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HTML vs plain text emails: pros, cons & best practices

Reading Time: 11 minutes

Knowing the difference between plain text vs HTML emails can significantly impact the success of your 2024 email marketing campaigns. Both have their uses, but one type may suit your business better than the other.

With HTML emails, you can pack a visual punch by including fancy design features, while plain text emails keep things simple and let you be assured they are displayed correctly, no matter where your customers read them. 

To get the most out of your email marketing efforts, consider how your content looks, how long it takes to create, what you want it to do, and what your readers will open.

In this guide, we’ll explore the difference between HTML format and plain text format, along with advantages, disadvantages, and best practices.

Access tools from Omnisend to send high-quality, attention-grabbing HTML emails

What is an HTML email?

Javy HTML email
Image from Really Good Emails

HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language. It’s the code behind websites that also allows you to send snazzy, custom-design emails that will entice your customers to read them.

HTML emails have an edge over plain text versions because they can include pictures, clickable buttons, videos, and intricate fonts. HTML email formatting takes know-how and an eye for design. However, using HTML email templates and tools can help ensure they look good, no matter your skill level.

What is a plain text email?

Maple Jeans Plain text email
Image from Really Good Emails

Plain text emails are bare-bones messages with just words. They’re simple, but they still hold their place for personal notes or important updates.

Some benefits of plain text format include:

  • Less likely to get marked as spam, so more people see them
  • Easier for people with sight problems to read with screen readers
  • You don’t need much tech know-how
  • They look the same on all devices

If you want to keep things simple and easy to read, plain text emails are a good option.

HTML vs plain text emails

Is it better to use HTML or plain text? Well that depends on your marketing strategy, but here is some useful information to help you make that choice. 

Visual appeal

How an email looks plays a big part in how well it works for marketing. These are the pros and cons of the visual appeal of HTML and plain text messages.

HTML

HTML emails let you have fun with the design, so you can make campaigns that really catch the eye. Using tools like Omnisend’s newsletter templates you can achieve more attractive content that’s likely to get you conversions.

Pros:

  • You can use eye-catching pictures, moving images, and videos to grab your audience’s attention
  • You can add buttons people can click, which makes it easier to encourage and track conversions
  • You can use unique fonts that match your brand to keep your branding consistent across all messaging
  • You can create complex layouts and ways to show off your brand to optimize your content and get better results

Cons:

  • Emails might look different in various email apps, which can result in readability and display problems
  • Emails can be slow to load, especially on phones, which can lead to your audience closing the email before fully seeing it
  • Emails might get marked as spam because of complex code, which could reduce your sender reputation, reach, and open rates
  • Emails can take more time to create and require more technical knowledge

Plain text

Plain text emails focus on what you’re saying without fancy visuals. Anyone can write in plain text, as you basically only need to know what you want to say.

Pros:

  • Emails will be displayed the same on all screens, so you won’t have to worry about how they look on different devices
  • Emails load fast on all devices, so fewer people will abandon reading your email
  • Emails are less likely to be marked as spam, so more emails will reach the inboxes and have a chance to be opened
  • Emails are easy for screen readers to use, so your messages will be more accessible

Cons:

  • You can’t make your brand stand out visually as you’re limited to basic text formatting
  • You can’t include pictures or complex layouts
  • Emails may look less professional for some types of messages
  • It’s harder to guide where people should look without design elements

Deciding whether to use HTML or plain text depends on your brand, what you’re saying, and what your audience likes. Some marketers cater to all preferences by using both.

Creation time

How long it takes to make emails varies for HTML and plain text formats. Here are the pros and cons of both so you can work out if the creation time of emails is a deciding factor for you:

Omnisend email builder
Image from Omnisend

HTML

HTML emails usually take more time and effort to create because of all the design elements and options. However, they can have better engagement rates, prompting more sales.

Pros:

  • You can make engaging and visually appealing designs
  • You can use templates to make the process faster
  • You can make design elements that you can use again
  • You can test out different designs

Cons:

  • Emails take time to design and code
  • You need to test the message in different email apps
  • You need HTML skills or tools
  • Email changes or edits can take a long time to implement

Plain text

Plain text emails are quick and easy to write, focusing on what you’re saying instead of how it looks.

Pros:

  • Emails are fast to make and send out
  • You don’t need design or coding skills
  • Emails are easy to change and fix
  • You don’t need much testing on different platforms

Cons:

  • There are limited options to make emails stand out
  • Emails look less polished for some types of messages
  • You can’t include media content
  • You have fewer chances to show off your brand

When choosing between HTML and plain text emails, you need to think about whether the benefits of HTML emails outweigh the time spent on making them. 

Create good looking HTML emails in no time with Omnisend’s intuitive email builder

Flexibility

Flexibility in email marketing means when something needs changing, you can do so easily. If you have different types of campaigns, having flexibility is a must. You’ll be able to create email messages that best fit each email campaign’s goals, hassle-free.

HTML

HTML emails give you lots of design options and more control over how your content looks.

Pros:

  • You can make complex layouts and add design elements
  • You can include interactive buttons, and banners readers can click on
  • You can change content to fit different marketing segments
  • You can test different design elements

Cons:

  • How your email looks will vary depending on the email app it’s opened in
  • You need more tech know-how for more advanced aspects
  • It can be tricky to keep your brand style consistent across campaigns
  • People with disabilities may have problems reading the email if it’s not coded right

Plain text

Plain text emails are simple and work everywhere. They don’t require much design or tech skills because they only contain text.

Pros:

  • Emails will look the same in all email apps, meaning fewer display issues
  • Emails are easy to make and edit quickly
  • Emails work well with screen readers
  • Great for transaction and notification email campaigns

Cons:

  • You’re limited in how you can show off your brand visually
  • You can’t include interactive elements
  • You can’t track how many people open the email
  • They’re not as engaging for promotional content

The flexibility of HTML emails lets you create more attractive and interactive campaigns, while plain text emails are best for simplicity and can be easily rendered across all devices. Think about using both types in your email marketing to fit different campaign needs and what your audience likes.

Analytics and tracking

The ways you can track and analyze HTML and plain text emails are very different. It’s important to understand these differences and how to use data to improve your marketing campaign.

Omnisend reporting
Image from Omnisend

HTML

HTML emails provide lots of ways to track and analyze who opens your messages and what they click on.

Pros:

  • You can track how many people open the email
  • You can see exactly where people click on
  • You can use heat maps to see how people interact with your content
  • You can test different versions to measure the effectiveness of each campaign

Cons:

  • Some email apps might block tracking, skewing your data
  • You need extra code for tracking, which might slow down the email and make it harder to create
  • Some people might worry about privacy, which leads to unopened messages
  • You might need a more complex setup and upkeep, requiring more in depth knowledge

Plain text

Plain text emails have fewer but more focused tracking options. You’ll get a broad overview of consumer engagement but won’t be able to analyze specific data.

Pros:

  • You can track when people click links
  • You can easily see how many people respond directly
  • You’re less likely to make people worry about privacy

Cons:

  • You can’t track how many people open the email
  • There are not many ways to track people based on different actions
  • You don’t have visual engagement metrics
  • There are fewer chances for detailed performance analysis

While HTML emails give you more tracking options, plain text emails offer simple metrics focused on direct engagement. Choose one based on how deep of an insight you want to get.

Load times

How fast emails load can really affect how people interact with them and how effective your campaign is. This is a key part of response and open rates.

HTML

HTML emails usually take longer to load because they contain lots of content and a more complex structure. Slower internet connections may have more trouble loading the images and other design features on these messages.

Pros:

  • You can load images ahead of time for faster viewing later
  • You can load content bit by bit
  • You have ways to improve loading speed

Cons:

  • Emails take longer to load at first, especially on a slow internet connection
  • Emails might use more data, which can put mobile users off
  • There is a risk of not loading the email completely, which can ruin the experience
  • Some email apps might block or show the content differently to what you intended

Plain text

Plain text emails load almost instantly because they’re so simple. They can load on almost any internet connection without interfering with the content.

Pros:

  • Emails can load super fast on all devices and internet speeds 
  • Emails use very little data, which mobile users will appreciate
  • Emails look the same in all email apps and on all devices
  • There is no risk of images not loading or formatting problems

Cons:

  • Emails don’t look as good as those with rich media
  • You can’t include embedded media or interactive content
  • Emails might not be as engaging for some audiences
  • You’re limited in getting people to click only on links

When choosing between HTML and plain text emails, consider your audience’s devices and internet speed. Although less visually appealing, plain text emails ensure quick, reliable delivery for urgent or critical messages, but there are ways to optimize files on HTML emails for quicker loading too.

Best practices for creating plain text emails

Keep it simple when it comes to plain text emails. This type of email works best when they’re short, to the point, and easy to skim.

Focus on your main message, cutting out any waffle. Use line breaks and spaces smartly to make it easy to read and understand quickly. Here are some tips on how to write effective plain text emails: 

  • Think of a subject line that will spark curiosity, encouraging subscribers to open the email
  • Make sure everyone can read it, no matter how their email is set up
  • Address subscribers by their names and customize the content based on their preferences and past interactions
  • Use segmentation tools as well as custom fields and tags to send content personalized to subscribers preferences
  • Split long text into smaller, easy-to-digest chunks

Use clear headers to separate sections, and line breaks and spaces to enhance readability. Bullet points and numbered lists can help make your email more accessible to people who prefer to skim.

Formatting also helps make your emails more readable, as simple changes like capitalizing letters or adding asterisks can highlight important points or headings.

For calls to action in plain text emails, use clear, descriptive text links. Instead of fancy buttons, go for straightforward language that clearly says what you want people to do.

When it comes to plain text emails, simple and direct is best. Some people prefer plain text emails because they can be easier to read and more straightforward.

Best practices for creating HTML email campaigns

To write HTML emails that convert, you need to find a balance between looks and functionality. Here are some key ways to make sure your HTML campaigns are visually appealing and work well on different platforms:

  • Design emails that are easy to read on both mobile and computer screens
  • Keep the layout clean and uncluttered so as not to distract from your main message
  • Put in a clear and prominent CTA button to show people what action to take next
  • Use fonts that work on all devices so the text always looks consistent
  • Include images that load fast and add alt text so everyone can understand them

Test your email on different devices to make sure it looks good everywhere. Aim for a width between 600 and 640 pixels. For phones, think about using a single-column layout to keep things simple and working well.

You can make it easy to read by using headers and white space strategically. This will break up the content into smaller digestible sections to read. Always give a plain text option for people who prefer it or can’t see HTML.

Make your content personal based on what you know about each customer to make it more relevant. Think about how it looks in dark mode, as many people like this setting.

Follow standard email best practices by including ways to unsubscribe and sender info. Use email authentication to help your emails get to inboxes more reliably.

How to create HTML email campaigns with Omnisend

Omnisend offers a full set of email marketing tools, for both new and seasoned marketers. The email builder creates HTML emails for you so you can worry less about how to code them and focus your attention on the visual aspects and portrayal of your brand and message.

Design your email

To start, sign up for an Omnisend account. Once you’re in, go to the drag-and-drop email builder. It’s designed with mobile users in mind, so your emails will look visually appealing and be easy to read on all screen sizes.

Omnisend drag and drop
Image from Omnisend

You can look through Omnisend’s email template gallery to get ideas for different types of campaigns. After selecting a template, you can change the colors, backgrounds, and layouts easily.

For layout ideas, check out the predesigned content blocks and arrange them how you like. This building-block approach makes email design simple.

Omnisend quick add html
Image from Omnisend

Some other notable features of Omnisend’s Email Builder include:

  • Undo changes, so feel more confident while designing
  • Save custom designs as templates or reuse parts across multiple campaigns, making your work faster
  • Omnisend automatically uses your brand colors for text and buttons
  • Design emails for dark mode so your emails look great no matter how people view them
  • There’s also a special menu for custom HTML, such as custom buttons to make your CTAs stand out

Preview and test

Once you’ve created your email, it’s time to preview and test it. You should look to make sure:

  • Your design shows how you intended on every platform
  • Your email loads in an appropriate time
  • Your links, buttons, and interactive elements are working
  • Your message is clear and free of errors

Schedule and send

Omnisend automation
Image from Omnisend

Timing is everything — it can make or break your email open rates. You can easily schedule your emails to send when it’s best for your audience or use Omnisend’s automation workflows to send your emails after a specific action or time. Start by understanding your audience: when do they typically open emails? Remember to review both the day of the week and the time of the day.

Wrap up

We’ve covered the pros and cons of HTML vs plain text emails to help you choose the best option for your marketing campaign.

HTML emails look striking and can grab attention. They’re best when looks matter most, but they can take longer to make. Plain text emails are straightforward, work everywhere, and are quick to make and easy to read on any device, but they don’t have the visual punch of HTML.

Choosing between HTML and plain text is about picking the right tool for what you need. The key is knowing your audience and what you want to achieve.

Ready to take your email marketing to new heights?
Richard White
Article by

Richard is a Content Marketing Manager at Omnisend. An avid writer, he's said to have been born holding a pencil. Fascinated by all things handmade, if he's not reading or writing he can often be found practicing leathercraft.