10 Must-Have Transactional Email Templates for SaaS in 2025

Most email strategy advice in SaaS is about marketing: newsletters, outreach, nurture flows. But the emails that keep your product working day to day? They often get overlooked. Transactional emails, or as many teams call them, the “functional” ones: password resets, account confirmations, billing updates.

They may not look exciting, but they matter more than you think. These are the emails users open most, at the exact moments they’re relying on your product. Get them wrong, and trust takes a hit. Get them right, and you reinforce reliability and drive customer success.

To help you enrich your library and be ready for these messages in advance, I’ve put together my most-used 10 transactional email templates you can copy with a click. I’ll also share one standout example from a real brand to show how great transactional emails can look in practice.

What makes a successful transactional email?

While transactional emails serve a functional purpose, they still shape how people experience your product. If the email arrives too late, it can disrupt the user flow. If it doesn’t match your product’s tone, it can feel out of place.

To avoid those issues, focus on these core elements, which typically include clarity and design:

• Timeliness: Timing is non-negotiable. If someone requests a password reset and the email shows up five minutes later, it already feels broken. These messages need to be immediate and reliable, especially when users are mid-task.
• Clarity: A clear subject line helps the user scan and spot the email in a crowded inbox. That means no filler or cleverness. If it’s a billing invoice, the amount, invoice number, and due date should be obvious at first glance.
• Personalization: Include details that show you know who the user is and where they are in the journey. Even a short reference to the plan level, feature usage, or support history helps the message feel more relevant.
• Mobile optimization: Many of your customers will read these emails on their phones. If they have to pinch or scroll sideways to read basic order details, that’s friction. The layout should be responsive, and the CTA should be tappable without zooming.
• Brand consistency: The tone, layout, and logo should match what users already see inside your product. Visual consistency builds trust. A message that looks out of place can feel suspicious, especially when it relates to billing or security.
• Deliverability: Your emails must reach the inbox. That means setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC correctly. Avoid red flags like all-caps subject lines or spam-triggering phrases. Test before you launch.
• Value orientation: Even though the email is functional, it can still be helpful. A password reset confirmation can link to a help page. A billing reminder can include quick access to update account details.

10 Of the most common transitional email templates for SaaS (+examples from real brands)

In this section, you’ll find 10 transactional email templates that cover common SaaS scenarios. For each one, I’ve explained what it’s for, when it’s triggered, and what to include. I’ll also highlight emails from real examples from SaaS brands that do it well.

1. Welcome emails

A welcome email is the first message a user receives after signing up. It helps set the tone, reduce early friction, and guide customers toward their first key action.

A single message usually isn’t enough. SaaS teams often set up a short sequence, where each email reacts to what the user does next, like skipping onboarding steps or logging in for the first time.

What to include in a welcome email:

• Personalized subject line and greeting.
• Short onboarding or explainer video.
• Clear steps (e.g., create a project, connect a tool).
• Links to the help center or product academy.
• Optional: Pre-built template to speed up time to value.

Example: Zapier’s welcome email

Zapier opens with a 14-day course told through a customer story. I like how they keep the tone light and avoid jumping straight into product tutorials. There’s a short video, links to explore more, and a ready-to-use Zap you can turn on without setup.

It gives you something small and useful right away, which helps reduce hesitation.

When I clicked into Tables, they followed up with a feature-specific email, sharing best practices on using it.

2. Invite and share emails

These emails usually get triggered once someone has experienced the product’s core value and reached a point where collaboration makes sense, for example, for a product analytics platform, that could be once you set up a dashboard and may need to share it with colleagues.

What to include in an invite email:

• The inviter’s name or context (so it feels personal).
• A short line on why joining the team helps.
• A clear button to accept or join the invite.
• Optional: Preview of what the shared space looks like.
• Optional: Light social proof (like “teams with 3+ members get to value faster”).

Example: Miro’s invite email

This invite email from Miro gets a lot right. I’m immediately told who invited me, which makes it easier to trust the message. The button is placed at the top, so if I’m ready, I can accept the invite in seconds.

I also get to preview the board I’m being added to. That visual helps me see what kind of work is happening without needing to guess.

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3. Trial expiration emails

Trial end emails are automated messages sent when a user’s free trial is about to expire or has just ended. They notify users that access to premium features will be limited or revoked and prompt them to upgrade to a paid plan.

A strong trial end email doesn’t just remind; it reinforces the value delivered during the trial, shows what the user will lose, and creates urgency with a clear call to action.

What to include in a trial expiration email:

• Reminder of the trial end date.
• A short list of features they’ll lose.
• Link to compare plans or upgrade.
• An optional support link to assist with questions.

Example: Zoho Creator’s trial expiration email

Zoho’s email gets straight to the point. The trial’s almost over, and they don’t waste time pretending otherwise. I like that it clearly names the expiration date and what happens after. There’s a quick list of functionalities users will lose, like customer portals and the ability to customize mobile apps. Each feature is easy to scan, and the icons help break the content visually.

There’s also a reminder that users can request help if they’re unsure about the plan. And the CTA stands out right away, not confusing what to do next.

4. Subscription renewal emails

These transactional emails remind users about an upcoming charge before their plan renews. These transactional emails usually go out 3 to 7 days before the billing date. That way, people have time to review their plan or update their bank account details if needed.

They’re also useful for reducing billing issues. I’ve seen fewer refund requests when users know the exact renewal date and amount. It removes guesswork. If I include a quick reminder of what the plan offers, it helps reinforce the value they’re getting.

What to include in a subscription renewal email:

• Clear renewal date and billing amount.
• Quick reminder of what’s included in their plan.
• Link to view or cancel the subscription.

Example: Grammarly’s renewal email

This one caught my eye right away. The subject line includes the product name, and the opening paragraph shows the exact renewal date and amount. I like how they use the email to show what I’ve been getting with Premium, like advanced suggestions and sentence rewrites.

There’s a clear link to manage the subscription on the same page, so I can make changes without searching my inbox or account settings.

5. Abandoned cart emails

These transactional emails give users a quick nudge to finish the checkout process.

I’ve found these emails are more useful when they focus less on urgency and more on helping. A quick recap of what’s in the cart, why it’s worth buying, and an easy way back to the checkout page is usually enough. If you include social proof or a short testimonial, it gives hesitant users the little push they need.

What to include in an abandoned cart email:

• Friendly reminder of what the user left in their cart.
• Highlight 1–2 key benefits of the product or service.
• Short testimonial or feedback from a real customer.
• Clear CTA to finish the checkout in just a few clicks.

Example: Headspace’s checkout reminder

Headspace nails the tone. It’s light, friendly, and human. It mentions the unfinished subscription and offers a direct link to continue in just a few clicks. The support email address stands out, which helps improve the overall customer experience.

6. Dunning emails

Dunning emails are a type of transactional email sent when a payment fails, typically due to an expired card or insufficient funds. Their goal is to help users fix the issue before their account gets suspended or their access is limited.

I’ve noticed that using responsive email templates makes these messages easier to act on, especially from mobile devices. A short, clear message with the amount due, a reminder of what might be lost, and a quick link to update payment details works best.

What to include in a dunning email:

• Clear mention of the payment failure reason.
• Amount due and link to update payment info.
• Friendly reminder of potential service disruption.
• Support contact or link to the help page.
• Use of a branded invoice email template if a bill is attached.

Example: Squarespace’s billing failure email

This is a solid example of a well-structured invoice email template. It clearly shows the amount due and includes a bold CTA to update billing. I like that it’s short and easy to scan. It’s also optimized like most good transactional email templates, which makes it perfect for users handling billing issues on the go.

7. Purchase confirmation email

These transactional emails are sent right after a user completes a purchase or upgrades their subscription. They confirm that the payment went through and reinforce the customer’s decision by thanking them and summarizing what they bought.

I’ve found that a clear layout with billing details, a short thank-you message, and a way to access the invoice helps reduce confusion. Including a link to download the invoice or view the order details helps reduce support requests, especially when users need receipts for teams or accounting.

What to include in a purchase confirmation email:

• Purchase summary (item, price, subscription period).
• Friendly thank-you message.
• Link to view or download the invoice.
• Support contact information.
• Optional: Subscription management page link.

Example: Slack’s purchase confirmation email

Slack uses a clean invoice email template that shows the billing period, plan name, amount paid, and its logo for branding. I like that it includes a receipt number and a support link in case the customer has questions. The layout is simple, and everything is easy to scan even on mobile devices.

8. Post-support interaction emails

These transactional emails are sent after a support ticket is resolved, along with any comments from the user. Their goal is to check how things went and invite the customer to share feedback. It’s a quick way to close the loop and improve the overall customer experience.

I’ve seen that the best email templates for this are short and friendly. A simple thank-you message, a quick recap of the case, and a clear link to a survey work well. Some teams even use responsive email templates so users can leave feedback right from their mobile devices.

What to include in a post-support interaction email:

• Reference to the resolved ticket or issue.
• Simple thank-you message.
• Link to a short feedback survey or rating form.
• Support contact in case the request wasn’t fully resolved.

Example: Squarespace’s support follow-up email

This email does a good job of closing the loop. I like that it mentions the case number and what the issue was. The message is polite and to the point, and the survey button stands out clearly. It’s easy for the customer to respond without having to dig through their inbox or reopen the original request.

9. Legal updates emails

Legal updates are one of the most important types of transactional emails. They’re sent to inform users about changes to terms, privacy policies, refund processes, or other service agreements. Even though these emails don’t ask users to take immediate action, they help maintain transparency and customer trust, especially when it comes to data handling.

Most teams use clean, straightforward email templates for this. A good transactional email template should highlight the changes in plain language. Instead, it should focus on what’s changing, why it matters, and when the new terms take effect.

What to include in a legal update email:

• A brief summary of what’s changing.
• The reason for the update (e.g. legal compliance, policy clarity).
• Effective date of the changes.
• Link to the full policy.
• A note on whether the user needs to take any action.

Example: Udemy’s legal update email
Udemy lays everything out in a clear, readable format. I like how they explain each update in plain terms, like changes to data privacy rights and refund conditions. The structure follows a well-organized email template. It’s easy to scan and feels helpful without sounding overly formal.

10. Password reset emails

Password reset emails help users regain access when they’re locked out of their accounts. Since most people open them in a hurry, the content should be short, easy to scan, and focused entirely on the next step. A vague or delayed message can frustrate users and create unnecessary support requests.

These transactional emails should feel secure and trustworthy. Use clear language, set expectations around expiration time, and add a fallback in case the user didn’t make the request.

What to include in a password reset email:

• Clear message explaining the reason for the email.
• CTA button that opens the password reset page.
• Expiration time for the reset action.
• Guidance for users who didn’t take any action.
• Support address in case additional help is needed.

Example: GoDaddy’s password reset email

I like how GoDaddy keeps this clean. The subject line is clear, the CTA appears right away, and the reset steps are broken down for speed. There’s a note on link expiration and a reminder in case the request wasn’t made by the user. It’s direct and does the job without friction.

How Userpilot can help you send better transactional emails

Userpilot is a unified product experience platform that unifies email, in-app messaging, and push notifications into one platform. We built Userpilot with the vision of empowering product-led teams to communicate with their customers without stitching multiple tools together. Let’s have a closer look at our upcoming transactional email features:

• Create transactional emails quickly with a no-code builder: You can start from scratch or use one of the built-in email templates. To make your emails more relevant for users, you can use dynamic attributes to personalize certain details, automatically localize content into multiple languages.

• Use templates to get started faster: Userpilot offers a growing library of responsive email templates. You can pick one and customize it in just a few clicks. This helps speed up delivery, especially if you’re creating transactional emails for routine use cases like account set up, password resets, or trial expiration reminders.

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• Trigger emails based on user behavior and product events: At Userpilot, we track product usage as it happens, which means you can set triggers and send behavior-based transactional emails without delays, as it’s intended to be. Apart from that, you can choose specific days and hours to send emails when it makes more sense, such as with legal term updates emails.

• Track email performance: Userpilot’s analytics dashboard shows you delivery, open, click, bounce, and unsubscribe rates. This helps you catch problems early and adjust campaigns without delays. You can even filter results by user segments for granular analysis.

Moreover, you can go one step further and see how emails affect product usage, whether a click led to a desired action, like finishing the onboarding flow or buying an upgrade. This helps you understand the impact beyond the inbox.

Try These Proven Templates to Help You Send Better Transactional Emails with Userpilot

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