diff --git a/plugins/by-name/startup/default.nix b/plugins/by-name/startup/default.nix
index f44d9e1e..fedb3ad0 100644
--- a/plugins/by-name/startup/default.nix
+++ b/plugins/by-name/startup/default.nix
@@ -1,257 +1,19 @@
-{
-  lib,
-  helpers,
-  config,
-  pkgs,
-  ...
-}:
-with lib;
-let
-  cfg = config.plugins.startup;
-in
-{
-  meta.maintainers = [ maintainers.GaetanLepage ];
+{ lib, ... }:
+lib.nixvim.plugins.mkNeovimPlugin {
+  name = "startup";
+  package = "startup-nvim";
+  description = "A highly configurable Neovim startup screen.";
+  maintainers = [ ];
 
-  options.plugins.startup = lib.nixvim.plugins.neovim.extraOptionsOptions // {
-    enable = mkEnableOption "startup.nvim";
+  # Plugin uses 2 functions to setup...
+  callSetup = false;
 
-    package = lib.mkPackageOption pkgs "startup.nvim" {
-      default = [
-        "vimPlugins"
-        "startup-nvim"
-      ];
-    };
+  # TODO: introduced 2025-10-17: remove after 26.05
+  inherit (import ./deprecations.nix lib) deprecateExtraOptions optionsRenamedToSettings imports;
 
-    theme = helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkStr "dashboard" ''
-      Use a pre-defined theme.
-    '';
-
-    sections =
-      let
-        sectionType =
-          with types;
-          submodule {
-            options = {
-              type =
-                helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkEnumFirstDefault
-                  [
-                    "text"
-                    "mapping"
-                    "oldfiles"
-                  ]
-                  ''
-                    - "text" -> text that will be displayed
-                    - "mapping" -> create mappings for commands that can be used.
-                      use `mappings.executeCommand` on the commands to execute.
-                    - "oldfiles" -> display oldfiles (can be opened with `mappings.openFile`/`openFileSplit`)
-                  '';
-
-              oldfilesDirectory = helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkBool false ''
-                if the oldfiles of the current directory should be displayed.
-              '';
-
-              align =
-                helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkEnumFirstDefault
-                  [
-                    "center"
-                    "left"
-                    "right"
-                  ]
-                  ''
-                    How to align the section.
-                  '';
-
-              foldSection = helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkBool false ''
-                Whether to fold or not.
-              '';
-
-              title = helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkStr "title" ''
-                Title for the folded section.
-              '';
-
-              margin =
-                helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkNullable (with types; either (numbers.between 0.0 1.0) ints.positive) 5
-                  ''
-                    The margin for left or right alignment.
-                    - if < 1 fraction of screen width
-                    - if > 1 numbers of column
-                  '';
-
-              content =
-                helpers.mkNullOrOption
-                  (
-                    with types;
-                    oneOf [
-                      # for "text" "mapping"
-                      (listOf (either str (listOf str)))
-                      rawLua
-                      # for "oldfiles" sections
-                      (enum [ "" ])
-                    ]
-                  )
-                  ''
-                    The type of `content` depends on the section `type`:
-                    - "text" -> a list of strings or a function (`rawLua`) that requires a function that returns a table of strings
-                    - "mapping" -> a list of list of strings in the format:
-                      ```nix
-                        [
-                          [<displayed_command_name> <command> <mapping>]
-                          [<displayed_command_name> <command> <mapping>]
-                        ]
-                      ```
-                      Example: `[" Find File" "Telescope find_files" "<leader>ff"]`
-                    - "oldfiles" -> `""`
-                  '';
-
-              highlight = helpers.mkNullOrOption types.str ''
-                Highlight group in which the section text should be highlighted.
-              '';
-
-              defaultColor = helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkStr "#FF0000" ''
-                A hex color that gets used if you don't specify `highlight`.
-              '';
-
-              oldfilesAmount = helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkUnsignedInt 5 ''
-                The amount of oldfiles to be displayed.
-              '';
-            };
-          };
-      in
-      mkOption {
-        type = with types; attrsOf sectionType;
-        default = { };
-        description = '''';
-        example = {
-          header = {
-            type = "text";
-            align = "center";
-            foldSection = false;
-            title = "Header";
-            margin = 5;
-            content.__raw = "require('startup.headers').hydra_header";
-            highlight = "Statement";
-            defaultColor = "";
-            oldfilesAmount = 0;
-          };
-          body = {
-            type = "mapping";
-            align = "center";
-            foldSection = true;
-            title = "Basic Commands";
-            margin = 5;
-            content = [
-              [
-                " Find File"
-                "Telescope find_files"
-                "<leader>ff"
-              ]
-              [
-                "󰍉 Find Word"
-                "Telescope live_grep"
-                "<leader>lg"
-              ]
-              [
-                " Recent Files"
-                "Telescope oldfiles"
-                "<leader>of"
-              ]
-              [
-                " File Browser"
-                "Telescope file_browser"
-                "<leader>fb"
-              ]
-              [
-                " Colorschemes"
-                "Telescope colorscheme"
-                "<leader>cs"
-              ]
-              [
-                " New File"
-                "lua require'startup'.new_file()"
-                "<leader>nf"
-              ]
-            ];
-            highlight = "String";
-            defaultColor = "";
-            oldfilesAmount = 0;
-          };
-        };
-      };
-
-    options = {
-      mappingKeys = helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkBool true ''
-        Display mapping (e.g. `<leader>ff`).
-      '';
-
-      cursorColumn =
-        helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkNullable (with types; either (numbers.between 0.0 1.0) ints.positive) 0.5
-          ''
-            - if < 1, fraction of screen width
-            - if > 1 numbers of column
-          '';
-
-      after = helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkLuaFn "nil" ''
-        A function that gets executed at the end.
-      '';
-
-      emptyLinesBetweenMappings = helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkBool true ''
-        Add an empty line between mapping/commands.
-      '';
-
-      disableStatuslines = helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkBool true ''
-        Disable status-, buffer- and tablines.
-      '';
-
-      paddings = helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkListOf types.ints.unsigned [ ] ''
-        Amount of empty lines before each section (must be equal to amount of sections).
-      '';
-    };
-
-    mappings = {
-      executeCommand = helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkStr "<CR>" ''
-        Keymapping to execute a command.
-      '';
-
-      openFile = helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkStr "o" ''
-        Keymapping to open a file.
-      '';
-
-      openFileSplit = helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkStr "<c-o>" ''
-        Keymapping to open a file in a split.
-      '';
-
-      openSection = helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkStr "<TAB>" ''
-        Keymapping to open a section.
-      '';
-
-      openHelp = helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkStr "?" ''
-        Keymapping to open help.
-      '';
-    };
-
-    colors = {
-      background = helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkStr "#1f2227" ''
-        The background color.
-      '';
-
-      foldedSection = helpers.defaultNullOpts.mkStr "#56b6c2" ''
-        The color of folded sections.
-        This can also be changed with the `StartupFoldedSection` highlight group.
-      '';
-    };
-
-    parts = mkOption {
-      type = with types; listOf str;
-      default = [ ];
-      description = "List all sections in order.";
-      example = [
-        "section_1"
-        "section_2"
-      ];
-    };
-
-    userMappings = mkOption {
-      type = with types; attrsOf str;
+  extraOptions = {
+    userMappings = lib.mkOption {
+      type = with lib.types; attrsOf str;
       description = "Add your own mappings as key-command pairs.";
       default = { };
       example = {
@@ -261,84 +23,35 @@ in
     };
   };
 
-  config = mkIf cfg.enable {
-    assertions =
-      let
-        sectionNames = attrNames cfg.sections;
-        numSections = length sectionNames;
-      in
-      lib.nixvim.mkAssertions "plugins.startup" [
-        {
-          assertion = (cfg.options.paddings == null) || (length cfg.options.paddings) == numSections;
-          message = ''
-            Make sure that `plugins.startup.options.paddings` has the same
-            number of elements as there are sections.
-          '';
-        }
-        {
-          assertion =
-            ((length cfg.parts) <= numSections) && (all (part: hasAttr part cfg.sections) cfg.parts);
-          message = ''
-            You should not have more section names in `plugins.startup.parts` than you have sections defined.
-          '';
-        }
-      ];
-    extraPlugins = [ cfg.package ];
+  settingsExample = {
+    theme = "dashboard";
+    options = {
+      mapping_keys = true;
+      cursor_column = 0.5;
+      after = null;
+      empty_lines_between_mappings = true;
+      disable_statuslines = true;
+      paddings = lib.nixvim.nestedLiteral (lib.literalExpression "lib.nixvim.utils.emptyTable");
+    };
+    mappings = {
+      execute_command = "<CR>";
+      open_file = "o";
+      open_file_split = "<c-o>";
+      open_section = "<TAB>";
+      open_help = "?";
+    };
+    colors = {
+      background = "#1f2227";
+      folded_section = "#56b6c2";
+    };
+  };
 
-    extraConfigLua =
-      let
-        sections = mapAttrs (
-          name: sectionAttrs: with sectionAttrs; {
-            inherit type;
-            oldfiles_directory = oldfilesDirectory;
-            inherit align;
-            fold_section = foldSection;
-            inherit
-              title
-              margin
-              content
-              highlight
-              ;
-            default_color = defaultColor;
-            oldfiles_amount = oldfilesAmount;
-          }
-        ) cfg.sections;
-
-        options =
-          with cfg.options;
-          {
-            mapping_keys = mappingKeys;
-            cursor_column = cursorColumn;
-            inherit after;
-            empty_lines_between_mappings = emptyLinesBetweenMappings;
-            disable_statuslines = disableStatuslines;
-            inherit paddings;
-          }
-          // cfg.extraOptions;
-
-        setupOptions = {
-          inherit (cfg) theme;
-          inherit options;
-          mappings = with cfg.mappings; {
-            execute_command = executeCommand;
-            open_file = openFile;
-            open_file_split = openFileSplit;
-            open_section = openSection;
-            open_help = openHelp;
-          };
-          colors = with cfg.colors; {
-            inherit background;
-            folded_section = foldedSection;
-          };
-          inherit (cfg) parts;
-        }
-        // sections;
-      in
-      ''
-        require('startup').setup(${lib.nixvim.toLuaObject setupOptions})
-      ''
-      + (optionalString (
-        cfg.userMappings != { }
-      ) "require('startup').create_mappings(${lib.nixvim.toLuaObject cfg.userMappings})");
+  extraConfig = cfg: {
+    extraConfigLua = ''
+      require('startup').setup(${lib.nixvim.toLuaObject cfg.settings})
+    ''
+    + (lib.optionalString (
+      cfg.userMappings != { }
+    ) "require('startup').create_mappings(${lib.nixvim.toLuaObject cfg.userMappings})");
   };
 }
diff --git a/plugins/by-name/startup/deprecations.nix b/plugins/by-name/startup/deprecations.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2c4cc9f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/by-name/startup/deprecations.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+lib: {
+  deprecateExtraOptions = true;
+
+  optionsRenamedToSettings = map (lib.splitString ".") [
+    "theme"
+
+    "options.mappingKeys"
+    "options.cursorColumn"
+    "options.after"
+    "options.emptyLinesBetweenMappings"
+    "options.disableStatuslines"
+    "options.paddings"
+
+    "mappings.executeCommand"
+    "mappings.openFile"
+    "mappings.openFileSplit"
+    "mappings.openSection"
+    "mappings.openHelp"
+
+    "colors.background"
+    "colors.foldedSection"
+
+    "parts"
+  ];
+
+  imports = [
+    (
+      let
+        inherit (lib) mapAttrs mapAttrs' nameValuePair;
+        inherit (lib.nixvim) ifNonNull' toSnakeCase;
+        basePathAnd = lib.concat [
+          "plugins"
+          "startup"
+        ];
+        oldOptPath = basePathAnd [ "sections" ];
+      in
+      lib.mkChangedOptionModule oldOptPath
+        (basePathAnd [
+          "settings"
+        ])
+        (
+          config:
+          let
+            old = lib.getAttrFromPath oldOptPath config;
+          in
+          ifNonNull' old (mapAttrs (_: (mapAttrs' (n: nameValuePair (toSnakeCase n)))) old)
+        )
+    )
+  ];
+}
diff --git a/tests/test-sources/plugins/by-name/startup/default.nix b/tests/test-sources/plugins/by-name/startup/default.nix
index cd2bf72e..e4b4e564 100644
--- a/tests/test-sources/plugins/by-name/startup/default.nix
+++ b/tests/test-sources/plugins/by-name/startup/default.nix
@@ -6,27 +6,29 @@
   builtin-theme = {
     plugins.startup = {
       enable = true;
-      theme = "dashboard";
+      settings = {
+        theme = "dashboard";
 
-      # Default options
-      options = {
-        mappingKeys = true;
-        cursorColumn = 0.5;
-        after = null;
-        emptyLinesBetweenMappings = true;
-        disableStatuslines = true;
-        paddings = [ ];
-      };
-      mappings = {
-        executeCommand = "<CR>";
-        openFile = "o";
-        openFileSplit = "<c-o>";
-        openSection = "<TAB>";
-        openHelp = "?";
-      };
-      colors = {
-        background = "#1f2227";
-        foldedSection = "#56b6c2";
+        # Default options
+        options = {
+          mapping_keys = true;
+          cursor_column = 0.5;
+          after = null;
+          empty_lines_between_mappings = true;
+          disable_statuslines = true;
+          paddings.__empty = { };
+        };
+        mappings = {
+          execute_command = "<CR>";
+          open_file = "o";
+          open_file_split = "<c-o>";
+          open_section = "<TAB>";
+          open_help = "?";
+        };
+        colors = {
+          background = "#1f2227";
+          folded_section = "#56b6c2";
+        };
       };
       userMappings = {
         "<leader>ff" = "<cmd>Telescope find_files<CR>";
@@ -40,34 +42,34 @@
     plugins.startup = {
       enable = true;
 
-      sections = {
+      settings = {
         header = {
           type = "text";
           align = "center";
-          foldSection = false;
+          fold_section = false;
           title = "Header";
           margin = 5;
           content.__raw = "require('startup.headers').hydra_header";
           highlight = "Statement";
-          defaultColor = "";
-          oldfilesAmount = 0;
+          default_color = "";
+          oldfiles_amount = 0;
         };
         header_2 = {
           type = "text";
-          oldfilesDirectory = false;
+          oldfiles_directory = false;
           align = "center";
-          foldSection = false;
+          fold_section = false;
           title = "Quote";
           margin = 5;
           content.__raw = "require('startup.functions').quote()";
           highlight = "Constant";
-          defaultColor = "";
-          oldfilesAmount = 0;
+          default_color = "";
+          oldfiles_amount = 0;
         };
         body = {
           type = "mapping";
           align = "center";
-          foldSection = true;
+          fold_section = true;
           title = "Basic Commands";
           margin = 5;
           content = [
@@ -103,32 +105,32 @@
             ]
           ];
           highlight = "String";
-          defaultColor = "";
-          oldfilesAmount = 0;
+          default_color = "";
+          oldfiles_amount = 0;
         };
         body_2 = {
           type = "oldfiles";
-          oldfilesDirectory = true;
+          oldfiles_directory = true;
           align = "center";
-          foldSection = true;
+          fold_section = true;
           title = "Oldfiles of Directory";
           margin = 5;
-          content = [ ];
+          content.__empty = { };
           highlight = "String";
-          defaultColor = "#FFFFFF";
-          oldfilesAmount = 5;
+          default_color = "#FFFFFF";
+          oldfiles_amount = 5;
         };
         footer = {
           type = "oldfiles";
-          oldfilesDirectory = false;
+          oldfiles_directory = false;
           align = "center";
-          foldSection = true;
+          fold_section = true;
           title = "Oldfiles";
           margin = 5;
           content = [ "startup.nvim" ];
           highlight = "TSString";
-          defaultColor = "#FFFFFF";
-          oldfilesAmount = 5;
+          default_color = "#FFFFFF";
+          oldfiles_amount = 5;
         };
         clock = {
           type = "text";
@@ -139,61 +141,61 @@
               return { clock, date }
             end
           '';
-          oldfilesDirectory = false;
+          oldfiles_directory = false;
           align = "center";
-          foldSection = false;
+          fold_section = false;
           title = "";
           margin = 5;
           highlight = "TSString";
-          defaultColor = "#FFFFFF";
-          oldfilesAmount = 10;
+          default_color = "#FFFFFF";
+          oldfiles_amount = 10;
         };
         footer_2 = {
           type = "text";
           content.__raw = "require('startup.functions').packer_plugins()";
-          oldfilesDirectory = false;
+          oldfiles_directory = false;
           align = "center";
-          foldSection = false;
+          fold_section = false;
           title = "";
           margin = 5;
           highlight = "TSString";
-          defaultColor = "#FFFFFF";
-          oldfilesAmount = 10;
+          default_color = "#FFFFFF";
+          oldfiles_amount = 10;
         };
-      };
-      options = {
-        after = ''
-          function()
-            require("startup.utils").oldfiles_mappings()
-          end
-        '';
-        mappingKeys = true;
-        cursorColumn = 0.5;
-        emptyLinesBetweenMappings = true;
-        disableStatuslines = true;
-        paddings = [
-          2
-          2
-          2
-          2
-          2
-          2
-          2
+        options = {
+          after = ''
+            function()
+              require("startup.utils").oldfiles_mappings()
+            end
+          '';
+          mapping_keys = true;
+          cursor_column = 0.5;
+          empty_lines_between_mappings = true;
+          disable_statuslines = true;
+          paddings = [
+            2
+            2
+            2
+            2
+            2
+            2
+            2
+          ];
+        };
+        colors = {
+          background = "#1f2227";
+          folded_section = "#56b6c2";
+        };
+        parts = [
+          "header"
+          "header_2"
+          "body"
+          "body_2"
+          "footer"
+          "clock"
+          "footer_2"
         ];
       };
-      colors = {
-        background = "#1f2227";
-        foldedSection = "#56b6c2";
-      };
-      parts = [
-        "header"
-        "header_2"
-        "body"
-        "body_2"
-        "footer"
-        "clock"
-        "footer_2"
-      ];
     };
   };
 }