Email guide

How to add a countdown timer to Stripo

Stripo is where many teams build templates before exporting them to an ESP. Its Timer block counts to one fixed time and meters opens. A tikio timer is a plain image tag in an HTML block, so it travels with the template to whichever ESP sends it — merge tags included.

Create your free countdown Jump to steps

Design your countdown in tikio

Create a timer in the tikio editor: pick colors, fonts, labels and the languages you need. What you see in the editor is exactly what lands in the inbox — the timer is delivered as a regular animated image.
2
Get the code

Click Get code, choose “In an email”, pick how the countdown works — until a date, a personal timer per subscriber, or repeating on a schedule — and copy the code. The link stores the timer, so you can change the deadline any time, even after sending: emails already sent pick it up within minutes.
URL
```
https://t.tikio.io/e/a1b2.gif
```
3
Insert the timer into your Stripo template

In the Stripo editor, drag an HTML block where the timer should appear and paste the snippet below. When you export the template to your ESP, the image tag goes with it; the ESP replaces any merge tag in the URL at send time.
HTML
```
<img src="https://t.tikio.io/e/a1b2.gif" alt="Offer ends soon" width="480" style="border:0;max-width:100%;height:auto;" />
```

Per-recipient evergreen deadlines

Stripo is an editor, not a sender, so the recipient key is the merge tag of the ESP you export to — for example *|UNIQID|* for Mailchimp or {{ person.id }} for Klaviyo. Stripo keeps it as text and your ESP fills it in per recipient.

HTML

<img src="https://t.tikio.io/e/a1b2.gif?uid=YOUR_ESP_MERGE_TAG" alt="Offer ends soon" width="480" style="border:0;max-width:100%;height:auto;" />

Stripo’s built-in timer vs tikio

Stripo’s Timer block counts to a fixed end time and is metered: the free plan includes 1,000 timer opens a month, then paid packs, and when opens run out the timer turns into a blank pixel. For one fixed date within those limits, it is fine. tikio covers personal and recurring timers and does not meter opens during early access.

Feature	Built into Stripo	tikio
Fixed date for everyone	Yes — in a time zone you choose, as a 60-second GIF	Yes
Personal deadline per subscriber	Not documented	Yes — a personal timer per subscriber, from their first open
Recurring on local time (DST)	Not documented	Daily, weekday or weekly reset at a local time, following daylight saving
Change the deadline after sending	Not documented	Yes — emails already sent pick up a new deadline within minutes
At zero	A fallback image after expiry	Zeros, hide or another image; a smart link sends clicks elsewhere after zero
Same timer on your website	Not documented	The same link as an iframe on any site
Fonts	Font, color and size options	Your own uploaded fonts or Google Fonts, free
Other platforms	Any ESP you export to; opens are metered	Works in every ESP you send from

Every platform’s built-in block compared: built-in ESP timers vs tikio.

Evergreen countdown timer in a Stripo template

Create a Personal timer in tikio, choose the ESP you will send from, and paste the code into an HTML block. The code carries that ESP’s subscriber ID tag; Stripo leaves it untouched on export and the ESP fills it in, so every recipient gets their own window from their first open.

HTML

<img src="https://t.tikio.io/e/a1b2.gif?uid=*|UNIQID|*" alt="Offer ends soon" width="480" style="border:0;max-width:100%;height:auto;" />

FAQ

Questions, answered

Does the timer survive export to my ESP?

Yes. It is a plain <img> tag with an absolute URL, so it exports like any other image.

Are timer opens limited?

Not during tikio’s early access. Stripo’s own Timer block meters opens by plan.

Can I change the deadline after sending?

Yes. The link stores the deadline, so editing it updates emails already sent within minutes — no re-export needed.

Your first countdown is minutes away

Free during early access — no credit card required. Design once, paste one snippet, and the timer ticks on every open.

Create your free countdown