Starting from a blank email is miserable.
The cursor blinks. The page is empty. You have no idea where to put anything. Start with our email design best practices if you need the fundamentals first. And check our newsletter best practices for what actually gets read. Email copywriting tips will help with the words themselves.
That's why templates exist. Someone already figured out what works. You just fill in your content.
But not all templates are equal. Some are beautiful but impossible to customize. Some are flexible but look like 2005.
Here are the best places to find newsletter templates that actually work.
1. Mailchimp
Mailchimp templates are built directly into the platform. Pick one, customize it, send. No exporting, no importing, no friction.
The library has 100+ templates organized by goal. "Sell products." "Welcome subscribers." "Share news." You find something close to what you need, then make it yours.
What's good:
The drag-and-drop editor is genuinely easy. You don't need to know HTML. Move blocks around, change colors, add images.
The templates are tested across email clients. They won't break in Outlook (mostly).
Everything connects to Mailchimp's other features. Your template flows into your automation, your analytics, your segments.
What's not:
The free plan limits you to basic templates. The really nice ones need a paid account.
The templates look like... Mailchimp templates. Clean but generic. You'll need to customize heavily to stand out.
Best for: People who want an all-in-one solution and don't want to mess with different tools.
Pricing: Free plan available. Paid starts around $13/month.
2. Canva
Canva is a design tool, not an email platform. But their template library is massive.
You design in Canva. Then export the images or graphics to use in your actual email tool.
This is great for visual-heavy emails. Newsletters with custom graphics. Event announcements with illustrated headers. Anything where stock photos won't cut it.
What's good:
The template variety is insane. Thousands of options. Different styles, industries, vibes.
The editor is drag-and-drop simple. Swap colors, change fonts, add your logo.
Brand Kit (paid feature) saves your colors and fonts so everything stays consistent.
What's not:
You can't send emails from Canva. You're designing assets, not building emails.
Exporting full emails as images is bad practice (accessibility issues, file size, broken on mobile).
Best for: Creating specific graphics and headers to use inside your emails. Not for building complete email templates.
Pricing: Free plan works fine for basic use. Pro is $15/month for Brand Kit and premium assets.
3. Stripo
Stripo is a dedicated email design platform. You build emails there, then export to whatever ESP you use.
They have over 1,500 templates. Sorted by industry, type, season. Very comprehensive.
What's good:
The editor is genuinely powerful. Drag-and-drop for beginners, full HTML access for developers.
You can add interactive elements like carousels and accordions. (These don't work everywhere, but they're impressive when they do.)
One-click export to 70+ email platforms. Mailchimp, HubSpot, Klaviyo, whatever you use.
What's not:
The free plan is limited (4 exports per month).
Some templates feel dated. You need to hunt for the good ones.
Best for: Teams that want design freedom but use different email platforms for different purposes.
Pricing: Free tier available. Paid starts at $15/month.
4. Beefree
Beefree (formerly BEE) focuses on one thing: building beautiful emails that work everywhere.
Their templates are tested across email clients. What you design is what actually renders.
What's good:
The editor is fast and intuitive. Minimal learning curve.
Templates are genuinely well-designed. Modern, clean, professional.
Everything exports to HTML you can use anywhere.
What's not:
Like Stripo, you're designing separately from your sending platform. One more tool in the stack.
Some advanced features need paid plans.
Best for: Marketers who care about design but aren't designers. The templates do the heavy lifting.
Pricing: Free tier available. Paid starts at $15/month.
5. Envato Elements
Envato Elements is a subscription library. One monthly fee, unlimited downloads of email templates, graphics, photos, fonts, everything.
The email templates are HTML files you download and import into your ESP.
What's good:
Thousands of templates. More variety than you'll ever need.
You get source files. Full customization control.
The subscription includes all other assets. Match your email templates with the same stock photos and graphics.
What's not:
You need to know what you're doing. These are raw files, not drag-and-drop builders.
Quality varies. Some templates are excellent. Some are not.
Best for: Agencies and marketing teams who need lots of assets and can work with HTML.
Pricing: Starts at $16.50/month for unlimited downloads.
6. HubSpot
HubSpot's email templates are integrated into their marketing platform.
If you're already in HubSpot, this is the obvious choice. Your templates connect to your CRM, your workflows, your analytics.
What's good:
Smooth integration with the rest of HubSpot.
Template library organized by purpose. Good categorization.
Drag-and-drop editor works well.
What's not:
HubSpot is expensive. You're not just paying for email templates.
Templates are fine but not remarkable. Basic professional designs.
Best for: Companies already using HubSpot for CRM/marketing.
Pricing: Free CRM includes some templates. Marketing Hub starts at $45/month.
7. Litmus Community
Litmus has a free community library of email templates.
These are created by real email designers and shared for others to use.
What's good:
Free. Actually free.
Real-world tested by professional email marketers.
Wide variety of approaches and styles.
What's not:
Less curated than paid options. Quality varies more.
You need to test everything yourself.
Best for: Learning from what other marketers are doing. Finding inspiration.
Pricing: Free.
Comparison Table
| Platform | Best For | Template Count | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | All-in-one simplicity | 100+ | Free / $13/mo |
| Canva | Visual graphics creation | 1000s | Free / $15/mo |
| Stripo | Design flexibility + ESP export | 1,500+ | Free / $15/mo |
| Beefree | Beautiful designs, easy editing | 1,500+ | Free / $15/mo |
| Envato Elements | Agencies needing lots of assets | 1000s | $16.50/mo |
| HubSpot | Existing HubSpot users | 100+ | Free / $45/mo |
| Litmus Community | Learning and inspiration | 100s | Free |
How To Pick
If you want everything in one place: Mailchimp or HubSpot. Pick your template, customize it, send it, analyze it. No jumping between tools.
If you're design-focused: Stripo or Beefree. More design control, modern templates, export to wherever.
If you need visual assets: Canva. Create graphics and headers to use in your emails, not complete email templates.
If you need lots of templates: Envato Elements. Subscription model, unlimited downloads.
If you want free: Litmus Community or the free tiers of others.
Templates Only Get You So Far
A template gives you structure. It won't give you strategy.
The best-looking email template will still flop if your content is boring, your subject line is weak, or you're sending to the wrong people.
Templates solve the design problem. You still need to solve the messaging problem.
Start with a template. Get your design 80% of the way there. Then focus your energy on what you're actually saying and who you're saying it to.
(For that piece, check out our email marketing services overview.)
Want templates that actually drive results? Inbox Connect builds custom email systems designed around your specific business. Book a free 30-minute call and we'll show you what's possible.