Updated 2026-01-01

12 Buttondown Alternatives for Newsletter Writers

Buttondown is minimal and developer-friendly. But if you need monetization features or more power, here are alternatives.

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TL;DR

Quick answer: Beehiiv for monetization (ads, referrals). Substack for simplicity and network. Ghost for full control. ConvertKit for digital products. Buttondown is still best for developers who want minimal, no-frills newsletter software.

11 Best Buttondown Alternatives

Our Pick for SaaS Companies
#1
Sequenzy

AI-powered email for SaaS. Not for newsletter creators - built for software companies with Stripe integration and transactional email.

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Best for
SaaS founders (not newsletter creators)
Pricing
$49/month for 10k subscribers

Pros

  • AI generates sequences
  • Native Stripe integration
  • Transactional + marketing
  • Built for SaaS
  • Developer-friendly API

Cons

  • Not for newsletters
  • No monetization features
  • No landing pages
  • Not creator-focused
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#2
Beehiiv

The newsletter platform built for monetization. Ad network, referral programs, paid subscriptions. More features than Buttondown but more complex.

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Best for
Newsletter creators focused on monetization
Pricing
$39-99/month (Scale/Max plans)

Pros

  • Built-in ad network
  • Referral programs
  • Paid subscriptions
  • Good analytics
  • Free tier for 2,500 subs

Cons

  • More complex than Buttondown
  • No Markdown support
  • Not developer-focused
  • Can feel bloated for simple needs
#3
Substack

The platform that started the newsletter boom. Free to use, takes 10% of paid subscriptions. Simpler than Buttondown with network effects.

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Best for
Writers who want simplicity and discovery
Pricing
Free (10% of paid subscriptions)

Pros

  • Completely free to start
  • Network for discovery
  • Mobile app for readers
  • Simple to use
  • Paid subscriptions built in

Cons

  • 10% cut of paid subscriptions
  • Limited customization
  • No Markdown (WYSIWYG only)
  • Less developer-friendly
#4
Ghost

Open-source publishing platform with memberships. Full control, beautiful design, can self-host. More of a CMS than pure newsletter.

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Best for
Creators wanting full control
Pricing
$9-25/month managed (free self-hosted)

Pros

  • Open source
  • Built-in memberships
  • Beautiful themes
  • Self-host option
  • SEO-friendly publishing

Cons

  • More CMS than newsletter
  • Email features secondary
  • Requires more setup
  • Overkill for email-only
#5
ConvertKit

Creator platform with digital product sales. More features than Buttondown, but more expensive and complex.

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Best for
Creators selling digital products
Pricing
$89/month for 5,000 subscribers

Pros

  • Sell digital products
  • Good landing pages
  • Visual automations
  • Creator community
  • Free migration help

Cons

  • More expensive than Buttondown
  • More complex
  • No Markdown support
  • Recent price increase
#6
MailerLite

Affordable email with landing pages and website builder. More features than Buttondown at a similar price point.

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Best for
Budget-conscious creators
Pricing
$50/month for 10,000 subscribers

Pros

  • Landing pages included
  • Website builder
  • Generous free tier
  • Easy to use
  • Digital product sales

Cons

  • No Markdown support
  • Less developer-friendly
  • Deliverability mixed reviews
  • Not minimal like Buttondown
#7
Flodesk

Beautiful email templates with flat pricing. More visual than Buttondown, popular with designers and lifestyle brands.

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Best for
Creators who prioritize design
Pricing
$38/month unlimited subscribers

Pros

  • Gorgeous email templates
  • Flat pricing regardless of list size
  • Form and landing pages
  • Visual workflow builder
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • No Markdown support
  • Limited integrations
  • Analytics basic
  • Not developer-focused
#8
Loops

Modern email for SaaS. Developer-friendly like Buttondown but with transactional email. Good for software companies, not creators.

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Best for
SaaS companies
Pricing
$49/mo for 5,000 subscribers

Pros

  • Clean, modern interface
  • Developer-friendly API
  • Transactional + marketing
  • Good deliverability
  • Built for SaaS

Cons

  • Not for newsletter creators
  • No monetization features
  • No Markdown editor
  • Smaller company
#9
AWeber

Old-school email marketing that works. Been around since 1998. More traditional than Buttondown but reliable.

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Best for
Traditional email marketers
Pricing
$25/month for 500 subscribers

Pros

  • Proven deliverability
  • 25+ years in business
  • Landing pages included
  • Good support
  • Reliable platform

Cons

  • Interface feels dated
  • No Markdown support
  • Not developer-focused
  • Not minimal like Buttondown
#10
Brevo

Budget-friendly with more features. Unlimited contacts, pay per email. Good if you need more than just newsletters.

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Best for
Budget-conscious marketers
Pricing
$25/mo for unlimited contacts

Pros

  • Unlimited contacts
  • Transactional included
  • SMS marketing
  • Affordable
  • SMTP and API

Cons

  • No Markdown
  • Interface dated
  • Not minimal
  • Pay-per-email adds up
#11
Mailchimp

The one everyone knows. More features than Buttondown but bloated and expensive. Not recommended for simple newsletters.

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Best for
People who need everything
Pricing
$110-135/mo for 10,000 contacts

Pros

  • Everyone knows it
  • Landing pages
  • Website builder
  • Tons of integrations

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Bloated
  • No Markdown
  • Overkill for newsletters

Why Consider Alternatives to Buttondown

You want monetization features

Buttondown supports paid newsletters but lacks ad networks, referral programs, and sponsorship tools. Beehiiv is built specifically for newsletter monetization.

You want network effects

Buttondown doesn't have discovery features. Substack has a network where readers can find you through recommendations and the app.

You need visual email building

Buttondown is Markdown-first. If you prefer drag-and-drop email building, ConvertKit, Beehiiv, or MailerLite offer visual editors.

You want more than just email

Buttondown is focused on newsletters. If you need landing pages, website building, or digital product sales, other platforms offer more features.

Feature Comparison

FeatureButtondownBeehiivSubstackGhostConvertKitMailerLite
Price at 10k
$29
$99
Free
$25
$119+
$50
Markdown
Ad network
Paid subs
API
Free tier
100 subs
2,500 subs
Unlimited
Self-host
1,000 subs
1,000 subs

When to Use Each Platform

Choose Beehiiv if...
  • Newsletter monetization is your priority
  • You want an ad network
  • Referral programs matter
  • You're building a media business
Choose Stay with Buttondown if...
  • You love Markdown
  • Minimal and simple is important
  • You're a developer
  • You don't need monetization beyond paid subs
Choose Substack if...
  • You want the simplest option
  • Network discovery matters
  • You're okay with 10% revenue share
  • Mobile app for readers is valuable
Choose Ghost if...
  • You want full control
  • Publishing/blogging is important
  • You can self-host
  • You want open source
Choose ConvertKit if...
  • You sell digital products
  • Landing pages are important
  • Visual email building preferred
  • Creator community matters

Honest take: Is Buttondown right for you?

Buttondown is a refreshingly simple newsletter platform. Markdown support, clean interface, fair pricing, and a developer-friendly API. It does email newsletters well without the bloat. Check our email editor guide for best practices.

But simple means fewer features. Here's when alternatives make sense:

If you want monetization: Beehiiv

Buttondown supports paid newsletters, but Beehiiv has an actual ad network, referral programs, and tools for building a media business. If making money from your newsletter is the priority, Beehiiv is purpose-built for that. See our Beehiiv comparison.

If you want discovery: Substack

Substack has network effects—readers can find you through recommendations and the app. Buttondown doesn't have this. If organic discovery matters, Substack's network is valuable. Read our guide to email tools.

If you want visual editing: ConvertKit

Buttondown is Markdown-first, which developers love but others don't. ConvertKit, Beehiiv, and MailerLite offer visual drag-and-drop email builders. Check our ConvertKit comparison.

If you want full control: Ghost

Ghost is open-source and can be self-hosted. You own everything. Built-in memberships, beautiful themes, and complete independence. Explore analytics tools to track your newsletter performance.

The pricing comparison

At 10,000 subscribers:

  • Buttondown: around $29/month

  • Beehiiv: $99/month (Max plan)

  • Substack: Free (10% of paid subs)

  • Ghost: $25/month (managed)

  • ConvertKit: $119+/month

  • MailerLite: $50/month

See our full pricing comparison page.

When Buttondown is still the right choice

Stick with Buttondown if:

  • You love Markdown and want to write in it

  • Minimal and simple is a feature, not a limitation

  • You're a developer who appreciates clean APIs

  • Paid subscriptions are enough monetization

Buttondown is built by a small, profitable, self-funded team. They're not going anywhere, and they care about doing email newsletters right without the complexity. Use our email validator to ensure list quality, and check our open rate glossary to understand newsletter metrics.

Frequently Asked Questions

Beehiiv has the best monetization features with an ad network, referral programs, and paid subscriptions. Substack also supports paid subs but takes 10%.

Different strengths. Buttondown is developer-friendly with Markdown support and takes no cut of paid subs. Substack is simpler with network discovery but takes 10%. Choose Buttondown for developer experience, Substack for simplicity.

Buttondown offers a free tier for under 100 subscribers. Paid plans start at $9/month and scale based on subscriber count.

Substack is free (10% of paid subs). Ghost managed starts at $9/month, or free if self-hosted. Most other platforms are more expensive than Buttondown.

Yes, Buttondown has excellent Markdown support. It's one of the few newsletter platforms built for developers who prefer writing in Markdown.

Buttondown supports paid newsletters via Stripe, but doesn't have digital product sales. For selling courses or products, ConvertKit or MailerLite are better options.

Excellent. Buttondown has a clean API, Markdown support, and a developer-friendly approach. It's often recommended as the best newsletter platform for developers.

Buttondown for simplicity and developer experience. Beehiiv for monetization features. Choose based on whether you prioritize minimal software or making money from your newsletter.

Yes, Buttondown has import tools for most platforms. Export subscribers from your current platform and import. Paid subscription migrations may require manual work.

No, Buttondown is a hosted service. For self-hosted options, Ghost is open-source and can be self-hosted, or Plunk for transactional email.

To cancel Buttondown, go to Settings > Billing and cancel your subscription. You can also downgrade to the free tier (under 100 subscribers). Your newsletter and data remain accessible after canceling—you just can't send to larger lists.

Buttondown has simple, tiered pricing based on subscriber count. Free for under 100 subscribers. Paid plans start at $9/month for 100-1,000 subs, $29/month for up to 10,000, and scale from there. All features are included on all paid plans.

Go to Subscribers > Export in your dashboard. You'll get a CSV with email addresses and subscription dates. For paid newsletter subscribers, Stripe handles payment data separately. Archives of your newsletters are also downloadable.

Buttondown offers a permanent free tier for under 100 subscribers. This lets you test all features before upgrading. For paid newsletters, you can set up Stripe integration on the free tier and only upgrade when you grow.

Buttondown offers prorated refunds if you downgrade or cancel mid-billing cycle. Contact support@buttondown.email for refund requests. Since they have a free tier, you can always downgrade instead of canceling entirely.

Ready to try Sequenzy?

Start your free trial today. AI-generated sequences, Stripe integration, and direct founder support included.

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Sequenzy vs Buttondown: Direct Comparison

See a detailed side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and when to choose each platform.

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Sequenzy - Complete Pricing Guide

Pricing Model

Sequenzy uses subscriber-based pricing. You only pay for subscribers active in sequences (automations). Inactive subscribers are free to store.

All Pricing Tiers

  • 0-100 subscribers: Free (Free annually) - 2k emails/month
  • 101-1,000 subscribers: $19/month ($205/year annually) - 15k emails/month
  • 1,001-5,000 subscribers: $29/month ($313/year annually) - 60k emails/month
  • 5,001-10,000 subscribers: $49/month ($529/year annually) - 120k emails/month
  • 10,001-25,000 subscribers: $99/month ($1069/year annually) - 300k emails/month
  • 25,001-50,000 subscribers: $199/month ($2149/year annually) - 600k emails/month
  • 50,001-100,000 subscribers: $349/month ($3769/year annually) - 1.2M emails/month
  • 100,000+ subscribers: Custom pricing (Custom annually) - Unlimited emails/month

Yearly billing: All plans offer a 10% discount when billed annually.

Free Plan Features (0-100 subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Paid Plan Features (1,000 - 100,000 subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations (Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy)
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Enterprise Plan Features (100,000+ subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Important Pricing Notes

  • You only pay for subscribers who are active in automations/sequences
  • Storing inactive subscribers is free
  • No hidden fees - all features included in the price
  • No credit card required for free tier

Contact

  • Pricing Page: https://sequenzy.com/pricing
  • Sales: hello@sequenzy.com