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News & Media · head to head

ConvertKit vs Buttondown

ConvertKit logo

ConvertKit

News & Media

The creator platform for digital professionals

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Buttondown logo

Buttondown

News & Media

The easiest way to start and grow your newsletter

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

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

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ConvertKit and Buttondown actually diverge.

Attributes where ConvertKit and Buttondown differ
AttributeConvertKitButtondown
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
Founded20132017

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

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 ConvertKit

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

Only in Buttondown

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

Both cover

  • Stripe
  • Zapier
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

ConvertKit

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

Buttondown

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

Pricing, plan by plan

ConvertKit

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

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

Which should you pick?

Choose ConvertKit if

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

Choose Buttondown if

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

Questions people ask

Is ConvertKit or Buttondown better?
Neither clearly leads. ConvertKit starts at On request and Buttondown at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ConvertKit or Buttondown?
Buttondown has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for ConvertKit and Free for Buttondown.
Does ConvertKit or Buttondown 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 ConvertKit best used for?
ConvertKit is most often used for sending newsletters and email sequences to an audience, selling paid subscriptions and digital products to a mailing list. Of those, sending newsletters and email sequences to an audience and selling paid subscriptions and digital products to a mailing list are not what Buttondown is typically brought in for.
What can ConvertKit do that Buttondown cannot?
ConvertKit covers Email marketing, Landing pages, Subscriber tagging, Automation workflows. Buttondown covers Newsletter creation, Markdown support, Subscriber management, Analytics. Both handle Stripe, Zapier, 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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