Carrd vs a Link in Bio Page: Which One Do You Actually Need?
September 15, 2026 · 5 min read
Carrd builds cheap custom one page sites with real domains. A link in bio page is faster, mobile first and tracks clicks. Here is how to choose in 2026.
Quick answer: Choose Carrd if you want real design control and your own domain on a cheap one page site, and you do not mind building it element by element. Choose a link in bio page like Lit.bio if you want a phone shaped page live in ten minutes, with per link click analytics, music smart links and payments already wired in. Carrd genuinely wins on custom domains today. Lit.bio has custom domains on the Pro roadmap and has not shipped them, so pages live at lit.bio/yourname.
What is Carrd actually for?
Carrd is a one page website builder, not a link in bio product. A link page is one thing you can make with it, alongside landing pages, portfolios and event pages. You start from a template and move elements around, so the ceiling on design is much higher than any link in bio tool will give you.
As of 2026, Carrd's free plan gives you 3 sites on a carrd.co subdomain with a small "Made with Carrd" badge. Paid plans are annual only: Pro Lite at $9 a year for 3 sites removes the badge, Pro Standard at $19 a year for 10 sites adds custom domains, forms, embeds and analytics connections, and Pro Plus at $49 a year for 25 sites adds password protection, redirects and advanced forms. There are also higher site count versions of each tier, for example $14 a year for 10 Lite sites and $39 a year for 25 Standard sites. A lot of older comparison posts still quote $19, $49 and $99 as the base prices. Those are out of date, but pricing moves, so check carrd.com/pro before you commit.
What does a link in bio page do that Carrd does not?
Three things, mostly. First, per link click analytics. Carrd has no built in click tracking on individual links at any tier: analytics on Pro Standard means connecting Google Analytics, Plausible or Matomo and reading page views. A link in bio tool tells you which link people actually tapped, which is the number that changes what you post.
Second, speed and structure. The opinionated layout is the point. Lit.bio's free plan covers up to 10 links, unlimited social icons, all 8 colour themes and 6 fonts, profile and header photos, a photo gallery, music smart links, a QR code, 7 days of analytics and a one click Linktree importer, with no ads. You are picking from a set of good defaults instead of aligning boxes.
Third, money. Carrd cannot process a sale, so selling means embedding Gumroad, Stripe or Payhip, and the embed element itself requires Pro Standard or above. Lit.bio Pro is $9 a month or $49 once for lifetime access, and adds unlimited links, 90 day analytics, branding removal, email capture, a YouTube embed, a contact form, an affiliate links section, a Book a Session calendar and Creator Mode for tips, subscription tiers and locked content.
How do the two compare on the things that decide it?
| Question | Carrd (as of 2026) | Lit.bio |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 3 sites, carrd.co subdomain, Carrd badge | Up to 10 links, 8 themes, QR code, no ads |
| Entry paid price | $9 a year, annual billing only | $9 a month, or $49 once for lifetime |
| Custom domain | Yes, from Pro Standard at $19 a year | Not shipped, on the Pro roadmap |
| Design control | High, you place every element | Themes and fonts, layout is fixed |
| Per link click analytics | No, connect a third party analytics tool | Yes, 7 days free and 90 days on Pro |
| Built in payments | None, embed a third party checkout | Tips, subscription tiers, locked content on Pro |
| Time to publish | An hour or an afternoon | Minutes, with a Linktree importer |
How much does a custom domain really cost on Carrd?
This is the detail most comparison tables get wrong. Carrd's $9 a year Pro Lite tier removes branding but does not include a custom domain. If you want yourname.com pointing at your page, you start at Pro Standard, $19 a year as of 2026, which also unlocks forms, embeds and meta tags. Nineteen dollars a year for 10 sites with your own domains is the best value in this whole category, and it is worth saying plainly: if the domain is your requirement, Carrd is the answer and Lit.bio is not, because we have not shipped custom domains.
Who pays what when you sell something?
Carrd takes 0% of your sales, for the straightforward reason that it never touches them. Your real cost is $19 a year plus whatever Gumroad, Payhip or Stripe charges, plus the work of wiring it up and keeping it working. On Lit.bio, tips and locked pay to unlock content carry a flat 10% platform fee plus Stripe processing, and both are Pro features. Paid subscription tiers carry no platform fee. Links out to your own shop, booking tool or affiliate programme carry nothing at all, because that money never passes through Lit.bio. Payments are card and wallet only through Stripe, including Apple Pay and Google Pay. There is no PayPal, and lifetime purchases are non refundable.
Which one should I pick?
- Pick Carrd if you want a specific look you have in your head, you need your own domain now, or you want several small sites for under $20 a year.
- Pick a link in bio page if your traffic comes from a phone, you want to know which link gets tapped, and you want tips or paid content without assembling a stack.
- Pick Carrd if you are comfortable being your own webmaster. Pick a link page if you would rather spend that hour making something else.
One honest caveat on each side. Carrd is effectively a solo project and has been shipping steadily since 2016, which is reassuring, but it is one person. Lit.bio is a small product too, and custom domains are a real gap. Neither of those should be hidden from you.
Can I use both?
Yes, and plenty of people should. A common setup is a Carrd site on your own domain as the thing you send to brands and clients, and a link in bio page as the thing in your social profiles, where tap speed and click data matter more than typography. They cost little enough together that you do not have to choose on price. If you want to try the link page half of that without spending anything, Start free and import your existing links, then decide whether the domain question still bothers you.