How to Add Countdown Timers to ActiveCampaign
When ActiveCampaign's own Timer block is enough, when you need a Sendtric timer instead, and how to add one with the HTML block and %SUBSCRIBERID%.
First Publish Date: .Last Updated: Give every ActiveCampaign automation email its own live deadline.
A Sendtric countdown timer is an animated image drawn when the email is opened, so the time left is correct whether someone opens it now or next Tuesday. In ActiveCampaign it goes into an HTML block, in campaigns and in automation emails alike.
ActiveCampaign's Email Designer has its own Timer block. It counts down to an end date and time that you set, in a time zone you choose, and can show an image once it expires. That covers a simple sale deadline. A Sendtric timer is worth adding when you want the countdown to start when each contact opens the email, to stay unique to each contact, or to be changed after sending.
| Feature | Sendtric + ActiveCampaign | Native ActiveCampaign Timer block |
|---|---|---|
| Countdown to a fixed date and time | Yes | Yes |
| Image after the timer ends | Yes | Yes |
| Start-on-Open timers | Yes | No |
| Unique timer per contact with %SUBSCRIBERID% | Yes | No |
| Start-on-Send timers | No | No |
| Different link before and after expiry (Dynamic Links) | Yes | No |
| Works in automations and campaigns | Yes | Yes |
Which countdown timers does ActiveCampaign support and what are they used for
Fixed date timers
One deadline for everyone, like midnight on the last day of a promotion. Paste the code and you're done. No personalization tags are involved, and it works on the Sendtric Free plan.
Start-on-Open timers, with unique timers
The countdown begins when a contact first opens the email and runs for a set time, for example 24 hours to use a welcome discount triggered by a form submission. That makes it a good fit for automations, where every contact enters at a different moment. Start-on-Open timers need the Sendtric Micro plan or higher.
Turn on Unique User Timer so a contact who reopens the email sees their countdown carry on rather than restart. Sendtric uses ActiveCampaign's contact ID tag, %SUBSCRIBERID%, to tell contacts apart, and fills it in for you when you choose ActiveCampaign as the Email Service Provider.
Start-on-Send timers
A Start-on-Send timer needs the exact time each email was sent. ActiveCampaign's date tags, such as %TODAY%, only print a date without a time, so Sendtric can't build a send-time countdown from them. Start-on-Send isn't available in ActiveCampaign. For automations, a unique Start-on-Open timer usually does the same job.
How to add a countdown timer to ActiveCampaign
Step 1: Create the timer in Sendtric
Go to Timers, click Create New, name the timer and choose Standard or Start on Email Open. Set the end date or the duration, design it, and click Save.
Step 2: Select ActiveCampaign for a unique timer
For a Start-on-Open timer, switch on Unique User Timer and pick ActiveCampaign under Email Service Provider. The Unique User Code tab then shows the code with %SUBSCRIBERID% in it.
Step 3: Copy the code
Choose the alignment you want, then click Copy Code.
Step 4: Add an HTML block in the Email Designer
Open your campaign or automation email in the Email Designer. In the Content menu on the right, open Blocks, scroll down to HTML and drag it to where the timer should go. Click the block to open the code editor, paste the Sendtric code, then click any other block to close the editor.
Step 5: Test with a real contact
ActiveCampaign's test emails don't fill in personalization tags, so a unique timer in a test send gets the literal %SUBSCRIBERID% and every tester shares one countdown. For fixed date timers a normal test is fine. For unique timers, duplicate the campaign and send it to a small test list of real contacts, or add test contacts to the automation.
Using the Classic Designer?
Older campaigns may still use the Classic Designer, where the steps are slightly different. On the Insert tab, drag the HTML Block into your email.
Click the block, paste the code into the Custom HTML window and click Save.
Timer beside an image or text
Drag a Structure with two Containers into the email first, then put the HTML block in one container. A smaller timer size keeps it readable in a half-width column.
ActiveCampaign Countdown Timer FAQ
Should I use ActiveCampaign's Timer block or Sendtric?
For one fixed deadline the native Timer block works well. Choose Sendtric when you need a countdown that starts on open, a unique timer per contact, Sendtric's timer styles and Apple Mail fallbacks, or the ability to change the end time after the email has gone out.
Do Sendtric timers work in ActiveCampaign automations?
Yes. Automation emails use the same designer, so the HTML block works there too. A unique Start-on-Open timer is a natural fit for welcome, abandoned cart and trial follow-up automations. See our abandoned cart timer guide.
Why does my unique timer restart in test emails?
Test sends don't replace %SUBSCRIBERID%, so Sendtric receives the same placeholder for every tester. Send to a test list of real contacts instead and the timers will behave as they will for customers.
Can I change the deadline after the campaign is sent?
Yes. Edit the timer in Sendtric and save. Every email that contains it shows the new end time on the next open.
What do Apple Mail readers see?
Apple Mail can show an older copy of the timer when an email is reopened. Sendtric has fallback options for this, explained in countdown timers in Apple Mail.
Which Sendtric plan do I need?
Fixed date timers are free. Start-on-Open and unique timers need Micro or higher, and Dynamic Links need Power. Compare plans on the pricing page, see more ideas on the use cases page, or read how Sendtric compares to other timer tools.
This guide covers one piece of Sendtric's email personalization platform. For every countdown timers option and example, see the main page.
More ActiveCampaign guides
- Live Polls - How to Add Live Polls to ActiveCampaign
- Personalized Images - How to Add Personalized Images to ActiveCampaign
- Rule-Based Images - How to Add Rule-Based Images to ActiveCampaign
- Dynamic Weather - How to Add Dynamic Weather to ActiveCampaign
- Critical Alerts - How to Add Critical Alerts to ActiveCampaign
- Social Proof Counters - How to Add Social Proof Counters to ActiveCampaign
Using a different platform? See all Sendtric integrations.
