Buttondown revenue · 2026
How much does Buttondown make?
Buttondown was making ~$15K MRR (Dec 2022), according to figures self-reported by its maker Justin Duke. A more recent public figure from 2026: Buttondown run rate over $1M ARR.
Buttondown revenue history
Milestones and revenue figures for Buttondown that Justin Duke has shared publicly, by year. Monthly values are normalised (annual ÷ 12).
- 2016Started Buttondown as a side project while working as an…
- 2020Buttondown hit $5K MRR youtube.com≈ $5K/mo
- 2022Buttondown at ~$15K MRR indiebites.com≈ $15K/mo
- 2022Left Stripe for Buttondown full time
- 2025Reported 61% revenue growth for Buttondown while staying…
- 2026Buttondown run rate over $1M ARR indiehackers.com≈ $83K/mo
How much does Justin Duke make?
Buttondown is one of 2 products by Justin Duke.
Justin Duke reports ~$15K MRR as of 2022-12 as their current revenue (≈ $15K/month) — indiebites.com.
Other products without public revenue: Spoonbill.
Buttondown vs other marketing & SEO tools products by revenue
Buttondown ranks #11 of 12 marketing & SEO tools products with a comparable public revenue figure (median $67K/month).
| # | Product | Reported | ≈ / month | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.19M MRR (Jan 2019) | $1.2M | monthly | |
| 2 | $250K MRRTrustMRR ↗ | $250K | monthly | |
| 3 | $3M ARR | $250K | annual figure ÷ 12 | |
| 4 | $2.8M+ ARR (self-reported) | $233K+ | annual figure ÷ 12 | |
| 5 | ~$2M ARR | $167K | annual figure ÷ 12 | |
| 6 | $800K ARR | $67K | annual figure ÷ 12 | |
| 7 |  Senja by Wilson Wilson +1 | $800K ARR (May 2025) | $67K | annual figure ÷ 12 |
| 8 | $66K MRRTrustMRR ↗ | $66K | monthly | |
| 9 | $48.9K MRRTrustMRR ↗ | $49K | monthly | |
| 10 | $24K MRR (2021) | $24K | monthly |
| # | Product | Reported | ≈ / month | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | ~$15K MRR (Dec 2022) | $15K | monthly |
Also reporting revenue in marketing & SEO tools, in a form that can't be ranked monthly: AI Directories: $7.7K/30d; Bluetick: Five-figure MRR (2023); Linkie: verified on TrustMRR; SEObot: verified on TrustMRR; TinyAdz: verified on TrustMRR; VirallyBot: verified on TrustMRR.
More about Buttondown and Justin Duke
Buttondown is listed as an indie alternative to Mailchimp and Substack.
Compare Justin Duke with Jack Friks or Guillaume Moubeche.
Revenue figures on IndieMakerList are self-reported by makers or taken from their public posts and interviews, and are not independently verified. We never estimate revenue that hasn't been reported; monthly values are only shown where the reported figure can be converted arithmetically (for example ARR ÷ 12).
Buttondown revenue FAQ
How much does Buttondown make?
Buttondown was making ~$15K MRR (Dec 2022), according to figures self-reported by its maker Justin Duke. A more recent public figure from 2026: Buttondown run rate over $1M ARR.
Is Buttondown's revenue verified?
No. The ~$15K MRR (Dec 2022) figure is self-reported by Justin Duke (source: indiebites.com) and is not independently verified by IndieMakerList. Buttondown does not have a TrustMRR page we know of.
How much does Justin Duke make in total?
Justin Duke reports ~$15K MRR as of 2022-12 as their current revenue (about $15K per month). Besides Buttondown, Justin Duke has built 1 other product.
How does Buttondown compare with other marketing & SEO tools products?
Buttondown ranks #11 of 12 marketing & SEO tools products on IndieMakerList with a comparable public revenue figure, at about $15K per month. The median among them is $67K per month, and the top earner is Kit at about $1.2M per month.
Who owns Buttondown?
Buttondown was built by Justin Duke and launched in 2016.