Canary vs MJML
Canary
canarymail.devMJML
mjml.ioSide by side
| Figure | Canary | MJML |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $3/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 3 |
| Spec score · Email Design Software | 9.4 (#1) | 8.6 (#7) |
| Spec score · Email Template Software | 9.4 (#1) | 8.7 (#6) |
| API authentication | Programmatic requests use API keys in the X-API-Key header, with scoped permissions such as send. | Each API account receives one Application ID and two API keys, with public and secret keys intended for browser and back-end use respectively. |
| Responsive layouts | Templates support containers and two- or three-column layouts for side-by-side content. | Columns automatically stack for mobile layouts and the framework targets major email clients including Outlook. |
| Self-hosting | The quick-start guide uses Docker Compose with PostgreSQL, Redis, MinIO, and Gotenberg services. | Because the compiler is open source and installable from npm, teams can run MJML locally or in their own build and CI systems. |
| Support | Documentation directs users to GitHub Issues for bugs and GitHub Discussions for questions and feature requests. | MJML invites users to contact [email protected] and participate through Slack and GitHub. |
| What it does | Canary is a developer-oriented visual email-template designer with API-based delivery and self-hosting. | MJML is a markup language and compiler that turns semantic email markup into responsive HTML using nested tables, inline CSS and client-specific workarounds. |
Plans
In their own words
Canary
Canary Mail is an email client for managing accounts you already have; it does not provide or host email accounts. It supports Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Exchange, and IMAP accounts, with apps or access listed for Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, web, and extension platforms. A unified inbox, priority and unread views, selective notifications, snooze, pinning, and cleanup tools help organize messages. Growth and Pro+ include AI Copilot for drafting replies, suggesting subject lines, rewriting in a selected tone, summarizing threads, and searching across accounts. The maker says email is not used to train AI models and that triage and indexing run on the device. Asana and Todoist integrations can turn email into tasks. Pro+ adds PGP and SecureSend encryption, tracker blocking, and phishing detection. Free costs nothing; Growth costs $36 a year; Pro+ costs $100 a year. A seven-day trial needs no card and does not auto-bill; paid subscriptions are yearly, with lifetime purchases also available.
MJML
MJML is a markup language for building responsive email layouts. Its engine converts MJML into email HTML made with nested tables and inline CSS, with responsive behavior for popular email clients, including Outlook. Reusable, extensible components provide a starting point, and users can create their own components. MJML is open source under the MIT license and free to use. Its online editor supports writing and rendering MJML, and its free REST API renders markup into responsive HTML. The command-line interface can compile files, watch for changes, and save generated HTML to a chosen file. Local installation is available through npm on macOS, Linux, and Windows; plugins are available for Visual Studio Code and Sublime Text, alongside a desktop app. API accounts receive an Application ID and two API keys, with public and secret keys intended for browser and back-end use. Includes are ignored by default, and enabled include paths are restricted to approved roots. Once the HTML is rendered, users must send it through an email service provider or directly from a shell. The mj-button component is not fully clickable because of email-client support.