Shelfy vs Linktree: An Honest Comparison After the 2025 Price Hike (2026)

In November 2025, Linktree raised prices. Pro went from $9 a month to $15, a 67% jump for the most popular paid tier. Existing subscribers got the increase at their next billing cycle. The justification was "new features." For many creators, the increase didn't match the value.

If you're here because of that price change, or because you're hitting Linktree's free-plan limits, or because you're shopping comparisons before committing, this is the honest version of the comparison. Where Linktree wins. Where Shelfy wins. What each one actually costs once transaction fees are included. And which tool fits which kind of creator.

TL;DR: who wins for whom

Choose Linktree if you're already established with a Linktree audience, you sell digital products through their commerce features and the Premium plan's 0% fees mathematically beat the $35/month subscription, you want Instagram auto-reply and social scheduling in the same tool, or you value being on the most recognized platform in the category.

Choose Shelfy if you want every meaningful feature on a free plan that actually stays free, you organize links into curated collections (not just one bio page), you want your audience to vote on which links matter, you need free custom domains permanently, or you're a curator/newsletter operator/research-driven creator whose value is what you find more than what you sell.

Choose neither if you sell live coaching, workshops, or video calls. Both tools have weak booking infrastructure. A dedicated platform is better.

The full reasoning is below.

What changed in November 2025 (and why it matters)

Before getting into features, the pricing context matters because it changed the calculation:

• Pro plan: $9/month to $15/month (67% increase)
• Other tiers held steady at the new price points: Free $0, Starter $8, Premium $35
• Annual pricing: Starter $6/mo, Pro $12/mo, Premium $30/mo billed annually

For users on Pro, Linktree's most popular paid tier, that's an extra $72/year if you stayed on monthly billing, or $36/year on annual. Not enormous in absolute terms. But many users had been on Linktree for years; the increase landed as a trust event, not a routine pricing change.

This matters for the comparison because it raised an obvious question creators are now asking: what am I actually getting that I couldn't get free elsewhere? That question is harder to answer than it used to be.

What each tool actually is

Marketing pages blur the lines, so let's be precise.

Linktree is the category-defining link-in-bio tool. With 70 million users (per their own marketing), it's the most recognized brand in the space. The product has expanded over the years from a simple link list into a creator suite: link-in-bio, social scheduling, Instagram automation, digital product sales, sponsored link marketplace, Shopify/Spring/Bonfire integrations. Most creators encounter it first. Many never leave because their existing URL has accumulated audience equity.

Shelfy is a free-forever link curation platform with a link-in-bio at the core, plus capabilities Linktree doesn't have: community voting on collections, unlimited collections per account, free custom domains, a Chrome extension for tab-saving, a real REST API. It's free because it doesn't run a storefront and doesn't take transaction fees on sales. Different business model, different product priorities.

The DNA difference matters because feature-by-feature comparison without it gives misleading results. Linktree is optimized to help creators monetize their following; Shelfy is optimized to help creators curate, organize, and surface what matters most to their audience.

Where Linktree genuinely wins

Starting here, because honesty is the differentiation.

Brand recognition and audience trust. When a follower sees linktr.ee/yourname, they don't hesitate. The domain is so widely recognized it's effectively the default. For creators whose audience skews older or less tech-literate, this matters. Smaller link-in-bio brands face a "what is this site" friction Linktree doesn't.

Feature breadth across creator workflow. Linktree has expanded into territories Shelfy doesn't touch: Instagram auto-reply (replies and DMs triggered by comment keywords), AI caption generator, hashtag generator, social media scheduling across platforms with AI assistance. If you're trying to consolidate marketing tools, Linktree's surface area is larger.

Sponsored link marketplace. Linktree's "Earn" feature lets creators add brand deals from a curated catalog and earn commission. For creators not yet doing direct brand deals, this is a turnkey monetization layer Shelfy doesn't replicate.

Shopify, Spring, and Bonfire integrations. If you sell through one of these platforms, Linktree's native integration shows products and collections directly in your link-in-bio. No equivalent exists in Shelfy.

Music creator features. Music pre-saves, Audiomack/SoundCloud/Spotify embeds, Bandsintown integration. For musicians specifically, Linktree's stack is genuinely better.

Premium plan zero-fee math. If you're consistently selling more than ~$400/month in digital products through link-in-bio commerce, Premium ($30/mo annual) at 0% fees beats Pro at 9% fees mathematically. The break-even is around $333/month at the 9% rate.

If most of those describe your workflow, Linktree is probably right and you can stop reading.

Where Shelfy wins

The other side.

Free forever, every meaningful feature included. Linktree's free plan locks behind paid: email collection, advanced analytics, UTM parameters, custom backgrounds, logo removal, link scheduling, integrations (Mailchimp, Klaviyo, Kit, Zapier, Google Sheets), Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, conversion tracking, data export, custom T&Cs, and admin collaboration. Shelfy's free plan includes the equivalent of most of these. Not a freemium funnel, the actual product.

Community voting on link collections. No other tool in the link-in-bio category has this. Visitors upvote the links they find most valuable, and your collection re-orders to surface what your audience actually responds to. For curators, recommendation creators, newsletter operators, anyone whose value is "I find good stuff", this transforms what a bio link does. Linktree has nothing equivalent.

Unlimited collections, not just one bio page. Linktree gives you one Linktree per account on the free plan; Featured Layouts cap at 2 on free, unlimited on paid. Shelfy gives you unlimited collections on free. If you run multiple projects, multiple campaigns, or organize content thematically (best-of, by-topic, by-audience), that ceiling matters.

Free custom domains, permanently. Linktree lets you connect a custom domain only on Pro ($15/mo) or Premium ($35/mo). Shelfy includes free custom domains on every plan including free. For creators serious about brand independence ("don't build on someone else's domain"), this is a meaningful difference.

Logo removal on the free plan. Linktree's logo stays at the bottom of every free plan page. Removing it requires Pro at minimum ($15/mo). Shelfy's free plan ships without forced branding.

Chrome extension for tab-saving. Click the extension, save every open tab into a Shelfy collection, close all your tabs, find them again later, organized and searchable. Linktree doesn't address this use case at all. For creators who research, curate, and reference resources continuously, it eliminates the bookmark graveyard problem.

Collection redirects. Turn any Shelfy collection into a smart redirect URL. Share yourdomain.com/now everywhere, then update the destination anytime without changing the public URL. Linktree has a "Redirect" feature on paid plans but it's a single redirect for the whole Linktree, not per-collection.

A real REST API. Shelfy's API exposes 1,000 requests/hour with bulk import for entire collections. Linktree doesn't offer a documented public REST API for individual creators (their integrations run through Zapier and partner connectors). If you sync from a CMS, run automation, or integrate with custom workflows, this is the difference between possible and possible-only-via-third-party.

Follow + notify on public collections. Visitors can follow a Shelfy collection and get notified when you add new links. Linktree has email collection (Pro+) but not follow-and-notify on the public page itself. For curators publishing weekly updates, this turns one-time visitors into repeat audience without an email signup commitment.

Better free-plan analytics. Linktree's free plan is restricted to Last-28-days date ranges, no individual link analytics, no location/device breakdown. Shelfy includes detailed analytics on free.

Side-by-side comparison

A note on this table: Linktree updates features and tier inclusions periodically. Verify against Linktree's current pricing page before publishing or making decisions. The pricing reflected here is current as of May 2026.

Already convinced? Shelfy is free forever, every feature included. Try it now →

Or keep reading for the pricing math, use-case verdicts, and migration guide.

The pricing reality

This is where the comparison gets sharp.

Linktree's free plan is genuinely free for links. You get unlimited links, basic analytics, social embeds, QR codes, and you can add your podcast or music. For someone who only needs a clean page, it works.

The free plan stops being free the moment you sell anything. A 12% transaction fee applies to digital products and courses sold through Linktree Commerce on Free and Starter plans. Stripe processing fees (about 2.9% + $0.30) apply on top. So a $50 digital product sold through Linktree Free costs you roughly $7.75, about 15% of revenue.

The free plan is also missing the things growing creators need. No email collection, no UTM tracking, no Google Analytics integration, no link scheduling, basic analytics only, and the Linktree logo stays on every page. Most creators outgrow these limits within a few months of serious use.

The natural upgrade path is Pro at $15/month. That's $180/year. For a free-tier creator who starts paying, the question is straightforward: is the value of email collection, advanced analytics, UTM parameters, integrations, scheduling, and logo removal worth $180/year? For some creators, clearly yes. For curators, newsletter operators, and creators not running paid commerce, the answer is often less obvious. Most of those features are available free on other tools.

Shelfy doesn't have transaction fees because it doesn't have a storefront. There's nothing to take a fee on. The free plan is the actual product. If you eventually want to sell digital products, you'll add a separate commerce tool (Stan Store, Teachable, Gumroad, Lemon Squeezy) and link to it from Shelfy. That's the same pattern many sophisticated creators run anyway, even on Linktree, because dedicated commerce platforms tend to have better merchant tooling than embedded link-in-bio storefronts.

The honest framing: Linktree's free plan is real but limited; the full product costs $15+/month and adds up if commerce fees apply. Shelfy is free with full features because the business model doesn't depend on extracting fees from creators.

Use-case verdicts

"I'm an established creator with a 5-year-old Linktree URL"

Stay on Linktree, probably. Audience equity at the URL is real. Migrating means losing brand recognition at the link itself. Unless the price change was a tipping point on principle, the cost of switching exceeds the cost of staying. Re-evaluate when the next price change happens.

"I'm new to link-in-bio and just signed up for free"

Try Shelfy first. The free plan is more complete, the differentiator (voting) is free to test, and you haven't accumulated audience equity yet. If you eventually need Linktree-specific features (Shopify integration, sponsored marketplace), you can move later. At that stage you'll have a sharper sense of what you actually need.

"I sell digital products through link-in-bio at $400+/month"

Linktree Premium ($30/mo annual). The 0% transaction fee math makes sense at that volume. Premium beats Pro economically once you're consistently selling $333+/month. Above $1,000/month, the savings dwarf the subscription cost.

"I sell digital products at less than $400/month"

Use Shelfy + a dedicated commerce platform. Stan Store, Gumroad, Lemon Squeezy, or Teachable for the commerce; Shelfy for the audience-facing link-in-bio. You'll typically end up with lower combined fees than Linktree Pro at 9%, plus a better-tooled storefront.

"I'm a curator, newsletter operator, or recommendation creator"

Shelfy, clearly. Voting, follow-and-notify, unlimited collections. This is the use case that has no equivalent on Linktree. Voting alone is the most compelling demo for this segment.

"I'm a podcaster"

Shelfy is probably better. Linktree has a Podcast Link App that displays platform availability, which is useful, but the back-catalog organization, sponsor block management, and guest archive structure are easier with Shelfy's unlimited sub-collections. See the Link in Bio for Podcasters guide for the full breakdown.

"I'm a musician"

Linktree, probably. Music pre-saves, Audiomack/SoundCloud/Spotify embeds, Bandsintown. Linktree has invested heavily in music creator features. Shelfy is generic in this area.

"I'm a course creator selling at scale"

Stan Store or Teachable + either tool. Don't try to run a serious course business through link-in-bio commerce on either platform. Both Shelfy and Linktree work as the front door.

"I run brand deals and want a sponsored link marketplace"

Linktree. The Earn feature is genuinely useful for creators who don't have direct brand relationships yet.

"I want a Linktree replacement that doesn't look like Linktree"

Shelfy. The free plan is genuinely free, custom domains are included, and the page won't carry Linktree branding.

"I run an agency or have a team"

Shelfy for shared collections (team collaboration is on the free plan). Linktree Premium ($30/mo annual) if you also need multi-admin Linktrees and Linktree's specific feature stack.

Switching from Linktree to Shelfy: what to know

If you're moving over, the migration is straightforward but worth doing properly:

1. Don't burn the old URL immediately. Your linktr.ee/yourname URL is in a lot of places: old social posts, business cards, your podcast intro, sponsor partnerships from months ago. Keep it active, set up a redirect to your new Shelfy URL, and let the audience equity transfer over time rather than breaking links.

2. Set up a custom domain on Shelfy. Free with Shelfy. Use something like links.yourname.com so you're not building on shelfy.today/yourname if brand independence matters. This way, if you ever move tools again, the URL doesn't change.

3. Recreate your link structure thoughtfully. Don't just dump links. This is a chance to organize. Put your most-clicked Linktree links into Shelfy first (Linktree's analytics, even on free, will show you which links matter). Use unlimited collections to organize by topic.

4. Update your social bios. Instagram, TikTok, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, email signature. Don't forget the less-obvious ones (Discord profile, podcast show notes, etc.).

5. Decide what to do with Linktree commerce data. If you've been selling through Linktree, your customer email list there is yours. Export it before downgrading or canceling.

6. Don't migrate music creator features. If you're a musician using Linktree's pre-save / Bandsintown integrations, those don't have Shelfy equivalents. Either keep both tools, or accept that you're losing that workflow when switching.

The reverse migration, Shelfy to Linktree, only makes sense if you've decided you specifically need the sponsored link marketplace, music creator stack, or commerce features Linktree has and Shelfy doesn't. The link export is the easy part; rebuilding voting-based curation in Linktree isn't possible.

What this comparison didn't cover

Honest limits:

• AI features. Both tools have shipped AI features (caption generation, content ideas) at varying depth. Quality varies; opinions vary even more. Test what you'd actually use.
• Performance under traffic spikes. Neither platform's reliability during viral moments is something a comparison post can verify. Read user reports on Trustpilot, G2, and Reddit for current sentiment.
• Future roadmaps. Both ship updates. The November 2025 Linktree price hike is recent context; the calculation may shift again before the next renewal cycle.
• Sponsored partnership specifics. Linktree's sponsored link marketplace eligibility and earnings vary by region and creator size. Actual mileage depends on factors not visible from the marketing page.

The real question to ask yourself

Forget feature lists for a moment. The question that decides this is:

Do you trust the platform you're building on to stay aligned with your interests?

Linktree raised prices 67% on its most popular plan in November 2025. That doesn't mean Linktree is wrong. Companies adjust pricing as products mature. But it's a useful event for thinking about platform alignment. As Linktree's investors expect returns, the trajectory points toward more monetization of creators, not less. Higher transaction fees over time. More features behind paywalls. More aggressive upselling.

Shelfy is currently free-forever and not running a storefront, so it doesn't extract fees from creator sales. That's a different relationship, but Shelfy is also a smaller, younger company. There's no guarantee the model holds forever.

Neither tool is permanently the right choice. The question is which alignment makes more sense for the next 18 months given what you're building.

A simple way to decide: if your creator business depends on commerce tools and platform features that are expensive to migrate (storefronts, integrations, sponsored marketplace), Linktree's gravity is real and switching costs may exceed the price-hike pain. If your creator business depends on curation, audience trust, and brand independence, Shelfy's free-forever model and custom domains let you build on ground you actually own. Re-evaluate either decision when something changes (a price hike, a feature deprecation, a new competitor) rather than committing forever to either.

Frequently asked questions

Is Shelfy actually free forever, or is there a catch?

Shelfy is free forever with every feature included: unlimited collections, unlimited links, custom domains, voting, follow + notify, the API, team collaboration, and the Chrome extension. It's free because there's no storefront, so there are no transaction fees on creator sales (the most common way "free" link-in-bio tools generate revenue from users). The model is funded differently from Linktree's, which is a real difference, not a trial.

How much did Linktree raise prices in November 2025?

Linktree's Pro plan went from $9/month to $15/month, a 67% increase. Other tiers held steady at the new price points: Free $0, Starter $8, Premium $35. Annual pricing offers about 20% off monthly. Existing subscribers received the increase at their next billing cycle after November 13, 2025.

Can I migrate from Linktree to Shelfy without losing my audience?

Yes, with one important step: keep your existing linktr.ee/yourname URL active and set up a redirect to your new Shelfy page. The old URL is in old social posts, sponsor partnerships, podcast intros, and business cards. Letting that audience equity transfer over time prevents broken links. Set up a custom domain on Shelfy (free) so future moves don't require updating bios again.

What does Linktree charge in transaction fees?

Linktree charges 12% on Free and Starter plans, 9% on Pro, and 0% on Premium. These fees apply on digital products and courses sold through Linktree Commerce. Stripe processing fees (about 2.9% + $0.30) apply on top. Shelfy doesn't charge transaction fees because it doesn't run a storefront.

Is Linktree better for musicians than Shelfy?

Yes, generally. Linktree has invested heavily in music creator features: Spotify pre-saves, Audiomack/SoundCloud embeds, Bandsintown integration. Shelfy doesn't replicate these. For musicians whose link-in-bio workflow centers on releases and tour dates, Linktree's stack is better suited.

Can I have multiple link-in-bio pages on Shelfy's free plan?

Yes. Shelfy's free plan includes unlimited collections, so you can run separate pages for different projects, audiences, or campaigns. Linktree's free plan limits Featured Layouts to two; unlimited Featured requires a paid plan.

Does Shelfy have an iOS or Android app?

Currently Shelfy is web-based and works on mobile browsers. The Chrome extension handles tab-saving on desktop. Linktree has dedicated iOS and Android apps for managing your page on the go.

Which tool is better for SEO?

Both tools allow basic SEO settings (meta description, title tags) on paid plans (Linktree) or free (Shelfy). The bigger SEO factor is whether you use a custom domain. Building backlinks to linktr.ee/yourname accumulates equity for Linktree, not for you. Custom domains on Shelfy (free) or Linktree Pro+ ($15/month) let you accumulate that equity on a domain you control.

Try Shelfy free

If most of the differentiators above resonated (voting, unlimited collections, free custom domains, free analytics, no logo on free, no transaction fees because there's no storefront), Shelfy is free forever, every feature included.

Build your link-in-bio in 60 seconds →

If you're still weighing options, the Shelfy vs Beacons comparison covers a different competitor with a different value proposition (creator monetization platform with link-in-bio attached). Different tool, different verdict.

Last reviewed: May 2026. Linktree updates pricing and features regularly. Verify current details on Linktree's pricing page before making a final decision. The November 2025 price increase referenced here applied at the next billing cycle for existing Pro subscribers.