Buttondown vs SendFox
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); SendFox From, at 5K contacts; price rises with contacts, $29 one-time.
| Buttondown | SendFox | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free plan | Free plan · from $19/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Not stated by the vendor | Not stated by the vendor |
| Plans | Free ($0); Paid () | Free ($0); Pro ($19/mo); Lifetime () |
| Fees | Priced by active subscribers (slider on the page) | From, at 5K contacts; price rises with contacts; $29 one-time |
| Best for | Not stated | Creators |
| Key features | Rich text or markdown editor; Send from a custom domain; Hosted newsletter archives; Tagging and segmentation (add-on) | Drag-and-drop editor; Smart pages, forms and automations; AI email drafts and an AI email writer (Pro); Paid newsletters through Stripe (Pro) |
| Checked on | 2026-10-02 | 2026-10-03 |
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
SendFox
- Free forever plan with no card
- A one-time $29 Lifetime option with 300,000 sends
- Annual billing gives 2 months free
Trade-offs
- Free is limited to 1,000 contacts, 3,000 sends a month and SendFox branding
- Free has no API or MCP access
- Lifetime keeps a small SendFox footer and is limited to 5,000 contacts