The Problem with Linktree (and Why I Built Something Else)
Back in March 2016, I launched Carrd as a simple one-page site builder. At the time, I was frustrated with how complicated it was to put a simple page online. Linktree had just started gaining traction as a link-in-bio tool, but I kept bumping into its limitations. You get a list of links, a block of text, maybe a background color. That's it. And it lives on someone else's domain, with their branding (unless you pay). I wanted something that felt more like my own space—a real little page I could tweak, brand, and call mine. So I built Carrd.
Carrd is a dead-simple one-page site builder. You pick a stack of elements—text, images, buttons, embedded content, dividers—and arrange them in any order. No drag-and-drop maze. No hidden menus. Just a clean, mobile-friendly list you edit in real-time. And the best part? You can start building right now, without signing up, at carrd.co/build. In under 30 seconds you've got a live page. That's not a marketing exaggeration—it's how the tool works. Try it.
Now, I'm not here to bash Linktree. It's a solid product, easy to use, and does exactly what it promises: turn your bio link into a list of links. But if you're looking for free alternatives to Linktree—especially one that gives you more control and a proper website feel—Carrd might be exactly what you need. Let me walk you through why.
What Makes Carrd a Great Free Alternative to Linktree?
1. You Own the Page
When you use Linktree, your page lives on linktr.ee/yourname. That's fine for a link hub, but it doesn't feel like your site. With Carrd, you can publish to a free Carrd subdomain (like yourname.carrd.co), or if you later upgrade to a Pro plan, you can use your own custom domain (like yourname.com). Full SSL via Let's Encrypt included. No third-party branding on paid plans, and even on the free plan the "Made with Carrd" badge is subtle. It's your page, your way.
2. Customization Beyond a Link List
Linktree gives you a few color presets and a background image. Carrd lets you change everything: fonts, colors, spacing, backgrounds, shadows, borders. You can embed a video, a tweet, a SoundCloud playlist. You can add a contact form. You can even create multiple pages (with an upgrade) and link between them. The product's narrow focus—a simple "stack" of elements—might sound limiting, but it actually makes the tool more flexible within its lane. Because there's no overload, you can focus on what matters: the content.
3. No Per-Page Limits (Even on Free)
Linktree charges for additional pages and features. Carrd's free plan gives you one site, but that site can hold as many sections as you want. Need a bio, a portfolio, and a link to your store? All on one page, no limits. If you need more sites, the Pro plans are shockingly affordable: $89/year for up to 50 sites, $599/year for 500 sites. Compare that to Linktree's paid tiers—Carrd is a steal.
4. Built for Mobile (the Builder, Not Just the Sites)
Most site builders claim to be mobile-friendly, but you still have to edit on a desktop. Carrd's editor works beautifully on a phone screen. I designed it to be responsive from the start—the editor, not just the output. You can build a full page on your iPhone while waiting for coffee. That's not an afterthought; it's the core principle.
But Is It Really as Easy as They Say?
All looked great on paper, but how would it play out in practice? I get that question a lot. People are skeptical when a tool promises to be "simple" and "fast." Short of me royally screwing up the design, I knew the editor had to be really obvious.
So I did a dry run with some non-technical friends. I handed them a blank Carrd editor and said "make a page about yourself." No instructions. Much to my surprise, the results were good. Really good. Most of them had a page up in under 5 minutes, with their photo, a short bio, and links to their Instagram, Twitter, and blog. They didn't ask for help. They didn't complain about complexity. They just did it.
That moment confirmed what I hoped: Carrd is capable of cranking out a gorgeous site in under 5 minutes—but it also lets you spend an hour tweaking the margin on a button, if that's your thing. There's a natural limit to its complexity—you won't build a multi-page ecommerce store on Carrd—but within its scope, it's surprisingly deep.
How to Use Carrd as a Linktree Alternative (Step by Step)
I'll walk you through the process quickly, because it's trivial.
- Go to carrd.co/build – No account needed. You’ll see a blank page.
- Add a block – Click the “+” button. Choose “Text” for your name, “Image” for your profile pic, “Button” for each link.
- Customize – Click any element to change its style: color, size, font, border radius. You can even add a gradient background to the page.
- Rearrange – Drag blocks up and down. It’s a simple stack—you can’t put two blocks side by side, but that’s on purpose. It keeps everything clean and readable on mobile.
- Publish – Click the rocket icon. Your page goes live instantly on a Carrd subdomain. Share the URL in your bio.
What About Linktree’s Analytics and Integrations?
Fair question. Linktree has built-in analytics: click counts, top links, etc. Carrd doesn't offer that out of the box. But they could—you can easily add Google Analytics or Meta Pixel to your Carrd page by dropping in a code snippet. It takes 10 seconds. Or you can use a free service like Plausible. The point is, Carrd gives you the freedom to integrate anything you want, rather than locking you into a built-in solution.
Linktree also integrates directly with Shopify, Patreon, and other platforms. Carrd doesn't have native integrations, but because you can embed anything (HTML, iframes), you can essentially mimic those integrations. Want a "Shop Now" button that links to your store? Add a button with that URL. Want to show your latest YouTube video? Embed it. The flexibility is there; you just need a tiny bit of copy-paste effort.
Simply Built, Customizable, Responsive
I keep coming back to these three words because they define Carrd's philosophy.
Simply built – The tool is deliberately narrow. You can't build a multi-page marketing site with navigation menus and parallax effects. But you can build a stunning landing page for your podcast, a personal portfolio, a wedding RSVP page, or a link-in-bio site. The product's narrow focus means every feature has to earn its spot. Nothing is there just because it's expected.
Customizable – I spent a lot of time making the style options just right. Not overwhelming, but enough to make each page feel unique. You can match your brand colors, choose from Google Fonts, adjust spacing, add shadows—all without touching CSS. If you do know CSS, you can inject custom styles. But 95% of people never need to.
Responsive – It wasn't 2006. Mobile traffic is huge, so every Carrd site is responsive by default. And as I mentioned, the builder itself is responsive too. That was a non-negotiable design goal.
The Messy Process Behind the Product
I'll be honest: building Carrd wasn't glamorous. I started with a scrappy prototype in a weekend. The first version only had three element types: heading, paragraph, button. No images. No backgrounds. It looked terrible. But it worked—you could publish a page in 30 seconds. I showed it to a few friends, and they said "this is useful, but it needs a photo." So I added images. Then they wanted custom colors. So I added a color picker. Then they wanted to remove the "Powered by Carrd" footer. So I added the Pro plan.
Each decision came from a real need, not a feature checklist. That's why Carrd feels lean. I resisted adding a million widgets because I wanted to preserve the simplicity. There's a natural limit to its complexity, and I intend to keep it there.
Pricing Comparison: Carrd vs Linktree
Linktree's free plan is decent: limited customization, one link list, Linktree branding. Their Pro plan costs $12/month (billed yearly) and gives you more customization, analytics, and no branding. Carrd's free plan gives you one site with Carrd branding, full customization, and no limits on elements. To get rid of branding and add a custom domain, Carrd Pro starts at $89/year—that's about $7.42/month. For that, you get 50 sites. Linktree's Pro is $12/month for one link list essentially. Carrd is clearly cheaper if you need multiple pages or sites.
But don't take my word for it—here's the honest truth: if you only need a simple link-in-bio page and you don't care about customization or owning the URL, Linktree's free plan is fine. If you want something that feels like your website, with room to grow, Carrd is the better choice.
FAQ: Common Questions About Using Carrd as a Linktree Alternative
Q: Can I use Carrd for free forever?
A: Yes. The free plan gives you one site with Carrd branding. It's not time-limited. You can publish and update it as much as you want.
Q: Does Carrd have a mobile app?
A: No native app, but the web-based builder is fully mobile-responsive. You can edit and publish from your phone's browser.
Q: Can I sell products on Carrd?
A: Not directly—there's no shopping cart. But you can link to a store on Shopify, Gumroad, etc., or embed a buy button from third parties.
Q: Is Carrd SEO-friendly?
A: Yes. Each page gets clean HTML, Open Graph tags, and you can set custom meta tags. Great for showing up in search results.
Q: How does Carrd compare to other Linktree alternatives like Beacons or Lnk.Bio?
A: Carrd is more flexible because you're building a real webpage, not just a link list. The tradeoff is a slightly steeper learning curve (though still very low). For pure speed, Linktree wins. For ownership and design, Carrd wins.
The Bottom Line
If you're shopping for free alternatives to Linktree, Carrd deserves a serious look. It's not a link-in-bio tool by design—it's a one-page site builder that happens to be perfect for that use case. You get more control, more customization, and the option to upgrade cheaply if you ever need multiple sites or a custom domain. And the best way to see if it clicks for you? Build a page right now. It'll take 30 seconds. No signup. Then decide.
Much to my surprise, the results were good. Really good.