How previews are counted in Litmus
Email previews allow you to view your project on any of the 120+ client and device options Litmus offers. Each preview provides an individual screenshot of a selected device or client. Each screenshot generated adds to the count toward your monthly allowance.
Your default email client list
Your default email client list is the first group of email previews that will generate for Builder projects when you check Email clients, for the first update of Previews & QA, and for previews in the Litmus Chrome extension. The default list in your account includes 35 previews - a broad assortment Litmus provides as a starting point. You can customize your default client list to add or remove selections in your settings any time.
You can also add email clients as you work on a project. Adding a client will generate that preview but will not regenerate any that are already visible. That means only the additional client adds to your preview count. The added clients in a project do not become part of your default list.
When previews count
Action | Previews counted | Locations previews are available |
Email draft sent from ESP | Default list |
Builder, Previews & QA |
Email created using ESP sync |
Default list | Builder, Previews & QA |
Paste HTML into Builder | None unless Email Previews tab is selected | |
Start an email from a template in Builder | None | |
Paste HTML into Previews & QA from Test | Default list | Previews & QA |
Paste HTML into Proof from Collaborate | None | |
Save HTML in Builder Browser view | None | |
Select Email clients tab in Builder | Default list | Builder |
Save HTML in Builder Email clients tab | Default list | Builder |
Select Re-run email previews | Default list (plus any additional selections) | Builder |
Share a project from a link | None | Builder, Previews & QA |
Update Previews & QA (or P&QA and Proof) | Default list | Previews & QA |
ESP generated counts
- When you send in a draft of your email from your email service provider (ESP) or start an email from the ESP syncing option, a set of Email Previews will be created using your default client list. These are available in Builder and Previews & QA.
- When you run Previews and QA on your email within your ESP using the Litmus Chrome Extension.
HTML generated counts
- When you paste your HTML in Previews & QA, one set of Email Previews is generated from your default client list.
- NOTE: Pasting HTML into the Build or Collaborate sections does not automatically generate Email Previews.
- When you upload your HTML via a file storage integration, one set of Email Previews will be created, available in the Previews & QA tab.
Counts from creating an email
- Selecting Email Previews in Builder will generate one set of Email Previews. If you already sent a draft into your Litmus test address and the HTML has not been changed, selecting Email Previews will not count against your Previews usage.
- Once the HTML is changed or updated in Builder, choosing Email Previews, Update Previews & QA, or Update Proof & Previews tabs will generate a new set of Email Previews that count toward your usage.
- Saving a Builder project when the Email Previews window is open will generate one set of Email Previews. Even if you are viewing one specific email client preview, saving your project will run a full set of Email Previews.
- Choosing the Rerun previews option on the Email Previews tab of Builder will run a new set of previews. If there are unsaved changes to your email, these changes will also be auto-saved when you select Rerun previews.
Sharing email previews
- Creating a share link in Previews & QA or Builder will not generate an additional set of Email Previews. No matter how many times the public share link is viewed, it will not count as additional Previews.
Email preview limits by subscription
- Basic offers up to 1,000 Previews per month
- Plus offers up to 2,000 Previews per month
- Enterprise offers a customizable amount of Email Previews every month, based on the unique needs of your business
Manage your Preview usage
Your testing volume accumulates over the course of your monthly billing period and resets at the start of each new monthly billing period. For example, if you’re billed on the 15th of each month (or for annual plans, if you started your plan on the 15th), your Email Previews will be counted from the 15th of the month to the 14th of the following month.
The best way to manage your Previews usage is awareness. Your account has a usage chart that shows a summary of Email Previews usage over the last 6 months. Hover over any bar in the chart to see the exact count for that period.
Select your Previews
In the Settings area under Email clients, you can preset which email clients you want to test by default. This gives you control over how many Previews are run in a set for any new emails. You can then adjust your client list as needed in the Builder and Previews & QA tabs for individual emails.
When in Builder, you can select which previews you would like to generate. Choose the Email Previews tab, and then Choose Clients. Once you select the email clients and Run Previews, that will count towards your Previews usage. This will not alter your default client list or your client selections in the Previews & QA tab.
Enterprise accounts only
If you’re an Admin or Account Holder, you can set default email clients for your whole team to streamline testing.
Tips for managing Previews
- Remember that using the Update Previews & QA tab (or Update Proof & Previews for customers with Proof) will run one set of Email Previews in Previews & QA. If you have updated your client list in Builder, this will not carry over to the Previews & QA tab. Your default client list will be used unless you have edited it.
- Saving in Builder runs one set of Email Previews. If you need to focus on specific clients, you can change your selection to only those clients within Builder. This will not alter your default client list, or client selections in the Previews & QA tab.
- When working in Builder, code and save with the browser view open and only switch to Email Previews when ready.
- Importing from a file storage service always runs one set of Email Previews as part of the Previews & QA test.
- You can create a Proof without previews by pasting HTML in the Collaborate section of the New Email dialog. This will not generate a set of Email Previews.
- You can track your monthly Previews usage in the Usage tab of your settings.
- If you would like to set a cap on your account to avoid overages, please contact our support team. If your account is over usage for more than 2 months, our team will reach out to see if another plan would be a better fit for your team.