Should CTAs be buttons or text links?

You're designing an email and deciding between a clickable button and an inline text link for your CTA. Which one gets more clicks? Buttons win for primary actions most of the time. They're harder to miss, they're easier to tap on mobile, and they signal "this is what I want you to do" way more clearly than hidden text links.

But "most of the time" isn't "always." It depends on what action you're asking for. Use buttons for your primary action, for promotional emails, for anything you'd be upset people missed on mobile. Use text links for secondary actions, for inline references, for supplementary links in footers, or when your email's plain text only. The rule is simple: if you want it to be unmissable, button. If it's nice-to-have, link.

Here's what you really need to know: buttons have to be bulletproof so they don't break when images are blocked. Mobile rendering matters too. Text links don't have the same visual weight, but they're also simpler to code and more reliable across older clients. Check out mobile email optimization strategies to see how buttons and links render on small screens. Want to know which works better for your specific audience? Run an A/B test comparing button vs link performance on your list.