# Beacons vs Linktree (2026): Fees, Email Limits, and Which to Pick

> Beacons vs Linktree, checked October 2026: real plan prices, seller fees, Beacons email send limits, and which link in bio fits Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Last updated: 2026-10-29T10:00:00

Canonical URL: https://crevio.co/blog/beacons-vs-linktree

*Last updated: October 29, 2026*

**Beacons is the better pick if you want to sell and email your audience from your bio link; Linktree is the better pick if you mainly need a clean, trusted page of links.** In the Beacons vs Linktree choice, the deciding factor is usually fees. Both have free plans, and both take a cut of what you sell on them: Beacons takes 9% on its Free and $10 Creator plans, Linktree takes 12% on Free and 9% on Starter and Pro. You only reach 0% on Beacons Creator Plus ($30/month) or Linktree Premium ($35/month).

- **Beacons**: link in bio, store, courses, memberships, media kit, and email marketing in one dashboard. Free to start, but email sends are capped at 50 a month until you pay.
- **Linktree**: the original link-in-bio tool, with 70M+ users. Simple, polished, and well integrated. It can sell digital products now, but it does not send newsletters; it syncs your sign-ups to tools like Mailchimp or Kit.
- **Price check**: we pulled Beacons' prices from [beacons.ai/i/pricing](https://beacons.ai/i/pricing) and Linktree's fee tiers from its help center and pricing page in October 2026. Both vary by region, so confirm in your own account.

### Beacons vs Linktree at a Glance (October 2026)

| | **Beacons** | **Linktree** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Free plan** | Yes, 9% seller fee | Yes, 12% seller fee |
| **Paid plans (monthly)** | $10 / $30 / $100 | $8 / $15 / $35 |
| **Cheapest plan with 0% seller fee** | Creator Plus, $30/mo ($25 billed annually) | Premium, $35/mo ($30 billed annually) |
| **Sell digital products** | Yes, on every plan | Yes, on every plan (eligible countries) |
| **Courses** | 1 course on Free and Creator; unlimited with video hosting on Creator Plus | Yes, as a digital product type |
| **Built-in email sending** | Yes: 50 sends/mo Free, 500 Creator, unlimited from Creator Plus | No newsletters; collects emails and syncs to Mailchimp, Kit, Klaviyo (Pro and up) |
| **Custom domain** | From Creator ($10/mo) | Pages live at linktr.ee/yourname |
| **AI tools** | 30 daily AI credits free, 300 on Creator, unlimited on Creator Plus | Limited |
| **Trustpilot** | 1.9/5 from 44 reviews (unclaimed profile) | 4.1/5 from 7,164 reviews |
| **Best for** | Selling and emailing from your bio link | A fast, simple link hub |

## What Is Beacons?

![Beacons homepage: "All you need to power your creator growth" with a claim-your-username field](https://crevio.co/vite/assets/inline-1-ioz9vjmd.webp)

[Beacons](https://beacons.ai/) started as a link-in-bio tool and grew into an all-in-one creator toolkit. Your page at beacons.ai/yourname can hold links, a store, a media kit, and an email sign-up, and the same dashboard runs your email list, Instagram DM automations, and brand-deal invoices.

### Key features

- **Store**: sell digital downloads, courses, memberships, and coaching, with payouts to Stripe or PayPal
- **Email marketing**: broadcasts, automation sequences, welcome emails, audience groups, and list import and export
- **Instagram DM automations**: keyword-triggered DMs from Reels, posts, and Stories, unlimited on every plan
- **Media kit**: a daily-updating media kit that pulls your social stats for brand pitches
- **Affiliate links**: earn commission promoting products from Beacons' brand partners
- **AI credits**: help writing product copy, emails, and outreach, with daily limits by plan

## What Is Linktree?

![Linktree homepage: "A link in bio built for you." Join 70M+ people using Linktree](https://crevio.co/vite/assets/inline-2-ka8itb9s.webp)

[Linktree](https://linktr.ee/) launched in 2016 and is still the name most people think of for a link in bio. Its homepage says more than 70 million people use it. It does one job very well: a fast, mobile-friendly page that sends your followers to the right place.

### Key features

- **Unlimited links** on every plan, with link scheduling, redirects, and QR codes on paid tiers
- **Embeds** for YouTube, Spotify, TikTok, and other media
- **Selling**: digital products and courses sold directly on your Linktree, plus affiliate-style Linktree Shops
- **Contact forms**: collect emails and phone numbers into Linktree's Audience tab, with CSV export
- **Email integrations**: sync contacts to Mailchimp, Kit, Klaviyo, and Beehiiv on Pro and Premium (Google Sheets on all plans), per [Linktree's integrations page](https://linktr.ee/features/email-integrations)
- **Analytics**: clicks, views, and traffic sources, with deeper history on higher plans

## Beacons vs Linktree Pricing (October 2026)

Both tools changed their pricing in the last year. Linktree raised its paid plans in late 2025 (Starter went from $5 to $8, Pro from $9 to $15, Premium from $24 to $35, as widely reported). Beacons renamed its tiers: older articles call them Creator Pro, Store Pro, and Business Pro.

### Beacons plans

| Plan | Monthly | Billed annually | Seller fee | Email sends | What it adds |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Free | $0 | $0 | 9% | 50/month | Link in bio, unlimited digital products, 1 course (no video hosting), 30 daily AI credits, 5 automations/month |
| Creator | $10 | $8.33/mo ($100/yr) | 9% | 500/month | Free custom domain, 300 daily AI credits, 20 automations/month, advanced SEO |
| Creator Plus | $30 | $25/mo ($300/yr) | 0% | Unlimited | Unlimited courses with video hosting, unlimited memberships, Buy Now Pay Later, unlimited AI credits |
| Creator Max | $100 | $83.30/mo ($1,000/yr) | 0% | Unlimited | Google Workspace, white-glove onboarding, priority support |

*Source: [beacons.ai/i/pricing](https://beacons.ai/i/pricing) and the [Beacons store help article](https://help.beacons.ai/en/articles/4699009), checked October 29, 2026. Some third-party reviews still list the top plan at $90; Beacons' own pages say $100.*

The trap most people miss: **the $10 Creator plan does not remove the 9% fee.** It gets you a custom domain and more email sends, but you only stop paying Beacons a cut of your sales at Creator Plus.

### Linktree plans

| Plan | Monthly | Billed annually | Seller fee on your own products | What it adds |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Free | $0 | $0 | 12% | Unlimited links, basic analytics, contact forms |
| Starter | $8 | $6/mo | 9% | More design control, link scheduling |
| Pro | $15 | $12/mo | 9% | Advanced analytics, email and marketing integrations, monetization tools |
| Premium | $35 | $30/mo | 0% | Full analytics, commerce tools, priority support, removable branding |

*Plan names and features: [Linktree pricing](https://linktr.ee/s/pricing) and [help center](https://linktr.ee/help/articles/5434130-linktree-plans-and-pricing), October 2026. Linktree shows prices in local currency, so the US dollar amounts above come from multiple October 2026 pricing reviews. Fees are charged on [direct earnings](https://linktr.ee/help/articles/11410206-understanding-transaction-and-processing-fees-on-linktree) such as digital products and courses. Some reviewers report the Pro pricing card advertising 0% while the help center lists 9%, so check the fee screen in your account before you price a product.*

On both platforms, payment processing (Stripe or PayPal, around 2.9% + $0.30 per US card sale) comes on top of the platform fee.

### What you actually pay: fees at three sales levels

Monthly plan price plus platform seller fee, before payment processing:

| Monthly sales | Beacons Free | Beacons Creator ($10) | Beacons Creator Plus ($30) | Linktree Free | Linktree Pro ($15) | Linktree Premium ($35) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $200 | $18 | $28 | $30 | $24 | $33 | $35 |
| $1,000 | $90 | $100 | $30 | $120 | $105 | $35 |
| $5,000 | $450 | $460 | $30 | $600 | $465 | $35 |

Two break-even points matter:

- **Beacons**: once you sell more than about **$333 a month**, Creator Plus ($30) costs less than giving up 9% on Free.
- **Linktree**: once you sell more than about **$292 a month**, Premium ($35) costs less than giving up 12% on Free.

If you sell, the honest answer is that neither free plan is free for long. Pick the platform, then budget for its 0% tier.

## Email Marketing: The Biggest Difference

This is where the two tools really split, and it is the question most people ask before they switch.

**Linktree does not send marketing emails.** You can collect sign-ups with a contact form, see them in Audience, export them, and sync them to an email tool. The only built-in sending is a "Notify subscribers" alert when you add or update a link. For newsletters or sequences, you need Mailchimp, Kit, Klaviyo, or similar.

**Beacons has a real email tool built in**: broadcasts, automation sequences, welcome emails, templates, audience groups, imports and exports. For a creator with a small list, that can replace a separate email subscription.

### What are the main problems with Beacons email marketing before you switch from Linktree?

If email is the reason you are moving, know these limits first:

1. **The send caps are low on cheap plans.** "Sends" means individual emails, not campaigns. On Free, 50 sends a month is one email to 50 subscribers. Creator ($10) raises it to 500, which is still one email to 500 people. Unlimited sends start at Creator Plus ($30/month).
2. **Automations are capped too.** Beacons' pricing page lists 5 automation sequences a month on Free and 20 on Creator.
3. **Paying $10 does not fix the sales fee.** If you sell and email, the plan that solves both problems is Creator Plus at $30, not Creator.
4. **Targeting by purchase is limited, according to users.** A Trustpilot reviewer reported they could not email buyers of a specific product without building that audience by hand, and that a new automation only reached future buyers. Test the segment you need before you rely on it.
5. **Sending restrictions and slow support are recurring complaints.** Reviews describe accounts paused from sending after imports or a few sends, and weeks without a support reply. Beacons' [Trustpilot profile](https://www.trustpilot.com/review/beacons.ai) sits at 1.9/5, but it is unclaimed and has only 44 reviews, so read it as a warning sign rather than a verdict.

### How to switch safely

- **Export your list from Linktree** (Audience, then CSV export) and keep your own copy before you import anywhere.
- **Warm up slowly.** Import people who actually opted in, and send to engaged subscribers first. Large cold imports are what trigger sending blocks on most email tools.
- **Run one real broadcast and one automation on Beacons' free plan** before you pay for anything.
- **Keep a fallback.** If your list is already larger than a few hundred people, pairing Linktree with a dedicated email tool may cost less than Creator Plus and give you better segmentation. If you go that route, our guide to [email flows and broadcasts](/blog/create-email-flows-broadcasts) covers what to set up first.

## Selling: Store, Courses, and Memberships

**Beacons** is built around the store. Every plan can sell unlimited digital products, and Creator Plus adds unlimited video courses, memberships, and Buy Now Pay Later. Buyers check out on your Beacons page, and payouts go to your Stripe or PayPal account.

**Linktree** has caught up more than many older comparisons admit. You can now sell digital products and courses directly on your Linktree, not just link to an outside store, and its Shops feature lets you earn commission on partner products. The catch is the 12% fee on Free and 9% on Starter and Pro.

| Selling feature | Beacons | Linktree |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Digital downloads | Yes, every plan | Yes, every plan |
| Courses | 1 on Free/Creator; unlimited with video on Creator Plus | Yes |
| Memberships | Unlimited on Creator Plus | Check your plan |
| Affiliate / partner earnings | Yes | Yes (Linktree Shops, US) |
| Payouts | Stripe or PayPal | Stripe or PayPal |

If selling is the main goal, compare Beacons against dedicated link-in-bio stores too: our [Stan Store vs Beacons](/blog/stan-store-vs-beacons) breakdown covers the closest rival, and [Is Stan Store legit?](/blog/is-stan-store-legit) has its October 2026 pricing.

## Design and Customization

**Beacons** uses a block-based editor, so your page can mix links, product cards, video, forms, and a media kit in any order. With a custom domain (from the $10 plan), it can feel like a small website.

**Linktree** keeps a tighter, top-to-bottom layout with themes, button styles, and backgrounds. It looks clean and familiar to visitors, and it is quicker to set up if all you need is links. Removing Linktree branding requires Premium.

## Using Either One on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube

Both tools work as a free link in bio on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. You paste your beacons.ai/yourname or linktr.ee/yourname URL into the profile's website field.

- **Instagram** now allows up to five profile links, which helps if you only have a few destinations. Our post on [Instagram's five links in bio](/blog/instagram-five-links-in-bio-problems) explains why most sellers still use one link page.
- **TikTok and YouTube** show a single website link in most cases, so a link page does the heavy lifting.
- **Beacons' DM automations** (keyword-triggered replies on Reels, posts, and Stories) are included on every plan, which is useful if you run "comment LINK to get it" posts.

## Analytics and Integrations

**Linktree** has the broader integration list and the more mature analytics product: traffic sources, click-through rates, and longer history on higher plans, plus native syncs to Mailchimp, Kit, Klaviyo, and Google Sheets.

**Beacons** needs fewer integrations because email and the store are built in. Its analytics combine page clicks with sales, top products, and email engagement in one place.

## Beacons vs Linktree: Which Should You Choose?

**Choose Beacons if you:**

- Sell digital products, courses, or memberships and expect to pass about $333 a month in sales (then budget for Creator Plus)
- Want email marketing in the same tool as your store
- Use Instagram DM automations or send brand pitches with a media kit
- Want a custom domain without paying for Linktree's top tier

**Choose Linktree if you:**

- Mostly need a fast, trusted link hub
- Already use a dedicated email tool and a store elsewhere
- Want the broadest integrations and the most familiar page for visitors
- Value the larger, better-rated review profile

## Another Option: Crevio

![Crevio homepage: AI that runs your business, from the website to customers, payments, and marketing](https://crevio.co/vite/assets/inline-3-hhjoyhfs.webp)

If you have outgrown "a page of links" and want a real business behind it, [Crevio](https://crevio.co/) is an AI business builder. You describe what you sell, and its AI builds the store, writes the product pages and emails, and helps run marketing. It includes a mobile "link in bio" style store, so it can replace Linktree on your profile.

Where it fits against Beacons and Linktree:

- **Email is built in.** Crevio sends broadcasts and automated sequences (welcome series, post-purchase follow-ups), and its AI drafts them for you. Unsubscribes and bounces are suppressed automatically.
- **It sells more than downloads.** Courses, downloads, subscriptions and memberships, and physical goods with stock tracking (it doesn't print shipping labels or track shipments).
- **Pricing**: Starter is free with a 5% fee and 2 products. Pro is $20/month ($16 annually) with a 2.5% fee, unlimited products, and a custom domain. Business is $50/month ($40 annually) with a 1% fee and branding removal. Pro and Business include unlimited team members.

| | Beacons | Linktree | Crevio |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Free plan fee** | 9% | 12% | 5% (2 products) |
| **Lowest-fee plan** | 0% at $30/mo | 0% at $35/mo | 1% at $50/mo |
| **Built-in email** | Yes, capped below $30/mo | No | Yes, AI-drafted |
| **Custom domain** | From $10/mo | linktr.ee URL | From $20/mo |
| **Best for** | Creators selling from a bio link | Simple link hub | Business owners who want AI to build and run the store |

To be fair about the math: at high sales volume, a 0% plan wins on fees alone. On $5,000 a month, Beacons Creator Plus costs $30 and Linktree Premium $35, while Crevio Pro costs $145 ($20 plus 2.5%) and Business $100. Crevio is cheaper at lower volumes (on $1,000 a month, Pro costs $45 versus $90 on Beacons Free and $120 on Linktree Free), and the case for it is the AI doing the building, emailing, and follow-up work, not the lowest possible fee. For more options, see our [Stan Store alternatives](/blog/stan-store-alternatives) roundup.

## FAQ

### Is Beacons better than Linktree?

For selling and email, yes: Beacons has a full store, courses, memberships, and built-in email marketing. For a simple, trusted link page with strong integrations, Linktree is better. Most people choose based on whether their bio link is a menu (Linktree) or a checkout (Beacons).

### Which is cheaper, Beacons or Linktree?

If you don't sell anything, Linktree's Free plan and Beacons' Free plan both cost $0. If you sell, Beacons is cheaper: its free-plan fee is 9% versus Linktree's 12%, and its 0% plan costs $30 a month versus $35 for Linktree Premium.

### Does Beacons take a cut of sales?

Yes. Beacons takes 9% of each sale on the Free and $10 Creator plans, and 0% on Creator Plus ($30/month) and Creator Max ($100/month). Payment processing fees from Stripe or PayPal apply on every plan.

### Does Linktree take a cut of sales?

Yes, on products you sell directly. Linktree's fee is 12% on Free, 9% on Starter and Pro, and 0% on Premium. It takes nothing from sales that happen on an outside store you simply link to.

### Is Beacons free for Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube?

Yes. The Free plan gives you a link-in-bio page you can use on all three, plus a store, 50 email sends a month, and unlimited Instagram DM automations. Sales on the free plan carry a 9% fee.

### What are the main problems with Beacons email marketing?

Low send caps (50 a month on Free, 500 on the $10 Creator plan), monthly limits on automations, limited purchase-based targeting according to users, and reports of sending restrictions after list imports with slow support replies. Unlimited sends start at Creator Plus, $30 a month.

### Can Linktree send emails?

Not newsletters. Linktree collects emails and phone numbers through contact forms and can notify subscribers when you add a link, but for campaigns you sync contacts to Mailchimp, Kit, Klaviyo, or Beehiiv, which requires the Pro or Premium plan.

### Can I use a custom domain with Beacons or Linktree?

Beacons includes a free custom domain from the $10 Creator plan. Linktree pages live at linktr.ee/yourname.

### Is Beacons legit?

Yes. It is a real company with real payouts to Stripe and PayPal. Its Trustpilot rating is low (1.9/5 from 44 reviews as of October 2026), driven mostly by support, billing, and payout-delay complaints, but the profile is small and unclaimed.

## Related Blog Posts

- [Stan Store vs Beacons.ai](/blog/stan-store-vs-beacons)
- [Is Stan Store Legit? An Honest Review for Creators](/blog/is-stan-store-legit)
- [Stan Store Alternatives](/blog/stan-store-alternatives)
- [The Leap vs Beacons](/blog/the-leap-vs-beacons)
- [How to Create Email Flows and Broadcasts](/blog/create-email-flows-broadcasts)