Let's be honest: When most tools say "free," they mean "free trial" or "free but totally unusable." You get unlimited links... but they all say "Powered by [Brand]" and look like they were designed in 2005.
The frustrating reality: Many "free" link in bio tools are glorified advertisements for the paid version—so limited that you're essentially forced to upgrade to do anything useful.
After testing 27 link in bio tools and spending 40+ hours comparing their "free" offerings, we're exposing what "free" actually means—and revealing the tools that are genuinely free with no catches.
Our criteria for "actually free":
- No credit card required
- No time limits (forever free)
- Core features are usable (not crippled)
- Not covered in intrusive branding
- No hidden fees for basic functionality
The Four Types of "Free" in Link Tools
Understanding these categories will save you from freemium traps:
Type 1: Forever Free (Best Value)
Characteristics:
- No credit card ever required
- Core features included indefinitely
- No artificial limits on basic functionality
- Sustainable business model (not just a growth hack)
Example: Shelfy
- Everything unlocked: custom domains, analytics, API, no branding
- No paid tiers exist—genuinely free forever
- Sustainable through optional enterprise services
Annual Cost: $0
Type 2: Freemium (Most Common)
Characteristics:
- Free plan exists but heavily limited
- Strong psychological pressure to upgrade
- Many features locked behind paywall
- "Free" is essentially a trial with no end date
Examples: Linktree, Taplink, Campsite
The Math: Free plan is functional but frustrating. Most users upgrade within 3-6 months, spending $60-290/year.
Type 3: Free Trial (Misleading)
Characteristics:
- Credit card required upfront
- Converts to paid after 7-30 days
- Not actually free long-term
- Easy to forget and get charged
Examples: Many tools advertising "14-day free trial"
Annual Cost: $120-300/year after trial ends
Type 4: Open Source (For Developers)
Characteristics:
- Truly free code
- Self-hosted (requires technical skills)
- No ongoing software costs
- You control everything
Example: Linkstack
Annual Cost: $60-120/year for hosting + domain (not actually free)
What You Should Get for Free (vs What's Paywalled)
Reasonable Free Features
✓ You Should Get:
- Unlimited links
- Basic customization (colors, fonts)
- Mobile-optimized design
- Basic analytics (click counts)
- Profile picture and bio
Commonly Paywalled Features
✗ Often Locked Behind Payment:
- Custom domain (yourname.com)
- Advanced analytics
- Email capture forms
- Remove platform branding
- Priority support
- Scheduling
- Multiple pages/collections
The Trade-Off: Free plans display provider branding. This is the "payment"—free advertising for them.
The True Cost of "Free" Plans (Annual Breakdown)
Let's calculate what each "free" tool actually costs when you need professional features:
Shelfy: $0/year
What's Free:
- Everything (custom domains, analytics, API, no branding, multiple collections, team collaboration)
What's Paid:
- Nothing—no paid tiers exist
1-Year Cost: $0 3-Year Cost: $0 5-Year Cost: $0
Verdict: Only tool that's genuinely free forever with professional features.
Linktree: $0-288/year
Free Plan Gets You:
- Unlimited links
- Basic themes (can't change colors!)
- Basic analytics
- Linktree branding
To Remove Branding: $5/month (Starter) To Get Custom Domain: $9/month (Pro) To Get Advanced Analytics: $9/month (Pro) To Get Team Features: $24/month (Premium)
1-Year Cost (Pro): $108 3-Year Cost (Pro): $324 5-Year Cost (Pro): $540
Verdict: Free plan is too limited. You can't even change colors. Most users end up paying $9/month.
Beacons: $0-120/year (plus transaction fees)
Free Plan Gets You:
- Unlimited links
- Email marketing (500/month)
- Tip jar
- Basic analytics
- Beacons branding
Hidden Cost - Transaction Fees:
- 9% fee on all sales through free plan
- If you sell $500/month = $45/month in fees = $540/year
To Remove Branding: $10/month (Creator Pro) To Get Custom Domain: $10/month To Remove Transaction Fees: $30/month (Store Pro)
1-Year Cost (Creator Pro): $120 1-Year Cost (Store Pro): $360 Sales Fees on Free: Up to $1,080/year (if selling $1K/month)
Verdict: Great free features, but the 9% transaction fee destroys profits for sellers.
Campsite: $0-168/year
Free Plan Gets You:
- Unlimited links
- Custom colors
- Basic analytics
- Instagram feed
- Campsite branding
To Remove Branding: $7/month (Pro) To Get Custom Domain: $7/month To Get Advanced Analytics: $7/month To Get Team Features: $14/month (Pro+)
1-Year Cost (Pro): $84 3-Year Cost (Pro): $252 5-Year Cost (Pro): $420
Verdict: Decent free plan, but branding removal requires Pro.
Bio.link: $0-60/year
Free Plan Gets You:
- Unlimited links
- Good customization
- Social feeds
- Basic analytics
- Bio.link branding
To Remove Branding: $0.99/month To Get Custom Domain: $4.99/month
1-Year Cost (Custom Domain): $60 3-Year Cost: $180 5-Year Cost: $300
Verdict: Cheapest paid option, but free plan has branding.
Stan Store: $348-1,188/year (No Free Plan)
No Free Plan Available
Entry Price: $29/month (Creator) Pro Features: $99/month (Creator Pro)
1-Year Cost (Creator): $348 3-Year Cost (Creator): $1,044 5-Year Cost (Creator): $1,740
Verdict: No free option. Only makes sense if you're already making significant sales.
5-Year Cost Comparison
| Tool | Free Forever | Year 1 (Pro) | Year 3 | Year 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelfy | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Bio.link | Branding | $60 | $180 | $300 |
| Campsite | Branding | $84 | $252 | $420 |
| Linktree | Limited | $108 | $324 | $540 |
| Beacons | Fees | $120 | $360 | $600 |
| Stan Store | N/A | $348 | $1,044 | $1,740 |
Shelfy saves you $540-1,740 over 5 years compared to paid alternatives.
Hidden Costs Most People Miss
1. Transaction Fees
The Trap: "Free plan with commerce!" But they take a cut of every sale.
- Beacons Free: 9% of all sales
- Gumroad: 10% + payment fees
- PayPal: 2.9% + $0.30
Example: Sell $1,000/month
- Beacons Free: $90/month lost = $1,080/year
- Shelfy: $0 (use your own payment processor)
2. Domain Costs (Elsewhere)
Most tools charge $5-10/month for custom domains.
Annual Cost: $60-120/year
Shelfy: Custom domains included free
3. Analytics Upsells
"Basic analytics" means click counts only. To see:
- Traffic sources
- Geographic data
- Conversion rates
- Time-based trends
You need to pay: Usually $9-24/month
Shelfy: Full analytics dashboard included free
4. Team Feature Premiums
Need collaborators? Most tools charge extra:
- Linktree: $24/month (Premium)
- Campsite: $14/month (Pro+)
- Beacons: Business tier
Shelfy: Team collaboration included free
5. The "Branding Tax"
Small "Made with Linktree" badge seems minor, but:
- Makes you look amateur
- Promotes competitor to your audience
- Signals you're on free/cheap plan
To remove: $5-10/month everywhere
Shelfy: No branding included free
Red Flags: Signs You're Being Manipulated
Artificial Scarcity
🚩 "Only 5 links on free plan"
- Unlimited links costs them nothing
- Pure psychological pressure to upgrade
🚩 "1,000 clicks per month limit"
- Arbitrary restriction
- Creates anxiety about going over
Essential Features Locked
🚩 Can't change colors without paying
- Basic customization should be free
- Linktree does this on free plan
🚩 Analytics completely hidden
- You can't improve what you can't measure
- Forces upgrade to see your own data
Intrusive Branding
🚩 Huge logo covering half your page 🚩 "Upgrade to remove" banners 🚩 Watermarks on images
Degraded Experience
🚩 Slow loading for free users 🚩 Ads injected into your page 🚩 No support (tool breaks, you're stuck)
Green Flags: Genuinely Free Tools
Functional Free Tier
✓ Core features work well ✓ Subtle branding (footer only, not banner) ✓ No artificial limits
Transparent Model
✓ Clear difference between free/paid ✓ Upgrade benefits are genuine (not ransom) ✓ No credit card required
Sustainable Business
✓ Company has viable revenue model ✓ Free users subsidized by power users ✓ Not just an extended trial
Shelfy passes all green flags: Everything free, no paid tiers to subsidize, sustainable through optional enterprise services.
When to Stay Free vs Upgrade
Stay Free If:
✓ Under 1,000 followers ✓ Not making money from links yet ✓ Testing or just starting out ✓ Basic analytics are sufficient ✓ Branding doesn't bother you
Rationale: Save money for content creation. Free tools are sufficient for growth phase.
Consider Upgrading When:
→ You're making money from your links
- If links generate $100+/month, $9/mo upgrade pays for itself
→ Professional image matters
- Landing corporate sponsors
- Building serious business
- Clients see your link page
→ You need specific features
- Email marketing with higher limits
- Advanced analytics for optimization
- Custom domain (looks professional)
The ROI Question
"If this tool helps me get ONE more client/sale/booking, does it pay for 6-12 months of the paid plan?"
If yes: Upgrade is smart investment If no: Stay free
The Shelfy Alternative
Before upgrading any tool, try Shelfy free. You might get everything you need without paying:
- Custom domain? Free on Shelfy
- Remove branding? Free on Shelfy
- Advanced analytics? Free on Shelfy
- Team collaboration? Free on Shelfy
Maximizing Free Plans (If You Must Use Freemium)
Strategy 1: Use Multiple Free Tools
Combine free tiers strategically:
- Primary links: Shelfy (everything free)
- Email capture: Beacons (500/month free)
- Custom landing: Carrd (3 sites free)
Cost: $0 Benefit: Best features from each
Strategy 2: Analytics Workarounds
Free plans have basic analytics. Supplement with:
- UTM parameters (track in Google Analytics)
- Bitly for individual link tracking
- Instagram Insights for profile visits
Strategy 3: Email List Without Forms
If free plan lacks email forms:
- Link to Mailchimp landing page (free)
- Use Google Forms (free, unlimited)
- Link to Carrd page with form (free)
Strategy 4: Custom Domain Hack
Get custom domain feel without paying:
- Buy domain: yourbrand.com ($12/year)
- Create subdomain: links.yourbrand.com
- Redirect to your free tool page
Cost: $12/year vs $60-120/year
Or just use Shelfy: Custom domains included free
The Bottom Line: Most "Free" Tools Aren't Free
Here's the reality:
Linktree Free = No colors, branding, basic analytics → You'll pay $9/month Beacons Free = 9% transaction fees → You'll pay in sales Campsite Free = Branding, no custom domain → You'll pay $7/month Bio.link Free = Branding → You'll pay $5/month
Only Shelfy is actually free:
- No paid tiers exist
- Everything unlocked
- No branding
- Custom domains included
- Full analytics
- API access
- Team collaboration
Annual Savings with Shelfy
| vs Linktree Pro | $108/year saved | | vs Beacons Creator | $120/year saved | | vs Campsite Pro | $84/year saved | | Over 5 years | $420-600 saved |
FAQ: Free Link in Bio Tools
"Is free safe? Will my data be sold?"
Reputable free tools (Shelfy, Linktree, Beacons) have privacy policies and don't sell data. Revenue comes from paid upgrades (or in Shelfy's case, enterprise services), not data sales.
"Why is Shelfy actually free? What's the catch?"
No catch. Shelfy was built by founders frustrated paying $10/month for basic link tools. They made it free and sustainable through optional enterprise services (like white-label reselling) that individual creators never need.
"Can I switch tools without losing links?"
Yes. Your bio link is just a URL. Change it in your Instagram bio, and all your posts/stories immediately point to the new tool. Keep old tool active 30 days for cached links.
"Will using free tool hurt my professional image?"
Depends on the tool. Free plans with big branding look amateur. But Shelfy is free with zero branding—looks completely professional.
"What if the free tool shuts down?"
Use established platforms with funding. Export your links regularly. Keep a backup list of your URLs.
Final Recommendation
Stop paying for features that should be free.
Custom domains, analytics, no branding, team collaboration—these are basic features in 2025. You shouldn't pay $9-24/month for them.
Shelfy offers everything free forever. No catches, no credit card, no pressure to upgrade (there's nothing to upgrade to).
Before signing up for any "free" plan that will eventually cost you $60-288/year:
- Try Shelfy first (genuinely free)
- See if it meets your needs (it probably will)
- Only pay elsewhere if you need something specific
The best free tool is the one that's actually free.
Related Reading
Tool Comparisons:
- Best Link in Bio Tools 2025: Complete Comparison Guide — Comprehensive feature comparison
- Switching from Linktree: Migration Guide — Step-by-step migration if you're currently on Linktree
- Shelfy vs Raindrop.io — Detailed head-to-head comparison
Niche Guides:
- Link in Bio for Coaches — Book more clients from Instagram
- Link in Bio for Musicians — Promote your music, tours, and merch
- Link in Bio for E-commerce — Turn followers into customers
- Instagram Link in Bio Guide — Complete Instagram bio optimization
Last updated: January 2025. Pricing verified as of publication date.