Linktree solved a real problem. You have one link in your Instagram bio, your Twitter profile, your newsletter footer — and you need it to point to multiple things. Linktree gave you a page of links. Simple. Millions of creators use it.

But Linktree pages look like Linktree pages. They all have the same layout, the same button styles, the same limitations. And the free tier is genuinely restrictive — custom colors require a paid plan, analytics are gated, and you can't use a custom domain without paying $5 per month. For something that's essentially a list of buttons, that feels steep.

I've tested over a dozen linktree alternatives over the past three years. Here are the ones that actually work — ranked by what matters most to writers and creators.

Why most linktree alternatives miss the point

Before the list: most link-in-bio tools make the same mistake Linktree does. They treat your link page as a utility — a thing that exists only to redirect traffic. That's wrong. Your link page is often the first impression someone has of you. It's the page they see after they found your tweet interesting or your Instagram post compelling. It should feel like you, not like a generic template.

The linktree alternatives worth considering are the ones that let you build a page that looks intentional. That has your voice. That makes someone think "this person cares about how they present their work" rather than "this person signed up for a free tool and never customized it."

That's the bar. Here are the tools that clear it.

Carrd — the best linktree alternative for most writers

Carrd* is my top pick, and it's not close. Carrd isn't a link-in-bio tool — it's a one-page website builder. But that's exactly why it's better. Instead of being locked into a "stack of buttons" layout, you can build a page that actually looks like a personal site.

With Carrd, your link page can have sections, images, embedded videos, newsletter signup forms, custom fonts, and a layout that reflects your brand. The free tier gives you three sites. The Pro tier — $19 per year, not per month — unlocks custom domains, forms, and Google Analytics.

Let me repeat that price. Nineteen dollars per year. Linktree Pro costs $60 per year for less functionality.

The trade-off: Carrd has a learning curve of about fifteen minutes. It's not "sign up and type your links." You're building a page from a template, which means dragging elements, adjusting spacing, choosing fonts. For writers who want their link page to look genuinely good, those fifteen minutes are worth it. For writers who want to be done in two minutes, keep reading.

I covered how to build a full personal site with Carrd in my guide on building a personal website as a writer — the same approach works for a link-in-bio page.

Benable — the link page that makes you money

Benable* takes a different approach. Instead of just listing your links, Benable lets you create a shoppable link page — you can feature products, affiliate links, and recommendations in a visual grid format that looks more like a curated shop than a link list.

For writers and creators who recommend products — tools, books, apps, gear — Benable turns your link page into a revenue channel. Each product card can include an image, a description, and your affiliate link. Visitors browse your recommendations and click through to buy. It's what a "favorite tools" page should look like.

The design is clean and modern. It doesn't look like a generic link-in-bio tool. It looks like a curated collection by someone with taste. For creators who already recommend products in their content, Benable is worth trying alongside (or instead of) a traditional link page.

Substack profile — the zero-effort option

If you're already on Substack, your profile page functions as a basic link-in-bio page. It shows your name, bio, latest posts, and links to your publication. It's not customizable beyond what Substack offers, but it's free, it's already built, and it looks clean enough.

The advantage: no additional tool to manage. The disadvantage: you can't add links to things outside of Substack without some creative workarounds — pinned posts with links, or using the "About" section strategically. It works best for writers whose primary goal is driving newsletter subscribers, not routing traffic to multiple destinations.

Stan Store — for creators selling digital products

Stan Store is more than a link page — it's a storefront. If you sell digital products (ebooks, templates, courses, paid workshops), Stan Store lets you list them alongside your social links in a single page. Visitors can browse and buy without leaving the page.

It's more expensive than the other linktree alternatives here — starting at $29 per month — and it's overkill if you're just listing links. But if you have products to sell and need a link-in-bio page that also handles checkout, Stan Store does both in one place. The pages look professional and load fast.

Bio.link and Later — the fast, free options

Bio.link is a free link-in-bio tool with good customization options and a clean interface. It supports custom themes, analytics, and social icons. It doesn't look as polished as Carrd, but it's significantly easier to set up — closer to the Linktree experience with better design options.

Later (formerly Linkin.bio by Later) is designed specifically for Instagram creators. If your link page primarily serves Instagram traffic, Later's integration lets you create a clickable version of your Instagram grid where each photo links to the relevant URL. It's a smart concept for visual creators, though less useful for writers.

What I'd actually pick

After testing all of these, my recommendation depends on your situation:

You want the best-looking page possible: Carrd*. Fifteen minutes of setup gets you a page that looks like a personal website, not a link-in-bio tool. $19 per year.

You recommend products and want to earn from your link page: Benable*. Turns your recommendations into a visual, shoppable experience.

You just want something fast and free: Bio.link. Five minutes to set up, looks decent, costs nothing.

You sell digital products: Stan Store. Expensive, but combines your storefront and link page into one.

You're already on Substack and don't need anything else: Your Substack profile. Don't add a tool for the sake of adding a tool.

The setup that actually works

Here's what I've found after years of testing linktree alternatives: the best link page is the simplest one that gets the job done. Every link you add dilutes the impact of every other link. If you have fifteen links on your page, none of them are important. If you have five, visitors actually click them.

My recommended structure for a writer's link page:

  1. Newsletter signup — this is always link number one. It's your highest-value conversion.
  2. Latest or best article — give people a reason to start reading right now.
  3. Your primary publishing platform — Substack, Medium, your blog. Where the bulk of your work lives.
  4. One social profile — whichever platform you're most active on. Not five platforms. One.
  5. Something you sell (if applicable) — a book, a course, a product. Only if it exists.

Five links. Clear hierarchy. The person landing on your page knows exactly what to do. That's worth more than a fancy animated background or a grid of twenty buttons.

Stop over-engineering your link page

The dirty secret about link-in-bio tools: the page itself barely matters. What matters is the content that drives people to it. A brilliant tweet that sends a thousand people to a mediocre Linktree page will outperform a beautiful Carrd page that nobody visits.

Build your link page in twenty minutes. Make it look clean. Make the links clear. Then go back to writing — because the writing is what creates the traffic that makes the link page useful in the first place.

If you're building your writer toolkit from scratch and want to see what tools I use every day, check out my list of Mac apps for writers.

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