Linktree vs Beacons (2026): What ChatGPT, Claude & Gemini Say

Linktree and Beacons are named equally often, and Linktree is named first more often. In the 2026-09 edition, each appeared in 50 of 50 recorded AI answers. Linktree came first in 24 of 50. Beacons came first in 13 of 50. All ten models named both products in every answer, so the only measured difference is order: which product a model puts at the top.

The counts cover what AI answers name. They do not test either product.

TL;DR

• Presence is a tie. Both products were named in 50 of 50 answers, by every model in the panel.
• Order separates them: Linktree first in 24 answers, Beacons first in 13, Stan first in 10 and Hopp first in 3.
• Ask an OpenAI model what a creator should use and Beacons usually comes first. Claude Sonnet 5, Claude Fable 5 and both Perplexity models open with Linktree, and the Gemini models open with Stan.
• The answers frame Linktree as the familiar default and Beacons as the all-in-one creator toolkit.
• Linkero’s guide points creators who sell digital products to Beacons and TikTok-first creators to Linktree.

How often do AI models recommend Linktree and Beacons?

Linktree and Beacons hold the top two places in the link-in-bio category, and Linktree is the category leader. Both were named in 50 of 50 answers. Linktree leads on named first, with 24 of 50 against 13 of 50 for Beacons. It also leads on average position, 1.92 against 2. Stan appears below as context, because both Gemini models lead with it.

Answer share cannot split these two: Linktree 100%, Beacons 100%. Named first can. Beacons has the widest named-versus-first gap in the category, at 74 points. Linktree’s gap is 52 points. The models reach for Beacons in every answer and lead with it in 13. In the other answers, the product at the top is usually Linktree or Stan, and Beacons reads as the second option.

The full answer-by-answer record is in the link-in-bio index.

Which models prefer Linktree, and which prefer Beacons?

No model separates Linktree and Beacons on naming. All ten models named Linktree in 5 of 5 answers and Beacons in 5 of 5. The split is in which product each model names first. The OpenAI models most often open with Beacons. Claude Sonnet 5, Claude Fable 5, Sonar Pro and Sonar Reasoning Pro most often open with Linktree. The Gemini models lead with Stan.

The sharpest split runs between model families. All three OpenAI models open with Beacons when asked what a creator should use in 2026, what a creator should use and why, and what suits an Instagram creator. Claude Sonnet 5 and Sonar Reasoning Pro open with Linktree on those same three questions. The buyer’s question is identical. The first name they hear depends on the assistant.

Anthropic’s three models split among themselves. Claude Sonnet 5 and Claude Fable 5 lean Linktree. Claude Opus 5 spreads its first mentions across several products, and it spends part of its answers warning that most ranking articles are written by the tools they rank.

Google’s two models take a third line. Both Gemini models open with Stan, usually under a heading about selling digital products, and name Linktree and Beacons further down. Gemini 3.5 Flash is the one exception, with Beacons at the top of its comparison answer.

The citations lean the same way as the OpenAI answers. On the published list of most-cited vendor-owned hosts, help.beacons.ai is the only one that belongs to either product, at 14 citations. Several of the OpenAI answers that open with Beacons cite that help site directly.

What do the answers say about each?

The recorded answers agree on what each product is for and disagree on which one to name first. Linktree is framed as the familiar default. Beacons is framed as the all-in-one creator toolkit.

“Best overall for most creators: Linktree.” ChatGPT (GPT-5.6 Terra), asked for the best link-in-bio tool for a creator

“The default choice for a reason.” Claude Sonnet 5, on Linktree, asked about Instagram creators

“For most creators, Beacons is the strongest all-in-one choice.” GPT-5.6 Sol, asked for the best link-in-bio tool for a creator

“If you want more creator business features, Beacons is often the stronger all-in-one option” Sonar Pro, asked for the best link-in-bio tool for a creator

“nearly every “best link-in-bio tools 2026” article I found is published by a link-in-bio company, and each one ranks its own product first.” Claude Opus 5, asked what a creator should use and why

Sonar Pro puts both framings in a single answer. It opens on Linktree as the default and then names Beacons for creators who want to sell.

How do Linktree and Beacons differ?

Both run a free plan with paid tiers, and both charge a fee on sales made through the page until the higher tiers. Jotform describes Linktree as more focused on managing a social presence and Beacons as more focused on turning social media into a business.

Pricing model

Linktree’s free plan charges a transaction fee on sales. Linkero records that the Linktree fee continues through the Pro tier and drops to zero only on Premium. Mobilo adds that Linktree takes no percentage of transactions made through third-party payment integrations such as Shopify, Gumroad or Stripe.

Beacons’ free plan includes a store, a media kit and invoicing. Its fee on sales applies on the Free and Creator plans, and Creator Plus removes it. Jotform notes that Beacons adds higher-tier plans with personalised onboarding and support for brands and social media managers.

The guides disagree on current prices and plan names. Linkero reports that Linktree raised its paid plan prices before 2026. Mobilo still lists Beacons’ paid plans as Pro and Premium. Linkero lists them as Creator, Creator Plus and Creator Max. Check each vendor’s own pricing page on the day you buy.

Who each is for

Jotform says Linktree’s paid plans are aimed at individual creators. Linkero reports that Linktree is whitelisted on TikTok, so a Linktree bio link opens in the TikTok app. Jotform notes that Linktree Shops and sponsored links are available only in the United States.

Jotform describes Beacons as designed to help a creator earn from the link page through brand sponsorships, affiliate links and digital products. Linkero reports that Beacons is not whitelisted on TikTok. Jotform’s reviewer had difficulty signing up to Beacons outside the United States.

What the models name each for

The answers name Linktree for speed, familiarity and a simple hub. They name Beacons for the media kit, digital products and email capture held in one place. The models give these reasons when they explain their order.

When should you pick Linktree?

Pick Linktree if you want a quick list of links on a linktr.ee address your audience already recognises. It is also the product the AI answers put first most often. See the Linktree record for its full measured line.

• It came first in 24 of 50 answers, more than any other product in the category.
• Claude Sonnet 5 and Sonar Reasoning Pro open every answer with it.
• Linkero also points TikTok-first creators to Linktree, because of its TikTok whitelist.
• Jotform’s verdict: “Linktree is best for quickly building and maintaining a link-in-bio page.”
• Creators whose income comes from YouTube, Patreon or Spotify get a clean hub from Linktree, according to Mobilo.

Plan for the fee on sales. On Linktree it runs until the Premium tier.

When should you pick Beacons?

Pick Beacons if you plan to sell from the bio page itself. It is also the name the OpenAI models most often give first. See the Beacons record for its full measured line.

• All three OpenAI models open with it on the 2026, “I’m a creator” and Instagram questions.
• Every model names it in every answer, even the ones that lead with something else.
• Linkero counts a store, a media kit builder and an email tool on the Beacons free plan.
• Jotform’s verdict: “Beacons is best for a central hub for your landing page, social media posting, and e-commerce sales.”
• Mobilo says it works well for creators with multiple revenue streams.

Jotform’s reviewer found that Beacons sign-ups may be restricted based on location, and had difficulty signing up outside the United States.

How this sits against the Linktree vs Beacons guides

The captured comparison pages compare features and prices. Each one comes from a company with its own product to promote.

Mobilo’s guide sits on the blog of a digital business card company and closes by promoting Mobilo’s own contact card. Its summary line reads: “Beacons excels at turning followers into customers, while Linktree focuses on professional link management and brand presentation.”

Linkero’s guide, by Marcel Cruz, is published by a competing link-in-bio tool and recommends Linkero to readers who fit neither product. Its verdict calls Beacons “the better tool for creators who sell” and Linktree “the safer tool for creators who don’t.” It also covers Beacons’ Trustpilot complaints about billing and support.

Jotform’s guide, by Matthew Guay, tests both products and closes by presenting Jotform’s AI App Builder as an alternative. Its section on design says Beacons offers far more customisation and that all Linktree sites look similar.

One result for the query is a Beacons profile page under the handle “linktree”, carrying a Beacons sign-up offer. It compares nothing.

None of the captured text carries an affiliate disclosure. Memetik takes no affiliate money and sells no placement. The distinction is method. Those guides compare features and give a buying verdict. This page counts what AI answers name, model by model, and shows where each assistant leans.

How the sample was built

10 models x 5 fixed prompts = 50 recorded answers. Each model answered each prompt once, in the 2026-09 edition. The five questions, verbatim:

1. What is the best link-in-bio tool for a creator? Name specific products.
2. Which link-in-bio tool would you recommend to a creator in 2026?
3. Compare the top link-in-bio tool options right now.
4. I’m a creator and I need a link-in-bio tool. What should I use and why?
5. Best link-in-bio tool for an Instagram creator?

The panel holds four families. OpenAI and Anthropic contribute 15 answers each. Google and Perplexity contribute 10 answers each. The category tracks 16 vendors, and 13 were named at least once. Answer share is the share of answers that named a product. Named first is the count of answers where it appeared before any other tracked product. The full procedure is on the method page.

What these counts cannot tell you

These counts measure presence and order in AI answers. They say nothing about product quality, uptime, support or price fairness. Being named is also different from being recommended, because an answer can name a product only to warn against it. Each model answered each prompt once, so a single rerun could reorder the first mentions. The edition is one dated snapshot. Product names are matched as strings, so “Stan Store” counts as Stan. API answers can differ from the consumer chat apps, and every prompt was in English. The published figures give named-first totals and no per-model first count. The model-by-model leanings on this page come from reading the order of each recorded answer. Citation counts cover only the citations each API returned, and coverage varies by model.

Frequently asked questions

Why don’t people use Linktree anymore?

The panel shows no drop in how often AI answers name it. Linktree was named in all 50 recorded answers and came first in 24, more than any other product. Linkero lists the reasons creators give for leaving as a recent price rise, a transaction fee on the free plan, no custom domain and TikTok “unsafe URL” warnings.

Is Beacons or Linktree free?

Both have a free plan. Linktree’s free plan carries Linktree branding. Both free plans charge a fee on sales made through the page. A creator who sells nothing through Beacons pays nothing on its free plan, according to Linkero.

What is better than Linktree?

No product was named more often than Linktree in the panel. Beacons was named in the same 50 of 50 answers, and Linktree came first more often. The panel does not rank quality, so the answer depends on the job. Stan was named in 45 of 50 answers, and both Gemini models lead with it for selling digital products. Linkero says to pick Beacons if you sell digital products through your bio link.

What are the disadvantages of using Linktree?

Linkero lists a fee on sales that runs through the Pro tier, no custom domain on any tier and Linktree branding on free pages. Mobilo disagrees on the domain point and lists custom domains on Linktree’s Premium plan. Jotform says all Linktree sites look similar. In the panel, Linktree came first in 24 of 50 answers. A buyer who asks an OpenAI model will often hear Beacons first.

What are the disadvantages of using Beacons?

Linkero lists a fee on sales on the Free and Creator plans, a small email allowance on the free plan and Trustpilot complaints about billing and support. Jotform’s reviewer had trouble signing up outside the United States. Jotform also notes that Beacons’ affiliate features require approval and a PayPal account for payouts. In the panel, Beacons came first in 13 of 50 answers, although every model named it in every answer.