Linktree vs Stan Store vs Beacons: Which Link-in-Bio Earns More for Spiritual Creators (2026)
Linktree free takes 12% on sales. Stan Store: 0% fee, $29/mo. Beacons Creator Plus: 0% fee, $30/mo. 2026 breakdown for spiritual creators selling online.
Linktree's free tier takes 12% on every digital product sale. On a $50 PDF tarot guide, that's $6 gone before Stripe processes the payment. If you sell one guide a week, you're giving Linktree $24/month for the privilege of a free plan. Stan Store charges $29/month with 0% platform fee. The break-even point between those two options is $242/month in product sales - above that, Stan saves you money each month.
This comparison runs the fee math and covers what each platform actually does, since the feature sets diverge significantly beyond the link-in-bio starting point.
All prices as of mid-2026. Verify at linktree.com/pricing, stan.store/pricing, and beacons.ai/pricing before committing.
2026 Pricing and Fees
Plan | Linktree | Stan Store | Beacons |
|---|---|---|---|
Free | $0 - 12% sales fee | None (14-day trial only) | $0 - 9% sales fee |
Entry paid | Starter ~$5/mo (annual) | Creator $29/mo ($25/mo annual) - 0% fee | Creator $10/mo - 9% fee |
Mid paid | Pro ~$10/mo (annual) - 9% fee | Creator Pro $99/mo ($79/mo annual) - 0% fee | Creator Plus $30/mo - 0% fee |
Upper | Premium ~$24/mo (annual) - 0% fee | None above Pro | Creator Max $90/mo - 0% fee |
Source: talkspresso.com/blog/stan-store-vs-linktree-2026 (2026); qr-verse.com/en/blog/linktree-pricing-2026 (2026); home.beacons.ai/comparisons/stanstore-vs-beacons (official).
The Fee Math by Sales Volume
Monthly product sales | Linktree Free (12% fee) | Stan Creator ($29/mo, 0% fee) | Beacons Free (9% fee) | Beacons Creator Plus ($30/mo, 0% fee) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
$100/mo | $12 in fees | $29 flat | $9 in fees | $30 flat |
$242/mo | $29 in fees | $29 flat | $21.78 in fees | $30 flat |
$500/mo | $60 in fees | $29 flat | $45 in fees | $30 flat |
$1,000/mo | $120 in fees | $29 flat | $90 in fees | $30 flat |
Below $242/month in sales, Linktree free is cheaper than Stan Creator. Above it, Stan wins and the gap grows each month. Beacons Creator Plus at $30/mo stays competitive against both: slightly cheaper than Stan Creator ($29 vs $30) with comparable or stronger feature set at the 0% fee tier.
Note: Stripe processing fees (2.9% + $0.30) apply on all platforms regardless of platform fee structure.
What Each Platform Actually Does
Linktree is the link-in-bio baseline. Every major platform supports linking to Linktree. The free tier gives unlimited links, basic analytics, and the 12% sales fee for digital products. Starter ($5/mo annual) adds email capture, priority links, and scheduling. The value proposition is simplicity and universality - everyone knows how to use a Linktree.
Stan Store is built around one-click checkout. Instead of sending visitors to an external cart, the purchase happens inside the Stan page. No redirect, fewer friction points. Stan includes coaching, courses, memberships, and digital downloads on the Creator plan ($29/mo) - it's a full commerce tool, not just a link aggregator. No platform fee, but there's no free plan either.
Beacons occupies the middle: a free tier with a 9% fee (lower than Linktree's 12%), a 0% fee plan at $30/mo (Creator Plus) that includes courses, memberships, and email marketing. Beacons Creator Plus at $30/mo compares directly to Stan Creator at $29/mo - nearly identical price, similar feature depth, both at 0% platform fee.
Source: creator-hero.com/blog/linktree-vs-beacons (2026); creatorstackclub.com/software/stan-store (2026).
Content Policy for Spiritual Creators
All three platforms are content-agnostic on esoteric and spiritual products. Tarot readings, astrology guides, oracle card PDFs, and metaphysical courses are permitted on Linktree, Stan Store, and Beacons. There are no reported category bans for spiritual content on any of these platforms.
Which Should You Pick
Just starting out, no budget, testing digital products: Beacons free (9% fee) over Linktree free (12% fee). Lower fee, comparable features at the free tier. Add a custom domain later by upgrading to Creator ($10/mo).
Solo tarot reader or astrologer selling PDFs, guides, or booking links, above $242/mo in product sales: Stan Creator ($29/mo, 0% fee) or Beacons Creator Plus ($30/mo, 0% fee). Nearly identical cost, both at 0% platform fee. Stan has stronger one-click checkout conversion; Beacons includes email marketing at the Creator Plus tier.
Building a full creator business - courses, memberships, coaching, email list: Beacons Creator Plus ($30/mo) or Stan Creator Pro ($79/mo annual). Beacons Creator Plus bundles email marketing into the same $30/mo plan; Stan Creator Pro is the option when you want advanced analytics and affiliate program tools.
For digital product delivery and payment processing options specific to spiritual content, see guides/getting-first-clients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Stan Store work without a website? Yes. Stan Store is a standalone commerce page - it functions as both your link-in-bio and your digital storefront. Many practitioners use Stan Store as their only sales page without a separate website.
What's the break-even between Linktree free and Stan Creator? At $242/month in product sales, Linktree's 12% fee equals Stan's $29/month flat fee. Above that level, Stan is cheaper. At $500/month in sales, you pay $60 in Linktree fees vs $29 flat with Stan - a $31/month difference that grows with volume. Source: talkspresso.com/blog/stan-store-vs-linktree-2026 (2026).
Does Beacons allow spiritual and esoteric content? Yes. No category bans for tarot, astrology, oracle, or metaphysical products have been reported on Beacons. The platform is content-agnostic for legal digital products. Source: home.beacons.ai/comparisons/stanstore-vs-beacons (official).
Can I migrate from Linktree to Stan or Beacons without losing followers? Your Linktree URL is on your social profiles, not followed directly. Update your bio link on Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms to the new URL. No follower data is tied to the Linktree URL itself. Migration takes under an hour for a solo creator.