Linktree vs Shopify is a comparison between a link page and an entire online store, which means it is rarely an either-or. Shopify is where you sell. Linktree is how you route social traffic to what you sell. Most sellers use both, connected as a funnel.
The useful questions are how that funnel actually works, where Linktree's commerce features fall short (the 6-product cap is the big one), and what to use now that Shopify's own link-in-bio tool, Linkpop, has shut down. This covers all three.
TL;DR
- Shopify is a complete ecommerce platform: storefront, checkout, inventory, payments.
- Linktree is a link-in-bio page that routes your social audience to links, including products.
- You do not choose between them. Sellers connect a bio link page to their Shopify store so social followers can find products fast.
- Linktree's catch: its Shopify integration caps at 6 products, links out to your store (no in-page checkout), and the deeper commerce features sit in paid tiers.
- Linkpop, Shopify's own link-in-bio, shut down in July 2025, so it is no longer an option.
- For a free bio funnel with unlimited product links and a custom domain, Shelfy covers the routing layer without a subscription.
Quick comparison
| Linktree | Shopify | |
|---|---|---|
| Core job | Link-in-bio page | Full online store |
| Sells directly | No (links to store) | Yes (checkout, payments) |
| Inventory management | No | Yes |
| Product display | Up to 6 (Shopify integration) | Unlimited |
| In-page checkout | No | Yes |
| Best for | Routing social traffic | Running the store |
| Relationship | The funnel into the store | The store itself |
Why this is not really a versus
Linktree and Shopify sit at different points in the same journey:
- A follower sees your Instagram post.
- They tap your bio link and land on your link-in-bio page (the Linktree job).
- They tap a product and go to your Shopify store to check out (the Shopify job).
Take either piece away and the funnel breaks. Without the store, there is nothing to sell. Without the bio page, your social audience has no fast path to the store. So for a seller with a social presence, "Linktree vs Shopify" is the wrong frame. You want both, connected.
Shopify itself put it plainly: using Shopify alone as a link-in-bio solution is no longer realistic. It needs pairing with a tool that handles discovery and routing before checkout.
Where Linktree falls short for selling
If you do route through Linktree, know its commerce limits before you rely on them:
- The 6-product cap. Linktree's Shopify integration shows a maximum of six products. If you have a 200-SKU catalog and want to feature your top 15, you cannot. Six is a hard ceiling.
- No in-page checkout. Products on Linktree link out to your Shopify store. Every product tap takes the visitor off the bio page and into a separate multi-step store flow, which adds friction.
- Conversion features are gated. Pixels, testing, and the deeper commerce tools are either absent or buried in Linktree's paid tiers.
None of this makes Linktree useless for sellers. It makes it a simple top-of-funnel router, not a commerce engine. For the full picture on Linktree's tiers, see how much Linktree costs.
What happened to Linkpop
If you are researching this, you may have seen Linkpop, Shopify's own link-in-bio tool. Linkpop shut down in July 2025. It integrated tightly with Shopify, synced inventory, and embedded products, but it is gone.
Former Linkpop users have moved to a mix of options: Shopify apps with catalog sync, plus third-party bio tools like Linktree and creator-commerce platforms. The takeaway: do not build on Linkpop, and treat any guide still recommending it as out of date.
How to set up the funnel
For most ecommerce sellers, the smartest move is to connect a bio link page to Shopify and build a clean path to purchase:
- Keep your store on Shopify (checkout, inventory, payments).
- Put a link-in-bio page in your social bios.
- Feature your current best sellers or campaign products on the bio page, linking to their Shopify product pages.
- Track which products get the most taps and reorder by what converts.
- Update the featured set for each launch or promo.
The bio page is your fast lane from social to store. The only question is which bio tool routes that traffic.
The routing layer: a free option without the 6-product cap
Linktree works as the router, but its free plan brands your page, its Shopify integration caps at six products, and a custom domain costs $15/month. If the bio page is purely a funnel into your real store, paying for it stings.
Shelfy handles the routing layer free forever: unlimited product links to your Shopify store (no six-product ceiling), per-link analytics to see what converts, a custom domain so the funnel lives on your own brand, and no branding. Like Linktree, it routes to your store rather than processing checkout itself, so Shopify still does the selling. It just does the routing without the cap or the subscription. See link in bio for ecommerce, Shelfy vs Linktree, and the best Linktree alternatives.
Build a free Shopify bio funnel on Shelfy →
Which should you use?
- You sell products and have social traffic: both. Shopify for the store, a bio link page for the funnel.
- You want to feature more than six products in your bio: avoid Linktree's capped Shopify integration; use a tool with unlimited product links.
- You need in-page checkout, not just routing: look at a creator-commerce platform or Shopify's own checkout, not a basic bio tool.
- You want the funnel free and on your own domain: a free link-in-bio tool with custom domains beats paying for Linktree Pro to route traffic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Linktree or Shopify better for selling?
They are not rivals. Shopify is the store where checkout happens. Linktree is a bio link page that routes social traffic to the store. Sellers use both: Shopify to sell, a link-in-bio tool to funnel followers in. Comparing them directly is like comparing a shop to its front-door sign.
Can I sell products directly on Linktree?
Not really. Linktree's Shopify integration displays up to six products and links out to your Shopify store for checkout. There is no in-page checkout, so every purchase happens on Shopify, not on the Linktree page.
How many products can I show on Linktree?
Linktree's Shopify integration caps at six products. That is a hard ceiling, so you cannot feature a large catalog. If you need to show more than six, use a bio tool with unlimited product links.
What happened to Shopify Linkpop?
Linkpop, Shopify's own link-in-bio tool, shut down in July 2025. Former users moved to Shopify apps with catalog sync and third-party bio tools. Do not build on Linkpop, and treat guides still recommending it as outdated.
What is the best link-in-bio for a Shopify store?
One that routes unlimited products to your store, tracks clicks, and runs on your own domain. Linktree works but caps at six products and charges for a custom domain. A free tool like Shelfy routes unlimited product links with analytics and a custom domain at no cost.
Related Reading
- Link in Bio for Ecommerce
- Shelfy vs Linktree
- Linktree vs Bitly
- How Much Does Linktree Cost?
- The Best Linktree Alternatives (2026)
- The Best Link in Bio Tool (2026)
Last updated: June 2026. Linktree's Shopify integration caps at 6 products with no in-page checkout. Linkpop (Shopify's link-in-bio) shut down in July 2025. Linktree custom domains are a $15/month Pro feature.