Integration · Email

Connect Claude & ChatGPT to Buttondown

Ask your AI how your last newsletter performed, who signed up this month, or to draft the next issue in Buttondown. It can add, tag and update subscribers, create and edit emails, send a test to yourself and read analytics for sent emails. It also works with automations, segments, surveys and the comments readers leave.

Connect Buttondown free

Free plan, no credit card. Takes about a minute.

Try asking

“How did last week's newsletter do?”
The AI finds the email and reads its analytics: deliveries, opens, clicks, unsubscribes and more.
“Add [email protected] as a subscriber with the tag 'customers'.”
It adds the subscriber with the tag. Depending on your newsletter settings, she may get a confirmation email.
“Draft next week's issue from these notes, but do not send it.”
It creates the email as a draft with subject and body, so nothing goes out to your subscribers.

What your AI can do

Subscribers and tags

Search, add and update subscribers with tags, notes and metadata, create and edit tags, and work with saved segments.

Emails and analytics

Create, edit and schedule emails, send test drafts, and read deliveries, opens, clicks and subscriber events.

Automations and more

List and edit automations, read surveys and their responses, moderate comments and manage forms and webhooks.

“Send the draft to me as a test first.”
It sends the draft to the addresses you name, without sending it to the whole list.
“Who unsubscribed in the last 30 days?”
It lists subscribers filtered by type and date range.
“Are there new comments on our emails I should approve?”
It lists recent comments and can approve a comment or mark it as spam.

28 tools for Buttondown

These tools are switched on when you connect. You can switch any of them off, or require your approval before it runs.

create_emailDeletesCreate an email with `subject` and `body` (Markdown or HTML). Warning: by default Buttondown sends it to your subscribers right away; set `status` to draft to only save it, or scheduled with a `publish_date`.
create_subscriberChanges dataAdd a subscriber by `email_address`, with optional tags, notes, metadata and UTM source. Depending on your newsletter settings they may receive a confirmation email.
create_tagChanges dataCreate a subscriber tag with `name`, `color` (hex) and optional description.
delete_emailDeletesPermanently delete an email by `message_id`. This cannot be undone.
delete_subscriberDeletesPermanently delete a subscriber by ID or email. This cannot be undone; to just stop emails, update their type instead.
get_accountGet the Buttondown account the connection belongs to. Use to confirm which account you are working in.
get_automationGet one automation's trigger, filters and actions by `automation_id`.
get_emailGet one email by `message_id`, including subject, body, status and publish date.
get_email_analyticsGet analytics for a sent email (`email_id`): deliveries, opens, clicks, unsubscribes and more.
get_newsletterGet one newsletter's settings by `newsletter_id`.
get_segmentGet one segment and its filters by `segment_id`.
get_subscriberGet one subscriber by ID or email (`id_or_email`), including tags, notes, type and metadata.
list_automationsList your automations (e.g. welcome sequences).
list_commentsList comments left on your emails, filtered by `email_id`, `subscriber_id`, `status` or date range.
list_emailsList emails (drafts, scheduled, sent) filtered by `subject`, `status`, publish or creation date range and open/click rates, with paging.
list_eventsList subscriber events (opens, clicks, deliveries and more), filtered by `email_id`, `subscriber_id`, `automation_id` or `event_type`.
list_formsList your signup forms.
list_newslettersList the newsletters in your account.
list_segmentsList saved subscriber segments.
list_subscribersList subscribers, filtered by `email_address`, `tag`, `type` (e.g. regular, unsubscribed), `source`, subscribe date range, open/click rates and more, with paging.
list_survey_responsesList survey responses, filtered by `survey_id`, `email_id`, `subscriber_id` or date range.
list_surveysList your surveys.
list_tagsList subscriber tags and their IDs.
moderate_commentChanges dataModerate a comment by `message_id`: set `status` to active to approve it or spammy to mark it as spam.
send_test_emailVisible to othersSend a draft email (`email_id`) as a test to specific `recipients` (email addresses) or `subscribers`, without sending it to the whole list.
update_emailDeletesUpdate an email by `message_id`: subject, body, description, publish_date or status (draft, scheduled, about_to_send). Setting status to about_to_send sends it to subscribers.
update_subscriberVisible to othersUpdate a subscriber (`id_or_email`): tags, notes, metadata, email_address or type (e.g. to unsubscribe them). Only the fields you pass change.
update_tagChanges dataUpdate a tag's name, color or description by `tag_id`.

Set up in three steps

1
Pick the app
Create a free PipMCP account and choose Buttondown from the app list.
2
Paste your key
Paste a Buttondown API key. In Buttondown, open API > Keys and create or copy an API key.
3
Add the link to your AI
You get a personal MCP link. Add it to Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor:
1. Click your name, then Settings › Connectors › Add custom connector.
2. Paste your link as the Remote MCP server URL.
3. Switch it on from the + menu in a chat.

Questions

What can the AI do in Buttondown?

The AI can read and update subscribers, tags, segments, emails, email analytics, subscriber events, automations, surveys, comments, forms and webhooks. It can add subscribers, create and edit emails, send test drafts, publish emails and delete items you switch those tools on for.

Does the AI see my Buttondown credentials?

No. Your Buttondown credentials are encrypted at rest and never shown to the AI. After you save them, they are not shown again, not even to you. The AI only sees the results of the tools it calls.

Can I control what the AI is allowed to do?

Yes. You choose which tools are switched on, so you can start with reading subscribers and analytics. Actions that send email or delete data, like publishing an email or deleting a subscriber, can require your approval before they run. Every tool call is logged.

Does it work with ChatGPT?

Yes. In ChatGPT go to Settings › Apps & Connectors › Advanced and turn on Developer mode, then add your PipMCP link. Developer mode needs a paid ChatGPT plan: Plus, Pro, Business or Enterprise. The same link also works in Claude (Settings › Connectors › Add custom connector), Cursor and other MCP clients.

What does it cost?

PipMCP has a free plan with no credit card required. Paid plans bill per completed task. You also need your own Buttondown account.

Could the AI send an email to all my subscribers by mistake?

Buttondown sends a new email to your subscribers right away unless it is saved as a draft, so ask the AI for a draft when you are not ready to send. Creating, updating and publishing emails can require your approval, and you can send a test draft to yourself first.