Buttondown vs Podia
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: Buttondown Priced by active subscribers (slider on the page); Podia states none.
| Buttondown | Podia | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free plan | from $42/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Not stated by the vendor |
| Free trial | Not stated by the vendor | Yes |
| Plans | Free ($0); Paid () | Mover ($42/mo annual, $504/yr); Shaker ($84/mo annual, $1008/yr); Earthquaker ($150/mo annual, $1800/yr) |
| Fees | Priced by active subscribers (slider on the page) | Not stated |
| Best for | Not stated | Creators, Small business |
| Key features | Rich text or markdown editor; Send from a custom domain; Hosted newsletter archives; Tagging and segmentation (add-on) | Online courses and digital products; Community and website with a blog; Newsletter with welcome sequences and automations (Shaker and up); Affiliate marketing and upsells (Shaker and up) |
| Checked on | 2026-10-02 | 2026-10-05 |
Prices change; confirm on the vendor's site before you buy. Full details and sources are on each tool's page.
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
Podia
- 14-day free trial with no credit card
- No transaction fees on Shaker and Earthquaker
- Courses, community and newsletter in one place
Trade-offs
- No free plan
- Mover has a 5% transaction fee
- Email subscribers are capped by plan, up to 1,000 on Earthquaker