Software · head to head
Revue vs Buttondown
Revue
Software
A newsletter platform by Twitter for writers and readers
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Revue revue (the newsletter tool, at getrevue.co, not the unrelated revue.com photography magazine) was acquired by Twitter and shut down in January 2023; the Internet Archive's capture of getrevue.co on 3 January 2021 shows it was an editorial newsletter platform used by Vox Media, FastCompany and VentureBeat with subscription, sponsorship and ad-based monetization tools, sold via demo request.; Buttondown limited built-in monetization compared to Substack, which offers native payment processing
- They diverge on capability: Revue covers Content curation, Buttondown covers Markdown support.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Revue and Buttondown actually diverge.
| Attribute | Revue | Buttondown |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | free | Unknown |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2017).
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 Revue
- Content curation
- Twitter integration
- Email delivery
- Share to followers
- Editorial calendar
- RSS
- Web forms
Only in Buttondown
- Markdown support
- Analytics
- Paid subscriptions
- Zapier
- Stripe
- Webhooks
Both cover
- Newsletter creation
- Subscriber management
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Revue
- Newsletter distributionnot Buttondown
- Content curationnot Buttondown
- Twitter promotionnot Buttondown
- Subscriber buildingnot Buttondown
Buttondown
- Newsletter publishingnot Revue
- Email marketingnot Revue
- Audience buildingnot Revue
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Revue
- Revue (the newsletter tool, at getrevue.co, not the unrelated revue.com photography magazine) was acquired by Twitter and shut down in January 2023; the Internet Archive's capture of getrevue.co on 3 January 2021 shows it was an editorial newsletter platform used by Vox Media, FastCompany and VentureBeat with subscription, sponsorship and ad-based monetization tools, sold via demo request.
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
Revue
Free- FreeFree
- Newsletter publishing
- Content curation
- Twitter integration
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 Revue if
- You need content curation.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want twitter integration.
Choose Buttondown if
- You need markdown support.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want analytics.
Questions people ask
- Is Revue or Buttondown better?
- Neither clearly leads. Revue starts at Free and Buttondown at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Revue or Buttondown?
- Revue starts at Free and Buttondown at Free.
- Does Revue or Buttondown run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Revue for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Revue best used for?
- Revue is most often used for newsletter distribution, content curation, twitter promotion, subscriber building. Of those, newsletter distribution and content curation are not what Buttondown is typically brought in for.
- What can Revue do that Buttondown cannot?
- Revue covers Content curation, Twitter integration, Email delivery, Share to followers. Buttondown covers Markdown support, Analytics, Paid subscriptions, Zapier. Both handle Newsletter creation, Subscriber management, Twitter, 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.
SourceButtondown: What editor options does Buttondown offer?
Buttondown supports Markdown, HTML, and WYSIWYG editors so you can compose newsletters in your preferred format.
SourceButtondown: 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.
SourceButtondown: 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.