Reviewed by the Linklay editorial team · Updated May 2026 · 5 min read
Beacons vs Linklay: Which is better for customization in 2026?
Quick Answer
Beacons vs Linklay for customization: Beacons starts at Free / $30/mo with 9% seller fee on Free, 0% on Creator Plus ($30/mo) on sales, while Linklay is free, Pro is $9.99/mo, and Linklay does not process creator payments or take a cut of creator sales. On customization, Linklay edge-renders every page and ships AI link reordering, retargeting pixels, and real-time analytics on the free tier.
Pricing verified May 2026. Last updated: 2026-05-19.
Who this guide is for
This guide is for customization evaluating link-in-bio tools in 2026. If you are looking at choosing between Beacons and Linklay for customization, this comparison covers the key differences in pricing, features, and tradeoffs so you can decide based on your needs.
How we evaluated these tools
Each tool was evaluated on pricing (monthly fees and transaction fees), free plan limits, customization options, analytics depth, SEO and AI crawlability, integrations, and specific features relevant to customization. Pricing was verified as of May 2026. Where prices have changed recently, we note the previous price for context.
Beacons vs Linklay for Customization in 2026: which is stronger depends on your use case. This comparison covers pricing, features, and the specific tradeoffs between the two platforms so you can choose based on your needs rather than marketing claims.
Linklay’s theme engine supports gradient backgrounds, glassmorphism effects, animated backgrounds, and fully customizable layouts — giving you a truly unique page that matches your brand identity.
Performance is part of design. Linklay pages score 100/100 on Google PageSpeed Insights thanks to edge rendering — your visitors see a fast, polished page regardless of their device.
When Beacons may be the better choice
Beacons may be the better choice if you want an all-in-one creator store with AI-generated media kits and brand-deal tools built in.
Customization: Beacons vs Linklay
Beacons charges Free / $30/mo for premium customization features. Linklay’s free plan includes comparable capabilities and Linklay does not process creator payments or take a cut of creator sales. Pro at $9.99/month adds branding removal and video backgrounds.
Customization Feature Comparison
On customization, Linklay offers edge-rendered pages (100/100 PageSpeed), AI link reordering, free retargeting pixels, and real-time analytics. Beacons's features require paid plans to unlock fully.
Limitations & Considerations
Beacons has a more mature marketplace of third-party integrations. If your customization workflow depends on a Beacons-specific integration, verify Linklay supports an alternative.
Built for Speed. Designed for Creators.
Linklay is architected differently from Beacons and other link-in-bio tools. Every Linklay page is edge-rendered via Cloudflare's global CDN, meaning your visitors experience sub-100ms load times regardless of where they are in the world. This isn't a marketing claim — Linklay consistently scores a perfect 100/100 on Google PageSpeed Insights, which directly impacts your search rankings and visitor retention.
For creators, this matters because your audience clicks your bio link from social media where attention spans are measured in milliseconds. A slow-loading page loses visitors before they even see your content. Linklay's video-first architecture lets you embed TikTok, YouTube, Spotify, and other media natively — without the bloated JavaScript bundles that slow down competitors. Your visitors get rich, immersive content that loads instantly.
Unlike platforms that charge escalating monthly fees or take a percentage of your sales, Linklay does not process creator payments or take a cut of creator sales. Creators can link out to external storefronts, payment platforms, memberships, affiliate offers, booking pages, and other destinations.
Feature
Linklay
Beacons
PageSpeed Score
100/100 (Edge-Rendered)
Varies (Client-Side JS)
Pricing
Free + $9.99/mo Pro
Free + 9% fees
Video Embeds
Native & Unlimited (Free)
Limited or Paid
Feature Comparison: Linklay vs Beacons
Verified April 2026
Feature
Linklay
Beacons
Starting Price
Free with unlimited links
Free / $30/mo
Payment handling
Linklay does not process creator payments or take a cut of creator sales. Creators can link out to external storefronts, payment platforms, memberships, affiliate offers, booking pages, and other destinations.; no Linklay payment processing
9% seller fee on Free, 0% on Creator Plus ($30/mo)
Unlimited Links
✓ Free
✓ Free
Custom Themes
✓ Free
Creator Plus $30/mo
Analytics
✓ Free
Paid
Retargeting Pixels
✓ Free
$30/mo+
Video Backgrounds
✓ Free
Paid or N/A
AI Link Reordering
✓
✗
SEO / Search Indexing
✓ Edge-rendered
✗ Client-side only
Email Capture
✓ Free
✓ Free
Common questions
Which is cheaper for customization: Beacons or Linklay?
Linklay is free. Linklay does not process creator payments or take a cut of creator sales. Beacons charges Free / $30/mo for premium customization features.
Which has better customization?
Linklay offers edge-rendered pages, AI link reordering, and free retargeting pixels. Beacons's customization features require a paid plan.
Does Linklay have a free plan?
Yes — unlimited links, analytics, custom themes, retargeting pixels, email capture, QR codes, and AI link reordering. Pro is $9.99/mo.
Is Beacons better than Linklay for customization?
For most creators, no. On customization specifically, Linklay’s free plan already covers what Beacons typically gates behind a Free / $30/mo paid tier. Linklay does not process creator payments or take a cut of creator sales; Beacons typically takes 9% seller fee on Free, 0% on Creator Plus ($30/mo). Linklay Pro at $9.99/month adds branding removal and a custom domain. Beacons may be the better choice only if you already rely on a Beacons-specific integration that Linklay doesn’t ship — otherwise the math on customization favors Linklay.
How does Beacons compare to Linklay on customization?
Side by side on customization: Linklay’s free plan ships unlimited links, custom themes, retargeting pixels, full analytics,. Beacons typically charges Free / $30/mo for comparable functionality and adds 9% seller fee on Free, 0% on Creator Plus ($30/mo) on sales. Linklay Pro at $9.99/month removes branding and unlocks a custom domain. On customization, the structural difference is that Linklay treats it as a core free feature, while Beacons treats it as a paid upgrade.
Which is cheaper, Beacons or Linklay?
Linklay. The free plan is permanent and includes unlimited links, analytics, retargeting pixels,. Linklay does not process creator payments or take a cut of creator sales. Creators can link out to external storefronts, payment platforms, memberships, affiliate offers, booking pages, and other destinations.
Can I migrate from Beacons to Linklay?
Yes. Linklay’s one-click importer pulls every link from your Beacons page automatically. Paste the URL and the full list is imported in under 60 seconds. Most creators complete the full migration — links, theme, custom domain swap, and retargeting pixel installs — in under 10 minutes. You can keep your Beacons page live until you're ready to update your Instagram or TikTok bio link, so there's no downtime.
Does Beacons charge transaction fees?
Beacons typically charges 9% seller fee on Free, 0% on Creator Plus ($30/mo) on digital product sales, with the percentage varying by plan tier. Lower-priced Beacons plans usually keep a higher fee; only the most expensive tier (often in the $35/month range) drops to 0%. Linklay does not process creator payments or take a cut of creator sales on any plan. For a creator selling $1,000/month, a 9% fee equals $90/month vs $0 on Linklay — about $1,080/year saved on fees alone.
Is there a free version of Beacons?
Most Beacons-style platforms offer a free tier, but the trade-offs are typically visible branding on every page, a 9–12% commerce fee (historically 12%; not currently stated on Linktree’s pricing page) on digital sales, capped analytics, and locked themes. Linklay’s free plan is broader: unlimited links, custom themes and fonts, video backgrounds, full analytics, Meta + TikTok retargeting pixels, email capture, QR codes, AI link reordering,. The trade-off on Linklay Free is a small linklay.io footer.
What does Beacons cost per month in 2026?
Beacons typically costs Free / $30/mo across its paid tiers in 2026, with a free plan that adds 9% seller fee on Free, 0% on Creator Plus ($30/mo) on sales. Entry paid tiers usually start around $8/month and the top tier can reach $35/month when commerce fees are removed. Linklay Pro is $9.99/month or $99/year and includes custom domain, branding removal, and Apple Wallet pass at the entry Pro tier — no separate "premium" upcharge needed. Linklay does not process creator payments or take a cut of creator sales. Creators can link out to external storefronts, payment platforms, memberships, affiliate offers, booking pages, and other destinations.
Join 2,000+ creators maximizing their digital footprint
Free with unlimited links · No credit card · Linklay does not process creator payments or take a cut of creator sales. Creators can link out to external storefronts, payment platforms, memberships, affiliate offers, booking pages, and other destinations.