Buttondown vs Drip
Buttondown is a newsletter platform while Drip is a email marketing platform. Drip has been around since 2013, giving it a 4-year head start over Buttondown (founded 2017). Buttondown is the more affordable option at $9/mo, which is $30 less than Drip's $39/mo entry point. Buttondown offers a free plan (100 subscribers), while Drip does not. Drip has the edge with A/B testing, SMS marketing, ecommerce integrations.
Quick Verdict
Buttondown wins on price, free tier.
Drip wins on integrations.
Best for most users: Buttondown (developers).
Buttondown
The easiest way to start and grow your newsletter
Buttondown is a minimalist newsletter platform beloved by developers and writers who prefer Markdown over drag-and-drop editors. It focuses on writing quality and simplicity, with excellent API support for custom integrations and automations.
Drip
Marketing automation for ecommerce
Drip is a focused ecommerce marketing platform known for its powerful visual automation builder and behavior-based segmentation. It's designed specifically for online stores that want sophisticated marketing automation without the complexity of enterprise tools.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Buttondown | Drip |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.4/5 |
| Starting Price | $9/mo | $39/mo |
| Free Plan | 100 subscribers | No free plan |
| Founded | 2017 | 2013 |
| Email Templates | 0 | 50 |
| Integrations | 45 | 150 |
| Deliverability Rate | 98% | 98% |
| Marketing Automation | Yes | Yes |
| A/B Testing | No | Yes |
| Landing Pages | No | No |
| Segmentation | Yes | Yes |
| Drag & Drop Editor | No | Yes |
| SMS Marketing | No | Yes |
| Ecommerce Features | No | Yes |
| API Access | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-Language | No | No |
| Web Push Notifications | No | No |
| Live Chat | No | No |
| Advanced Analytics | No | Yes |
Buttondown: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Markdown-first writing experience
- + Excellent API for developers
- + Clean, minimal interface
- + Paid subscription support
- + Custom domain on free plan
Cons
- − No visual email editor
- − Minimal templates
- − No A/B testing
- − Small free plan (100 subscribers)
- − Limited integrations
Drip: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Excellent ecommerce automation
- + Visual workflow builder
- + Strong Shopify integration
- + Revenue attribution
- + Behavior-based segmentation
Cons
- − No free plan
- − More expensive starting price ($39)
- − No landing page builder
- − Limited to ecommerce focus
- − Smaller company, less known
The Verdict
Buttondown and Drip are closely matched — both score within 0.0 points of each other in our overall rating. Your decision should come down to specific needs rather than overall quality.
| Criterion | Weight | Buttondown | Drip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $9/mo Winner | $39/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 98% | 98% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.4/5 | 4.4/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 45 | 150 Winner |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes Winner | No |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Buttondown if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($9/mo)
- + You need a free plan to get started
- + You're a developers
- + You're a writers
Choose Drip if…
- + You need SMS marketing
- + You need ecommerce integrations
- + You need A/B testing
- + You need advanced analytics