Why Use an API for Email Countdown Timers
Timers Without a Dashboard
Create a timer, set its stages, and publish it from a script or a backend job.
Thousands of Deadlines, One Timer
Per-recipient deadlines do not need the API at all: append ?expire= to the URL. The API is for managing timers themselves.
Countdowns Inside Your Own Product
Agencies and platforms create a timer per client or campaign programmatically.
Deadlines Updated After Publishing
Change a timer's target or stages from code when a launch date moves.
What the DynaPictures Countdown Timer API Provides
Design the Stages Once, Drive Them From Code
Design the banners in the countdown timer generator, then use the API to duplicate the timer, set draft stages, publish, and check preparation status. The design work stays visual; the orchestration is yours.
Endpoints That Match the Dashboard
Under /rest/w/{workspace}/countdown-timers you can list, create, duplicate, get, update settings, save draft stages, discard a draft, publish, check preparation status, render a preview, archive, delete, and read analytics. Authentication is by API key.
The Same Image URL as Always
A timer created through the API is served at /emails/timers/{uid}.gif like any other, with the expire parameter and custom analytics parameters available on every request.
Everything in Every DynaPictures Timer
A GIF in a Standard img Tag
No JavaScript, no HTML5 animation, no client-side script. The image loads in Gmail, Apple Mail, Outlook, and mobile clients; Outlook for Windows shows the first frame.
Rendered per Open, Cached per Minute
Each open fetches an image with the exact time left at that moment. Images are cached for one minute per deadline and then regenerated, and each one animates for 60 seconds.
The expire Parameter
Append ?expire=DD-MM-YYYY--HH-MM (interpreted in the timer's timezone) or an ISO 8601 timestamp with an offset to the URL. Merge tags from your email service provider (ESP) fill it per recipient.
Stages by Offset
Each timer holds several designs, each with an offset from the target. Before, at, and after stages are selected on every render.
Every Open Logged
Email client, country, locale, and any custom query parameter are stored per open. Raw IP addresses are never kept, only a hash and the derived location.
Countdown-Driven Gauges
Radial tick gauges, simple gauges, and line progress bars take their value from the remaining time, next to or instead of digits.
REST API
Create, update, publish, preview, and read analytics for timers programmatically with an API key.
Plan Limits, Stated Plainly
Timers run up to 30 days ahead on Free, Lite, and Standard and without limit on Pro. Free serves 100 opens in total; paid plans have a monthly view allowance and no hard cap.
How to Set Up a DynaPictures Countdown Timer
Design It in the Generator
Open the DynaPictures countdown timer generator, set the target date and timezone, design one or more stages, and publish. You get a URL ending in .gif.
Embed the URL
Place the URL in an img tag or an image block in your email service provider (ESP). Append ?expire= with a merge tag for per-recipient deadlines.
Read the Analytics
Add any custom query parameter to segment opens, then watch them arrive in the analytics dashboard or pull them through the API.
Who Uses the Countdown Timer API
Developers building notification systems
Creating timers as part of a campaign pipeline.
SaaS companies embedding countdowns
Offering timers inside their own product.
Agencies and platforms managing many clients
Provisioning a timer per client or campaign.
See the Timer Render Live
Book a short walkthrough of the generator, the expire parameter, stages, and the analytics dashboard.
Where DynaPictures Differs From Other Timer Tools
Rendered at Open
Many timer services generate one GIF at send time. DynaPictures generates per open, so the number on screen matches the clock.
Per-Recipient Deadlines
One URL, a different deadline per recipient through the expire parameter. Many tools support one date per timer.
Multi-Stage Designs
Before, at, and after designs switched automatically. Many tools show one design and a zeroed clock.
Gauges and Progress Bars
Remaining time as a gauge or bar, not only digits. Elsewhere, digits are usually the only option.
A Real Design Editor
Google Fonts, uploaded fonts, images, and an AI background generator. A fixed layout with a color picker is the common alternative.
Segmentable Analytics
Opens by custom parameter, client, country, and hour. A single total is what many tools offer.
Related Email Countdown Timers
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. A REST API under /rest/w/{workspace}/countdown-timers covers create, duplicate, update, draft stages, publish, preview, archive, delete, and analytics, authenticated with an API key. See the documentation for request and response details.