Link-in-bio tools started as simple landing pages with a list of links. In 2026, the best ones are full mini-websites: handling payments, email capture, scheduling, digital product sales, and analytics. The “link in bio” has become the creator’s homepage.

But which one deserves that precious single link in your Instagram or TikTok profile? I’ve tested the top five options and here’s what actually matters.

Quick Comparison Table

Feature	Linktree	Stan Store	Beacons	Carrd	Koji
Pricing	Free–$24/mo	$29/mo	Free–$10/mo	$9–$49/yr	Free
Custom domain	Pro plan ($9/mo+)	Yes	Pro plan	Yes	No
Payment processing	Commerce plan ($24/mo)	Built-in (no extra fee)	Free plan (9% fee) or Pro (0%)	No (third-party embeds)	Built-in
Email capture	Yes (integrations)	Built-in	Built-in (native)	Via embed	Limited
Analytics	Good (Pro+)	Basic	Good (free)	None	Basic
Templates	30+ themes	Minimal customization	100+ templates	80+ templates	Dynamic templates
Integrations	Mailchimp, Zapier, Shopify	Stripe, calendars, Zapier	Most email platforms	HTML/CSS embeds	Platform-native apps
E-commerce	$24/mo plan	Core feature	Free (with fee)	No	Yes (tips, shoutouts)

Linktree: The Original, Simplest Option

Pricing: Free (basic links). Starter at $5/mo. Pro at $9/mo. Premium at $24/mo.

Linktree invented the category and still has the largest user base. If you just need a clean page with links to your content across platforms, Linktree does that with zero friction. Sign up, add links, customize colors, done.

The free plan is legitimately useful: unlimited links, basic themes, and simple analytics. Most casual creators never need more. The Pro plan at $9/month adds custom domains, advanced analytics, link scheduling, and email/phone capture integrations.

Where Linktree has evolved is commerce. The Premium plan ($24/month) lets you sell digital products, collect tips, and accept payments directly through your link page. It works, but it feels bolted on: the commerce features aren’t as polished as Stan Store’s purpose-built approach.

Linktree’s strength is brand recognition. When someone sees a Linktree page, they understand immediately what it is and how to use it. The layouts are clean, loading speed is fast, and the mobile experience is excellent.

The weakness? Linktree is expensive for what it offers compared to newer competitors. Beacons gives more features for free than Linktree Pro provides for $9/month. And if you’re selling products, Stan Store is a better dedicated solution at $29/month.

Linktree is best for creators who want simplicity, don’t need built-in payments, and value the most recognized brand in the space.

Stan Store: Best for Selling Products and Services

Pricing: $29/mo (Creator). $99/mo (Business).

Stan Store isn’t really a link-in-bio tool: it’s a storefront designed to live in your bio link. The entire page is built around conversions: buy a product, book a call, join a course, subscribe to a membership. Links to your other platforms are secondary.

The store-first approach works brilliantly for creators who monetize directly. Set up a digital product (ebook, template, course), and customers can purchase in two taps without leaving the page. No redirect to Gumroad, no friction. Payment processing is included with no additional transaction fees beyond Stripe’s standard 2.9% + 30¢.

Course hosting, appointment scheduling (Calendly-style), and order bump/upsell features are all built in. You can literally run a coaching business: booking calls, selling resources, and delivering courses: entirely from your Stan Store link.

The tradeoff is flexibility. Stan Store pages look like Stan Store pages. Customization is limited compared to Beacons or Carrd. If your brand relies on unique visual design, Stan Store’s template constraints might feel limiting.

There’s also no free plan. At $29/month, Stan Store only makes sense if you’re actively selling. A creator who just needs links and maybe email capture would overpay significantly.

Stan Store is best for creators who sell products, services, or courses directly through social media and want the shortest path from “link in bio” to “purchase complete.”

Beacons: Best Free Features and Email Collection

Pricing: Free (with 9% transaction fee on sales). Creator Pro at $10/mo (0% transaction fee).

Beacons has the most generous free plan in the space. On the free tier you get: unlimited links, email collection, a media kit builder, a store for digital products (9% fee), analytics, and custom themes. That’s more than Linktree Pro offers for $9/month.

The media kit feature is unique and valuable for creators seeking brand deals. It auto-populates your follower counts, engagement rates, and audience demographics into a professional page you can share with sponsors. No more manually updating media kit PDFs.

Email collection is native: not an integration. Visitors subscribe directly on your Beacons page, and you can manage your list within the platform or sync to Kit, Mailchimp, or Beehiiv. For creators starting an email list, this removes the friction of a separate platform.

The store works for digital products. Upload files, set prices, and buyers purchase without leaving your page. The 9% fee on the free plan is steep, but Creator Pro at $10/month drops it to 0%: still cheaper than Stan Store.

Where Beacons falls short is polish. The page builder has many blocks and options, which means pages can look cluttered. Stan Store’s opinionated design prevents ugly pages; Beacons gives you more rope.

Beacons is best for creators who want maximum features at minimum cost, especially those building a media kit for sponsorships and growing an email list.

Carrd: Best for Custom Single-Page Sites

Pricing: Free (limited). Pro Lite at $9/yr. Pro Standard at $19/yr. Pro Plus at $49/yr.

Carrd isn’t a link-in-bio tool in the traditional sense: it’s a single-page website builder. But many creators use it as their bio link because it offers complete design freedom that dedicated tools can’t match.

With Carrd, you build an actual webpage. Custom layouts, animations, embedded forms, videos, and any design you can imagine. If you know basic CSS, the possibilities are limitless. Even without code, the templates are polished and varied.

The pricing is absurdly cheap. $19/year for Pro Standard gets you custom domains, forms, and widgets. That’s less than one month of Linktree Pro.

The downside? No built-in payments, no native email list management, no analytics beyond basic page views. You’re embedding third-party tools (Stripe, Mailchimp, Calendly) rather than using native features.

Carrd is best for creators and brands that prioritize design control and already have separate tools for payments and email.

Koji: Best for Interactive Content

Pricing: Free (Koji takes a cut of transactions).

Koji takes a different approach: instead of static links, it offers interactive “apps” for your bio. Mini-games, quizzes, tip jars, shoutout requests, and custom interactive experiences that engage visitors rather than just directing them elsewhere.

The platform is free to use, with Koji taking a percentage of any transactions. It’s particularly popular with gaming creators and musicians where engagement matters more than traditional commerce. For most business-focused creators, Koji is too niche. But if your brand is built on personality and interaction, it offers something unique.

Which Tool Should You Pick?

“I just need links, nothing fancy” → Linktree (free plan). Simple, fast, recognized.

“I sell products or services through social media” → Stan Store ($29/mo). Purpose-built for conversion.

“I want the most features for free” → Beacons. The free plan beats paid plans of competitors.

“I want total design control” → Carrd ($19/yr). Build exactly the page you imagine.

“I’m building an email list from social media” → Beacons. Native email capture without needing a separate tool.

“I want to land brand sponsorships” → Beacons. The built-in media kit feature is unique and valuable.

For creators selling digital products who want more than a link page, see our Gumroad vs Lemon Squeezy vs Payhip comparison. And for building the email list you’re capturing from your bio link, check our email marketing guide for creators.

Related reading: Best Accounting Software for Freelancers (2026): Simple Opt · Best Contract Tools for Freelancers (2026): Templates + E-s · Best Tools to Sell Digital Products (2026) · Best Expense Trackers for Self-Employed (2026)

FAQ

Do link-in-bio tools hurt my SEO? Link-in-bio pages themselves don’t rank well in search engines because they’re thin content. However, they don’t hurt your website’s SEO either. If SEO matters, use Carrd with a custom domain to create a proper landing page that can rank.

Can I use multiple link-in-bio tools? Technically yes, but there’s no reason to. Pick one primary link for your bio. Switching is easy since these tools don’t hold your data hostage.

Will Instagram or TikTok ever kill the need for link-in-bio tools? Both platforms have added native features (Instagram’s link sticker, TikTok’s shopping), but bio links remain essential because they’re always visible. Platform-native features come and go, but your bio link is persistent.

Do I need a custom domain for my link page? Not necessarily. Custom domains add professionalism (links.yourbrand.com vs linktr.ee/yourbrand), but most audiences don’t notice. Prioritize content and functionality over the URL.

How do I track which platform drives the most traffic to my link page? Most tools show basic traffic sources. For deeper analytics, add UTM parameters to links you share on each platform. Beacons and Linktree Pro both show click-through rates per link.