Add Live Countdown Timers to SendGrid Marketing Campaigns and API Emails
Embed a Tickvio timer in any SendGrid email — Marketing Campaigns or API-sent — using a standard HTML image tag. No integration needed.
Get Started For FreeSendGrid serves two distinct use cases: Marketing Campaigns for promotional emails and the Email API for transactional and programmatic sends. Tickvio works in both.
For developers using the SendGrid API, the Tickvio image tag goes directly into the HTML body. No API integration between Tickvio and SendGrid.
Tickvio works the same way with other email platforms. See how it integrates with Postmark, Mailjet, Mailgun, and Amazon SES. Ready to get started? Set up your first timer or see a live demo.
How to Add a Tickvio Timer
Generate Your Timer in Tickvio
Open Tickvio and create a new countdown timer. Set the deadline date, time, and timezone. Choose a timer design and customise colours to match your SendGrid email template. For Marketing Campaigns with a universal sale deadline, select fixed-date. For API-triggered transactional emails where each recipient receives at a different time, select evergreen — each person gets a personal countdown. Copy the embed code.
Add the Code in SendGrid's Editor or API Template
For Marketing Campaigns: open your email in SendGrid's Design editor and add a Code module, or switch to the Code editor and paste the image tag directly. For API sends: include the image tag in your HTML template within the API request body. For Dynamic Templates: add the tag in the template HTML. Send a test to verify the timer renders live.
Send — The Timer Renders Live
Send the Marketing Campaign or trigger the API send. Every recipient who opens sees the live countdown. SendGrid's analytics — available in both Marketing Campaigns and Email Activity — will track opens and clicks from timer-enhanced emails. For API users, the timer adds a conversion element to transactional emails that are otherwise purely informational.
Why This Integration Works
Works in Both Marketing Campaigns and API Sends
Tickvio's image-based approach works in both SendGrid contexts. Marketing Campaigns use the Design editor with Code modules; the API uses HTML templates. The same Tickvio image tag works in both without modification. This means teams that send both promotional and transactional email through SendGrid can use Tickvio timers across their entire email program with one consistent approach.
No SendGrid Integration or API Key Exchange
No SendGrid API key exchange, no webhook, no event integration, and no SendGrid marketplace app. Tickvio doesn't need access to your SendGrid account. The timer is a hosted image URL that SendGrid renders like any other image in your template. Zero impact on your SendGrid sending reputation, API rate limits, or account configuration.
Developer-Friendly: Standard HTML Image Tag
For developers building with SendGrid's API, the timer is a single HTML image tag — no SDK, no library, no Tickvio API calls from your application code. It adds zero complexity to your SendGrid integration. If your code already constructs HTML email templates for SendGrid, adding a Tickvio timer is as simple as including one additional image tag in the template string.
Most popular ways to use the timer
Timer Use Cases
Transactional Email with Offer Expiry
Add a Tickvio evergreen timer to order confirmation or shipping notification emails sent via SendGrid's API. Include a 24-hour limited cross-sell offer alongside the timer — a discount on a related product, free shipping on a follow-up order, or an upgrade incentive. The timer turns a standard transactional receipt into a revenue-generating touchpoint with a visual deadline.
Marketing Campaign with Flash Sale Timer
Create a SendGrid Marketing Campaign for a flash sale or seasonal promotion. Add a Tickvio fixed-date timer counting down to when the sale ends. The timer appears in the hero section above the CTA, providing visual proof that the offer is genuinely time-limited. SendGrid's audience segmentation ensures the right recipients see the offer; the timer ensures they act before it expires.
SaaS Upgrade Prompt via API
Trigger a SendGrid API email when a SaaS user hits a usage limit or approaches a plan threshold. Include a Tickvio evergreen timer with a 48-hour upgrade offer. Each user sees a personal countdown from their first open. The timer transforms a standard usage notification into a time-limited upgrade opportunity, driving faster plan upgrades from users who have demonstrated product engagement.
Compatibility Details
Supported features: Marketing Campaigns, API v3 Mail Send, SMTP relay, Automation, A/B testing.
Plan compatibility: Free, Essentials, Pro, and Premier.
Rendering: Animated GIF in Gmail, Apple Mail, Yahoo, and mobile clients. Static fallback in Outlook desktop.
Add a Countdown Timer to Your Next SendGrid Email
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Tickvio need a SendGrid API key?
No. Tickvio operates independently. The timer is a hosted image URL.
Can I use Tickvio in API-sent emails?
Yes. Include the image tag in your HTML template. Works with v3 Mail Send and SMTP relay.
Does the timer work in Marketing Campaigns?
Yes. Use the Code module in the Design editor or the full Code editor.
Which SendGrid plans support this?
All SendGrid plans — Free, Essentials, Pro, and Premier.