How GifyLab Works
Real-time animated GIF countdown timers that work in any email client and website.
Three Simple Steps
Design Your Timer
Start with one of our 50+ professionally designed templates or build from scratch. Customize every detail — colors, fonts, layout, digit style, labels, and more. Choose from 6 widget types: countdown, progress bar, flip clock, circular timer, live stats, or calendar.
- Set a fixed date countdown (e.g., Black Friday ends Dec 1)
- Or create an evergreen timer that starts fresh for each viewer (e.g., "Your offer expires in 24 hours")
Copy the Embed Code
Once your timer looks perfect, click the "Copy Embed Code" button. You'll get a simple HTML <img> tag that you can paste anywhere. No JavaScript or complex setup required.
<img src="https://cdn.gifylab.com/render/your-timer-id" alt="Countdown Timer" style="max-width:100%;" />Paste Into Your Email
Drop the embed code into your email builder — Mailchimp, HubSpot, SendGrid, Klaviyo, or any platform that supports HTML. When recipients open your email, they'll see a live countdown. Each open generates a fresh GIF with the current time remaining.
The Technology Behind It
When someone opens your email, their email client requests the timer image from our servers. At that moment, we calculate the exact time remaining and generate a fresh animated GIF in real-time. Each frame of the GIF represents one second of the countdown.
~50ms
Average generation time
30 FPS
Smooth animation
CDN
Global delivery via CloudFront
Email Client Compatibility
Animated GIFs are supported by most modern email clients. Clients that don't support animation display the first frame as a static image.
| Email Client | Displays Images | Animated GIF |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail (Web & Mobile) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Apple Mail (iOS & macOS) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Yahoo Mail | ✓ | ✓ |
| Outlook.com / Hotmail | ✓ | ✓ |
| Outlook Desktop (2019+) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Outlook Desktop (2016 & older) | ✓ | Static |
| Samsung Mail | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thunderbird | ✓ | ✓ |
Older versions of Outlook Desktop show the first frame as a static countdown image.
6 Widget Types
Countdown
Classic days, hours, minutes, seconds display with multiple digit styles.
Progress Bar
Visual progress indicator — great for fundraisers, goals, and milestones.
Flip Clock
Elegant mechanical clock animation with card-flip effects.
Circular Timer
Ring-style countdown with animated arc progression.
Live Stats
Animated number counter for real-time metrics and social proof.
Calendar
Month-view or tear-off calendar highlighting your event date.
Ready to Get Started?
Create your first countdown timer in under 2 minutes. No credit card required.