Buttondown vs Ghost:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, Buttondown had more branded searches than Ghost among newsletter platforms in New Zealand. Buttondown was estimated to have 130 branded searches compared to Ghost’s 70, and held a 1.2% Share of Search versus Ghost’s 0.63%.
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Which is more popular in search, Buttondown or Ghost?
Compare the newsletter and paid subscription platforms New Zealand writers and creators publish on. 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 Buttondown, Ghost. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Substack | beehiiv | Buttondown | Ghost | Kit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 91.2% | 3.7% | 1.1% | 1.2% | 2.7% |
| Nov 2025 | 91.6% | 3.8% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 2.3% |
| Dec 2025 | 91.9% | 3.6% | 1.4% | 1.2% | 1.9% |
| Jan 2026 | 94.5% | 2.5% | 0.71% | 0.71% | 1.6% |
| Feb 2026 | 93.5% | 3.1% | 0.87% | 1.1% | 1.4% |
| Mar 2026 | 94.2% | 3% | 0.88% | 0.88% | 1.1% |
| Apr 2026 | 93.6% | 3.6% | 0.95% | 0.95% | 0.86% |
| May 2026 | 93.5% | 3.6% | 1.2% | 0.96% | 0.7% |
| Jun 2026 | 94.1% | 3.1% | 1.1% | 0.71% | 1.1% |
| Jul 2026 | 93.8% | 3.2% | 1.3% | 0.86% | 0.86% |
| Aug 2026 | 94.4% | 3.2% | 1.2% | 0.63% | 0.54% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Buttondown and Ghost comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 3 times in the 11 months ending August 2026: Buttondown took it in December 2025, Ghost took it in February 2026, Buttondown took it in May 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Buttondown’s estimated Share of Search among newsletter platforms in New Zealand moved from 1.1% to 1.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 90 to 130.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Ghost’s estimated Share of Search among newsletter platforms in New Zealand moved from 1.2% to 0.63%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 100 to 70.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand newsletter platforms in August 2026?
2 changes
Estimated monthly branded searches for Buttondown in New Zealand rose 44.4% over 11 measured months, from 90 to 130 in August 2026.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Ghost in New Zealand fell 30% over 11 measured months, from 100 to 70 in August 2026.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Buttondown’s and Ghost’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
3 branded search terms
- buttondown
- buttondown com
- buttondown newsletter
Ghost
4 branded search terms
- ghost blog
- ghost cms
- ghost newsletter
- ghost publishing
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