Buttondown vs beehiiv
Both sit in newsletters & publishing. Here is how they differ on the things you can actually check.
On price: Buttondown starts $40 a month cheaper than beehiiv ($9 against $49, 82% less). Paying annually takes beehiiv to $43/mo (12% off). Where a price could not be read from the vendor's page it is marked indicative below.
Buttondown
buttondown.com
Markdown-first newsletters with a deliberately minimal interface, good API and a free tier for small lists.
beehiiv
beehiiv.com
Publishing, growth tooling, a recommendation network and a built-in ad marketplace — designed for newsletters that make money.
| Buttondown | beehiiv | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $9/mo | $49/mo |
| Entry plan | — | Scale |
| Paid annually | — | $43/mosave 12% |
| Price checked | not verified | 21 Sept 2026 |
| Pricing model | Free plan | Free plan |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Category | Newsletters & Publishing | Newsletters & Publishing |
| Around since | 2017 | 2021 |
1 of these 2 prices were read from the vendor's own pricing page, most recently on 21 Sept 2026; the rest are indicative. Entry tier only — vendors change pricing without notice.
Buttondown vs beehiiv, answered
- Is Buttondown cheaper than beehiiv?
- Yes. Buttondown starts at $9 a month against beehiiv's $49, 82% less.
- Do Buttondown or beehiiv have a free plan?
- Both do. Buttondown and beehiiv each publish an ongoing free tier rather than a time-limited trial.
- What is the difference between Buttondown and beehiiv?
- Buttondown: Markdown-first newsletters with a deliberately minimal interface, good API and a free tier for small lists. beehiiv: Publishing, growth tooling, a recommendation network and a built-in ad marketplace — designed for newsletters that make money.
- Which one is cheaper paid annually?
- Buttondown, at $9 a month against beehiiv's $43. Buttondown publishes no annual discount we could read, so it stays at $9, while beehiiv drops to $43 a month paid yearly (12% off).
