Beacons vs Carrd
Beacons and Carrd often get compared even though they solve different problems. Beacons is a creator storefront and link in bio built to sell and monetize; Carrd is a minimalist one-page website builder that's brilliant for simple sites but only sells through third-party embeds. Your choice depends on whether you mainly want to publish or to get paid.
Quick answer
Pick Beacons if selling digital products, taking payments and growing an email list from your link in bio matters most; pick Carrd if you want a fast, dirt-cheap one-page site and don't need built-in checkout or bookings. Carrd can only sell by embedding a third-party checkout, while Beacons sells natively. If you want native selling for free with no platform cut, OneSol is an all-in-one alternative that lets you keep 100% of every sale.
Beacons vs Carrd at a glance
| Feature | Beacons | Carrd |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Sell digital products | Yes | Via embeds |
| Native checkout | Yes | No |
| Platform cut on sales | Fee on free tier | None (uses embeds) |
| Payments to your own account | Own Stripe | Third-party only |
| Forms | Yes | Pro plans |
| Bookings | Yes | No |
| Best for | Selling & monetizing | Simple one-page sites |
Competitor features and pricing can change — check their current plans before deciding.
1. Who Beacons is best for
Beacons is the choice when the goal is to make money from your link — native product sales, checkout, email capture and bookings without bolting on extra tools. It's mobile-first and creator-focused, with monetization built into the core. The main cost is a transaction fee on its free store tier.
2. Who Carrd is best for
Carrd shines for anyone who wants a clean, fast, inexpensive one-page site — a portfolio, landing page, or simple link hub. It's genuinely tech-light and cheap, but it isn't a store: selling means embedding a third-party checkout on a paid plan. Choose it when publishing matters more than getting paid.
3. The cost that's easy to miss
Carrd's low price is real, but the moment you need to actually sell you're adding a separate checkout tool — and its fees — on top. Beacons keeps selling in-house but charges a fee on its free store. Decide first whether you truly need native selling; that answer usually settles the comparison.
The verdict
Beacons sells while Carrd publishes — but many creators want a clean page and native selling. OneSol does both in one free link: build your page, sell products, take bookings and collect emails, with payments straight to your own Stripe and no platform cut, so you keep 100% of every sale.
FAQ
Can Carrd sell products like Beacons?
Not natively — Carrd sells only by embedding a third-party checkout (like a payment link or a Gumroad button) on its Pro plans, whereas Beacons has built-in product selling and checkout.
Which is cheaper?
Carrd is famously inexpensive for a one-page site, but once you add a checkout tool the combined cost and its fees can catch up with Beacons. Compare based on whether you actually need to sell.
Do payments go to my own account?
Beacons connects to your own Stripe; Carrd has no native payments, so money flows through whatever third-party checkout you embed.
Is there a free option that sells natively and keeps 100%?
Yes — OneSol is a free all-in-one link in bio with native checkout to your own Stripe and no platform cut, so you keep 100% of every sale.