Link-in-Bio Transaction Fees Explained: How Much Are You Really Losing?
There's a number most creators never calculate before they start selling through their bio link. It's the number that shows up as a smaller-than-expected deposit when the money lands in their account.
Platform fees.
Most link-in-bio tools take a percentage of every sale you make, on top of the unavoidable payment processing fee. For creators just starting out, the percentage feels small. But as your sales grow, that percentage becomes a real cost, sometimes a bigger cost than a paid subscription would have been.
Here's exactly what each platform takes and how to think about it.
The Two Costs of Selling Online
Before comparing platforms, it's worth understanding the two separate costs involved in every sale:
Payment processing fee: This is what Stripe (or PayPal) charges to securely move money from your buyer's card to your bank account. The standard rate is 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. This applies regardless of which platform you're on. It's the cost of card processing, not a platform markup.
Platform fee: This is what the link-in-bio platform takes on top. Some platforms charge it; some don't. This is the variable that makes a real difference.
When you see "9% fees" on a Beacons plan, that's the platform fee, in addition to Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30.
Platform Fee Breakdown by Tool
Linktree
Beacons
Stan Store
Leenkies
MyJulip
All plans that sell also incur Stripe processing fees of 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, regardless of platform. MyJulip's $19/mo is billed annually. Leenkies' free plan doesn't sell; selling is part of Pro.
The Real Math: What Fees Cost at Different Revenue Levels
Let's use a concrete example: you sell Lightroom presets at $50 each. Here's what different monthly sales volumes cost across platforms.
10 sales/month ($500 revenue)
- Stripe only (unavoidable): ~$17.50 in processing
- Linktree Free (12%): $60 platform fee + $17.50 = $77.50 total costs
- Linktree Pro (9%, $15/mo sub): $45 + $17.50 + $15 = $77.50
- Linktree Premium (0%, $35/mo): $0 + $17.50 + $35 = $52.50
- Beacons Free (9%): $45 + $17.50 = $62.50
- Beacons Creator (9%, $10/mo): $45 + $17.50 + $10 = $72.50
- Leenkies Pro (0%, $9.99/mo): $0 + $17.50 + $9.99 = $27.49
- Stan Store (0%, $29/mo): $0 + $17.50 + $29 = $46.50
At $500/month, Leenkies Pro is significantly cheaper than any fee-based plan. Even Beacons "free" costs over twice as much.
40 sales/month ($2,000 revenue)
- Stripe only: ~$70 in processing
- Linktree Free (12%): $240 + $70 = $310
- Linktree Premium (0%, $35/mo): $0 + $70 + $35 = $105
- Beacons Free (9%): $180 + $70 = $250
- Beacons Creator Plus (0%, $30/mo): $0 + $70 + $30 = $100
- Leenkies Pro (0%, $9.99/mo): $0 + $70 + $9.99 = $79.99
- Stan Store (0%, $29/mo): $0 + $70 + $29 = $99
At $2,000/month, staying on Linktree Free costs $310, nearly three times the cost of upgrading to Premium. Beacons free costs $250. Both are dramatically more expensive than a 0% fee platform.
100 sales/month ($5,000 revenue)
- Stripe only: ~$175 in processing
- Linktree Free (12%): $600 + $175 = $775
- Linktree Premium (0%, $35/mo): $0 + $175 + $35 = $210
- Beacons Free (9%): $450 + $175 = $625
- Beacons Creator Plus (0%, $30/mo): $0 + $175 + $30 = $205
- Leenkies Pro (0%, $9.99/mo): $0 + $175 + $9.99 = $184.99
- Stan Store (0%, $29/mo): $0 + $175 + $29 = $204
At $5,000/month, Linktree Free costs $775/month, $600 of it in platform fees. That's $7,200/year lost to platform fees on a tool that's ostensibly "free."
The Hidden Cost: When "Free" Costs More Than Paid
This is the trap most creators fall into. They sign up for a free plan to avoid a monthly subscription. It feels prudent. But the platform fee compounds as your sales grow.
The crossover point (where upgrading to a 0% fee plan costs less than staying on the free tier) is lower than most creators expect:
- Linktree: Upgrading from Free to Premium ($35/mo) saves more than it costs once you're selling $292/month (saving 12% × $292 = $35.04). From Starter ($8/mo at 9%), the break-even is $300/month (9% × $300 = $27, the gap between the two subscriptions)
- Beacons: Upgrading to Creator Plus ($30/mo) pays for itself at $333/month in sales (saving 9% × $333 = $30)
Below those thresholds, staying on the lower tier might technically be cheaper. Above them, you're paying a fee that grows with every sale, while a subscription stays flat.
When the Free Plan Actually Makes Sense
Note
If your monthly sales are low enough that the 9–12% fee is genuinely less than a subscription would cost, a free plan can be the right choice. The key is knowing your crossover point and having a plan to upgrade when you hit it.
Free plans make sense when:
- You're just starting out and your monthly sales are very low (under $200–300/month)
- You're testing whether your product sells before committing to a subscription
- You're not using your bio link for selling at all (no fees if there are no sales)
They stop making sense when your sales consistently exceed the crossover point, which happens faster than most creators expect.
How to Choose a Platform Based on Your Revenue
Under $300/month in sales: A free plan is arguably fine. Your platform fees will be under $27 on the 9% plans (or $36 on Linktree Free's 12%), which is comparable to a basic subscription. The more important factor at this stage is which platform's features match what you're building.
$300–1,000/month in sales: This is the zone where fees start to hurt. A 0% fee platform at $9.99–19/mo starts saving you money consistently. The subscription pays for itself quickly.
Over $1,000/month in sales: You should absolutely be on a 0% fee plan. Paying 9% on $1,000/month means $90/month in avoidable costs ($120 at Linktree Free's 12%), enough to cover a $35/mo premium subscription more than twice over.
The math is simple. Platform fees are a variable cost that grows with your success. A subscription fee is fixed. The bigger your sales, the more a flat-fee model saves you.
See how Leenkies compares to Linktree, or start free, no card needed. When you start selling, Leenkies Pro charges 0% platform fees at $9.99/mo.