Buttondown vs Medium
Side-by-side comparison on fees, payouts, monetization, and audience ownership.
Platform fee
from $9/mo · monthly subscription
0% · of revenue (earnings share model)
Payout speed
instant
monthly
Minimum payout
$0
$10
Countries
Stripe-supported
Stripe-supported (70+)
Email list export
Full access
Limited
Custom domain
Yes
No
Community features
Basic comments, surveys, subscriber tags
Publications, claps, highlights, responses
Best for
Technical writers and minimalists who want Markdown and full ownership
Writers seeking built-in readership without managing email or hosting
Buttondown vs Medium: which one wins?
Buttondown charges from $9/mo (monthly subscription) versus Medium at 0% (of revenue (earnings share model)).
On payout speed, Buttondown pays instant while Medium pays monthly. For creators where cashflow matters, the faster cadence usually wins.
For audience ownership, Buttondown offers full access email export and Medium offers limited. Email portability matters most for creators planning to migrate later or build a list independent of any single platform.
Best for: Buttondown suits technical writers and minimalists who want markdown and full ownership. Medium fits writers seeking built-in readership without managing email or hosting.