# Page 3 | Buttondown Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Page 3 - Is Buttondown the right Email Marketing solution for you? Explore 114 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/10008721/Buttondown/reviews --- Buttondown 4.8 (114) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/10008721/Buttondown/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Page 3 - Reviews of Buttondown ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 51-75 of 114 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use VR Verified Reviewer Owner Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Great Service; Sincere Company" July 25, 2024 5.0 A great tool that doesn't get in the way. Simple authoring a newsletter to end users reading with no obstacles/complexities. Pros I like the small personalized feel of the service, the \[sensitive content hidden\] and the communications. It's not a large company with sales reps calling/emailing constantly. Cons I haven't found anything I'm unhappy with yet. After hitting 100 subscribers, I was gently invited to upgrade from the free account which was appropriate. Alternatives considered [Mailchimp](https://www.capterra.com/p/110228/MailChimp/) Review Source AM Andrew M. Owner Computer Software Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Enjoying buttondown!" September 11, 2024 4.0 Pros Clean design, but fully featured for all my email needs. Cons Some of the settings have been slightly confusing! Review Source Jason D. Founder Information Technology and Services Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "An email marketing platform (newsletters) with tons of API power" May 22, 2024 5.0 Starting my first newsletter I had a ton of questions. They've been extremely patient with me and walked me through anything I didn't understand. Pros The APIs! The support is absolutely top-notch as well. But the fact that I can get the data in and out of the system was why I chose Buttondown. Cons It's relatively new compared to some of the others so there are some nice-to-have features that I'm eager to get rolled out. Alternatives considered [Kit](https://www.capterra.com/p/175000/ConvertKit/)[Ghost](https://www.capterra.com/p/151947/Ghost/)[Moosend](https://www.capterra.com/p/147042/Moosend/)[beehiiv](https://www.capterra.com/p/249823/beehiiv/)[Brevo](https://www.capterra.com/p/132996/brevo/) Reason for choosing Buttondown APIs, free trial and the story of the founder resonated with me. Review Source EMA E M A. Author Publishing Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Great team, transparency, customization, and end product" November 17, 2023 5.0 Pros The first three things that drew me to Buttondown when a friend suggested it as a possible alternative to Substack: (1) Free tier that includes unlimited customer service. Many newsletter platforms are doing away with free tiers entirely, and those that still have them typically limit free customer service to the first 30 days, which is basically useless to someone like me who only sends out one newsletter per month. (2) Ability to important subscribers and past issues from Substack, as I was looking specifically to move away from Substack for a variety of reasons. (3) The transparency! Going through the pages about Buttondown and its use really impressed me. I was amazed to even find a page about when and how Buttondown provides information to law enforcement - all platforms have a clause in their privacy policy about providing information to law enforcement if they must, but this is the first time I've ever seen a platform describe in what situation this would happen. Since starting to use Buttondown: I like how easy it was to important everything from my old Substack. I love that I've been able to customize my newsletter's look more than I could on Substack. I love that there's built-in alt text and that alt text is included in the "are you really ready to publish" checklist! And I've had a great experience with \[sensitive content hidden\] and the customer service team. Cons It's not very intuitive, which does create more of a learning curve for me as someone who isn't tech savvy than I might have on other platforms. However, this is offset by the pages and pages of resources and guides to using Buttondown (as well as the fantastic customer service). Alternatives considered [MailerLite](https://www.capterra.com/p/136603/MailerLite/)[Mailchimp](https://www.capterra.com/p/110228/MailChimp/) Reason for choosing Buttondown I wasn't happy with any of the major platforms. Some of them had no free tier, while others had a free tier with laughably limited customer service. I was also concerned that I might switch, quickly find out something terrible about the company, and immediately want to switch again. When a friend found Buttondown while helping me search for additional options, I really liked Buttondown's transparency and pricing options. I was a little apprehensive about trying it because it seemed like it might be harder for me to use, but it's actually been just about as easy as Substack! There's been a little bit of a learning curve, but in some cases that applies to things I couldn't do on Substack anyway (like create a custom header and footer for my newsletter). Switched from [Mailchimp](https://www.capterra.com/p/110228/MailChimp/) Okay, I actually switched from SUBSTACK, but it's not coming up as an option in the dropdown. Anyway, I switched away from Substack for a number of reasons, the top of which were anti-trans rhetoric being heavily monetized on and by the platform and concerns over privacy and intellectual ownership. Review Source JE Jessi E. Freelance Illustrator and Comic Artist Arts and Crafts Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Excellent Way to Send Out Newsletters!" August 14, 2023 5.0 Buttondown has made my newsletter much easier to create, schedule, and manage overall, so I actually DO my newsletters now and regularly! It's made my life less stressful, and I really appreciate that! Pros I switched over to Buttondown from another popular email service provider because I thought Buttondown looked much simpler and more intuitive to use, and I was RIGHT! It's been such a delight to use: much less hassle and stress, very easy to understand, wonderful features always being added, and a great system overall. I love being able to more easily see my archive and that current subscribers and potential subscribers can see the archive whenever they wish. I also appreciate the way \[sensitive content hidden\] listens to the community and takes our requests and needs to heart!For example, I once messaged him about how to include alt text in my newsletters, and after providing me with a way to do it, he also promised to develop a feature that made it easier and quicker to include alt text soon-- and then he did exactly that within less than, I believe, 8 weeks!I deeply appreciate \[sensitive content hidden\] responsiveness to the community for requests, and I'm excited to see how Buttondown continues to grow! Cons Honestly, anything that is a con for me eventually turns into a positive because \[sensitive content hidden\] is constantly working to improve the service and add functions that we request as users. Currently, I think the scheduling to send an email is a little slow at times, but it always goes out to all my subscribers, and I just factor in a few minutes extra if something is critical for arriving by a specific time.And this one isn't a complaint so much as an idea, but I would love to see a "like" button for the emails so that newsletter subscribers have a simple and quick way to engage with the content! But honestly, it's fine with or without that lol. Alternatives considered [Gmail](https://www.capterra.com/p/202338/Gmail/)[Proton Mail](https://www.capterra.com/p/201276/ProtonMail/) Reason for choosing Buttondown Because of the archive and the ease with which I could schedule newsletters. The usability of Buttondown was extremely attractive. Switched from [Mailchimp](https://www.capterra.com/p/110228/MailChimp/) Mailchimp was such a headache to deal with every time I opened it. Intimidating, overly complex, and not clearly explained for my needs. I got to the point where I just wasn't regularly emailing my subscribers because it was such a difficult experience! Review Source NH Nate H. inapplicable Writing and Editing Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Buttondown is great for writing a newsletter/blog" June 14, 2024 4.0 It's fantastic for me as a writer. Other sites have been harder to use and included bells and whistles that are a distraction from the main thing that interests me and the only thing I have to offer, namely doing the actual writing. This site is so straightforward and easy to use, it's just as easy as many word processors and better than some, and then I hit a button and my stuff is online and sent to people's email. Perfect. Plus the look of the site is super clean and distraction-free, it just says 'this is about the writing.' Pros The site is very easy to use and set up so I can just focus on writing. Cons I have no complaints. I would like it if the archive of old posts was easier to navigate but that's very, very minor. Reason for choosing Buttondown It's a superior product for the reasons I mentioned above. I've used a variety of blogging sites and newsletter sites since the early 2000s and this is my favorite so far. Review Source FC Frank C. Independent Artist & Photographer Fine Art Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Buttondown Email A Good Choice For A Simple Paid NewsLetter Service " July 7, 2023 5.0 I originally transitioned from Tinyletter, which uses the same idea as Buttondown, to send emails simply and also have an online archive that works like a simple blog. Buttondown does this along with many new features. The ownder is diehard committed to this tool now, and response quickly to questions in a very friendly manner. Email delivery is excellent, which is what you want and is most important. Pros It is one of the few newsletter tools that also includes an online arcive page. The writing area is clutter free so you can concentrate on your content better. Cons Over the past couple years there have been many improvements made at a rapid pace, so every time I went to send an email campaign I needed to first spend some time learning the new way around the UI. Also, but business model has changed, although my account is grandfathered, I would not need the present business model if I had to pay for it. ... there are other alternatives that do better for my needs. Alternatives considered [Sender](https://www.capterra.com/p/139770/SENDER/) Reason for choosing Buttondown It was highly reccomended by newsletter writers that I follow. It seemed to be a good balance between Tinyletter and BenchmarkEmail. It was, but has become much more. So if you are looking for simply sending a email update like to a church group Tinyletter works fine and you don't have to worry much about subscriber size going over 100 for the free tier. Also, if you are looking for better SEO with your online archive then Benchmark is a better choice, and their free tier is more, well, free. Buttondown is a good coice then if you are looking for an afforable and simple paid newseltter. Switched from [Benchmark Email](https://www.capterra.com/p/71152/Benchmark-Email/) Tinyleter was no longer supported, and getting glitchy. Benchmark was changing owners and business model, and moving in a direction away from my needs. Review Source PI Paul I. owner Health, Wellness and Fitness Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Powerful, flexible, dev-friendly newsletter service with awesome support" June 9, 2023 4.0 I look forward to working with Buttondown. There aren't many services I can say that about. Plenty of "ick" with a lot of the tech I have to deal with. When it’s time to work with Buttondown, it’s a relief, because it’s so thoughtfully designed. I can also clearly see Pros The most important quality of Buttondown for me is that it plays nicely with my own CMS, which existed for many years before I started a newsletter. Even though I’m happy to give credit to Buttondown for powering my newsletter, I am very happy to be able to publish a newsletter that looks like a product of my business. Another critical integration factor: with just a handful of API calls, my premium subscribers can also be in my bespoke membership program on my own website. Noice. Cons It is a little bit rough around the edges, as you would expect from any small shop with a complex product. But don’t get me wrong, this barely qualifies as a not-liking: all products have issues, and I would much rather spar with bugs with a responsive and thoughtful developer any day of the week. Alternatives considered [Mailcoach](https://www.capterra.com/p/204077/Mailcoach/)[Memberful](https://www.capterra.com/p/10004360/Memberful/)[Patreon](https://www.capterra.com/p/230186/Patreon/)[Mailchimp](https://www.capterra.com/p/110228/MailChimp/) Reason for choosing Buttondown Smaller shop, thoughtful and flexible features, developer friendly, nice API. And I liked the values advertised (e.g. passing on some revenue to open source projects). Review Source JZ Joseph Z. Editor Publishing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Exactly what I need" January 5, 2024 5.0 I started using Buttondown in 2020. I had had a daily blog that had run its course, so I wanted to switch to something that would reach people weekly. Buttondown fit the bill. I think (though I'm not sure) that I encountered \[sensitive content hidden\] on social media, and we discussed it before I deployed Pros It's easy to use. I like Markdown, so that's a natural way for me to do things. The interface is mostly quite friendly, and I know that they have things in the roadmap that will make it even better. And for me, the best thing about Buttondown is the tech support. The people are great, helpful, and welcoming. The bottom line: I started on the free tier, and I'm not actually using any features that would require payment -- but I recently upgraded to a paid tier because Buttondown and its team are so useful and helpful that I figure that I should chip in at least something to the endeavour. Cons Hmm. The editor could be a tad better. I'd like to have a dark mode. But with the standardization on Markdown, I can write in a different tool and easily drop what I've written into the Buttondown editor window. Reason for choosing Buttondown It does exactly what I need it to do. I can easily handle subscribers and content. Review Source Cassidy W. Software Engineer Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "No bloat, solid newsletter platform" July 18, 2023 5.0 I have no major complaints with Buttondown, it gets the job done, and done well. They are transparent and open to feedback, and it's great being able to have such a flexible platform. Pros I love being able to write with markdown, and how easy it is to have RSS and an archive of what I've sent! Cons The analytics are not very intensive. I don't mind that personally, but I could see that being a deal breaker for others. Alternatives considered [Kit](https://www.capterra.com/p/175000/ConvertKit/)[Ghost](https://www.capterra.com/p/151947/Ghost/)[beehiiv](https://www.capterra.com/p/249823/beehiiv/) Reason for choosing Buttondown Buttondown makes it easier for me to own my data, and write in markdown. Switched from [Mailchimp](https://www.capterra.com/p/110228/MailChimp/) It was too bloated for what I wanted. Review Source MC Mags C. Writer Writing and Editing Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "A friendly, approachable newsletter tool that puts the controls in your hands" October 17, 2023 5.0 I’ve been using Buttondown to write and distribute a personal newsletter — I take paid subscriptions, but it’s essentially a small-scale, stand-alone creative project. While there are many newsletter tools that cater to users like me, I chose Buttondown because of the high degree of control it gives me over my user experience and — not unrelatedly! — because it’s clearly built to be a newsletter tool, not a walled garden social network (which I’m a little wary of locking my creative work into these days). I’ve been very pleased with it so far, and found the learning curve manageable as someone who’s not a programmer — I’ve described it to friends as sort of an “editing Wikipedia” level of complexity. I would recommend it! Pros Accessibility; range of options; simple but powerful tool that does its job well Cons Slight learning curve and/or “intimidated by wall of so many options” feeling when starting; relative lack of social network-like interactions between newsletters is a pro for me but could be a con for some Review Source nT nicholas T. Owner Publishing Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Great choice for power users" November 12, 2023 4.0 Love it! Couldn’t be happier with the support and overall experience. Exactly what i was looking for coming from the monkey software. Pros I like that i can write campaigns in Markdown and focus on simple emails instead of lots of templates and drag and drop formatting. Cons Campaign management is minimal. It would be nice to be able to tag, filter, and sort campaigns better. Switched from [Mailchimp](https://www.capterra.com/p/110228/MailChimp/) Looking for something that supported Markdown and simpler to manage. Review Source AR Alis R. author Writing and Editing Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "So Far So Good" January 21, 2024 5.0 Overall positive. I've just barely started, and have only sent out one newsletter so far, but it seems to have worked fairly seamlessly and I will continue to expand my knowledge base for the platform as I use it more. I particularly appreciate \[sensitive content hidden\] helpful support and his cheerful and incredibly patient disposition. Pros I very much appreciate the support. I was able to schedule a half hour call with \[sensitive content hidden\] where he answered my questions. He seamlessly migrated my subscribers and archives over to Buttondown. Overall, once the DNS Records were switched, sending an email has been fairly straightforward, which I appreciate, as well as being able to choose between Markdown, HTML, or a mode in which it's done for me. The look is clean, and the archives page is easy to scan. The pricing (Standard) is reasonable. Cons I found it difficult to set up in large part because much of the "language" is foreign to me. My hosting server's help desk ended up switching the DNS Records for me because I didn't understand the directions. As well, I don't have the settings fully set up because I don't understand some of them. A lot of this is my own ignorance; some of it might be helped with a little more explanatory text or even "explain it to me like I'm a five year old" text. I very much hope comments are enabled when that is possible. Reason for choosing Buttondown Testimonials by people like Charlie Jane Anders and Ed Yong. Promised ease of use. Praise for it having good support. Price point (using the annual payment, it was affordable for me). Switched from [Mailchimp](https://www.capterra.com/p/110228/MailChimp/) I actually switched from Substack but I wasn't offered that as an option, so I chose Mailchimp instead because I used it before I went to Substack. I left Substack because of Substack's policy of monetizing and amplifying transphobic and Nazi newsletters. Review Source GA Geoffrey A. Proprietor Computer Software Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Simple, Flexible, and well built" December 28, 2023 5.0 Positive, refreshing, and effective. It does what it says with no drama. Plus the notification emails are fun. \[sensitive content hidden\] clearly has a sense of humor and pours his being into the efforts Pros It was easy to set up, and when I upgraded to the basic tier, it was clear what would be included, and what performance to expect. It is easy to work with, I use the RSS feed to trigger the creation of a newsletter email, have it sit in my drafts (so I can tweak it if need be) and then send when I am ready. It does the job, quietly, competently, and without any drama. No surprises. Also, the few questions I had, \[sensitive content hidden\] was super responsive in answering and helping out. Cons Not really a Buttondown issue, but it is disappointing that most email clients trash carefully created CSS formatting tweaks. Reason for choosing Buttondown I am moving from Substack, and I chose Buttondown as a lightweight delivery vehicle for the newsletter. I am pairing it with a Wordpress blog to serve as my CMS. So far it is great Review Source JH John H. Artistic Director Arts and Crafts Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Button down solved our issues" February 28, 2024 5.0 A fantastic service that far exceeds the majority of other email marketing and campaign management services out there. Pros It’s such a clean and rich control panel. The whole set up for how you deliver campaigns in button down is better than all other services we’ve used. Cons Nothing. Buttondown just works well across the board. Reason for choosing Buttondown The level of service and how clean the process is. Review Source SR Sara R. Founder Commercial Real Estate Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Starting my new business with Buttondown" March 25, 2024 5.0 Pros After evaluating options for hosting my paid newsletter, I chose Buttondown for its flexibility (design, formatting for email/web, incorporating my logo and branding), payment integration, subscriber analytics, affordability, and flat fee-for-service as opposed to paying a share of subscription revenue. Cons Set-up was more complicated than expected, but many of my obstacles were easy to overcome via the online documentation and knowledge gained during set-up means an easier path going forward. I did have a couple items warrenting additional support and was amazed at how quick and helpful the Buttondown can be. I was sold on the service itself by the support I received during setup and sending my first newsletter. One item flagged by me is now a update for all users. That is fantastic customer service! Review Source NS Nora S. Artist Entertainment Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Excellent functional newsletter for clear communication and tracking" June 6, 2023 5.0 I have reached a much wider audience and built respect for new parts of my practice by starting a Buttondown newsletter. Really happy to have made this choice. Pros Buttondown was the first newsletter I began with for promoting my work and sharing my writing. I have found it extremely user-friendly and clean/easy to work with. I also like that it's actually a bit more of an underground pick and that my newsletters don't look like everyone else's. The customer response time for getting questions answered is SUPER fast and I love that adjustments are always being made. The overall experience and interface make me WANT to and look forward to sending out my next newsletter. Paid option also feels fairly priced. Overall, really happy with the choice and glad I did it. Cons One thing I don't totally understand is that when people reply to newsletters that have gone out, the newsletter email body comes out super widened rather than fitting the screen. This seems not good for the potential that people might forward the one they receive to others, and that that might come out hard to read on the next reader's end. That said, not sure if this is a bug just on my email end or actually affecting others. Reason for choosing Buttondown I liked that it was a small company with clear, simple parameters and a sense that I'd be able to directly communicate with support. I didn't want to be one more Substack, and I liked the aesthetic and simplicity of design. Review Source DS Dorothy S. Writer, artist, and educator Writing and Editing Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Buttondow is simple and easy to use!" January 7, 2024 5.0 I have enjoyed using the platform and will continue using it! Pros • easy to use • manageable system to keep track of subscribers Cons • There is no app version of the platform Reason for choosing Buttondown Many of my friends have been using Buttondown for quite some time and enjoy it! Switched from [Submittable](https://www.capterra.com/p/158382/Submittable/) The above question did not allow me to enter Substack. I left Substack because they are platforming alt-right, conservative, and neo-Nazis. While I believe in “free speech,” I believe consequences of “free speech” that causes harm need to be addressed. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer President Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Great minimalist newsletter system!" June 7, 2023 5.0 I manage a community group where I need to send out notifications about upcoming events. Every email campaign has been sent out on time as scheduled. Pros It's fast. Everything from importing a csv file of new emails to writing markdown and rendering images. Cons It might not be as friendly to a beginner or someone with little coding experience. There is now a GUI toolbox for writing a newsletter instead of using markdown/HTML. Switched from [Mailchimp](https://www.capterra.com/p/110228/MailChimp/) I used Mailchimp long ago but I never felt satisfied. The editor was buggy and convoluted. Buttondown was exactly what I needed to generate beautiful looking emails quickly. Review Source Justin G. Boss Computer Software Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Great option for technical buyers" December 11, 2023 4.0 Pros \- Good feature breadth - Highly responsive customer support - Pricing very compelling relative to Substack Cons \- UI lacks polish - Emails / contacts UI is feature poor and difficult to navigate Review Source JA Janell A. Master of all Arts and Crafts Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Buttondown is easy to use with all the right features." June 12, 2023 5.0 Pros I love that Buttondown is simple -- easy to get in and see data, easy to write an email, easy to checkout subscribers details. Unlike other platforms that provide the kitchen sink, and even the whole dang house sometimes -- AKA overwhelming -- Buttondown is focused and sleek. It lets me get in, do what I need quickly, without distractions. Cons On first logging in, I'm directed to the "Emails" page. I normally check subscriber count, so it would be nice if the top nav bar had text saying "You have x subscribers and x% open rate". It is only a few clicks to get to those details though. Reason for choosing Buttondown Simplicity Review Source CV Cristiano V. Director Management Consulting Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Nice and easy platform for newsletter" July 23, 2023 5.0 Very nice experience, elegant and well designed software, excellent, fast and reliable support team Pros I liked the approach, the elegance of the software architecture and approach.There are many software for mail marketing, but few products that are designed for newsletter for a free and paid audience. Cons There are same function that still need to be better implemented, I do not like that I can only dived the list in paid and free, and that on the list management, field like name and surname are not included by default Reason for choosing Buttondown Because it offered possibility to integrate with zapier Switched from [Mailchimp](https://www.capterra.com/p/110228/MailChimp/) Needed a different tool approach, from email marketing to a newsletter software approach, taht would eventually easily give the possibility to sell subscription for the newsletter Review Source CT Carolann T. Grant Writer Fund-Raising Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Somewhat satisfied" March 25, 2024 5.0 I’m still a relatively new user, but so far I’m underwhelmed with the analytics side of things. With my previous platform, I was able to easily track number of opens by email and by subscriber (for free). I now pay for analytics that are not as good. The Buttondown platform is easy to use, which is great, but may not make up for the analytics. Pros I like how easy Buttondown was to set up and start sending emails. Cons Tracking engagement was pretty much nonexistent until I upgraded my account. Even now, the analytics aren’t great. Alternatives considered [Mailchimp](https://www.capterra.com/p/110228/MailChimp/) Reason for choosing Buttondown I wanted to try something new. I’ve used MailChimp before and didn’t love it. Review Source Johan A. President Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Easy to use, great value" February 24, 2024 5.0 Pros The setup is very easy and there are more technical options for the experienced to get your newsletter looking fab. The pricing is VERY generous too especially for non-profits. Cons Some of the documentation is a little dated but they are working on updating the text. It took me a bit to figure out how to setup my custom send domain. Alternatives considered [Constant Contact](https://www.capterra.com/p/31898/Constant-Contact/)[Mailchimp](https://www.capterra.com/p/110228/MailChimp/) Review Source EG Eric G. Author Entertainment Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Perfect Tool for Authors" January 26, 2024 5.0 Pros Buttondown is easy to get started with and supports the integrations an author needs to be a successful indie publisher. Cons Setting up a custom domain could have been simpler, but I got it working quickly. Reason for choosing Buttondown Better interface, more features, better support. Switched from [Substly](https://www.capterra.com/p/211769/Substly/) Substack (not Substly, but I was forced to select someone!) is a closed system, with no integration support. 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