If you post on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or LinkedIn, you've hit the "one link" problem. A link in bio tool gives you a single URL that opens a landing page of links, embeds, products, and content. The category has matured. There are now twelve serious players, three pricing models, and real differences in what a "free plan" actually means.
This guide is for people choosing a tool in 2026, not for SEO content from 2022. It covers what each tool is genuinely good at, where it fails, and the operational details (custom domains, free-plan branding, API access, multiple pages, sponsor block management) that show up after week one.
TL;DR (the quick answer)
- Most polished free plan with no upsell pressure: Shelfy. Every feature is on the free plan, including custom domains and unlimited collections.
- Most recognized brand, easiest setup: Linktree. Free plan works. Paid plan ($8 to $35 per month) gates analytics, customization, and removing branding.
- Best built-in commerce for digital creators: Stan Store. Sells courses, coaching, and digital products natively.
- Best all-in-one for creators who want email + storefront + page in one place: Beacons.
- Best aesthetic out-of-the-box (Squarespace ecosystem): Bio Sites by Squarespace. Free, clean, light on features.
- Best for service businesses (booking, payments, forms): Taplink.
- Best for "I just want a clean page in 60 seconds": Bento or Bio.link.
If you want one paragraph: most people land on Linktree because they've heard of it. Most people who outgrow Linktree's free plan either pay the $8 to $35 per month or switch to a tool with a real free tier (Shelfy, Bio Sites, Bento, or Beacons depending on the use case).
How we evaluated
We built test pages on each platform with the same five-link setup (latest content, newsletter, store, social profiles, contact) and a custom domain where supported. We compared:
- Free plan completeness: What can you actually do without paying?
- Custom domain support: Free, paid, or unavailable?
- Branding removal: Does the free plan show the tool's logo on your page?
- Analytics depth: Click counts only, or referrer/geo/device breakdowns?
- Multiple pages or collections: One page only, or unlimited?
- Commerce and email: Native, integrated via Stripe/Mailchimp, or absent?
- API and webhooks: Available, gated, or missing?
- Page load and mobile feel: Lighthouse score and subjective polish on a real phone.
Pricing in this post was verified in May 2026. Tool pricing changes often. Check each vendor's site before committing.
The 2026 landscape: who's still relevant
The link-in-bio market has consolidated. Some 2022-era tools (Lnk.Bio, Tap.bio) are still alive but no longer recommended. New entrants (Stan Store, Bento, Bio Sites, Hopp by Wix, Komi) have taken meaningful share. Here's the current shortlist worth comparing.
1. Shelfy: the only "every feature free forever" tool
What it is: A free link-in-bio and link curation tool. No paid tier exists. Every feature is on the free plan.
Strengths:
- Unlimited collections (multiple organized pages, not a single bio page)
- Free custom domains (use
links.yourbrand.cominstead of a generic URL) - Community voting (audience can upvote favorite links, which reorders the page based on real engagement)
- No branding or watermark on free plan
- REST API with 1,000 requests per hour
- Collection redirects (publish a stable URL like
/sponsorand change where it points without updating social posts) - Team collaboration on collections
Limits:
- Newer brand than Linktree, so less out-of-the-box recognition
- No native email marketing or storefront (links out to your existing tools)
- No native audio embed (matters for podcasters)
Who it fits: Anyone who wants Linktree Pro-level features without the $15 to $35 per month, podcasters and writers with deep back catalogs, teams sharing curated link sets.
2. Linktree: the default everyone knows
What it is: The original link-in-bio tool. Free plan plus Starter ($8 per month), Pro ($15 per month), and Premium ($35 per month, raised from $24 in 2025) tiers as of May 2026. The free plan still carries a 12 percent commerce fee on any sales.
Strengths:
- Brand recognition. Most platforms auto-detect a Linktree URL.
- Simple setup (under 60 seconds)
- Solid template library
- Reliable infrastructure
Limits:
- Free plan keeps Linktree branding on your page
- Custom domains require Pro ($9 per month)
- Analytics on free plan are basic (clicks only, no referrer or geo)
- No multiple pages or collections (one bio page per account)
Who it fits: Beginners who want zero friction and don't mind branding, or anyone willing to pay for the recognized name.
3. Beacons: all-in-one for creator businesses
What it is: Link-in-bio plus email marketing, store, media kit, and AI-assisted writing.
Strengths:
- Generous free plan (more features unlocked than Linktree's free)
- Built-in email list and broadcasts
- Native digital storefront (sell courses, ebooks, services)
- Media kit page for brand deals
- AI page builder
Limits:
- Steeper learning curve. The dashboard has a lot.
- The email and storefront features are good, but not as deep as Mailchimp or Stan Store individually.
- Some advanced features gated to paid plans ($10 to $30 per month).
Who it fits: Creators who want one tool covering page, email, and product sales without integrating three separate apps.
4. Bio Sites by Squarespace: the clean free option
What it is: Squarespace's free link-in-bio tool, launched 2022, expanded significantly through 2024-2025.
Strengths:
- Free, no upsell to a paid Bio Sites tier (Squarespace earns by upselling to its full website builder)
- Beautiful templates with serious design polish
- Custom domains free
- Tiktok and Instagram integration
Limits:
- Only one page per account
- Analytics are light
- Less customization once you're inside a template
- Tied to Squarespace's ecosystem (matters if you want to migrate later)
Who it fits: People who care about visual polish first and don't need multiple pages or deep analytics.
5. Stan Store: built for selling
What it is: A link-in-bio tool with a serious commerce engine baked in. Targets creators selling digital products, courses, and coaching.
Strengths:
- Native checkout (no Stripe Connect setup, just connect a Stripe account)
- Course hosting included
- Coaching booking built in
- Email capture and broadcasts
- Strong creator-economy positioning
Limits:
- Paid only ($29 per month standard plan as of May 2026, with a 14-day trial)
- Less flexible for non-commerce use cases (it's optimized for selling)
- Branding is opinionated (works for influencers, less for B2B brands)
Who it fits: Creators making most of their income from digital products or coaching, who want one tool for page plus checkout.
6. Bento: the modern, minimal option
What it is: A newer link-in-bio tool with a Notion-like block editor.
Strengths:
- Beautiful, modular block-based pages (text, images, links, embeds, maps)
- Free plan covers most use cases
- Custom domains on the paid plan ($5 per month)
- Genuinely fast page loads
Limits:
- Smaller team than Linktree or Beacons (slower feature roadmap)
- Analytics are basic
- No native email or storefront
Who it fits: Designers, writers, and indie creators who want a modular page that feels less like a "Linktree clone" and more like a personal site.
7. Bio.link: unlimited links, free, simple
What it is: A long-running, simple link-in-bio with a generous free plan.
Strengths:
- Unlimited links on free plan
- Clean templates
- Good social media feed integration
Limits:
- Limited analytics on free plan
- Fewer integrations than Beacons
- Less active product development
Who it fits: People who want unlimited links and don't need much else.
8. Hopp by Wix: the polished newcomer
What it is: Wix's link-in-bio tool, launched 2023, free with paid upgrades.
Strengths:
- Polished interface
- Free plan removes branding (uncommon)
- Tied into Wix's broader site builder if you want to expand later
Limits:
- Wix ecosystem lock-in
- Newer and less proven than Linktree or Beacons
- Limited integrations beyond Wix's own apps
Who it fits: People already in the Wix ecosystem or who want a clean free option without Linktree branding.
9. Komi: built for short-form video creators
What it is: A link-in-bio with strong YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram Reels embed support.
Strengths:
- Native auto-embeds of latest content from each platform
- Music and podcast platform support
- Reasonable free plan
Limits:
- Less depth on commerce or email
- Smaller ecosystem
- Paid plans get expensive for full feature unlock ($15 to $40 per month)
Who it fits: Video-first creators who want their page to look like a content portfolio, not a list of text links.
10. Taplink: built for service businesses
What it is: A link-in-bio with built-in payments, booking, and form-builder, optimized for small service businesses (salons, coaches, consultants).
Strengths:
- Native payment processing
- Appointment booking
- Form builder (lead capture, intake forms)
- Multi-language support
Limits:
- Limited free plan
- Less polished design system than newer tools
- Less suited to creators selling content
Who it fits: Service businesses that take bookings or payments directly from social traffic.
11. Shorby: analytics-first
What it is: A long-running tool focused on analytics and retargeting.
Strengths:
- Retargeting pixel support (Meta, Google, TikTok)
- Messenger and Telegram link types
- Dynamic feeds from RSS
Limits:
- No free plan
- $15 to $99 per month
- Smaller user base than 2020-era peak
Who it fits: Performance marketers who care about conversion tracking and audience retargeting more than design.
12. Carrd: not technically a link-in-bio tool, but used as one
What it is: A one-page site builder. Not a link-in-bio tool, but many creators use it as one.
Strengths:
- Total design freedom (HTML/CSS access on paid plans)
- $19 per year (yes, per year) for Pro
- Minimal, fast pages
Limits:
- No native social media feed integration
- No analytics dashboard (you add Plausible or Google Analytics yourself)
- Requires a tiny bit of comfort with templates and basic site editing
Who it fits: Indie hackers, designers, and people who want a single clean page they fully control.
Feature comparison table (verified May 2026)
| Feature | Shelfy | Linktree | Beacons | Bio Sites | Stan Store | Bento | Bio.link | Taplink |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan exists | Yes (all features) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (14-day trial) | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Custom domain on free plan | Yes | No (Pro only) | Yes | Yes | n/a | No (Paid only) | No (Paid only) | No |
| Removes branding on free plan | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | n/a | No | No | No |
| Multiple pages or collections | Yes (unlimited) | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Native commerce | Via API | Paid | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Native email marketing | No | Paid | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| REST API | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Audio embed | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Lowest paid tier | n/a | $5/mo | $10/mo | n/a | $29/mo | $5/mo | $0.99/mo | $3/mo |
| Highest paid tier | n/a | $35/mo | $90/mo | n/a | $99/mo | $12/mo | $5/mo | $14/mo |
Pricing accurate as of May 2026. Always verify on the vendor's site before subscribing.
Decision rubric: which tool should you actually pick?
Pick the tool whose strongest column matches your top need.
If your priority is "I never want to pay": Shelfy. The only tool where every feature is genuinely free, including custom domains and unlimited collections.
If your priority is "the recognized brand my audience already trusts": Linktree. Be ready to pay $15 to $35 per month once you outgrow the free plan.
If your priority is "sell courses or coaching directly from my page": Stan Store (purpose-built) or Beacons (good enough plus email and page).
If your priority is "I want one page that looks beautiful with zero design work": Bio Sites by Squarespace.
If your priority is "I have a deep back catalog or many curated lists": Shelfy. Unlimited collections is the only feature that solves this; every other tool gives you one page.
If your priority is "I run a service business with bookings or forms": Taplink.
If your priority is "I want total control with code": Carrd ($19 per year).
If your priority is "video-first creator": Komi or Beacons.
What to look for that listicles usually skip
A few operational details that don't show up in feature comparison tables but matter once you've used the tool for six months:
Custom domain setup. "Custom domain support" can mean "we let you add a CNAME and we handle SSL" or "we let you point a domain and you get to figure out SSL yourself." Tools that handle SSL automatically are worth the small price difference.
Free-plan branding. Some tools claim "free plan" but plaster their logo across your page. Linktree's free plan does this. Shelfy, Bio Sites, and Hopp do not. If your page represents your business, free-plan branding is the same as paying with your brand equity.
Multiple pages and collections. Almost every tool gives you one bio page. Shelfy is the exception with unlimited collections. This matters if you maintain separate pages for separate audiences (a podcaster with a back catalog hub, a creator with a brand-deal media kit, a writer with a book launch page).
Export and migration. Can you take your page with you if the tool shuts down or doubles its price? Most tools have weak export. Self-hosted options (Carrd, Bento on the paid plan) are easier to migrate.
API access. Most link-in-bio tools have no API. Shelfy is unusual in offering REST endpoints (1,000 requests per hour on the free plan). This matters if you want to programmatically update links from a CMS or automation.
Performance. Lighthouse scores vary widely. Bento, Bio Sites, and Shelfy load fast. Older tools sometimes don't. Slow pages hurt clicks more than people realize, especially on mobile data plans.
FAQ
What is the best free link in bio tool?
For a fully free experience with no paid tier, Shelfy. For a free tier from a recognized brand, Linktree (with branding) or Bio Sites by Squarespace (without). For free with built-in email and store, Beacons.
Is Linktree still worth using in 2026?
Yes for beginners and people who value brand recognition, but the free plan keeps Linktree branding on your page and gates basic features such as custom domain and deep analytics behind paid tiers starting at $5 per month. Most people who care about a clean professional page either pay for Pro at $9 per month or switch to a tool with a more complete free plan.
What is the cheapest link in bio tool with a custom domain?
Shelfy is free with custom domains included. Bio Sites by Squarespace is also free with custom domains. Carrd Pro is $19 per year. Bio.link Pro is $0.99 per month.
Can I have multiple link in bio pages?
Most tools give you only one. Shelfy is the main exception with unlimited collections on the free plan. Linktree, Beacons, Bio Sites, Stan Store, and Bento all offer one page per account.
Which link in bio tool is best for selling digital products?
Stan Store is purpose-built for this with native checkout and course hosting. Beacons covers it as part of an all-in-one. Shelfy can do it via API or by linking out to your existing checkout (Stripe, Gumroad, Lemonsqueezy).
Implementation best practices
A few things that compound regardless of which tool you pick:
- Put the most-clicked link first. People skim. The top of the page gets 60 to 80% of the clicks.
- Use clear calls to action. "Read the latest essay" beats "Blog." "Book a 15-minute intro call" beats "Contact."
- Update at least monthly. A page that hasn't changed in three months tells visitors the account might be inactive.
- Check your analytics. Most people don't. Whatever your tool surfaces, look at it monthly. The link you assumed was important might not be.
- Match the page to your brand. Default templates are fine, but a page with your real colors, logo, and font reads as "this is a real brand," not "this is a Linktree."
- Test on mobile. Most clicks come from phones. Open your page on a real phone, not just the tool's preview.
The honest summary
There is no single "best" link in bio tool. There is a best one for what you're actually trying to do.
If you want every feature free forever and don't mind a less-recognized name, Shelfy is the cleanest answer in 2026. If you want the recognized brand and you're willing to pay $9 to $24 per month, Linktree is fine. If you sell digital products, Stan Store. If you want all-in-one with email, Beacons. If you want pure visual polish, Bio Sites.
The category has matured to the point where any of these will work. The differences between them show up in the operational details: free-plan branding, custom domain support, multiple pages, and whether the tool's "free plan" is genuine or a 14-day demo dressed up as one.
Try Shelfy free forever (every feature included)
Related reading
Deep-dive comparisons:
- What's actually free: hidden costs of "free" link-in-bio plans
- How to switch from Linktree: a migration guide
- Beacons vs Linktree
- Shelfy vs Beacons
- Shelfy vs Linktree
- Shelfy vs Raindrop.io
- Black Friday deals on link tools
Niche-specific guides:
Foundations:
- The complete guide to link curation
- What is a link collection?
- Why your bookmarks are a graveyard
- Team link repository guide
Last reviewed and pricing verified: May 2026. Tool pricing changes often. Always confirm on the vendor's site before subscribing.