Why It Matters
Plain text emails have a few advantages that HTML can't match. They render perfectly on every device and email client. They're lighter (faster to load). Some studies suggest they have higher deliverability because spam filters view them as less likely to be promotional. And they feel more personal -- a plain text email from a real person looks nothing like a marketing blast.
How It Works
When you send a MIME multipart email, you include both an HTML part and a plain text part. If the recipient's client can't render HTML (rare these days) or if the reader prefers plain text, they'll see the text version. If you only send HTML without a plain text alternative, some spam filters will penalize you.
For cold outreach and 1-to-1 sales emails, plain text often outperforms HTML. It feels personal and conversational. For newsletters and promotional campaigns, HTML is usually the better choice because you need visual elements to tell the story.
Quick Tips
- Always include a plain text version of your HTML emails -- most platforms auto-generate one, but review it for readability
- For cold email and sales outreach, try plain text first; it often gets better reply rates
- Use line breaks and spacing generously in plain text emails; walls of text are hard to read