Plain Text vs. HTML Emails: Which One Actually Performs Better?
If you’ve been sending emails for a while, you’ve probably wrestled with the age-old question: should you use slick HTML templates with buttons and banners, or keep things simple with plain text? It’s a debate as old as modern email marketing itself. And like most things in marketing, the real answer is more nuanced than “this one’s always better.” But here’s what we know: both formats have their place—and what works best depends on your goal, your audience, and how you’re sending.
Plain text emails are exactly what they sound like—just text. No colors, no fancy layouts, no embedded images. They’re fast to create, look the same on every device, and feel incredibly personal. In fact, they often look like a regular message from a friend. That makes them perfect for cold outreach, sales follow-ups, or one-to-one style communication. They load quickly, dodge image blockers, and tend to have higher deliverability because they feel “less promotional” to spam filters.
But plain text isn’t always perfect. They lack design control. You can’t brand them the same way. You can’t include visual cues, product images, or flashy CTAs. If you’re running a B2C campaign, launching a product, or showing off a new collection, plain text won’t cut it. You need something with impact—and that’s where HTML comes in.
HTML emails give you design freedom. You can add headers, product grids, buttons, colors, GIFs—you name it. They’re ideal for newsletters, promotional campaigns, and anything where visuals drive engagement. When done right, HTML emails can increase clicks, boost conversions, and reinforce your brand. The challenge? If they’re overloaded with images or poorly coded, they can trigger spam filters, slow load times, or break on mobile devices.
This is where a platform like Mailstorm makes a difference. We optimize your HTML templates to ensure they’re mobile-friendly, deliverable, and easy to edit. You don’t need to write code or guess what will render correctly—our builder handles the technical side, so you can focus on the message. And if you want to send a plain text email? Just toggle the format and go. Mailstorm supports both, tracks performance on each, and gives you the analytics to see which style works best for your audience.
The truth is, neither format is inherently better. Some of the best-performing campaigns combine both. A clean, HTML-styled email that still feels personal. Or a plain text-style layout that includes one standout CTA button for clarity. What matters most is matching the format to the goal. Selling a product? Use HTML. Starting a conversation? Go plain text. Testing subject lines and engagement? Try both.
What you don’t want is to guess blindly. That’s why Mailstorm gives you the tools to test and compare. You’ll see what your audience responds to, and you can adjust your strategy from there. Whether you’re team plain text, team HTML, or somewhere in between, the real winner is the one that gets opened, clicked, and remembered. And with the right tools in place, you’ll always know which format actually performs better—because your audience will tell you.
