changelog

Customize gift unsubscription notifications

September 18, 2025

demo.buttondown.com/settings/subscribing/gift-unsubscription
This is a live demo. You can view this page on our live demo site, too.

Hey folks! We've just shipped a small but mighty update for those of you running gift subscription promotions.

You know that automatic email that goes out when someone's gift subscription ends? The one that says "Your gift subscription to [newsletter name] has ended"? Well, now you can customize it to say whatever you want.

This is perfect if you want to:

  • Add a personal thank you message to gift recipients
  • Include a special offer to convert them to paid subscribers
  • Share highlights of what they'll miss if they don't continue
  • Simply match the tone and voice of your newsletter

How to set it up

Head over to your Subscribing settings and look for the new "Gift unsubscription notification" option. You'll be able to:

  1. Customize the subject line: Make it more personal than the default "Your gift subscription has ended"
  2. Write your own email body: Use our template variables like {{ subscriber.email }} and {{ newsletter.name }} to personalize the message
  3. Choose an email template: Pick from Classic, Modern, Airy, Plaintext, or Naked to match your brand

The best part? You can preview exactly how it'll look before it goes out, and even send yourself a test email to make sure everything's perfect.

Why this matters

We've heard from many of you that the end of a gift subscription is a crucial moment. It's when a reader decides whether they've found enough value to continue on their own dime. Having the ability to craft that message — to remind them of the value they've received and make it easy to continue — can make a real difference in your retention rates.

Plus, if you're running gift promotions for the holidays (and we know many of you are!), this gives you one more touchpoint to maintain that relationship with readers who were introduced to your work through someone else's generosity.

As always, if you have questions or run into any issues, drop us a line. We're here to help!

Buttondown is the last email platform you’ll switch to.