Test emails let you preview exactly how your campaign will appear in real inboxes before sending to your full list. This works the same way across all three SendX editors: Drag-and-Drop, Plain Text/HTML, and AI Editor.
Why Send Test Emails
The in-app preview is helpful, but email clients render content differently. Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, and mobile apps each have their own quirks. Sending a test email lets you catch formatting issues, broken images, or awkward text before your subscribers see them.
Test emails also help you verify that your subject line looks right and that merge tags display correctly when populated with real contact data.
How to Send a Test Email
While editing your campaign:
Look for the Send Test Email option in your editor (available in all three editor types)
Enter the email address where you want to receive the test
To send to multiple people, separate email addresses with Enter
Click Send
Check the recipient inbox to see how the email looks
The test email arrives with your actual subject line, prefixed with [TEST] so you can easily identify it in your inbox.
From a saved campaign (any state):
You can also send test emails from campaigns you've already saved, whether they're in draft, scheduled, or already sent.
Go to your campaign list
Open the campaign you want to test
Click Info
Select the option to send a test email
Enter recipient addresses and click Send
This is useful when you want to re-check an older campaign or share a preview with a colleague without opening the editor.
Testing Campaigns That Use Merge Tags
By default, test emails do not populate merge tags (like first name, company, or other custom fields). You'll see the raw tag or fallback value instead of actual contact data.
To see how your email looks with real personalized data:
Open the Send Test Email dialog
Look for the option to use custom fields of a specific contact
Search for and select a contact from your list
Click Send
The test email will now show that contact's actual data in place of each merge tag. The email still goes to whatever recipient address you entered, but the content is personalized as if it were being sent to the selected contact.
To verify the data is correct:
Open the contact you selected in SendX
Go to their Profile section
Compare the custom field values shown there with what appeared in your test email
This is especially helpful when you're using multiple custom fields and want to make sure everything displays properly.
Important Limits and Notes
Daily limit: You can send up to 100 test emails per day. This limit applies to your entire account, across all teams.
Invalid addresses: If you enter an invalid email address or the send fails for another reason, you'll see an error notification. Double-check the address and try again.
Subject line: Test emails use your actual campaign subject line, but it's prefixed with [TEST] so you can easily spot them in your inbox.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I send a test email to multiple people at once?
Yes. Enter multiple email addresses separated by pressing Enter after each one.
Do test emails count against my sending limit?
Yes. Test emails are included in your monthly billing quota.
How many test emails can I send per day?
Up to 100 per day, shared across your entire account (all team members combined).
Why don't my merge tags show actual data in the test email?
By default, test emails don't populate merge tags. Use the option to select a specific contact's custom fields when sending your test, and those values will appear in the email.
Can I send a test email after my campaign has already been sent?
Yes. Go to the campaign's Info section and you'll find the option to send a test email regardless of the campaign's current state.
What does the [TEST] prefix mean?
SendX adds [TEST] to the beginning of your subject line so you can easily identify test emails in your inbox. Your actual campaign will not include this prefix.