Developer newsletters are different from marketing emails. Your audience is technical, skeptical of marketing, and values substance over design. They want code examples that render properly, links to interesting projects, and writing that respects their intelligence. Flashy HTML templates with big hero images actually hurt engagement.

The email tools that work best for developer newsletters prioritize: clean text formatting, code block support, plain text alternatives, and a no-nonsense sending experience. Some were built for developers. Others can be adapted with the right setup.

What Developer Newsletters Need

Code formatting: Code snippets should render with monospace fonts and proper formatting. Inline code and code blocks need to be readable.

Plain text quality: Many developers prefer plain text email or read email in clients that render HTML poorly. The plain text version of your newsletter matters.

Clean design: Minimal HTML. No heavy images. No marketing-speak formatting. Developer newsletters that look like personal emails outperform designed ones.

API/CLI sending: The ability to send newsletters from the command line, a CI/CD pipeline, or a custom tool. Developers prefer programmatic workflows.

Markdown support: Write in markdown, send as email. Many developer newsletter authors write in markdown and want their email tool to handle the conversion.

List management: Simple subscriber management without marketing overhead. No lead scoring, no CRM, no sales features cluttering the interface.

The 7 Best Options

1. Sequenzy

Best for: SaaS founders sending technical newsletters alongside lifecycle email

Sequenzy handles both newsletter campaigns and automated lifecycle email. For SaaS founders who send a mix of product update newsletters and automated sequences (onboarding, dunning, retention), running both from one platform simplifies the stack.

The campaign editor supports straightforward email composition for newsletters, while the automation engine handles lifecycle email. For developer-focused SaaS products where the newsletter audience overlaps with the user base, this consolidation is practical.

Developer features: API-first, campaign editor, transactional + newsletter in one platform Pricing: From $29/month Pros: Newsletter + lifecycle email in one platform, API access, SaaS-focused Cons: Not newsletter-specific, editor is functional not specialized

2. Buttondown

Best for: The tool built specifically for developer newsletters

Buttondown was created for newsletter writers who want simplicity and markdown support. Write your newsletter in markdown, preview it, and send. The interface is minimal and the focus is entirely on the newsletter experience.

Features that matter for developers: markdown native, RSS import, subscriber API, webhooks, and a clean archive page. The paid plan includes custom domains, analytics, and premium integrations. No marketing automation, no CRM, no drag-and-drop editor. Just newsletters.

Developer features: Markdown native, API, webhooks, RSS import, minimal interface Pricing: Free for 100 subscribers, from $9/month Pros: Built for newsletters, markdown native, developer-friendly, clean and simple Cons: No automation, no transactional email, newsletters only

3. ConvertKit (Kit)

Best for: Developer newsletters with monetization

ConvertKit is popular among technical writers and developer advocates who monetize their audience. The email editor supports both visual editing and HTML, the plain text versions are clean, and the platform handles paid newsletters and digital product sales.

Many well-known developer newsletters run on ConvertKit. The platform's approach (creator-first, not enterprise-first) resonates with technical authors who want to own their audience and build a sustainable content business.

Developer features: HTML editor, plain text support, paid newsletters, creator economy features Pricing: Free up to 10,000 subscribers, from $29/month Pros: Creator monetization, generous free tier, proven for developer newsletters Cons: Editor isn't markdown-native, code formatting requires HTML knowledge

4. Resend

Best for: Developers who want to build their newsletter with code

Resend's API-first approach lets you build a newsletter sending system entirely in code. Write content in markdown, render it with React Email (or any HTML generator), and send via Resend's API. The developer experience is excellent, with TypeScript SDK, clean documentation, and reliable delivery.

This approach requires more setup than using a dedicated newsletter tool, but gives you complete control. Your newsletter is a codebase, version controlled in Git, deployed from your workflow. For developers who want to treat their newsletter like software, Resend is the sending layer.

Developer features: API-first, React Email, TypeScript SDK, full code control Pricing: Free for 100 emails/day, from $20/month Pros: Full code control, React Email, best DX, version controlled newsletters Cons: No UI for writing, requires building your own workflow, no subscriber management UI

5. Loops

Best for: SaaS companies sending developer-focused product updates

Loops is built for SaaS companies and targets a developer audience. The interface is clean and modern, the API is developer-friendly, and the email editor supports the kind of simple, text-focused emails that developers prefer.

For SaaS companies sending product update newsletters to a developer user base, Loops provides the email infrastructure alongside event-driven automations. Your newsletter and your product emails run from the same platform.

Developer features: Developer-friendly API, clean editor, event tracking, modern interface Pricing: Free for 1,000 contacts, from $49/month Pros: Developer-focused, SaaS-oriented, modern, event-driven Cons: Not newsletter-specific, simpler than dedicated newsletter tools, basic editor

6. Ghost

Best for: Developer blogs that also send newsletters

Ghost is a publishing platform that includes newsletter functionality. Write blog posts in markdown, and Ghost sends them as email newsletters to your subscribers. The integration between blog and newsletter is seamless. Publish once, distribute to web readers and email subscribers simultaneously.

For developers who maintain a blog and want to send posts as newsletters, Ghost eliminates the need for a separate email tool. The platform supports paid memberships, themes, and SEO out of the box.

Developer features: Markdown editor, blog-to-newsletter, membership support, open-source Pricing: From $9/month (hosted), free (self-hosted) Pros: Blog + newsletter in one, markdown native, open-source option, membership built in Cons: Primarily a blogging platform, limited email-specific features, no automation

7. Substack

Best for: Developer writers who want zero setup

Substack requires zero technical setup to start a developer newsletter. Create an account, write, publish. The platform handles subscriber management, delivery, payments (for paid newsletters), and provides a built-in audience discovery network.

Many popular developer newsletters run on Substack because the barrier to entry is essentially zero. The trade-off is limited customization. You can't control the template, the sending infrastructure, or the subscriber data with the same flexibility as self-hosted options.

Developer features: Zero setup, built-in audience, paid newsletter support, simple editor Pricing: Free (Substack takes 10% of paid subscription revenue) Pros: Zero setup, audience discovery, paid subscriptions, no upfront cost Cons: Limited customization, no API, Substack branding, 10% revenue cut

Formatting Tips for Developer Newsletters

Code Blocks

Use <pre> and <code> tags for code blocks. Most email clients respect monospace formatting within these tags. Keep code snippets short (under 10 lines) since email clients don't scroll well within code blocks.

Plain Text

Always check your plain text version. Many developers use email clients (mutt, Alpine, terminal-based) or settings that render plain text. If your newsletter is HTML-only, these readers see mangled content.

Links Over Buttons

Developer audiences click text links more than styled buttons. "Read the full post: [link]" outperforms a big orange "Read More" button. Keep it simple.

Minimal Design

The most successful developer newsletters look like personal emails: white background, black text, minimal formatting. No header images, no footer banners, no sidebar ads. The content is the design.

How to Choose

You want a newsletter-specific tool: Buttondown. Built for newsletters, markdown native, simple.

You want to monetize your newsletter: ConvertKit or Substack. Both support paid subscriptions.

You want full code control: Resend. Build your newsletter as software.

You're a SaaS sending product updates: Loops or Sequenzy. Developer-friendly with product email alongside newsletters.

You want blog + newsletter integrated: Ghost. Write once, publish to web and email.

You want zero setup: Substack. Write and publish immediately.

FAQ

Should developer newsletters use HTML or plain text? Both. Send HTML with a clean, minimal design and ensure the plain text version is equally readable. Some developer email tools (Buttondown) generate good plain text automatically from markdown. Test both versions.

How long should a developer newsletter be? Most successful developer newsletters are 500-1,500 words for original content, or curated links with 2-3 sentence descriptions per item. Developers scan quickly. Front-load the most interesting content.

How often should I send a developer newsletter? Weekly is the most common cadence for successful developer newsletters. Bi-weekly works if you need more time for quality content. Monthly risks losing momentum and subscriber attention.

Do developers actually read newsletters? Yes. Developer newsletters have some of the highest engagement rates in email marketing. The key is quality content and respect for the reader's time. No fluff, no filler, no marketing speak.