Buttondown

The easiest way to start and grow your newsletter

Freemium

About Buttondown

Buttondown is the indie newsletter tool beloved by developers, technical writers, and anyone who values simplicity over feature bloat. Built and maintained by a single developer (Justin Duke), Buttondown focuses on doing newsletters right: native markdown editing, clean archives, simple automation, and respect for subscriber privacy (no tracking pixels by default). Unlike Substack or Beehiiv with their social features and monetization complexity, Buttondown is purely a writing and sending tool. Free tier supports up to 100 subscribers; paid plans ($9/mo for 1,000 subscribers) scale based on list size. The API is excellent—many developers use Buttondown as a backend for custom newsletter experiences. Key features include scheduled sends, automation sequences, paid subscriptions via Stripe, and beautiful default templates. Limitations: no built-in growth tools like Beehiiv's Boosts, minimal analytics compared to competitors, and you won't find AI writing features here. Buttondown is perfect for writers who want their newsletter to feel personal, not like a media company.

Key Features

Native markdown editor with live preview

Privacy-focused (no tracking pixels by default)

Simple automation and drip sequences

Paid subscriptions integration with Stripe

Beautiful archives and RSS feeds

Powerful API for custom integrations

Custom domains and branding removal

Import from Substack, Mailchimp, and others

Subscriber tagging and segmentation

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Indie-built with thoughtful, simple design
• Privacy-first approach respected by subscribers
• Excellent markdown support for technical writers
• Powerful API enables custom newsletter setups
• Very affordable compared to alternatives
• No venture capital pressure for feature bloat

Cons

• No built-in growth tools or recommendation network
• Analytics are basic compared to Beehiiv/ConvertKit
• No AI writing assistance
• Smaller community and fewer templates
• One-person team means slower feature development
• Not ideal for media companies needing advanced tools

Best For

Developers and technical writers using markdown Writers valuing simplicity and privacy Personal newsletters without monetization pressure API-first teams building custom newsletter experiences Anyone tired of bloated newsletter platforms