Linktree vs. Beacons vs. Stan Store: Which Works for Mobile Apps?

The short answer

Beacons and Stan Store are both fine improvements on Linktree for creator commerce: courses, newsletters, Shopify shops, tip jars, etc.

But for mobile apps, the three are basically one product with different skins. None of them routes iOS and Android to the right store automatically, track installs, or tie revenue back to specific bio sources. If what you're selling is a mobile app, the real comparison you should be running is "generic link-in-bio tool vs. branded download page with install tracking", and that branded download page wins on every metric that matters.

We're going to run through what each of the three does, where they actually differ from each other, and what they're all missing for app developers.

For more, see our full guide to link in bio for mobile apps and our Linktree alternatives for app developers.

What each tool is built for

Linktree. The OG. A simple list of buttons stacked on a hosted page. 50M+ users. Built for the widest possible creator audience: anyone with a social account who wants to share links to a bunch of places. Beacons. A more visual, more customizable Linktree competitor. Improved design options, more media embeds, more creator monetization capabilities. Sells itself as "Linktree, but it looks nicer." Stan Store. A creator-commerce platform that happens to look like a link-in-bio tool. The key use case is not to link out, but to sell digital products, courses, 1:1 bookings, paid content, etc. directly from the bio page. Sells itself as "your bio's storefront."

Each occupies a slightly different place on the same spectrum: simple, visual, commerce.

Pricing comparison

Tier	Linktree	Beacons	Stan Store
Free tier	Yes (generous)	Yes (generous)	14-day trial
Entry paid tier	$5/mo (Starter)	$10/mo (Pro)	$29/mo (Creator)
Mid paid tier	$9/mo (Pro)	$25/mo (Business)	Bundle at $99/mo
Advanced tier	$24/mo (Premium)	$50/mo (Premium)	$199/mo (Elite)

Linktree is the most affordable. Beacons is mid-range. Stan Store is marketed as a premium creator-commerce tool and priced accordingly. For a creator who's generating meaningful revenue through their bio, Stan Store's pricing is justifiable. For an app developer whose bio is a funnel to the App Store, however, $29/mo for features centered around selling digital products is hard to justify.

Feature comparison for app developers

Feature	Linktree	Beacons	Stan Store
One link routes iOS + Android	No	No	No
Platform detection	No	No	No
Install tracking per link	No	No	No
Revenue attribution per link	No	No	No
Creator sub-accounts	No	No	No
Custom domain	Paid tier	Paid tier	Paid tier
Brand customization	Limited	Good	Limited (commerce-first)
App Store / Play Store badges	Manual	Manual	Manual
Deep linking into app	No	No	No
Built for apps	No	No	No

Every row is either "no" or "manual" for all three tools. This isn't because they're bad — it's because they're built for a different job. These tools aren't failing to deliver these specific features; they simply aren't designed to do this work. Linktree and Beacons were built to help content creators link out to various places on the web. Stan Store was built to help content creators sell digital products on the web. The word "app" isn't even in any of their vocabularies.

Where each tool is genuinely better than the others

Linktree is best for: simplicity, brand awareness, and a generous free plan. Most users feel comfortable clicking on linktr.ee/username. You can be up and running in 30 seconds with your new link in place. Beacons is best for: visual customization, media embeds, and creator monetization features like tip jars, appointment scheduling, and email signups. If you want your page to look more custom than a Linktree, but less of a digital checkout than a Stan Store, Beacons is a decent middle ground. Stan Store is best for: direct sales. If you're selling a course for $97, a 1:1 consulting call for $300, or a bundle of digital templates for $19, the checkout experience and funnel setup with Stan Store are best-in-class.

None of these advantages are of much use to mobile app developers. App developers don't run tip jars. They don't sell courses. They don't care if the button on their page is prettier than anyone else's. What they need is a way to direct users to the right app store and see how many installs they're getting for each specific link they post on social media.

The actual choice for app developers

If your landing page is for an app, your choice is not to pick between Linktree, Beacons, or Stan Store. It's to pick between a basic link-in-bio tool (from one of the three we reviewed) and a branded app download page with install analytics (via a tool like Instally).

Here's the comparison that actually matters:

Feature	Generic link-in-bio (any)	Branded download page + tracking (Instally)
One link routes iOS + Android	No	Yes
Install tracking per link	No	Yes
Revenue attribution per link	No	Yes
Creator sub-accounts	No	Yes
Automated creator payouts	No	Yes (Stripe Connect)
Brand matches app	Limited	Full
Multiple tracked links per app	Limited	Unlimited
Works with RevenueCat / Stripe / Superwall / Adapty	No	Yes
SDK required	No	Yes (10 lines)
Free tier	Yes	Yes
Entry paid tier	$5-29/mo	$40/mo

The trade-off: You spend a total of 10 lines of SDK code in your app in exchange for seeing the bio-link, install, and revenue funnel at the source level. For an app developer, this is basically always a good deal.

See how to track app installs from your link in bio for the full attribution setup.

When a generic link-in-bio tool actually makes sense for app developers

Two scenarios.

Scenario 1: Your app is a side-project and you don't track anything yet.

If you're just launching and don't have the traffic to warrant installing install tracking, just use a free Linktree account in your first month. After you get traffic, switch.

Scenario 2: Your bio links to a ton of non-app stuff.

If your Instagram bio is linking to a newsletter, a podcast, a Discord, an affiliate, and an app, using a Linktree or Stan Store as your primary bio link makes sense—with your app specifically going through a branded download page. Your Linktree buttons point at instally.io/your-app and you get the install-tracking on that specific funnel without needing to redesign your entire bio.

Everyone else, indie app developers whose primary bio-link goal is installs: A branded download page is the right tool.

How to migrate from any of the three to a branded download page

Regardless of which generic link tool you're moving from:

• Set up your branded download page (Instally: Add your iOS URL, Android URL, branding)
• Add the SDK to your app (10 lines for each platform).
• Create one tracked link per channel (Instagram, TikTok, newsletter, etc.)
• Update your Instagram bio (and any other bio links)
• Archive / delete the Linktree / Beacons / Stan Store

Takes about 15 minutes. Your bio link will update with the new destination immediately. No waiting for DNS, no other setup required.

FAQ

Why doesn't Linktree just add iOS/Android routing?

Linktree's audience is 99% non-app creators. The extra complexity and maintenance required for app-specific routing simply isn't worth it for that small portion of users. Ultimately, this is a business choice, not a technical constraint.

Can I use Linktree + Instally together?

Absolutely. You should use Linktree for standard bio links—like your newsletter or Discord server—and set one of those buttons to point directly to your branded Instally download page. This gives you the standard link-in-bio functionality for everything else while ensuring that app installs are properly tracked and attributed.

Is Beacons' design customization enough to offset the lack of app features?

It depends on your goals. If you're a creator, yes. If you're an app developer, no. The ability to customize Beacons' appearance is great, but that doesn't solve the fundamental issue: Beacons can't distinguish between iOS and Android, nor can it track installs.

What about Stan Store's checkout for in-app purchases?

No. Stan Store's checkout process is designed for selling digital goods directly on its platform. In-app purchases are managed internally through Apple and Google's native billing systems. Stan Store cannot facilitate App Store or Google Play purchases.

Do any of these tools work for Android-only apps?

The limitations remain exactly the same. None of them will automatically direct users to the Play Store based on the device they're using. None of them will track Play Store installs back to their specific profile links.

Which has the best analytics for creators?

Since Stan Store is primarily an e-commerce platform, it provides the most comprehensive funnel analytics. Beacons focuses more on content performance, while Linktree offers the most basic tracking. However, none of them include data specifically for tracking app installs.

Can I switch my bio link later?

Yes, it's completely fine to change it. Your bio link is simply the URL listed in your Instagram bio "website" field, so you can update it whenever you want. The only downside of switching tools is losing the historical click data from your previous provider—but with app-focused tools, that old data wasn't providing the insights you actually needed anyway.

What about Carrd, Bio.site, Koji, Milkshake?

They fall into the same bucket as Linktree, Beacons, and Stan Store: they can't route visitors to iOS or Android based on the platform, they don't track installs, and they can't attribute revenue. For a deeper dive, check out our full guide on Linktree alternatives for app developers.

Bottom line

Linktree, Beacons, and Stan Store are all excellent products tailored to the creators they were designed for. But from the perspective of an app developer, they are effectively the same thing: a hosted page containing a stack of buttons paired with click-count analytics.

The critical decision for app builders isn't which of these three tools is best. It's choosing between a generic link-in-bio link and a branded landing page that routes users by platform, tracks app installs, and attributes revenue per traffic source. This setup is what transforms your bio link from a static list of addresses into a trackable conversion funnel.