Buttondown vs Substack:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, Substack had more branded searches than Buttondown among newsletter platforms worldwide. Substack was estimated to have 2.5M branded searches compared to Buttondown’s 620, and held a 64.1% Share of Search versus Buttondown’s 0.02%. Worldwide · English terms: these are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Buttondown or Substack?
Compare platforms for publishing, sending, and monetising email newsletters, measured through worldwide English-language branded search demand. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for Substack, Buttondown. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Substack | Mailchimp | MailerLite | beehiiv | Kit | Ghost | Buttondown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 41.3% | 46.1% | 7.6% | 2.1% | 2.2% | 0.75% | 0.01% |
| Nov 2025 | 41.5% | 46.2% | 7.6% | 2.1% | 1.9% | 0.68% | 0.01% |
| Dec 2025 | 51.2% | 38.2% | 6.3% | 1.7% | 1.9% | 0.68% | 0.01% |
| Jan 2026 | 51.1% | 38.3% | 6.3% | 2.1% | 1.6% | 0.6% | 0.02% |
| Feb 2026 | 50.2% | 37.8% | 7.4% | 2.5% | 1.5% | 0.73% | 0.02% |
| Mar 2026 | 50.4% | 38.7% | 6.4% | 2.5% | 1.3% | 0.66% | 0.02% |
| Apr 2026 | 50.6% | 38.5% | 6.3% | 2.5% | 1.3% | 0.67% | 0.02% |
| May 2026 | 54.5% | 34.2% | 6.9% | 2.3% | 1.3% | 0.73% | 0.02% |
| Jun 2026 | 54.9% | 34% | 6.8% | 2.2% | 1.4% | 0.59% | 0.02% |
| Jul 2026 | 57.7% | 31% | 7.1% | 2.3% | 1.2% | 0.59% | 0.02% |
| Aug 2026 | 64.1% | 26.9% | 5.4% | 1.8% | 1.2% | 0.54% | 0.02% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Buttondown and Substack comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Substack was ahead of Buttondown in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Buttondown’s estimated Share of Search among newsletter platforms worldwide moved from 0.01% to 0.02%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 480 to 620.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Substack’s estimated Share of Search among newsletter platforms worldwide moved from 41.3% to 64.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.4M to 2.5M.
How did search popularity change for newsletter platforms worldwide in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, Substack gained estimated Share of Search among newsletter platforms worldwide, from 57.7% to 64.1%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Buttondown worldwide rose 29.2% over 11 measured months, from 480 to 620 in August 2026.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Buttondown’s and Substack’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Buttondown
5 branded search terms
- buttondown app
- buttondown email
- Buttondown newsletter
- buttondown pricing
- buttondown.com
Substack
18 branded search terms
- Substack
- substack app
- substack articles
- substack com
- substack live
- substack newsletter
- substack newsletter platform
- substack newsletters
- substack notes
- substack podcast
- substack subscribe
- substack subscription
- substack web
- substack website
- substack websites
- substack.com
- what is a substack
- what is substack
Put your own brand in this comparison
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