One the features of great email campaigns is great email design. Finding email design inspiration is a little tougher than most design inspiration rabbit holes. Even the most experienced marketing teams need a little inspiration now and again.
My least favourite form of work anxiety is blank page paralysis. People experience it in writing, web design, social media, and … you guessed it, email marketing.
If your inbox looks anything like mine, the pressure to stand out in a crowded inbox in no small challenge to overcome. It’s easy to fall back on the same templates, the same structure, and the same tactics but great email design is about so much more than just looking pretty. It’s a powerful tool for building brand identity, creating a seamless user experience, and ultimately, driving loyalty, stronger relationships, and conversions.
The best of us know: when your creative well runs dry, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. You just need to know where to look.
Over the years, we’ve curated a go-to list of resources that never fail to spark new ideas and push our creative boundaries. This isn’t just a random list; these are tried-and-true sources, from comprehensive archives to well-written and researched blog posts. Our email marketing resource library is pretty huge, so for this post I have curated a little collection of my faves that I feel can help you out no matter where you are in your process. So, if you’re looking for a fresh dose of email design inspiration, you’ve come to the right place.
Websites Built for Browse
Sometimes the best approach is to immerse yourself in a sea of high-quality examples. These types of websites are purpose-built galleries, allowing you to filter, search, and discover thousands of real-world emails to get your creative process started. I’m sharing one here (spoiler alert: the last one is this type too!)
Email Love
Email Love is a new find for me, and it has quickly become a favourite. The site is beautifully organized, allowing you to browse recent additions or filter designs by a wide range of categories, including industry, colour, and email type.
I have to say though, there was one little surprise on a recent perusal of their newsletter section that I want to mention. I discovered a local connection, I was so proud to find a well-respected Halifax agency, Verb Interactive, featured as an example of great email design. (I happen to agree, you can check it out for yourself right here: https://emaillove.com/verb-interactive-email-design).
This site really rocks the purpose-built structure I need to dig in, discover, and get inspired. The layout is clean, the examples are top-tier, and the navigation is intuitive. It’s a platform designed for deep exploration. Be warned: I find it hard to stop scrolling, clicking, and dreaming when I’m here. It’s the perfect place to get lost in a world of beautiful design and emerge with a clear vision for your next project.
Curated Posts for Deeper Email Design Inspiration
While a gallery is fantastic for volume, sometimes you need a guided tour. Curated blog posts from credible sources offer more than just images; they provide context, expert opinion, and actionable advice that can help you understand the “why” behind a great design.
Superside Blog: Email Design Inspiration
A perfect example of a valuable, curated post comes from the Superside blog. This isn’t just a list; it’s a neatly organised exhibit of 31 email designs, each accompanied by thoughtful commentary.
What sets this post apart is its effective yet simple system of categorizing the examples. The creators took care to provide a robust bit tight set of categories, allowing you to find exactly what you’re looking for without feeling overwhelmed. Or, even better, if what you’re looking for isn’t there you’ll be able to skip this one and move on.
Whether you need to see examples of responsive designs, creative designs, or lead-nurturing designs, the side navigation (on desktop) makes it simple. This level of organization respects your time and streamlines the search for relevant email design inspiration. Instead of just scrolling, you are actively filtering through a pre-vetted collection, guided by an expert hand. It’s an efficient and highly effective way to find specific examples that align with your campaign goals.
HubSpot Blog: 14 of the Best Examples of Beautiful Email Design
HubSpot is a titan in the marketing world for a reason, and their blog content consistently delivers practical value. This post on beautiful email design is a must-read, particularly for marketers who want to translate inspiration into immediate action.
What I appreciate most about this article are the “Pro-Tips” inserted throughout. These nuggets of wisdom provide essential context on how to analyze the examples and unlock the creative secrets within. For instance, a super practical tip accessible to DIYers is: “Pro Tip: Incorporating contrasting colors can help with creating division between sections and draw the eye from each section with ease.” This simple advice can instantly improve the scannability and visual hierarchy of any email.
The post makes design principles accessible, turning a gallery of images into a practical, hands-on lesson. It’s an excellent resource for bridging the gap between seeing a great design and knowing how to create one yourself.
Litmus: 16 Unexpected Places for Email Inspiration
Sometimes, you need to look beyond the usual suspects. This blog post from Litmus, another industry leader, is a “meta-resource” (kinda like this post). Just a list of other places to find inspiration. It’s a fantastic jumping-off point when you feel like you’ve seen everything already.
The post shares 16 different sources, but I especially love its section on using Pinterest boards for email design inspiration. Pinterest is a visual-first platform, making it a perfect tool for creating private mood boards. You can collect snippets of designs you love like a unique call-to-action button from one email, a beautiful header from another, and a clever footer design from a third. This allows you to deconstruct what you love about various designs and work them into a new, original concept. It’s a more organic and visual way to brainstorm that can lead to truly innovative ideas.
The Industry Standard
Really Good Emails
Finally, we arrive at the undisputed champion and the resource that has been a cornerstone of my email design workflow for a few years. I have been referring to Really Good Emails for a long time, and it remains the most comprehensive and consistently excellent library on the web. Their collection is massive, their search functionality is flawless, and their team provides insightful commentary on why each featured email is, well, really good.
But for those serious about their craft, the paid tier offers a game-changing feature: the ability to export designs. This allows you to work with the code directly, deconstruct the structure, and see how the magic is made.
This isn’t about copying code. It’s about learning from the best. It’s about understanding how they achieve a particular layout, how they ensure responsiveness, and how they build their modules. This capability makes short work of turning inspiration into originality, empowering you to apply advanced techniques and principles to your own vision. It is the ultimate tool for any professional looking to elevate their email design inspiration from passive observation to active creation.
An Honourable Mention and Final Thoughts
We have to give an honourable mention to Canva. While not a dedicated email archive, its vast library of email newsletter templates is an excellent resource for spotting macro trends in layout, font pairings, and graphic styles. It’s a great place for quick mock-ups and brainstorming sessions.
Ultimately, the goal of seeking inspiration is not to replicate what others have done, but to ignite your own creativity. Use these resources to understand principles, discover new trends, and build a collection of ideas that you can synthesize into something uniquely yours. Happy designing!
Don’t have the time to knock it out of the inbox yourself? That’s what we’re here for. We absolutely love helping people like you win with email.