Beehiiv vs Buttondown Pricing (2026)
How do these two stack up on price? Here's what each one costs, what you get, and where the value sits.
| Beehiiv | Buttondown | |
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | $43/mo | Custom |
| Number of plans | 4 | 1 |
| Free plan | ||
| Free trial | — | |
| Pricing model | usage-based | usage-based |
Launch
- Newsletters, Website, and Podcast
- Campaign Analytics
- Unlimited Email Sends
- Recommendation Network
- Optimized Deliverability
- Custom Domains
- Link-in-Bio
- AI Website Builder
- API Access (excluding Send API)
- beehiiv MCP (Read Access)
Scale
Popular- Ad Network*†
- Boosts Network*†
- 0% Take Rate on Paid Subscriptions*
- Digital Products
- Email Automations
- Surveys & Polls
- Advanced Website Analytics
- Webhooks
- beehiiv MCP (Write Access)
- Teams (3 Seats)*
- Slack Community Access*
- Human Support
Max
- Remove beehiiv Branding*
- Sponsorship Storefront
- Audio Newsletters
- Digital Products (Appointments)
- RSS to Send
- Up to 10 Publications*
- Teams (Unlimited Seats)*
- Priority Human Support
- Getty Image Credits
- Dynamic Content
- AI Bot Control
Enterprise
- Concierge Onboarding
- Dedicated Account Manager
- Dedicated IP Addresses
- Send API*
- Custom Publication Limits
- Invite-Only Webinars with our CEO
- VIP Human Support
- Deliverability Reports (coming soon)
- SSO
Free
- Rich text or markdown editor
- Send from a custom domain
- Hosted newsletter archives
- Privacy-first
Beehiiv vs Buttondown FAQ
- Which one is cheaper?
- One or both use custom pricing, so it depends on your specific needs.
- Can I use either one for free?
- Both offer free plans, so you can try each without paying. Start with whichever fits your workflow better and upgrade when you hit the limits.
- How do they charge?
- Both use a usage-based model, so the comparison is straightforward — it comes down to features and limits at each price point.
- Which one is a better deal?
- Depends on what you need. Beehiiv: Beehiiv is positioned as the creator-friendly alternative to Mailchimp and ConvertKit — more affordable than legacy ESPs at comparable list sizes, and undercutting Substack's revenue-share model for anyone monetizing a paid newsletter. They're going after the prosumer and indie media operator who wants ownership without platform tax. Buttondown: Buttondown is positioned as the indie/developer-friendly alternative to Mailchimp or ConvertKit — leaner, more transparent, and cheaper at small scale. The 50% nonprofit discount and the 'contact us' gate for high-volume senders signal they're deliberately targeting small creators and mission-driven orgs, not enterprise marketing teams.
Keep tabs on both.
We'll monitor pricing changes for Beehiiv and Buttondown and let you know when something moves.