Buttondown Automations Not Available or Too Expensive
Quick answer
Automations are a $29 per month add-on on top of the base subscriber fee. If the option is missing, enable the add-on under billing, or use a cheaper alternative.
Most likely fix: Enable the add-on
How to fix it
Try these in order — the most common fix is first.
1. Enable the add-on
- Open Settings > Billing
- Add Automations ($29/month)
- Return to the Automations tab
Did this fix it?2. Compare costs
- Add base fee plus add-ons to see your real total
- Compare with Kit, MailerLite or beehiiv, which include automations in their paid tiers
Did this fix it?
Symptoms
Automation menu missing or locked; users surprised the feature costs extra.
Why it happens
- Add-on not enabled
- Free plan or small list assumed to include automations
- Older guides referencing a $79 Professional tier
This guide also covers
- buttondown automations
- buttondown welcome sequence
- buttondown pricing add-ons
Still not working?
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The same problem in other apps
All integrations, automations & extensions guides →
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- Ghost Stripe Not Connecting (Ghost)
- ConvertKit (Kit) Automation Not Triggering (ConvertKit (Kit))