsive email templates, but it also enables you to choose which elements to display on mobile devices and which are to be hidden.
Export options:
We enable you to export email templates to more than 70 ESPs, to Zapier or download them as PDF or Image files. Stripo also has email clients integration with Gmail and Outlook.
You can also download your emails as HTML and AMP HTML files.
Please, refer to the “Integrations” page on our website for more details.
I can mention many exclusive features that Stripo editor is proud of, but I need to highlight only a few. So I chose the following ones…
Builder’s unique features:
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Stripo offers drag-and-drop and HTML email template builders. You can use both simultaneously — design the visual elements, insert images and videos in the drag and drop email editor, aka WYSIWYG editor, and see the changes right away;
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full support for AMP, including (1) drag-n-drop AMP blocks — AMP Form, AMP accordion, and AMP image carousel. You can build AMP emails with Stripo by using these two blocks with no HTML skills; (2) code validator for AMP emails; (3) Data Service and Data Source for collecting users' feedback and providing recipients with real-time data in emails;
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the Smart Elements option to reduce the time for creating multiple product cards and digests;
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embedded micro tools for building interactive elements right in the editor in no time;
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the Stripo Email Translate service — allows translating emails into all major languages (over 100). Communicate with your customers worldwide in the languages they speak;
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the Modular Email Arcitecture feature — you can save modules to your personal storage to reuse in future email campaigns;
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the Synchronized Modules option allows you to edit/update certain elements/information across all templates at once.
This all makes Stripo one of the best HTML email builders.
Please refer to the “How to build AMP emails in Stripo” blog post for more details on how to create AMP content with no coding skills.
2. HubSpot Email Marketing
At first, I wanted to survey and compare only the best email template builders that are independent. But in fact, it would not be fair probably to omit embedded editors, which are part of ESPs. So I decided to write a few paragraphs about built-in email template builders.
HubSpot is a growth platform that leverages its powerful CRM and marketing automation to take your email marketing strategy to the next level.
With HubSpot, you get a free CRM, a form and popup builder, and 2 000 email sends per month on the free forever plan. HubSpot also offers about 20+ goal-based templates.
Export options:
No export needed. You can design and send your emails directly within the platform.
You can also easily export your Stripo designs to HubSpot with one simple click via the integration.
Builder’s unique feature:
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A/B testing — that’s a great way to find and use the most effective versions of your emails;
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pop-up notifications — HubSpot offers a number of styles for the pop-ups;
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forms — you can build forms to embed them as part of your website further;
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you can also build 20 Landing Pages for free.
3. Campaign Monitor
CampaignMonitor is an ESP, part of the CM Group. I have not tried to send out newsletters with them. But the newsletters that I receive from them are just amazing.
They offer over 100 ready-made templates.
Export options:
None needed. You can send emails via this email service provider.
Builder’s unique feature:
Its absolutely unique feature is — the ability to create and set mobile-friendly surveys right within the email marketing tool with an unlimited number of questions.
4. Postcards
Postcards is the product of Designmodo. It’s not a typical email template software as it does not offer basic blocks. It provides content modules instead!
You pull them into your HTML newsletter email.
For those users with the free subscription plan, they just offer 1 module from each content group (one header, one footer, 1 1 call-to-action — you can use them as many times as you want when working with one email template, but you will not be able to use a content module with different email design).
Export options:
You can export emails to 12 ESPs or download your email as an HTML file for free.
Builder’s unique feature:
You cannot build your template from scratch. You need to mix existing modules, which are customizable but with certain restrictions.
5. AWeber
AWeber is a powerful yet simple, leading email marketing platform for small businesses.
Its drag and drop email builder has 15 blocks/elements.
AWeber’s blog is rich with diverse educational articles.
AWeber also offers over 600 different ready-made templates.
Export options:
None needed. If you like, use this platform to reach out to customers.
It is integrated with Stripo. Deliver email from Stripo to AWeber with just 1 click.
Builder’s unique features:
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drag-n-drop AMP carousel. AWeber allows you to add an AMP image carousel to your emails with no email coding;
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AWeber Smart Designer — a free, intelligent design assistant automatically builds amazing-looking email templates in seconds with your existing branding. By analyzing your website or a social media account for logos, imagery, and colors, AWeber Smart Designer will create a gallery of custom-branded email templates for you to choose from.
6. Mailchimp
Mailchimp is one of the few world-famous ESPs.
It is said to be one of the best solutions for small businesses.
Its blog is mainly about ESP's new features and its employees’ experiences.
They provide support 24/7.
Mailchimp offers about 100 ready-made templates.
Export options:
None needed. Send emails via this email marketing tool.
You may also deliver email templates that you build with Stripo to Mailchimp with 1 click for our advanced integration. All responsive email templates remain editable via HTML code and WYSIWYG editor.
Builder’s unique feature:
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the “share through socials” option. Only a few editors allow it;
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ability to create landing pages.
Refer to our “How to Create a Custom Email Template for Mailchimp with Stripo” article for details.
7. Taxi for Email
This email template builder was founded back in 2012. In 2021, it was acquired by SparkPost. Their blog is dedicated both to email marketing and digital marketing.
No templates found. But they offer hundreds of ready-made modules to use.
Export options:
You can export emails directly to 25 ESPs.
Builder’s unique feature:
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translator. This newsletter builder automatically translates your email into a few set languages. Also, you can add up to 10 colleagues to send test emails to and save them in the base;
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also, Taxi for Email offers direct export to Litmus to test your emails. This option requires you to have an account with this testing tool.
8. BEE Free
BEE Free is a drag-and-drop editor that allows you to design responsive emails. It is a product of the MailUp group. They offer a blog for inspiration and new design ideas.
It has about 1150 predesigned templates available.
Export options:
Free plan users can download their template as an HTML file with images. Users with paid plans can push emails to 12 email marketing platforms.
Builder’s unique feature:
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anytime you come back to the BEE Free email newsletter creator, they suggest that you start from the point where you stopped. That is pretty convenient;
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integration with Giphy — it does not allow you to use GIFs, but this option provides you with stickers.
9. Topol.io
Topol.io is an independent email template builder, a part of the MJML community, which provides emails’ correct display on most mobile and desktop devices. If you are using a free account, Topol.io offers 8 basic blocks that you can pull into your template. When using a prepaid account, you will have 11 blocks.
You can easily edit images right in the editor.
Topol.io offers 150+ ready-made templates.
Export options:
Integration with 3 ESPs, namely Mailchimp, Sendinblue, Sendy.co. Integration with MS Outlook and Gmail email clients. And, of course, you can download your email templates as an HTML file.
Builder’s unique feature:
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anytime you come back to Topol, they suggest that you start from the point where you stopped. That is pretty convenient;
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reusable custom blocks.
10. Chamaileon.io
Chamaileon is a drag-n-drop email editor created by the EDMDesigner team. The latter has been providing online service for more than 10 years so far, while the former was founded at the beginning of 2018.
Its blog is dedicated to email design ideas and trends.
The Chamaileon drag-and-drop editor offers more than 900 email templates. You can save email template modules (they offer about 500) to your library and re-use them in new emails. If you are a professional, you can start an email from scratch or import your existing one as an HTML code.
Export options:
Chamaileon is integrated with 10 ESPs.
Builder’s unique feature:
You can add and save the email addresses of your colleagues to send them test emails without entering their addresses when working on and testing a new template — a pretty convenient way to approve emails with colleagues.
Comparison table
Please, have a look at our table where I compared the most important features of the best email template builders.
Final thoughts
We have just reviewed the best email template builders for 2022 and have thoroughly surveyed the advantages and disadvantages of each of them. And now you only have to decide which one to use according to your specific needs.
We hope that any of the email template builders mentioned above will meet your current needs. Here are the recommended functions a modern email software should offer. Take them into consideration when choosing one:
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a new level of responsive email design as ~50% of emails are opened on mobile devices;
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access to edit HTML and CSS codes for embedding interactive elements and AMP elements;
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a wide range of ready-to-use templates;
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templates adjusted to most world-famous ESPs — integration with ESPs and CRMs;
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work automation to save your time;
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file storage to save your editable content modules/blocks for further use.
Whether you choose Stripo or any other editor mentioned above to be the best email builder software, I sincerely wish you highly effective newsletters.
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