React Email Review (2026)

React Email lets you build HTML emails using React components. No more wrestling with table layouts and inline styles manually.

What I Like

1. React components for email. Write emails the same way you write UI. Components, props, composition — it all works.

2. Local preview server. npx react-email dev opens a preview of all your email templates with hot reload. No more "send test email, check inbox, repeat."

3. Resend integration. Pass JSX directly to Resend's send() function. No render step needed.

4. Pre-built components. <Button>, <Container>, <Section>, <Column>, <Img> — handle email quirks automatically.

5. TypeScript. Templates are type-safe. If a prop is missing, you get a compile error, not a broken email in production.

What I Don't Like

1. Inline styles only. Email clients don't support <style> tags reliably. React Email uses inline styles, which makes styling verbose.

2. No Tailwind (yet, sort of). There's experimental Tailwind support, but it's not as polished as regular React + Tailwind.

3. Email client quirks remain. React Email handles most compatibility issues, but Outlook and Gmail still have rendering differences.

4. Small component library. You'll build most custom components yourself. The pre-built set covers basics only.

Verdict

8/10. React Email is the best DX for building email templates if you're a React developer. The local preview server alone saves hours. Pair with Resend for the smoothest email workflow in 2026. Use MJML if email client compatibility is your top priority.