Getting email into the inbox is a pain. You spend hours on the perfect design, hit send, and—poof—half your emails vanish into spam. If you’re tired of guesswork and want real answers, you’re in the right place. This guide breaks down, step-by-step, how to use Mail-tester ([mail-tester.html]) to compare email templates and actually improve your chances of hitting the inbox.
This isn’t about chasing a perfect score or copying what everyone else does. It’s about understanding what actually matters, cutting through the noise, and making changes that move the needle.
Why Template Testing Matters (And What to Ignore)
Before jumping into steps, let’s get clear on what’s worth your time:
- Templates matter. Fonts, images, links, and even the way you code your HTML can flag spam filters.
- Content isn’t everything. Deliverability also depends on your domain, sending IP, and reputation. But the template is the one thing you can tweak quickly.
- Don’t obsess over tiny differences. Chasing a 10/10 on every test is a waste. Aim for “good enough” and focus on big issues first.
Tools like Mail-tester won’t solve everything, but they’re a solid way to spot obvious problems.
Step 1: Set Up Your Test — Keep It Real
Comparing templates only works if you test like a real sender. Here’s how:
- Send from your actual email platform. Don’t copy-paste into Gmail or Outlook. Use your real sending setup (Mailchimp, Sendgrid, whatever).
- Use your real sending domain. If you test from a Gmail address but send from
marketing@yourcompany.com, results will be misleading. - Pick a real campaign or draft. Don’t use dummy text. Send the actual template you plan to use.
Pro Tip: If you’re testing a template you haven’t sent before, make sure your sender authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is set up. Mail-tester checks these, and missing them tanks your score.
Step 2: Generate a Mail-tester Test Address
- Go to [mail-tester.html] and click “Start Test.”
- You’ll get a weird-looking email address. Copy it.
This address is temporary and unique to your session. Don’t share it, and don’t use it for anything else.
Step 3: Send Your First Template
- Compose your email in your platform.
- Send it to the Mail-tester address you copied.
A few things to watch: - Send as a real campaign. Don’t use “test send” features if they add banners or footers. - Use your normal subject line and sender name. Spam filters care about these, too. - Wait a minute. Sometimes delivery takes a few seconds.
Step 4: Review the Mail-tester Report
After sending, reload the Mail-tester page. You’ll see a score out of 10, and a breakdown of issues.
Here’s what actually matters (and what doesn’t):
Pay Attention To
- Authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC): Missing these? Fix them first. Everything else is secondary.
- Spammy content triggers: Words like “FREE!!!” or “Click now!” can trip filters, but usually only if the rest of your setup is sketchy.
- Broken HTML or images: A missing image or bad link is easy to fix and helps your score.
- Blacklists: If your sending IP is listed, that’s bad news. You can’t fix this with a template change.
Ignore (Mostly)
- Minor “red” or “yellow” warnings about HTML best practices. Some warnings are picky. If your main mail clients render your email fine, don’t sweat every detail.
- Unsubscribe link warnings (for transactional emails): Only matters for bulk/marketing mail.
- Grammatical suggestions: These don’t affect deliverability.
Pro Tip: Don’t chase a perfect 10/10. A score above 8 is good enough for most real-world sending.
Step 5: Repeat With Your Alternate Templates
Here’s the actual comparison part:
- For each template, repeat steps 2-4.
- Use the same sending method, subject, and sender for each test. Only change the template.
- Record your results. (Spreadsheet, notepad, whatever works.)
What to compare: - Overall score: Did one template tank your score? Why? - Specific issues: Did a certain image or layout trigger warnings? Did plain text versions help? - Rendering: Does anything break visually in the HTML preview?
If two templates have the same score but one looks way cleaner in the HTML check, go with the cleaner version.
Step 6: Make Simple, Targeted Changes
Don’t overhaul everything at once. Tweak one thing at a time:
- Remove suspicious links or images.
- Clean up messy HTML. (Export from a reputable builder, or run through a HTML tidy tool.)
- Add a plain text version if you don’t have one. It can help with some spam filters.
- Fix missing authentication.
Rerun the test after each change. If your score improves, keep the fix. If nothing changes, move on.
Step 7: Test in the Wild
Mail-tester is a good reality check, but it’s not perfect:
- Test with real recipients. Send to your own Gmail, Outlook, and mobile accounts.
- Watch where the email lands. Inbox? Promotions? Spam?
- Ask a few friends or colleagues to check. Different mail providers use different filters.
If your email still hits spam everywhere, you may have bigger issues (blacklisted IP, poor sender reputation, or bad list hygiene). No template will fix those.
Pro Tip: Don’t test on your office Wi-Fi only. Sometimes your own network gets whitelisted over time.
What Actually Makes a Difference (And What Doesn’t)
Works: - Fixing authentication issues (SPF/DKIM/DMARC) - Removing broken images and links - Using a clean, simple HTML layout - Including a plain-text part
Doesn’t Work: - Obsessing over every “warning” in Mail-tester - Chasing a perfect score at the expense of clarity or branding - Constantly redesigning for every small change
Not Worth the Stress: - Over-optimizing subject lines for “spammy” words (unless you’re going overboard) - Worrying about tiny HTML errors if clients render your email fine
Quick Tips for Better Inbox Placement
- Keep it simple. Fancy designs tank faster than plain ones.
- Stick to one or two fonts. Weird fonts look spammy.
- Don’t overload with images or giant buttons. Less is more.
- Always have a plain-text version. Some filters check for this.
- Test, tweak, repeat. Don’t expect perfection—just consistent improvement.
Wrapping Up: Don’t Overthink It
Comparing email templates with Mail-tester is about spotting big, fixable problems—not gaming the system. Focus on real issues (authentication, broken HTML, blacklists), ignore the nitpicky stuff, and keep your templates clean and simple.
Hit “send,” see what happens, and tweak as you go. The best results come from staying curious, not chasing mythical perfect scores. Good luck!