Linktree vs Beacons: Which Link-in-Bio Tool Is Actually Better in 2026?
Linktree and Beacons are the two tools that come up most often when creators start looking for a link-in-bio solution. Linktree is the original, with 25M+ users, name recognition, and the platform that defined the category. Beacons is the ambitious challenger: free forever, 14+ tools, and a feature set that goes well beyond links.
But "which one is better" is the wrong question. The right question is: which one is better for you?
Here's the honest comparison.
TL;DR Summary
Linktree
Beacons
Leenkies
Who Linktree Is Best For
Linktree is the market leader for a reason: it's genuinely simple to use. You sign up, you add your links, you're live in ten minutes. There's no learning curve, the interface is clean, and the branding is recognizable.
If you're a creator who primarily needs a clean link list (YouTube channel, newsletter, latest product, social profiles), Linktree handles that well. The free plan is functional (with limitations), and the Pro plan at $15/mo gives you advanced analytics, scheduling, and more customization.
What Linktree does well:
- Dead-simple setup
- Strong brand recognition
- Solid basic analytics on Pro
- Unlimited links on all plans
- Reliable, stable platform
Where Linktree falls short:
- Single page only, no multi-page support on any tier
- Platform fees of 9% on all tiers below Premium are steep for sellers
- Short links are locked behind the $35/mo Premium plan
- No built-in CRM, email marketing, or appointment booking
- No custom domain on any tier (you're stuck with linktr.ee/username)
Linktree pricing reality check: If you're selling $50 products and making 100 sales a month, that's $5,000/mo revenue. On Linktree's free or Pro plan, you'd pay 9% ($450) in platform fees on top of Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 ($175). To avoid the 9% fee, you need to upgrade to Premium at $35/mo. That's when the economics finally make sense.
Who Beacons Is Best For
Beacons has made a smart bet: offer as many tools as possible, for free, and monetize through platform fees on sales.
The free plan includes 14 tools: link-in-bio, media kit, invoicing, digital store, email marketing, AI content generation, analytics, donations, and more. For a creator just starting out who wants to experiment with monetization without a monthly subscription, Beacons is genuinely compelling.
What Beacons does well:
- Free forever plan with a remarkable feature set
- AI content tools (30 free/day)
- Built-in email marketing (50 emails/month free, unlimited paid)
- 14+ tools in one dashboard
- Custom domain available on Creator ($10/mo)
Where Beacons falls short:
- 9% platform fee on free and Creator ($10/mo) plans, which is significant for sellers
- To get 0% fees, you need Creator Plus at $30/mo
- Single page only (like Linktree, you get one scrollable page)
- No built-in appointment booking (you link to Calendly or similar)
- No built-in CRM
- Interface can feel cluttered with so many tools
Beacons pricing reality check: Same scenario, $5,000/mo in product sales. On Beacons free or Creator, you'd pay $450/month in platform fees (9%) plus Stripe's processing. To eliminate the platform fee, you'd need Creator Plus at $30/mo. At that point, you're paying $30/mo for a single-page link-in-bio.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Pages
Both Linktree and Beacons give you one page. One scrollable list of links, blocks, and sections. You can customize it (themes, colours, layouts), but it's still a single page. There's no separate About page, no dedicated Shop page, no Portfolio page.
For creators who need more structure (separate pages for their portfolio, services, products, and story), both tools have a real ceiling.
Transaction Fees
This is the most important comparison for creators who sell anything (for the exact math at different revenue levels, see Link-in-Bio Transaction Fees Explained):
Linktree fee breakdown
- Free plan: 9% platform fee on all sales
- Starter ($8/mo): 9% platform fee
- Pro ($15/mo): 9% platform fee
- Premium ($35/mo): 0% platform fee
Reality: You need to pay $35/mo to eliminate Linktree's platform fee. At $35/mo, Linktree is one of the more expensive link-in-bio tools on the market, and you still only get one page.
Beacons fee breakdown
- Free plan: 9% platform fee on all sales
- Creator ($10/mo): 9% platform fee
- Creator Plus ($30/mo): 0% platform fee
- Creator Max ($90/mo): 0% platform fee
Reality: Beacons' free plan's 9% fee looks okay until you do the math. At 100 sales of $50 presets, that's $450/month in fees before Stripe's cut. Upgrading to Creator Plus at $30/mo eliminates the platform fee and quickly pays for itself. But now you're paying $30/mo for a single-page link-in-bio.
Booking
Neither Linktree nor Beacons has built-in appointment booking. Both point you to external tools like Calendly, Acuity, or similar. That means:
- An extra monthly subscription
- An external link (every redirect is a drop-off point)
- Your calendar and your bio link are completely disconnected
Analytics
- Linktree: Basic on free, advanced (click tracking, referrers, device, geo) on Pro ($15/mo)
- Beacons: Basic on free, improved on paid tiers
Both offer reasonable analytics once you're on a paid plan. Neither is substantially better than the other here.
Email Marketing
- Linktree: Not built-in. You link to Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or similar.
- Beacons: Built-in email marketing (50 emails/month on free, unlimited on paid plans).
This is a genuine Beacons advantage. If building an email list is a priority and you're okay with the platform fees, Beacons' built-in email is useful.
AI Tools
- Linktree: None
- Beacons: Yes, 30 AI content generations/day on free, unlimited on paid
Another genuine Beacons advantage, if you value AI-assisted content.
Verdict by Use Case
Choose Linktree if: You're a complete beginner who wants a quick, reliable link list. You're not selling anything (so fees don't matter). You want the most recognizable name in the space.
Choose Beacons if: You want a free all-in-one platform and are just starting to experiment with monetization. You value email marketing being built-in. You want AI content tools. You're okay with 9% fees while your revenue is low, with a plan to upgrade later.
Consider Leenkies if: You're actively selling products or booking appointments, and platform fees are eating into your revenue. You need more than one page, with portfolio, services, about, and shop as separate sections. You want built-in appointment booking and CRM without managing multiple tools. At $9.99/mo with 0% fees, the economics compare favourably to both Linktree Premium ($35/mo) and Beacons Creator Plus ($30/mo) once you're earning anything meaningful.
The creator economy has matured beyond what a single-page link list can hold. Both Linktree and Beacons are good tools within their own boundaries, but they share the same ceiling.
See how Leenkies compares, or start a free trial to explore the difference yourself.