12 Best Email Design Software to Create Responsive Emails

The design of your emails can make or break your campaign.

A well-designed email can engage readers and get them to click. A poor design, in contrast, can turn off readers and make them bounce off your email.

Misconceptions aside, the design of your email is in your control. All you have to do is choose a good email design software and create beautiful emails that convert.

In this guide, we've analyzed the top email design softwares to help you make the best choice.

Table of contents

• What to consider when choosing an email design software?
• 12 Best email design software to try out in 2023
• 1. Mailmodo - Send Interactive Emails That Drive Conversions
• 2. Hubspot - Build Campaigns with Free Email Marketing Tools
• 3. Mailchimp - Marketing, Automation & Email Platform
• 4. Moosend - Email Marketing Software for Thriving Businesses
• 5. ActiveCampaign - Email Marketing, Automation, and CRM
• 6. Campaign Monitor - Email Marketing Platform & Services
• 7. Figma - The Collaborative Interface Design Tool
• 8. Stripo - Free Email Template Builder Drag and Drop HTML Email Editor
• 9. BEE - Free Responsive Emails & Landing Pages drag-and-drop editor
• 10. Chamaileon - Agile Email Campaign Creation for Marketing Teams
• 11. Unlayer - Free Email Editor to Build Responsive Email Templates
• 12. Topol.io - Beautiful Emails, Made Easy - Editor & Plugin
• Create your email design today

What to consider when choosing an email design software?

You need to know what you need before you get something; the same applies to choosing an email design software. Here are some aspects you can look for when choosing one.

• Responsive design: Does the software allow you to create responsive designs for all devices, especially mobile?

• Pricing: Do they have a free trial/plan where you can try out the software and see if it works for you?

• Export options: After creating the template, do you have to export it, or can you send the email through the software itself?

• Templates available: How many sample templates do they provide for you to choose from? Premade templates make it easy for beginner email marketers to create and send campaigns. So best to choose software that provides plenty of pre-made templates.

• Type of editor: Is it a completely drag-and-drop editor, or does it require some coding knowledge to make adjustments?

For beginners, it's best to choose an email service provider (ESP) like Mailmodo, Mailchimp, etc., as it is easier to create an email design system and send emails all in one platform.

But if you are already familiar with email marketing and have a good ESP, then you can check out other exclusive design software like Figma, Topol, etc. But before that, check if your ESP allows custom template import to ensure you can upload the design you create on external software.

12 Best email design software to try out in 2023

Before we discuss the email design software you can use to create your email templates, check out our guide on the basics of email design to understand how to create good email designs.

Here are 12 email design software you can check out for your next campaign.

ESPs:

1. Mailmodo - Send Interactive Emails That Drive Conversions

Mailmodo is an all-in-one email marketing software where you can create, design, send, and automate emails to your subscribers using the platform.

Pricing:

You get a 21-day free trial. There are three paid plans presently:

• Silver from $99/month

• Gold from $249/month

• Platinum from $599/month

It also offers custom plans you can avail of by talking with the sales team.

Type of editor:

Using the WYSIWYG editor, you can drag and drop pre-coded content blocks like text, images, etc.

Templates available:

It has 300+ HTML & AMP email templates for different industries and occasions. You can edit and send it out in minutes. You can also import your custom template as an AMP or HTML file.

Export options:

You don't have to export any template you create because you can send the email directly through the platform.

Responsive:

The designs and templates provided are responsive by default. So you don't have to fuss about emails not rendering well on different devices.

Special features:

• You can make your emails interactive by using AMP components like forms, calendars, widgets, etc.

• You can use the dynamic content to save time and automatically update the content on the emails you have created.

• You can integrate Mailmodo with APIs and CRM tools like HubSpot, Zapier, Shopify, etc.

• You can A/B test your subject lines to see which one gets readers to open the email.

• You can preview what the email looks like on desktop and desktop before sending the email.

• You can create and save content blocks and reuse it in other templates.

• You can also send a test email to yourself or your team members to check how it renders in the email client.

Book a demo to learn more about Mailmodo and how to use the software for your needs.

2. Hubspot - Build Campaigns with Free Email Marketing Tools

Hubspot is a CRM platform that helps businesses streamline their marketing, sales, customer service, and content management all in one place.

Pricing:

In terms of the plans that include email marketing, you have:

• Free plan

• Starter plan from $45/month

• Professional plan from $800/month

• Enterprise plan from $3200/month

They also have an option to purchase yearly rather than monthly which you can get if you want to get a better deal in the long run.

Type of editor:

It has a drag-and-drop editor that you can use to customize the email layout, CTA, and branding.

Templates available:

They have 5 basic HTML email templates that people can customize with their content and images. They also have several pre-made templates, but unfortunately, it's not available in the free plan.

Export options:

You don't have to export the design. You can send your emails directly within the platform. You can also integrate with your ESP to export and send mass emails through the ESP.

Responsive:

The templates are responsive by default. If you are creating a coded template, you can add their responsive email template markup to make it responsive.

You can test your email in the platforms to preview how the template renders on different email clients.

Special features:

• You can A/B test 2 designs of the same campaign to see which performs the best.

• They have the dynamic content feature to update the email content automatically.

• Apart from email, you can use them to create web forms/landing pages. This is a useful feature for beginners who don't have a website.

• You can track your leads and how much ROI you have from email marketing for other marketing channels.

3. Mailchimp - Marketing, Automation & Email Platform

MailChimp is a famous email marketing platform marketers use to create and send out email campaigns to their audience. It is a tool most beginners and small businesses utilize as it's easy to use and has step-by-step guidance on how to use it.

Pricing:

Free lifetime and monthly paid plans are available.

The paid plans start at:

• Essentials from $11/month

• Standard from $17/month

• Premium from $299/month

They have a pay-as-you-go plan if you are not going to be sending emails regularly.

Type of editor:

They have two kinds of email editors. A classic builder uses a drag and drop interface and a new builder that is enhanced to create designs faster.

Templates available:

They have 100+ pre-made templates, but you can only access all of them in the paid plans. You can import your custom templates as HTML or zip.

Export options:

You don't have to export the template; you can send emails directly through the platform.

Responsive:

The emails you create on the platform are automatically edited to be shown on mobile. However, it might not always render well on mobile, so you have to make changes in the email to see if it renders well both on desktop and mobile. You can't manually edit your designs for mobile view.

Special features:

• You can use the subject line helper tool to get data-driven feedback on your subject lines to help you write a compelling subject line.

• They have a creative AI assistant that generates designs for you based on your branding.

• Dynamic content

• Landing page creation

4. Moosend - Email Marketing Software for Thriving Businesses

Moosend is an email marketing and automation software marketers use to create custom and professional-looking emails like newsletters.

Pricing:

They only provide a 30-day free trial and paid plans. Their paid plans are:

• Pro from $9/month

• Enterprise with a custom price

They are also available as an annual plan.

Type of editor:

They provide a drag-and-drop email editor.

Templates available:

They have 75+ email newsletter templates.

Export options:

You don't have to export the templates; you can send emails through the platform.

Responsive:

They provide responsive templates.

Special features:

• You can A/B test your subject lines, videos, etc., to test the performance of different campaign versions.

• They mainly specialize in email newsletters.

• You can import your custom templates.

5. ActiveCampaign - Email Marketing, Automation, and CRM

ActiveCampaign is an omnichannel marketing tool that provides email marketing, CRM, and marketing automation services to marketers to improve their customer's experience.

Pricing:

They only provide a free trial and paid plans. The paid plans are:

• Lite from $29/month

• Plus from $49/month

• Professional from $149/month

• Enterprise with custom pricing

Type of editor:

Drag and drop editor.

Templates available:

They have over 250+ free email templates for B2B, B2C, and other businesses.

Export options:

You don't have to export the template. You can send emails through the platform.

Responsive:

Their templates are responsive and mobile optimized.

Special features:

• You can edit the campaigns with your team.

• You can track the location of your contacts through geo-targeted campaigns.

• You can get the information on all the edits made on your templates.

6. Campaign Monitor - Email Marketing Platform & Services

CampaignMonitor is an email marketing platform marketers use to create, design, and send out emails to subscribers to get loyal customers.

Pricing:

You can get a free account, but if you need to send the email to more than 5 subscribers, you need a paid subscription.

The paid plans are:

• Basic from $9/month

• Unlimited from $29/month

• Premier from $149/month

They also have a pay-per-campaign plan for $5/campaign + 1¢/recipient.

Type of editor:

They have no code drag and drop email editor. They also carry tools that allow you to code custom HTML emails.

Templates available:

They have 100+ ready-made templates for different use cases that you can customize for your needs.

Export options:

You don't have to export your email because you can send emails through the software.

Responsive:

Their templates are optimized for mobile.

• Special features:

• You can create a custom template with your branding by providing them with your website.

• Their link review tool checks emails for any outdated or broken hyperlinks.

• You can A/B test two email versions and check the performance.

• Integrates with WordPress, AdRoll, Red Arc, Lexer, etc.

Exclusively design softwares:

7. Figma - The Collaborative Interface Design Tool

Figma is cloud-based, collaborative design software used to design anything like UI/UX, wireframe, graphics, etc. If you are already familiar with Figma, you can also use it to design your emails.

You must download a plugin like emailify to create responsive HTML emails on Figma.

Pricing:

Free lifetime and paid plans are available. The paid plans are:

• Figma professional from $12 per editor/month

• Figma organization from $45 per editor/month

• Figma enterprise from $75 per editor/month

Type of editor:

You can drag and drop common components like header, footer, etc., and customize the email's text, image, and other content.

Templates available:

No pre-made templates.

Export options:

You can't send emails through the software. You can export the template as an HTML or developer-friendly MJML source code. To export the template, you can also integrate it with ESPs like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, Sendgrid, etc.

Responsive:

You can specify certain overrides to make sure the design is responsive.

Special features:

• You can create a dark mode custom color overrides and image swaps to control how the emails render in dark mode.

• You can create custom components that you can reuse in other email templates.

Check out this helpful video to learn how to design and export emails on Figma.

8. Stripo - Free Email Template Builder Drag and Drop HTML Email Editor

Stripo is a platform exclusively for email design to help you create beautiful emails for your marketing campaigns.

Pricing:

Free lifetime and paid plans are available. The paid plans are:

• Basic from $ 15/month

• Medium from $45/month

• Pro from $95/month

• Prime with custom pricing

All of them are also available as annual plans.

Type of editor:

They have a drag-and-drop email editor. In addition, they also have an HTML and CSS code editor that you can use to code emails from scratch or to edit templates built using the drag-and-drop editor.

Templates available:

1050+ free HTML email templates for different industries and purposes.

Export options:

You can export the emails as HTML, AMP HTML, PDF, or image. And you can also directly export to your ESP.

Responsive:

Their templates are responsive.

Special features:

• You can create interactive emails using AMP for email.

• You can test your emails to see how it renders across 90+ devices and email clients.

• You can translate emails into 10 languages at once to provide a better user experience.

• Integrates with 70+ ESPs and CRMs.

9. BEE - Free Responsive Emails & Landing Pages drag-and-drop editor

BEE, a product of the MailUp Group, is an email design software that helps you design responsive emails and even landing pages.

Pricing:

Free and paid plans are available. The paid plans are:

• Team from $30/month

• Enterprise with custom pricing

Type of editor:

Drag and drop editor.

Templates available:

1210+ pre-made templates. They also have specific pre-made templates for different ESPs.

Export options:

Free plan users can export as HTML, and the paid plan users can export directly to email marketing platforms.

Responsive:

Mobile responsive emails.

Special features:

• Integrates with Mailchimp, Gmail, Hubspot, and other email service providers.

• Landing page creation

• You can hire a designer through the platform to get custom design services.

10. Chamaileon - Agile Email Campaign Creation for Marketing Teams

Chamaileon is an email builder and collaborative content management platform built by the EDMdesigner team.

Pricing:

Only a 14-day free trial and paid plans are available. The paid plans are:

• Standard from $150/month

• Premium from $250/month

• Enterprise at a custom price

All of them are also available as annual plans.

Type of editor:

It has drag-and-drop pre-coded email content blocks to build email templates.

Templates available:

They have more than 1000+ free responsive templates for all purposes.

Export options:

You can export the template directly to ESPs or download the HTML file.

Responsive:

You can create responsive emails using their pre-coded content blocks.

Special features:

• You can collaborate with your team members and clients to build the templates together in real-time.

• You can send unlimited test emails to any email address or email client.

• They provide the ability to choose free stock images from Pexels directly in the editor.

11. Unlayer - Free Email Editor to Build Responsive Email Templates

Unlayer is an email template and web page builder that helps beginners easily create an email or landing page without any coding knowledge.

Pricing:

Free lifetime and paid plans are available. The paid plans are:

• Designer from $20/month

• Team from $40/month

And these are also available as annual plans.

Type of editor:

They provide a drag-and-drop email builder.

Templates available:

They have 100+ free HTML email templates.

Export options:

You can download the template in free plans and export it directly to ESPs with paid plans.

Responsive:

You can create emails that render well on different devices like mobile, desktop, browsers, and email clients.

Special features:

• Dynamic content

• Integrate with Gmail with a free Chrome extension.

• You can also integrate with email marketing platforms like Campaign Monitor, Klaviyo, Mailchimp, etc.

12. Topol.io - Beautiful Emails, Made Easy - Editor & Plugin

Topol.io is an email design software that marketers can use to create email templates without code.

Pricing:

Free lifetime and paid plans are available. Their paid plans are:

• Pro from $10/month

• Plugin for startup from $60/month

• Plugin for business from $300/month

• Plugin unlimited from $600/month

Type of editor:

They have a drag-and-drop email editor. But you can also customize your emails by adding your HTML code.

Templates available:

They have over 150+ ready-made HTML templates.

Export options:

You can export through direct integration with ESPs like Mailchimp, Sendinblue, and Sendy.co, or email clients like MS Outlook and Gmail. You can also download your emails as an HTML file.

Responsive:

Their responsive templates will look good on different devices and email clients.

Special features:

• You can create custom blocks for your templates and reuse them for other campaigns.

• Integration with CRM, app, online shop, or other marketing platforms.

Create your email design today

Now that you have more information on the different email design softwares out there, you can choose one and create your email template for your next campaign.

The main thing you need to keep in mind while designing your campaign is to make the email responsive. Check out our article on responsive email design to find out what you can do to make your emails responsive on all devices.