Their inbox requests the countdown image just like any other picture in the message.
2
Timerbeam renders it in that instant
The real time left is calculated the moment the image is requested.
3
It counts down once, then holds
The animation ticks down to the real remaining time and stops; it never loops.
4
Opened again tomorrow? Still correct
The same image address shows a smaller number, or your expired message once the deadline has passed.
Adding it to HubSpot
1
Copy your embed URL
Build your countdown in Timerbeam and copy its embed image URL.
2
Add an Image module
Drag an Image module into a marketing email or a workflow email in HubSpot's editor.
3
Set the source to your URL
Set its source to your Timerbeam URL instead of uploading through HubSpot's File Manager, so it keeps rendering the real time left on every open.
4
Drop it into a workflow (optional)
Since a workflow email can fire on a per-contact schedule, the same embed stays accurate whether it’s opened on day one or day ten.
Evergreen timers in HubSpot
An evergreen timer gives every recipient their own countdown — 48 hours from their first open, say — instead of one shared deadline. Your email platform names the recipient in the image link with a merge tag; “Use in email” gives you the link with a placeholder to swap for it. On the Pro plan and up.
HubSpot prints date properties in your account’s display format, and marketing emails can’t reformat a token — keep the date in a single-line text property as YYYY-MM-DD (a workflow can copy it there), and use that property’s name.
Dates are read as YYYY-MM-DD, a full date-time or a unix timestamp. Left unfilled, every open simply shows the full duration — never a false “expired” — and your dashboard tells you it’s happening. If an image block won’t fill merge tags in its address, paste the HTML from “Use in email” into an HTML block instead.
Frequently asked questions
Does the countdown still work if a workflow email is delayed or opened late?
Yes — since HubSpot workflow emails can reach different contacts on different days, a live countdown is actually a better fit than a static image: it always shows the real time left, whether that’s the send day or a week later.
Does an email countdown timer work in every inbox?
Yes — it is an image, not a script, so it renders in Gmail, Apple Mail, Outlook and Yahoo without any special support from the email client.
Is the countdown accurate for recipients in different time zones?
Yes. The deadline is one fixed moment in time, and the image is generated the instant someone opens it, so everyone sees the real time left until that same moment, wherever they are.
Can I change the deadline after I've already sent the campaign?
Yes, if you save the timer instead of using a one-off link — its deadline, theme or expired message can be updated any time, and every inbox picks up the change on its next open.
Can each recipient get their own countdown?
Yes — an evergreen timer runs for a set time per recipient, from their first open or from a date your email platform fills into the link (a signup date, say), instead of to one shared deadline. It’s on the Pro plan and up.
Is there a free email countdown timer option?
Yes — the free plan includes saved timers plus unlimited one-off timers, with no credit card required to start.