Topol Plugin vs. Topol PRO
Topol provides two distinct solutions tailored for different use cases: and . While both offer a robust email editor, their implementation, infrastructure, and integration models differ significantly.
This comparison focuses on their technical specifications, data handling, API capabilities, and customization options to help developers like you determine the best fit for your requirements.
Deployment and Integration
is a frontend-embedded email editor designed for seamless integration into your web applications. It runs inside an isolated iframe and is initialized using a JavaScript loader. Configuration is managed via the TOPOL_OPTIONS object, allowing you to control UI behavior, feature availability, and authentication. Since it is frontend-only, it does not require backend modifications, but it relies on API endpoints for loading, saving, and managing templates within an external storage solution. The plugin is designed for multi-tenant environments, making it an ideal choice for SaaS platforms that need a white-label email builder.
in contrast, is a standalone, web-based email editor that does not require embedding or external infrastructure. It is hosted and maintained by us, with all user authentication, storage, and management handled within our cloud infrastructure. Unlike the plugin, it does not offer an embeddable version or external API access for controlling templates outside its platform. You can interact with the editor through the Topol PRO web interface, where you can create, store, and export email templates without requiring developer intervention.
Customization and White-Labeling
is designed to be fully customizable, allowing you to modify its appearance, feature set, and underlying behavior. UI components such as the toolbar, sidebar, and specific content blocks can be enabled or disabled based on application requirements. The plugin can be completely rebranded, removing our Topol branding and matching the host application's UI. Since it is API-driven, user authentication, storage, and version control must be implemented externally, giving you full control over data security, compliance, and infrastructure choices.
offers limited customization, as it is a pre-configured, managed solution. You can modify email templates within the editor but cannot alter its interface or underlying functionality. White-labeling is not supported, and the editor retains its default branding. Since templates are stored on our servers, you do not have direct access to the underlying template data beyond what is provided through the UI.
Storage and Data Ownership
does not store any templates, images, or assets on our infrastructure. Instead, all template management, autosaving, and version control must be implemented on your backend. This provides full ownership and control over email data, ensuring compliance with internal security policies, GDPR, and other regulatory requirements. The plugin allows external file management, enabling integration with AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage, or private storage solutions.
, on the other hand, relies on cloud storage managed by us. All email templates and assets are stored within our infrastructure, and you must export them if you need to retain local copies. Since the storage model is managed, there is no need for additional setup, but it also means that you do not have direct access to the raw template data beyond the export functionality. This is a key consideration for organizations with strict data security requirements.
Collaboration and Multi-User Support
Collaboration in must be implemented externally. While the editor itself allows for real-time template editing, multi-user tracking, commenting, and approval workflows must be handled at the application level. You can use the API to track active members within an editor session and manage user permissions based on their authentication system. The flexibility of this approach allows for custom implementations that match the specific workflow needs of a given application.
includes built-in collaboration tools. You can share templates within a team, leave comments, and track changes without requiring any external setup. Version control and autosaving are handled by us, with previous template versions accessible directly through the UI. Since these features are natively integrated, Topol PRO is well-suited for teams that need an out-of-the-box collaboration environment.
API Capabilities and External Integrations
provides a fully featured RESTful API, allowing you to programmatically manage templates, users, and editor behavior. The API enables dynamic template loading and saving, ensuring that email designs are retrieved from and stored within external databases or storage solutions. Since the editor does not include built-in authentication, API-based token validation is required for managing user access. You can also integrate external file managers, webhook listeners, and workflow automation tools to extend the editor’s functionality.
does not expose an API for programmatic template management. You have to interact with the editor exclusively through the web interface, and all template storage, authentication, and version control are handled internally. The only method for external integration is through its email marketing platform exports, allowing you to send templates directly to third-party services such as Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, SendGrid and other.
Exporting and Compatibility with Email Marketing Platforms
Since is a developer-managed solution, exporting must be implemented using custom API calls. The plugin provides raw JSON and HTML output, which can be formatted and sent to any external system, including email marketing platforms, CRMs, or automation tools. You can build custom integrations for exporting templates based on your specific requirements.
provides built-in export functionality for supported platforms. You can directly export email templates to services like Mailchimp, SendGrid, ActiveCampaign, and HubSpot without requiring additional development work. However, since these exports are predefined, they cannot be customized beyond what our platform allows.
Performance and Security Considerations
is optimized for high-performance, low-latency embedding within web applications. The editor loads asynchronously and operates within an isolated iframe, ensuring that it does not interfere with the host application's styling or JavaScript execution. Since templates are not stored on our servers, you can implement custom data encryption, compliance controls, and security policies based on your application’s needs.
runs as a managed SaaS platform, with all data stored and processed within our cloud environment. Since security policies are enforced at the infrastructure level, you must trust our security and compliance measures. While our platform ensures secure authentication and template storage, it does not offer granular security customization or external encryption options.
Conclusion
is the preferred choice for developers and SaaS platforms that require a fully embeddable, customizable, and API-driven email editor. It provides full control over authentication, data storage, security, and integrations, making it the best option for applications that need a white-label, self-hosted solution with extensive configuration options.
is best suited for individual users and teams who need a turnkey, hosted email editor with built-in storage and collaboration tools. Since it does not require integration or backend setup, it is an ideal solution for businesses looking for a standalone email template builder without additional development work.