Preferred Email Width

[S_D1]

Hi,

we are planning to work with a creative agency to create new email templates. What is the preferred/ standard email template width?

We are juggling between 600Px vs 750Px.

Thanks,

[Jo_Pitts1]

600px is pretty common.. I've seen 620.  750 would be WIDE!!!

[Katja_Keesom · Accepted solution]

Totally agree, as far as I know the common standard has actually reduced from 640 to 600.

[Jon_Wright]

600px tends to be standard. Although we have a global variable in our email template so can change width if needed.

[Dave_Roberts]

The most important thing about the width from my perspective is that it divides evenly into columns. If you're using 600 or 750, that splits nicely into 2-columns (300 and 375) as well as 3-columns (200 and 250) but at 4-columns you'll notice 750px doesn't divide up evenly (187.5px) which is what makes 750 the poorer choice from my POV. 

I usually see 600 as the "standard" width for email across the last 3-4 years. I've seen wider, but it's usually not based on "best practices" so much as designer/tool preferences from what I've seen. One thing to keep in mind here is that now-a-days more folks might check their email on their mobile device more than their computer so it might be more important that it's optimized for mobile than any specific desktop width.

[Jo_Pitts1]

@Dave_Roberts ,

I would dispute your statement about 750px not dividing nicely into columns (maybe I'm just in a contentious mood this morning 🙂 ).

Typically you'd have a gap between columns (let's call it 10px). That leaves 740px left over or 370px per column.

Cheers

Jo

[Dave_Roberts]

Hey Jo, let me know if there's something off with the math for 3 columns here -- I think you'll actually end up with a remainder (uneven columns) using 750px as the base with, 10px for the column gap and 3 columns:

750px - 10px (1 gap)  =  740px / 2 columns = 370px per column

750px - 20px (2 gaps) = 730px / 3 columns = 243.33 per column

750px - 30px (3 gaps) = 720px / 4 columns = 180px per column

Also, don't forget that you'll usually want some padding on the left/right of the row that's usually equal to the column gap (so another 10px per side makes the math a little different....

750 - 10px - 20px = 720px / 2 = 360px per column

750 - 20px - 20px = 710px / 3 = 236.66px per column

750 - 30px - 20px = 700px / 4 = 175px per column

[Jo_Pitts1]

Dave,

Your math is fine.  I guess the key is that I don't assume I'll have the same gaps between 3 columns as 2 columns 🙂

Ultimately, I think 750 is too wide for an email anyway, and would be disinclined to do three columns in a narrower format.

Cheers

Jo

[Jasbir_Kaur]

Hi @S_D1 

Generally we prefer to create the email at 640px (outer table 640px & Inner table at 600px), however if you want to expand your email at 750px that would also possible.

Thanks! 

Jasbir