Buttondown vs Patreon
Buttondown
buttondown.com
Patreon
patreon.comSide by side
| Figure | Buttondown | Patreon |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $9/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 7 | 4 |
| Spec score · Publishing and Subscriptions Software | 9.1 (#1) | 9.0 (#3) |
| Spec score · Newsletter Publishing Platforms | 9.0 (#1) | 8.7 (#2) |
| Founded | 2017 | 2013 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | The integrations directory lists services including Stripe, Zapier, WordPress, Ghost, Discord, Mastodon, Bluesky, LinkedIn, Medium, YouTube, Spotify and many others. | The app directory lists integrations and partners including Vimeo, Discord, ConvertKit, Discourse, Wix, and Zapier. |
| Security controls | Buttondown states that data is encrypted in transit and at rest, access is restricted, and dependency vulnerabilities are monitored. | Patreon says it uses TLS for sensitive information, HTTPS for traffic, two-factor authentication, and CAPTCHA checks for suspicious activity. |
Plans
Buttondown
- FreeFree
- Paid tier$9 a month
- FreeFree
- Basic$9 a month
- Standard$29 a month
- Professional$79 a month
- Advanced$139 a month
Patreon
- StandardPrice not published
- Standard Patreon pricingFree
- Free to startFree
- Patreon platform fee$10 a month
In their own words
Buttondown
Buttondown has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Patreon
Patreon lets creators build communities, share work, and earn through memberships or digital shops. Creators can offer monthly or annual subscriptions, tiers, one-time payments, and free work before adding paid options. Content tools cover audio, images, rich text, video, livestreams, and email newsletters. Community features include chats, direct messages, comments, and exportable email lists; growth tools include analytics, free trials, discounts, and sales. Podcast tools support importing, syncing, multiple podcasts, Spotify, Synced Feeds, and RSS. Patreon offers mobile apps for iOS and Android, and its app directory lists integrations including Vimeo, Discord, ConvertKit, Discourse, Wix, and Zapier. It is free to start. Patreon charges 10% of income earned on the platform, with payment processing, currency conversion, payout fees, and applicable taxes potentially added. Patreon says it handles chargebacks, disputes, fraud, and most applicable tax collection and remittance. Its public API v1 is scheduled to stop working on October 7, 2026, with integrations directed to API v2.