[This post was originally published on 15 April 2024. It has been updated on 13Dec 2024.]
Unlike custom-coded editors, drag-n-drop email builders come equipped with modules or blocks which you can customize according to your brand needs. (If you want, you can learn the difference between custom-coded emails and drag-and-drop builders in more detail.)
Now more than ever, businesses such as yours recognize the need for drag-n-drop builders. And why not? You can be up and ready for email marketing without needing to master HTML coding. It’s a great user-friendly alternative to custom coding.
The market has opened up, with the result that it is saturated with drag-n-drop builders. So the question is: how do you tab the right one?
We’ve done the work for you! We’re listing the top ten drag-and-drop email builders (free and paid) for you to choose from. Keep reading!
How We Curated This List
Having worked with over 5000 brands by now, we know what exactly to look for in a drag-n-drop email builder. So in our search for the top ten, we fussed over the following:
- Does the email builder offer enough premade templates?
- Does the builder provide desktop and mobile previews?
- Is there an image editor? If yes, how intuitive is it?
- Can the builder create templates that will render well with all major email clients?
- Does the builder provide native integration with ESPs?
- Does the builder offer easy A/B testing to optimize campaign performance?
You’ll notice price didn’t factor in our considerations. That’s because affordability varies from brand to brand. It’s up to you to determine the viability of resources.
Let’s get started then with our first email newsletter template builder.
1. Stripo
Stripo is probably the best newsletter drag and drop tool out there. It has an image editor, testing tools, and AMP support. Here’s what we loved best about Stripo’s drag-n-drop email builder:
- Stripo offers native integration with ESPs
- You can save templates to Stripo’s custom module library for reuse later
- You can preview emails on desktop, mobile, and tablets
- Stripo offers 1500+ HTML templates
Stripo is suitable for both beginners and advanced email marketers.
2. Chamaileon
If you’re a big agency with a large team, Chamaileon is just the email builder you need. Chamaileon promises 10x faster email production. Here are some of its cool features:
- The builder offers mobile and desktop previews
- You can choose from over 600 HTML email templates
- You can save blocks for future use, and easily redesign previous images
- Chamaileon allows you to collaborate with your email team in real-time
Chamaileon is not for free, but it does offer a 14-day trial period.
3. Postcards
Postcards from Designmodo is a feature-rich newsletter drag and drop email builder suitable for both professional designers and rookies. It allows you to build and personalize email templates on its no-code builder. So you can add, remove, or rearrange prebuilt content blocks to personalize your email layout. Or you can design emails from scratch.
You can also choose from an impressive range of prebuilt email templates to suit your needs. The builder offers responsive design as well. You can ensure that your email looks great on all devices. Along with content editing, the tool lets you work with your team in real-time. Once you’re done, you can seamlessly export your finished template to your chosen platform.
Here’s a brief rundown of the features that Postcards offers:
- Text editor with extensive, beautiful typography; custom and Google fonts support
- Layout view
- Undo and redo options
- Multi-select edit option
- AI assistant
- External image support
- Unlimited, one-click exports
- Direct email preview, and more!
4. Beefree
Beefree is another impressive email newsletter builder with a simple interface and a whole host of modern-looking prebuilt templates. We’d bet on the following features:
- The builder is ESP-agnostic. It works well with major ESPs like HubSpot, Mailchimp, etc.
- You can have multiple users on the same account
- You can design responsive emails. Leverage reusable content blocks to transform emails to landing pages on cruise control
- Real-time commenting, editing, and hassle-free approval process
Like Stripo, Beefree is well-matched to beginners and email pros alike.
5. Tabular
Tabular is a newsletter drag and drop editor best for responsive emails and complex design. The following features make Tabular what it is:
- The builder provides desktop and mobile previews
- You can create complex email layouts
- You can work with your team and share emails with public demo pages. (A public demo page is a temporary webpage version of your email.)
- Once done, Tabular lets you upload emails directly to your platform
The free version allows you to try three emails and 37 templates.
6. Mailchimp
Mailchimp has two email builders: Classic and New. The Classic builder is suitable for those who want to design custom-coded emails. While both versions offer drag-n-drop functionality, you should try the New builder because it’s updated to include more features:
- Integrate third-party platforms with the help of the Apps content block
- Use the Content optimizer feature to create marketing content
- Add a Survey content block to gather feedback from your audience
Mailchimp has all the benefits a traditional HTML newsletter builder can offer. It has a rich library of email templates for all sorts of emails. Feel free to learn more about templates in Mailchimp.
7. HubSpot
HubSpot enables you to create emails without any prior design or technical knowhow. Their HTML newsletter builder boasts an impressive collection of templates. Some noteworthy features include:
- A/B testing to test different elements of your email, from subject line to CTA
- Responsive emails; previews for desktop, tablets, and smartphones available
- Built-in reporting, app-agnostic, and CRM integration
- Personalization tokens to create dynamic content and boost engagement
Read more: 10 Essential HubSpot Integrations for Email Marketers
8. Klaviyo
Klaviyo is a well-known email marketing platform with an intuitive drag and drop newsletter builder. Some of its notable features as a drag-n-drop interface include:
- Hybrid email templates: Mix custom coding and drag-n-drop in a single template
- Universal content blocks: Create reusable content blocks and save them in a library
- Product block integration: You can add a dedicated product block to your templates. This feature is for ecommerce brands
- AMP email support: You can create AMP emails within the drag-n-drop builder, allowing for greater engagement with mobile-heavy users
9. SendGrid
SendGrid is primarily an email delivery platform. But it has an email editor for designing professional-looking emails with no coding knowledge required. SendGrid offers a rich library of pre-built responsive email templates to get you started.
You can design emails and automate email campaigns. Developers can integrate SendGrid’s API into their apps to send emails.
SendGrid is best suited for developers looking for API access. For instance, using the Designs API, developers can integrate pre-built email templates into their applications.
10. Topol
Topol is an impressive email newsletter builder packed with a slew of design features. Topol made it to the list thanks to the following features:
- You can choose from a large number of email templates
- You can save content blocks, as well as import custom HTML to the editor
- Multiple users can work on the same account
- You can export emails to various major ESPs
Are Your Emails Pre-Built for Success?
Finding the right HTML email builder is one thing; finding the tool that is best aligned with your email marketing workflows, quite another. If you need, feel free to take a shot at all the email builders we listed. Sign up for free trials and demos, and explore the features.
Alternatively, if you need a custom email template that is unique and helps you stand out from the crowd, you can get in touch with our ESP certified email team. We’ll design and code your idea into a flawless custom responsive email template.
Susmit Panda
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