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 hybrid

Buttondown

$0/mo
  • Rich text or markdown editor
  • Send from a custom domain
  • Hosted newsletter archives
  • Privacy-first

Launch

$0/mo
  • 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)
  • beehiiv Agent (Read Access)

Scale

Popular
$43/mo
  • Ad Network
  • Recommendations
  • 0% Take Rate on Paid Subscriptions
  • Digital Products
  • Community (New)
  • Email Automations
  • Surveys & Polls
  • Advanced Website Analytics
  • Webhooks
  • beehiiv MCP (Write Access)
  • beehiiv Agent (Write Access) (New)
  • Teams (3 Seats)
  • Slack Community Access
  • Human Support

Max

$96/mo
  • 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
  • Send API
  • Group Subscriptions
  • Click-Triggered Automations

Enterprise

Custom
  • Concierge Onboarding
  • Dedicated Account Manager
  • Dedicated IP Addresses
  • Random Cohort Sends
  • 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?
Different approach here. Buttondown uses usage-based pricing, while Beehiiv goes with hybrid. That changes the math depending on your team size and usage.
Which one is a better deal?
Depends on what you need. Beehiiv: Beehiiv sits mid-market against ConvertKit and Substack — not the cheapest (Substack takes a revenue cut instead of charging upfront, which can undercut Beehiiv at low volumes), but it undercuts Mailchimp-style legacy platforms while offering more monetization infrastructure. They're clearly chasing creators who want to own their audience and revenue streams without paying a percentage cut like Substack.

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