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Software · head to head

Buttondown vs ConvertKit

Buttondown logo

Buttondown

Software

The easiest way to start and grow your newsletter

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ConvertKit logo

ConvertKit

Software

The creator platform for digital professionals

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Buttondown has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Buttondown limited built-in monetization compared to Substack, which offers native payment processing; ConvertKit the free Newsletter plan allows only one basic visual automation, so sequences beyond a single flow require paying
  • They diverge on capability: Buttondown covers Newsletter creation, ConvertKit covers Email marketing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Buttondown and ConvertKit actually diverge.

Attributes where Buttondown and ConvertKit differ
AttributeButtondownConvertKit
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20172013

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Buttondown

  • Newsletter creation
  • Markdown support
  • Subscriber management
  • Analytics
  • Paid subscriptions
  • Twitter
  • Webhooks

Only in ConvertKit

  • Email marketing
  • Landing pages
  • Subscriber tagging
  • Automation workflows
  • Digital product sales
  • Broadcast emails
  • Subscriber segments
  • Email templates

Both cover

  • Zapier
  • Stripe
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Buttondown

  • Newsletter publishingnot ConvertKit
  • Email marketingnot ConvertKit
  • Audience buildingnot ConvertKit

ConvertKit

  • Sending newsletters and email sequences to an audiencenot Buttondown
  • Selling paid subscriptions and digital products to a mailing listnot Buttondown

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Buttondown

  • Limited built-in monetization compared to Substack, which offers native payment processing
  • Fewer growth and discovery features compared to Beehiiv or Ghost
  • Smaller community and ecosystem than larger newsletter platforms
  • Basic automation compared to full-featured email marketing platforms
  • No native mobile app for managing newsletters on the go

ConvertKit

  • The free Newsletter plan allows only one basic visual automation, so sequences beyond a single flow require paying
  • The free plan is a single user, and the Creator plan at $33 a month allows two
  • Subscriber signals, engagement analytics and paid recommendations are Pro only, at $66 a month
  • A/B testing is capped at 2 subject lines below Pro, which allows 5
  • Paid pricing is banded by subscriber count, so the published figures apply only at the smallest band

Pricing, plan by plan

Buttondown

Free
  • Free$undefined/mo
    • Up to 100 subscribers
    • Core newsletter features
    • Hosted archives
  • Paid$undefined/mo
    • Pricing scales by subscriber count above 100
    • Add-on features from $9/month

ConvertKit

On request
  • Creator$29/month
    • Up to 10K subscribers
    • Email campaigns
    • Landing pages
  • Creator Pro$79/month
    • Unlimited subscribers
    • Advanced automation
    • Digital products

Which should you pick?

Choose Buttondown if

  • You need newsletter creation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want markdown support.
Buttondown review

Choose ConvertKit if

  • You need email marketing.
  • You also want landing pages.
ConvertKit review

Questions people ask

Is Buttondown or ConvertKit better?
Neither clearly leads. Buttondown starts at Free and ConvertKit at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Buttondown or ConvertKit?
Buttondown has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Buttondown and On request for ConvertKit.
Does Buttondown or ConvertKit run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Buttondown for free?
Yes. Buttondown has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ConvertKit starts at On request.
What is Buttondown best used for?
Buttondown is most often used for newsletter publishing, email marketing, audience building. Of those, newsletter publishing and email marketing are not what ConvertKit is typically brought in for.
What can Buttondown do that ConvertKit cannot?
Buttondown covers Newsletter creation, Markdown support, Subscriber management, Analytics. ConvertKit covers Email marketing, Landing pages, Subscriber tagging, Automation workflows. Both handle Zapier, Stripe, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Buttondown: How much does Buttondown cost?

Buttondown is free for your first 100 subscribers and includes core newsletter features. After that, pricing scales based on subscriber count. Add-on features start at $9/month each.

Source
Buttondown: What editor options does Buttondown offer?

Buttondown supports Markdown, HTML, and WYSIWYG editors so you can compose newsletters in your preferred format.

Source
Buttondown: Does Buttondown track analytics?

Analytics are disabled by default in Buttondown, prioritizing privacy. You can enable tracking if desired, and the platform is GDPR-compliant.

Source
Buttondown: What is Buttondown's company structure?

Buttondown is an independent, self-funded, and profitable SaaS platform founded by Justin Duke with no plans to take external investment or change that model.

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