Buttondown vs Beehiiv: Minimalist vs Growth-Focused Newsletter

Overview

Buttondown and Beehiiv are both newsletter platforms, but they serve different needs. Buttondown is intentionally minimal for writers who want simplicity. Beehiiv is packed with growth tools for newsletter businesses.

Key Differences

Simplicity vs Growth Tools

Buttondown strips newsletter sending to essentials. Markdown-first editing, minimal settings, clean interface. For writers who just want to write and send without distractions.

Beehiiv is built for growth. Referral programs, the boost network, recommendations, and ad monetization. More complexity, but more tools to build an audience.

Price Positioning

Buttondown is affordable at $9/mo for basic paid features. Great for individual writers on a budget.

Beehiiv has a generous free tier (2,500 subs) but paid plans jump to $49/mo. The price reflects the growth tools included.

Who Should Choose What

Choose Buttondown if:

• Simplicity matters more than growth tools
• You prefer Markdown over visual editors
• Budget is a primary concern
• You are a developer who values clean tools
• You have other ways to grow your audience

Choose Beehiiv if:

• Growing your audience is the top priority
• Built-in referral programs appeal to you
• You want to monetize through ads
• The recommendations network is valuable
• You are building a newsletter business

The Bottom Line

For writers who want minimal friction, Buttondown's simplicity is genuinely refreshing. Write, send, done. No growth hacking complexity.

For newsletter creators treating this as a business, Beehiiv's growth tools can accelerate audience building. The referral program alone can compound subscriber growth significantly.

For businesses where newsletters drive product revenue, neither is ideal. Sequenzy offers the billing integration and revenue attribution that newsletter platforms lack.