Is it important to include a plain text version in emails?

Key findings

• Accessibility: Plain text versions significantly aid screen readers and users with visual impairments or those who use high zoom settings, ensuring content is readable without complex rendering issues. While well-coded HTML can also be accessible, plain text provides a simpler, more reliable alternative.
• Spam filters: Some spam filters, including legacy systems or less sophisticated ones like SpamAssassin, may assign lower spam scores to emails that include a plain text version, potentially improving email deliverability. This can help bypass certain filters.
• Fallback: It serves as a crucial fallback for email clients that cannot render HTML or for users who have HTML rendering disabled for security or preference reasons. This ensures content is always displayed.
• Reduced file size: Plain text emails generally have a smaller file size, leading to faster loading times and reduced bandwidth consumption, especially beneficial on slower connections.

Key considerations

• Maintenance overhead: Creating and maintaining a separate plain text version adds an extra step to the email creation process, which can be a burden for some email service providers (ESPs) or teams.
• Dynamic content: Plain text versions may not easily support dynamic content or complex personalization, limiting marketing capabilities in certain scenarios.
• HTML quality: If the HTML version is well-coded and follows web content accessibility guidelines, the need for a plain text alternative for accessibility might be reduced.MIME type: It is generally recommended to send multipart/alternative emails, which include both HTML and plain text parts, allowing the recipient's email client to choose the most suitable version.

Key opinions

• Spam score: Some marketers find that including a plain text version helps lower SpamAssassin scores, providing a degree of protection against simplistic spam detection tools.
• Accessibility vs. HTML: There's a debate on whether a well-structured HTML email can provide better accessibility than a poorly formatted plain text version, particularly concerning long, unwrapped URLs.
• Perceived obsolescence: A growing number of marketers believe that the necessity of plain text has diminished significantly since 2012, as modern Mail User Agents (MUAs) almost universally support HTML.
• No impact on engagement: Some report no visible impact on open or click rates after removing the plain text version, suggesting its practical importance for most audiences is minimal.

Key considerations

• Tool limitations: Email marketing tools may not adequately support plain text, especially for dynamic content, making it an impractical addition for some campaigns.
• False positives: Poorly or automatically generated plain text versions can sometimes lead to false positives in mail filters, ironically harming email deliverability.
• Cost-benefit analysis: The decision often comes down to weighing the potential benefits against the additional time and effort required for creating and approving a plain text version.
• Email client rendering: Marketers must consider that even if a plain text version is included, the email client's default rendering may still heavily favor the HTML version, or vice versa depending on user settings. This affects how recipients view the email.

Key opinions

• Screen reader compatibility: Experts confirm that plain text significantly helps users relying on screen readers or those who use increased font sizes and zoom levels, especially when complex HTML fails to render correctly.
• HTML quality and accessibility: If HTML email adheres strictly to WCAG guidelines, the need for a separate plain text alternative for accessibility may be reduced.
• Legacy systems and filters: Some older email systems or spam filters still heavily rely on the presence and content of plain text versions for scoring and rendering decisions.
• Improved deliverability: Including a plain text version is a best practice that can indirectly improve deliverability by offering a robust fallback and reducing signals that might trigger spam filters, particularly for blacklisted environments.

Key considerations

• Image-heavy emails: Emails primarily composed of a single image containing all text are problematic for accessibility and should always be accompanied by a well-formatted plain text alternative.
• Maintaining consistency: It is critical to ensure the plain text version accurately reflects the HTML content to avoid confusion or a poor user experience. Outdated plain text versions can cause issues.
• Reader mode: Experts advocate for the development of a "Reader Mode" in mail clients, similar to web browsers, which would automatically simplify HTML rendering for improved readability across various devices and accessibility needs.
• Recipient choice: Providing both versions respects user preferences and ensures that recipients can view content in their preferred or necessary format, aligning with modern email best practices. This also supports user choice and experience.

Key findings

• Universal reach: Documentation emphasizes that including a plain text version ensures emails are readable by virtually all email clients, including older ones, webmail interfaces, and mobile devices with limited HTML rendering capabilities. This aligns with ensuring all subscribers receive your email.
• Accessibility standard: It is a key component for accessibility, supporting screen readers, text-to-speech software, and users who prefer minimal formatting due to visual impairments or cognitive differences.
• Spam prevention: Many email systems analyze both HTML and plain text parts for spam scoring. Providing a clean, relevant plain text version can positively influence spam filter decisions and help avoid being marked as spam.
• User control: Including both versions provides recipients with the choice of how they view the email, enhancing user experience and engagement. This is especially true for users with settings that block images or complex scripts.

Key considerations

• Synchronization: Documentation stresses the importance of keeping the plain text and HTML versions synchronized. Outdated or inconsistent plain text can confuse recipients and potentially negatively impact sender reputation.
• Content hierarchy: The plain text version should maintain the core message and calls to action from the HTML version, ensuring readability and clarity without relying on visual elements.
• Unsubscribe links: It is critical to include an easily accessible unsubscribe link in the plain text version, complying with email marketing regulations and best practices. For more information, read our article is base64 encoding required by Google.
• Fallback for images: If HTML emails are heavily image-based, the plain text version becomes even more vital for conveying the message, as many clients may block images by default. Learn more about image-only emails and deliverability.