What Buttondown is
Buttondown is an email newsletter platform that does not aim to become a social network.
A newsletter operator can write in a rich text or markdown editor, send from a custom domain, run automations, keep archives, and import a list with a concierge migration.
Its feature list includes an API with a CLI tool, RSS, comments, surveys, sponsorships, attachments, unlimited newsletters and unlimited contributors.
Who it is for
Buttondown suits writers who want to charge for a newsletter or sell sponsorships, teams with several contributors, and developers who want an API.
A newsletter operator who writes in markdown, wants a simple tool and wants to keep all subscription revenue would fit. Buttondown is funded by its customers, takes no investor money, and is profitable. The team has 14 members.
What you can do with it
Features include Paid Subscriptions, with name-your-price and a free tier; Automations; Markdown editor; RSS publishing and RSS-to-email; Comments; Surveys; Sponsorships; Attachments; and public Archives with optional paywalls.
It also has a REST API with webhooks and a CLI tool, unlimited newsletters, unlimited contributors with permissions, and sending from your own email client.
Sponsors can book ad slots and pay through Stripe, and you approve their content. Archives are public on the web, with optional hidden emails and paywalls.
Plans and pricing
Buttondown charges by active subscribers, not all contacts. The first 100 subscribers cost nothing. Per-subscriber prices are set on a slider on the pricing page.
Add-ons are monthly. At $9 each: tagging and segmentation, paid subscriptions, comments and surveys, analytics, RSS-to-email, sponsorships and attachments. At $29 each: archives on a custom domain, multiple newsletters and automations. At $79 each: whitelabeling and teams.
Registered 501(c)(3) non-profits get 50% off by emailing proof.
What it works with
There are over 45 integrations for embedding content such as videos, GIFs and social posts.
Named integrations include Discord, Memberful and YouTube. Custom connections use the API, webhooks and CLI. Sponsors pay through Stripe.
There is a customer support page and a status page. Automations and integrations can be built for comments, and the API can be used to add more.
Things to know before you choose
Prices assume you send at most one email a day to your whole list. For more frequent sending, contact Buttondown about usage-based pricing.
Many features sit behind paid add-ons, including automations, multiple newsletters and teams. Support is by email, through a support page and a public status page. Concierge list migration is free.
At a glance
From the company's own pages. Prices and plans change, so confirm on their site.
- What it does
- Sends newsletters with an editor, automations, personalization, analytics, archives, RSS publishing, paid subscriptions, comments, surveys and an API.
- Used for
- Writing and sending a newsletter with simple pricing that grows with the list.
- Free plan
- Yes. Free for the first 100 subscribers, with a rich text or markdown editor, a custom sending domain and hosted archives.
- Starting price
- No base paid plan price is published. The lowest price is $9 a month per add-on, billed monthly.
- How it charges
- By active subscribers, plus monthly add-ons at $9, $29 or $79 each. Prices assume sending at most one email a day to the whole list. Buttondown takes no fees from paid subscribers.
- Works with
- Discord, Memberful and YouTube, plus an API and RSS. More integrations exist.
- Key features
- Paid subscriptions, automations, markdown editor, RSS-to-email, comments, surveys, sponsorships, attachments, public archives and a REST API with a CLI.
- Plans
- Free for the first 100 subscribers. Beyond that, a price by active subscriber count, with monthly add-ons at $9, $29 and $79.
- Support
- Email, a customer support page and a public status page.
- Company
- Funded by its customers with no investor money, and profitable. The team has 14 members.
- Last checked
- October 10, 2026
Questions operators ask about Buttondown
Is Buttondown free?
Nothing is charged for the first 100 subscribers. That tier includes a rich text or markdown editor, a custom sending domain and hosted archives.
What do the add-ons cost?
$9 a month each for features such as tagging and segmentation, paid subscriptions, analytics, RSS-to-email and sponsorships. Custom-domain archives, multiple newsletters and automations are $29 each, and whitelabeling and teams are $79 each.
Can I move my list over?
Yes. Buttondown offers one-click concierge migration, done within one business day after you contact support.
Is there a discount for non-profits?
Registered 501(c)(3) non-profits, or the equivalent in their country, can get 50% off by emailing proof of registration.
Does Buttondown take a cut of paid subscriptions?
No. Buttondown takes no fees from paid subscribers.
Can I run more than one newsletter?
Yes. Unlimited newsletters are available, billed by total subscribers. Multiple newsletters is also a $29 a month add-on.
Does Buttondown have an API?
Yes. There is a REST API with webhooks and a CLI tool.