Responsive HTML Email Templates for Startups and SaaS is a free, open-source collection of six HTML email templates built for the transactional emails every subscription-based product sends: Welcome, Forgot Password, Invoice, Canceled Subscription, Trial Expired, and Email Confirmation. Hosted on GitHub and part of the htmlemailtemplates.net project, the collection works with essentially any email service provider that accepts HTML email, and it also links to a free CSS inliner tool for providers that strip head HTML attributes.
What is this template?
This is a GitHub-hosted set of six ready-to-use HTML email template files that cover common startup and SaaS lifecycle messaging. You download the HTML, edit the content in any code editor, and import the result into an ESP such as MailChimp, SendGrid, or Amazon SES. The templates come from the htmlemailtemplates.net project, which also publishes separate galleries for Startup Emails and SaaS Email Templates plus a CSS inlining utility.
Key Features
- Six lifecycle emails — The collection includes Welcome, Forgot Password, Invoice, Canceled Subscription, Trial Expired, and Email Confirmation templates, covering signup, billing, churn, and trial conversion.
- Broad ESP compatibility — Explicitly compatible with Active Trail, Amazon SES, Aweber, Benchmark Mail, Constant Contact, ContactMonkey, ConvertKit, GetResponse, IContact, Intercom, MailChimp, MailGun, MailJet, MailPoet, MailerLite, PostMark, SendGrid, SendInBlue, SendWithUS, Sendy, Shopify, SparkPost, and WordPress.
- Responsive layout — Each template is designed to be responsive, so emails reflow for mobile and desktop clients without separate mobile versions.
- Free CSS inliner tool — When an ESP does not support head HTML attributes, the project's free email CSS inliner (at htmlemailtemplates.net/free-stuff/email-css-inliner) converts external styles into inline CSS automatically.
- Free to use with optional donation — The repository is free to download and use; a PayPal donation link appears on the page but no purchase is required.
- Additional template collections — Separate Startup Emails and SaaS Email Templates pages on the companion site expand the catalog beyond the six templates in this repo.
Who is it for?
- Startup founders and marketers can quickly set up professional-looking Welcome and Trial Expired emails without hiring a designer or writing CSS from scratch.
- SaaS product teams can cover the full subscription journey — signup, password recovery, invoicing, cancellation, and trial end — with a single set of consistent templates.
- Email developers and integrators can treat the HTML as a base, customize branding and merge tags, then push the finished templates into an ESP like SendGrid or MailChimp through their API.
What can you do with it?
- Onboarding emails: Send the Welcome template to new users the moment they sign up, with space for a call-to-action button.
- Account security: Deliver Forgot Password and Email Confirmation messages that help users reset credentials and verify their addresses.
- Billing and retention: Send Invoice, Canceled Subscription, and Trial Expired notifications automatically from your billing system or ESP workflow.
How does it work?
Download the HTML files from the GitHub repository, edit the copy and links in any code editor, then upload each file to your email service provider. If your ESP doesn't support head HTML attributes, paste your code into the free CSS inliner tool at htmlemailtemplates.net to inline the styles before importing.
Pros and cons
- Free and open source with no licensing fees
- Responsive design that adapts to mobile and desktop inboxes
- Compatible with a long list of popular email platforms
- The repo itself contains only six core templates; additional designs live on the companion site
Pricing
Free. The templates are distributed free through the public GitHub repository, with an optional PayPal donation for supporters. No paid tiers or premium versions are advertised on the page.
FAQ
Is Responsive HTML Email Templates for Startups and SaaS free?
Yes, the entire collection of six email templates is free to download from the GitHub repository. There is a PayPal donation link for users who want to support the project, but no payment is required to use the templates.
Which email service providers are these templates compatible with?
The templates are compatible with any ESP that supports HTML email. The project explicitly lists Active Trail, Amazon SES, Aweber, Benchmark Mail, Constant Contact, ConvertKit, GetResponse, MailChimp, MailGun, MailJet, MailerLite, SendGrid, SendInBlue, Shopify, and many others.
Do I need coding skills to use these templates?
You need basic HTML knowledge to open and edit the template files. For email clients that strip head HTML, you also need to run the free CSS inliner tool so styles remain intact.
What if my email provider doesn't support head HTML attributes?
The project provides a free CSS inliner tool at htmlemailtemplates.net/free-stuff/email-css-inliner. Pasting your HTML into this tool converts head styles to inline CSS, making the template render in providers that don't support head HTML.
Are there more templates beyond the six in this repository?
Yes, htmlemailtemplates.net hosts separate galleries for Startup Emails and SaaS Email Templates that contain additional designs. The GitHub repository links to those galleries for further options.
