Buttondown vs Beehiiv Pricing (2026)
How do these two stack up on price? Here's what each one costs, what you get, and where the value sits.
| Buttondown | Beehiiv | |
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | Custom | $43/mo |
| Number of plans | 1 | 4 |
| Free plan | ||
| Free trial | — | |
| Pricing model | usage-based | usage-based |
Free
- Rich text or markdown editor
- Send from a custom domain
- Hosted newsletter archives
- Privacy-first
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
Buttondown vs Beehiiv 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. 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. 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.
Keep tabs on both.
We'll monitor pricing changes for Buttondown and Beehiiv and let you know when something moves.