Beehiiv

Moving your newsletter from Beehiiv to Buttondown can help you take advantage of Buttondown's minimalist approach, markdown support, and creator-friendly pricing model. This guide will walk you through the entire migration process to ensure a smooth transition.

First, you need to export your subscriber list from Beehiiv:

1. Log in to your Beehiiv account
2. Navigate to the Audience section in the left sidebar
3. Click on the Export button in the top right corner
4. Select the segments you want to export (or choose "All Subscribers")
5. Click Export to CSV
6. You'll receive a CSV file containing your subscriber information

If you have multiple audience segments in Beehiiv, you may need to repeat this process for each segment you want to migrate.

Before importing your data, you need to properly set up your Buttondown account:

1. Sign up at buttondown.com if you haven't already
2. Confirm your Buttondown account through the verification email
3. Configure your newsletter details:
   • Add your newsletter name
   • Set up your author information
   • Write a compelling newsletter description
4. Customize your newsletter's appearance:
   • Adjust the CSS settings
   • Set up your color palette and branding
   • Upload your logo if you have one

Now that you have your subscriber list from Beehiiv and your Buttondown account is set up, you can import your subscribers:

1. Navigate to the Subscribers tab in your Buttondown dashboard
2. Click the Import button in the top toolbar
3. Drag and drop your CSV file from Beehiiv into the import window
4. Buttondown will attempt to automatically match the columns from your CSV file
5. If it can't recognize certain columns, you'll be prompted to manually map them
6. Confirm the import and wait for Buttondown to process your subscriber list
   • Note: For large subscriber lists, this might take some time

Learn more about importing your data in Buttondown.

Unlike some platforms, Beehiiv doesn't have a simple bulk export for newsletter archives. You'll need to manually save and recreate your past newsletters:

1. In Beehiiv, go to the Templates section
2. Take screenshots or notes of your template designs
3. Recreate similar templates in Buttondown using their editor

1. For each newsletter you want to preserve:
   • Go to the Posts section in Beehiiv
   • Open each published newsletter
   • Copy the content (you may need to use the HTML view for more complex layouts)
   • Create a new draft in Buttondown
   • Paste and format the content appropriately
   • Use Buttondown's Archive feature to add it to your archives without sending

Learn more about sending your first email in Buttondown.

If you're using a custom domain for your newsletter, you'll want to set this up in Buttondown:

1. Navigate to the Settings section of your Buttondown dashboard
2. Under Custom Domains, enter your domain information
3. Follow Buttondown's instructions to update your DNS records
4. Verify the domain to activate it for your newsletter

Note: This feature requires a paid plan.

Learn more about hosting on a custom domain in Buttondown.

If you offer paid newsletters, you'll need to connect your Stripe account:

1. Navigate to the Settings section in Buttondown
2. Scroll to the Features section
3. Click Connect to Stripe
4. Follow the prompts to connect your existing Stripe account
   • Important: Use the same email login as your Beehiiv account if possible to maintain subscriber payment information

Learn more about paid subscriptions in Buttondown.

Beehiiv offers features like Boosts (cross-promotions) and an ad network. While Buttondown doesn't have direct equivalents, you can:

1. For ad partnerships:
   • Contact your advertisers to let them know about your platform change
   • Set up direct sponsorship arrangements through Buttondown
   • Manually include ad content in your newsletters
2. For cross-promotions:
   • Reach out directly to newsletter creators you've worked with
   • Set up manual cross-promotion arrangements

It's important to communicate with your subscribers about the platform change:

1. Prepare a final newsletter in Beehiiv announcing the move to Buttondown
2. Explain any changes subscribers might notice (such as different email design)
3. Reassure subscribers, especially paid ones, that their subscription status will remain the same
4. Send a welcome email from Buttondown after migration to confirm the successful transition

Once you've confirmed everything is working properly in Buttondown:

1. Make sure all subscribers have been successfully migrated
2. Verify all important newsletter archives are available
3. Test that paid subscriptions are working correctly
4. If everything is satisfactory, you can cancel your Beehiiv account

Migrating from Beehiiv to Buttondown requires some manual work, particularly for recreating your newsletter archives, but the process is straightforward for subscriber data. The minimalist approach, markdown support, and indie-minded business model make Buttondown an attractive option for writers and newsletter creators looking for a more streamlined experience.

For additional help with your migration, you can contact Buttondown's support team. Unlike larger platforms, you'll likely communicate directly with the founder, who provides personalized assistance with migrations and other questions.