Buttondown vs Substack
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); Substack 10% of paid-subscription revenue, plus credit card fees.
| Buttondown | Substack | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free plan | Not verified yet |
| Free plan | Yes | Not stated by the vendor |
| Free trial | Not stated by the vendor | Not stated by the vendor |
| Plans | Free ($0); Paid () | Revenue share () |
| Fees | Priced by active subscribers (slider on the page) | 10% of paid-subscription revenue, plus credit card fees |
| Best for | Not stated | Not stated |
| Key features | Rich text or markdown editor; Send from a custom domain; Hosted newsletter archives; Tagging and segmentation (add-on) | Newsletters with free and paid posts; Paid subscriptions set up in minutes; You own your content and subscriber list |
| 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.
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
Substack
- No monthly fee is listed on the page
- Writers keep 90% of subscription revenue before card fees
- Set free or paid access post by post
Trade-offs
- Substack keeps 10% of revenue, on top of credit card fees
- The page does not list a plan comparison or feature tiers