---
title: "Keep the sender. Run design and approval in a studio."
description: "Memo is an Unlayer alternative for agencies that already have a sender and need brand kits, review, Memo Check, and export."
canonical: "https://memo.ly/alternatives/unlayer"
---

# Keep the sender. Run design and approval in a studio.

Unlayer is typically an embeddable email editor. Agencies that want a studio of their own (client workspaces, Brand Kits, review links, and preflight) look for an Unlayer alternative that sits before the sender. Memo exports into the platform you already use.

## When Memo fits

- You do not want the design workspace to live inside someone else's product.
- Each client needs a workspace with its own Brand Kit, blocks, and review history.
- Approval should happen on a Memo review link before HTML ever reaches the ESP.
- You already have a sender and only need a studio that exports clean HTML into it.

## When to stay with Unlayer

- You are embedding an editor inside your own product and need that embed to stay in place.
- Designers already work inside the ESP canvas and do not need a separate review workflow.

## How it works

1. **Work in Memo, not inside the ESP** - Open the agency studio and a client workspace. The sender stays where it is.
2. **Compose with kits and blocks** - Lock brand rules once, then assemble campaigns from reusable email blocks.
3. **Freeze a version for approval** - Share a review link. Comments attach to the version that will ship.
4. **Export into the existing sender** - Hand off HTML and plain text. Memo does not take over lists, journeys, or delivery.

## FAQ

### Is Memo an Unlayer alternative?

For agencies that want a standalone studio with brand kits, review, and preflight, yes. Memo is not an embeddable editor you drop into another product.

### Will we lose the sender we already embedded an editor in?

No. Keep that sender. Memo is the design and approval layer in front of it.

### Does Memo manage contacts or automations?

No. Those stay in the platform that already sends. Memo stops at export.

### How do merge tags work on export?

Export uses merge-tag profiles so the HTML matches the syntax your sending platform expects.

[Memo vs Unlayer](https://memo.ly/compare/unlayer) · [View HTML version](https://memo.ly/alternatives/unlayer) · [All alternatives](https://memo.ly/alternatives)