An easy alternative to Buttondown
Buttondown is built for writers who want rich text or Markdown, their own CSS, and a full API. But is it easy to run a simple newsletter? We think XOXO might be a better fit.
How easy is it to set up?
Getting your first newsletter out without extra steps or long waits.
Buttondown: Hard
Account review usually takes one to three business days before you can start sending.
XOXO: Easy
Sign up, import your audience, and send.
How easy is it to learn?
Are there new concepts you have to figure out.
Buttondown: Easy
Write emails and organize subscribers with tags, metadata, and segments.
XOXO: Easy
Write emails and organize subscribers with groups, fields, and tags.
How easy is it to focus?
Keeping newsletters free of sales funnels, SMS, and other distractions.
Buttondown: So-so
Newsletters come first, with automations and paid subscriptions adding more to manage.
XOXO: Easy
Just emails, subscribers, and forms.
How easy is it to write a nice email?
Writing and designing a simple newsletter.
Buttondown: So-so
Rich text or Markdown for writing. Custom layouts use HTML and CSS.
XOXO: Easy
A simple block editor for writing and designing your newsletter.
How easy is it to understand your stats?
Will you need an advanced math degree.
Buttondown: Easy
Simple open and click reports, with tracking you can turn on or off.
XOXO: Easy
Opens, clicks, and likes in each email's report.
How easy is it to keep your list clean?
Will your subscriber list get stale and problematic.
Buttondown: So-so
Bounces stop future sends automatically. Cleanup of unsubscribed records needs to be enabled.
XOXO: Easy
Unsubscribes, complaints, and undeliverable addresses are removed from your audience automatically.
How easy is it to manage consent?
Signup confirmation and unsubscribe handling that work without extra setup.
Buttondown: Easy
New form signups confirm by email. Unsubscribe links are included automatically.
XOXO: Easy
Double opt-in is built in, and unsubscribes are handled.
How easy is it to respect privacy?
Useful email stats without tracking location, devices, or external activity.
Buttondown: So-so
Open and click tracking is optional and off by default. Signup IP addresses are still recorded.
XOXO: Easy
Email opens and clicks without storing subscriber IP addresses, location, device details, or activity from other platforms.
How easy is it to predict your bill?
Will you know when your price is going up.
Buttondown: Easy
Pricing follows active subscribers. Feature costs change when you choose different options.
XOXO: Easy
Your bill follows subscriber count, with automatic adjustments as your audience grows or shrinks.
How easy is it on your budget?
What it costs to run a typical newsletter.
Buttondown: Hard
Branding removal carries a higher minimum price, even for a small newsletter.
XOXO: Easy
Free to start, with every feature included. Pay for audience growth, without add-ons.
| Subscribers | Buttondown* | XOXO |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | $79 | free |
| 500 | $79 | $8 |
| 1,000 | $79 | $14 |
| 2,500 | $79 | $30 |
| 5,000 | $79 | $50 |
| 10,000 | $79 | $80 |
| 25,000 | $239 | $175 |
| 50,000 | $319 | $300 |
| 100,000 | $459 | $500 |
Buttondown with optional branding removal included. We chose this option as the closest match to XOXO's newsletter features, including branding removal. Monthly USD prices cover a weekly newsletter. Buttondown pricing checked September 2026. XOXO prices apply after early access.
Ready to switch from Buttondown?
Join the waitlist. We can help you move your subscribers when you get access.
Send nice emails
The best emails are thoughtfully composed. They're beautiful without being a brochure, and respect the recipient's time and inbox.
Build your audience
Growing an audience takes work. We make it easier with tools to add, organize, and understand your subscribers.
Keep it simple
You don't need an enterprise marketing platform to have a newsletter. In fact, our best feature may be the features we left out.
- No workflow automations
- No drip campaigns
- No SMS or social
- No sales funnels
- No add-ons or upsells
- No invasive tracking
Don't break the bank
You shouldn't be paying for features you don't need, or stuck on a free plan missing the ones you actually do.
Want early access to XOXO?
Free during early access, every feature included.