beehiiv vs Buttondown
Both are in Newsletter platforms. Here is how their plans, prices and features compare, taken from each vendor's own site.
The main differences
- Fees: beehiiv Custom pricing; Buttondown Priced by active subscribers (slider on the page).
| beehiiv | Buttondown | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free plan · from $49/mo | Free plan |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Not stated by the vendor |
| Plans | Free ($0); Lite ($49/mo annual); Pro ($95/mo annual); Enterprise () | Free ($0); Paid () |
| Fees | Custom pricing | Priced by active subscribers (slider on the page) |
| Best for | Creators | Not stated |
| Key features | Newsletter, website, podcast, community and digital products on every plan; Unlimited email sends; Landing pages and email templates; API and integrations | Rich text or markdown editor; Send from a custom domain; Hosted newsletter archives; Tagging and segmentation (add-on) |
| Checked on | 2026-10-02 | 2026-10-02 |
Prices change; confirm on the vendor's site before you buy. Full details and sources are on each tool's page.
beehiiv
- Free plan with up to 2,500 subscribers and unlimited sends
- 0% take rate on paid subscriptions
- Try paid plans free with no credit card
Trade-offs
- Lite starts at $49 a month billed yearly at 1,000 subscribers
- Beehiiv branding stays until Pro ($95 a month billed yearly)
- The Free plan keeps analytics for only 30 days
Buttondown
- Free for the first 100 subscribers
- Charged by active subscribers, not total contacts
- Features are sold as add-ons, so you pay only for what you use
- 50% non-profit discount
Trade-offs
- Most features beyond the editor are paid add-ons
- Automations, multiple newsletters and custom-domain archives cost $29 a month each
- Prices assume at most one email a day to your whole list