The Coffee Shop That Started It All
Back in June 2015, I was hunched over a laptop in a half-empty coffee shop, staring at a blank text file. I'd just spent two hours wrestling with a drag-and-drop website builder that promised "no coding required" but somehow required me to understand CSS selectors just to center an image. It wasn't 2006 anymore. Why was this still so painful?
That frustration eventually became Carrd. Not because I set out to build a Linktree competitor. I barely knew what Linktree was back then. But because I wanted a tool that actually stayed out of your way. A simple one-page site builder that didn't pretend to be a full CMS, didn't bury you in options, and let you finish in under five minutes. Really finish.
Why I Built a Linktree Alternative (By Accident)
Linktree is brilliant at one thing: giving people a quick, branded page of links for their social media bios. It does that job so well that it's practically synonymous with "link in bio." But somewhere along the way, I started hearing from folks who wanted more. They wanted a bio page that felt like theirs. Not a template with someone else's logo. They wanted to embed a video, write a proper paragraph about their project, or maybe show a gallery of their work.
But they could. Not with Linktree. Not without upgrading to a plan that still felt limiting.
That's where Carrd slipped in. Because the product's narrow focus, a single-page site built around a simple "stack" of elements, meant I could make it both dead simple and deeply customizable. You get the speed of a one-click setup, but the ability to add images, text blocks, buttons, even custom code. All without touching a line of HTML if you don't want to.
Linktree vs Carrd: What's the Real Difference?
The short version: Linktree is a link-in-bio tool. Carrd is a one-page site builder that happens to do link-in-bio really well, because it lets you build the whole page your way.
| Aspect | Linktree | Carrd |
|---|---|---|
| -------- | ---------- | ------- |
| Setup time | Minutes | Minutes (maybe 5 if you're picky) |
| Customization | Themes, some colors, limited layout | Full control over elements, spacing, fonts, backgrounds |
| Content types | Links, small bio, image | Text, images, videos, buttons, dividers, embed blocks, custom code |
| Mobile-friendly | Yes, but builder is desktop-only | Built with a mobile-friendly builder, so your site looks great on every screen |
| Price | Free tier; paid plans for more links/analytics | Free for basic; Pro for custom domains and extra features; Pro Plus for downloadable code |
| Technical skill needed | None | None (unless you want to tweak custom CSS) |
But those bullet points don't tell the full story. Let me walk you through how Carrd's design philosophy makes it different in practice.
How Carrd's 'Stack of Elements' Works (And Why It's So Simple)
When I started building Carrd, I broke the project into five subprojects to keep my head from exploding. The Generator (which turns your page design into code), the Builder (the drag-and-drop interface you see), the Dashboard, the Site itself, and the Paid Plan system. Each piece got its own focused attention.
For the Builder, I set three design goals: minimal in style and interface, self-explanatory for new users, and mobile-friendly (not just the resulting sites, the builder itself). I wanted you to be able to edit your page from your phone, because your next great idea might strike while you're waiting in line for coffee.
Technically, I used vanilla JavaScript and jQuery instead of a big framework. That choice sounds nerdy, but it matters: it means the Builder loads fast, runs on low-spec hardware, and I know every line of code. When something breaks, and things do break, I can fix it without digging through a framework's abstractions. For a solo maker, that's pure gold.
The interface itself is just three parts: a Canvas (your live preview), a Panel (where you edit elements), and a Menu (for global settings). That's it. You click an element on the Canvas, edit its properties in the Panel, and everything updates instantly. No confusing toolbar, no hidden menus. It's like building with actual blocks: stack them, arrange them, move on.
Customization Without Complexity: A Dry Run
Let's say you want a personal landing page with your photo, a short bio, three links (to your portfolio, newsletter, and Twitter), and an embedded video of your latest talk. Here's the Carrd workflow:
- Pick a template (or start blank).
- Add an Image element for your photo—drag or upload.
- Add a Text element for your bio. Type your words, pick a font.
- Add three Button elements for your links. Each one opens a panel where you paste the URL, choose a color, and pick an icon.
- Add an Embed element for the YouTube video. Paste the link—it auto-converts.
- Rearrange the stack by dragging elements up or down.
- Hit “Publish.” Done.
I did a dry run of this exact process with a friend who "doesn't do tech." Much to my surprise, the results were good. Really good. She built a page that looked better than her old Linktree in less time than it took her to find her Linktree login.
The Honest Verdict: When to Use Which
Linktree is perfect if you need a simple, quick link page and you're okay with a uniform look. It's frictionless for the absolute basics.
Carrd is better if you want your page to feel like you, if you want to show more than just links, or if you want to customize the design down to the spacing between elements. It's still fast and easy to use, but it doesn't force you into a template.
And for the technical crowd: Carrd Pro Plus gives you downloadable HTML, CSS, and JS. So if you ever want to host your page elsewhere or tweak the code yourself, you can. That's a level of freedom Linktree doesn't offer.
Short of me royally screwing up, Carrd will stay simple because its narrow focus means there's a natural limit to its complexity. I'm not trying to build a site builder for everyone. Just for people who want one page, done well.
FAQ
Is Carrd free?
Yes, Carrd has a generous free tier that lets you create unlimited one-page sites. Pro features like custom domains and downloadable code require a paid plan.Can I use Carrd as a Linktree alternative?
Absolutely. Many people use Carrd for their bio link page, but with more customization and content options, like embedding a video or adding a newsletter signup form.Do I need to know how to code?
No. Carrd's visual builder works entirely without code. But if you're comfortable with CSS, you can add custom styles for extra flair.Is Carrd mobile-friendly?
Both the sites you build and the builder itself are mobile-friendly. You can edit your page from any device.Can I download the code of my Carrd site?
Yes, with a Pro Plus plan you can download the full HTML, CSS, and JavaScript of any site you create, so you can host it elsewhere or customize further.Key Takeaways
- Carrd is a dead-simple one-page site builder that goes beyond link-in-bio pages.
- It’s built around a stack-of-elements pattern—easy to learn, yet deeply customizable.
- The builder itself is mobile-friendly, so you can edit from anywhere.
- Free tier available; Pro plans unlock custom domains, more features, and downloadable code.
- Ideal for creators, makers, and anyone who wants a fast, gorgeous page without technical headaches.