Gemini

Most modern "link in bio" tools provide ways to accept tips, donations, or payments directly from your landing page. The best choice for you depends on whether you want a dedicated "store" experience or a simple button to collect support.

Popular Tools for Accepting Tips and Donations

• Linktree: One of the most widely used platforms, Linktree makes it very easy to collect tips and donations. You can add "Support Me" links and connect your preferred payment providers (such as PayPal or Square) to process transactions directly through your page.
• Beacons: Designed specifically for creators, Beacons includes built-in monetization blocks. You can easily add a "Support" block to your page to accept tips, or use their store features to sell digital products. It is highly recommended for creators looking for a comprehensive business suite.
• Stan Store: This is a premium "storefront" style link-in-bio tool. It is ideal if you want to sell digital products, courses, or coaching calls alongside your tips/donations. While more focused on commerce, it handles the entire checkout process natively, reducing friction for your supporters.
• Carrd: If you prefer a one-page, highly customizable website builder rather than a traditional "link list," Carrd is an excellent option. You can add donation buttons by embedding widgets from services like PayPal, Stripe, Ko-fi, or Buy Me a Coffee.
• Lnk.Bio: This platform allows you to accept donations by embedding third-party forms (like Donorbox). It is a good choice if you are on a budget or prefer a minimalist design.

Quick Comparison Table

Things to Consider

• Transaction Fees: Most tools charge a "cut" of your sales or donations, especially on their free plans. For example, Linktree and Beacons have tiered fee structures on their free and basic plans. Always check the current pricing page for a specific tool to see how much of each tip you will keep.
• Payment Processors: Most of these tools act as a bridge. You will usually need an account with a payment processor like Stripe or PayPal to actually receive the money.
• Goal Setting: If your primary goal is just to accept a "tip," a simple button on Linktree or a Ko-fi link via Carrd may be sufficient. If you plan to sell courses or digital downloads, platforms like Stan Store or Beacons will likely provide a more professional and integrated experience.

Many popular link-in-bio tools offer built-in features to accept tips, donations, or payments directly from your landing page.

Because these platforms often take a commission on transactions or require a paid subscription to access monetization features, it is a good idea to check the specific fee structure before you choose.

Popular Tools with Tipping & Donation Features

• Linktree: One of the most widely used platforms, Linktree offers "Commerce Links" that allow you to collect tips, donations, and payments. It integrates with services like PayPal, Venmo, and Square to facilitate these transactions.
• Beacons: Designed specifically for creators, Beacons includes a dedicated "Support" block for tips and donations. It is generally considered a strong choice if you also plan to sell digital products, courses, or offer paid requests (e.g., Q&As or custom videos).
• Stan Store: While often categorized as a "creator storefront" rather than a simple link list, it is highly effective if your primary goal is monetization. It handles digital products, bookings, and payments seamlessly.
• Lnk.Bio: This platform also supports tipping and donation features and is often noted for being a budget-friendly option.
• Taplink: Known for its landing-page-style builder, Taplink allows for various monetization blocks and is often used by small businesses and creators for e-commerce and payment collection.

Things to Consider Before Choosing

• Transaction Fees: Most free plans on these platforms charge a seller fee (often ranging from 8% to 9% or more) on the tips or payments you receive. Upgrading to a paid tier can sometimes lower or eliminate these commission fees.
• Platform Policies: Always review the terms of service for the platform you choose. For example, some platforms (like Linktree) have strict community standards and prohibit the collection of payments or donations for specific types of content, such as adult media.
• Your Goal: If you only need a tip jar, you might find that simpler tools or even direct links to your PayPal or Ko-fi page work just as well without needing a full link-in-bio suite. However, if you want to sell products, bookings, or memberships alongside tips, all-in-one creator platforms like Beacons or Stan Store are typically the most efficient options.

You can add multiple links to your Instagram bio using two primary methods: Instagram’s built-in feature or a third-party "link-in-bio" service.

Method 1: Instagram’s Native Multi-Link Feature

Instagram now allows you to add up to five links directly to your profile.

1. Open the Instagram app and go to your Profile.
2. Tap the Edit Profile button.
3. Tap on Links.
4. Select Add external link.
5. Enter the URL and a title for your link, then save.
6. Repeat these steps for up to five links total.

Note: While you can add five, usually only the first link will be prominently displayed on your profile (e.g., "YourLink.com and 4 others").

Method 2: Using a "Link-in-Bio" Service

If you need more than five links, want better analytics, or prefer a more customized design, third-party services are the industry standard.

• How it works: You create a page on a site like Linktree, eltree, or other similar platforms. You add all your desired links to that single page.
• The Setup: You then take the unique URL for that landing page and paste it into the single "Website" or "Link" field in your Instagram bio.
• Why use this? These tools offer features Instagram does not, such as detailed click analytics, branded themes, and the ability to organize unlimited links.

Which should you choose?

• Use the Native Feature if you only have a few important links (like your website, shop, and one other social profile) and don't need to track how many people click them.
• Use a Third-Party Service if you are a creator or business that needs to frequently update links, wants to see which links your audience prefers, or needs to share more than five destinations.

You can add multiple links to your Instagram bio in two primary ways: using Instagram's built-in feature or using a third-party "link-in-bio" service.

Option 1: Use Instagram's Native Feature (Up to 5 Links)

Instagram allows you to add up to five external links directly to your profile.

1. Open Instagram and go to your profile page.
2. Tap the Edit Profile button.
3. Tap Links.
4. Select Add external link.
5. Enter the URL and an optional title for the link, then tap the checkmark or Done to save.
6. Repeat these steps for up to five links total.
7. Note: You can reorder your links by dragging them to the desired position in the "Links" menu. On your profile, only the first link will be fully visible, while the others will be displayed as a list (e.g., "YourLink.com and 4 others").

Option 2: Use a "Link-in-Bio" Service

If you need more than five links, want better analytics, or desire more design customization, you can use a third-party service.

• How it works: You create a single landing page on a site like Linktree, Later (Linkin.bio), or your own website. This page acts as a hub containing all your important links.
• Setup:
  1. Create an account with a service like Linktree.
  2. Add all the links you want to share to that service's dashboard.
  3. Copy the unique URL provided by that service.
  4. Go to your Instagram Edit Profile > Links and add that single URL as your primary link.

Which one should you choose?

• Use Native Links if: You have five or fewer links, prefer to keep users within the Instagram app interface, and do not require advanced click tracking.
• Use a Third-Party Service if: You need more than five links, want to see detailed analytics on which links get the most clicks, or want to customize the look and branding of your link page.

For a small marketing agency managing multiple clients, the "best" AI visibility tracker is one that prioritizes multi-client workspace management, white-label reporting, and scalable pricing over simple single-brand monitoring.

Because your time is valuable, you should look for platforms that allow you to manage all clients from a single login rather than juggling individual subscriptions.

Top Recommended Tools for Agencies

Based on agency-specific workflows in 2026, the following platforms are highly regarded:

• ZeroRank AI: Often cited as the best overall for agencies. It is designed specifically to handle the full agency lifecycle: pitching prospects with baseline audits, managing multiple client workspaces, and executing AI visibility strategies from one dashboard.
• Qvery: Excellent for agencies that need a conversational AI agent for each client. It offers unlimited seats and brands on higher plans, which is a major advantage for scaling without incurring per-client fee spikes.
• Botric: Highly rated for its "agency-first" structure. Its pricing is built around per-project/workspace separation from the ground up, and it combines visibility tracking with content generation, allowing your team to move quickly from identifying a gap to drafting a fix.
• Peec AI: A solid, user-friendly option for smaller agencies that need straightforward, reliable tracking and onboarding for new clients.

Key Criteria for Your Agency

When evaluating these or other tools, ensure they meet these four requirements to avoid "agency bloat":

1. Multi-Client Workspaces: Never choose a tool that requires you to manage separate logins for each client. Look for a "client-mapping" or "workspace" feature that lets you switch between brands instantly.
2. White-Label Reporting: Your reports should feature your agency’s branding, not the software provider’s. This is essential for maintaining client relationships and justifying your retainers.
3. Actionable Insights: Avoid tools that only show "vanity" metrics (e.g., whether you appear in an AI answer). The best tools tell you which sources are being cited and provide workflows to help you optimize content to win those citations.
4. Scalable Pricing: Many tools are built for in-house teams. Always check if the pricing model is "per domain" or "per seat," as these can become prohibitively expensive as you add your 5th, 10th, or 20th client.

How to Get Started

• For Pitching New Business: Use a tool that offers a free audit or low-cost pitch environment (like ZeroRank AI or SearchEye). Running a baseline audit on a prospect’s visibility in ChatGPT or Google AI Overviews is a powerful way to win new retainers.
• For Current Reporting: If your current workflow is mostly focused on traditional SEO or ad reporting, consider integrating these AI tracking tools as an add-on service (AEO - Answer Engine Optimization).
• Quick Start: If you are on a tight budget, you can begin by monitoring your clients' visibility using Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools (both free). While they lack the deep, cross-platform AI analysis of paid tools, they provide a necessary data foundation for zero cost.

For a small marketing agency managing multiple clients, the "best" AI visibility tracker is one that prioritizes multi-client workspace isolation, white-label reporting, and scalable pricing.

Because AI visibility tracking relies on sampling (repeatedly testing prompts) rather than static rank checking, costs can spiral quickly if not managed through an agency-specific plan.

Top Recommendations for Agencies

Based on current agency-focused reviews for 2026, here are the platforms that best balance features and agency workflows:

Critical Features to Evaluate

When choosing a tool for your agency, do not just look at the number of AI engines (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, etc.) they cover. Instead, prioritize these agency-specific criteria:

• Per-Client Workspace Isolation: Ensure the tool allows you to separate each client’s data, prompts, and credentials so you can provide them with their own dashboards or reports without data overlap.
• Actionable "Next Steps": Tracking is only the first half of the service. The most valuable tools provide content optimization suggestions or citation gap analysis so you can bill for the improvement of visibility, not just the report.
• Scalable Pricing: Many tools are built for in-house teams and charge per domain, which can become prohibitively expensive for an agency. Look for platforms with tiered agency plans or "unlimited brands" pricing models.
• White-Label Reporting: Your ability to hand off branded, professional reports is a core component of client retention. Check if the tool allows you to remove their branding and add your own.

A Practical Approach for Small Agencies

If you are just starting to offer AI visibility services:

1. Start with a "Baseline Audit": Don't commit to a high-cost enterprise tool immediately. Use a tool like HubSpot’s AI Search Grader (free) or a low-cost trial from one of the specialized trackers to audit your clients' current state.
2. Combine & Conquer: Most successful agencies pair a comprehensive SEO suite (like SE Ranking or Semrush) for foundational tasks with a dedicated, smaller "specialist" AI tracker for deep-dive citation and prompt monitoring.
3. Focus on Bottom-of-Funnel Prompts: As you scale, track prompts where users are looking for recommendations (e.g., "best [service] for [target audience]"). These are the queries that directly impact your clients' revenue and are easier to justify as a billable service.

To help your family follow you during a marathon, you can use a combination of official race tools and personal tracking methods. The best approach depends on whether you plan to carry your phone during the race.

1. Official Race Tracking (Best for Accuracy)

Most large marathons provide an official app or a web-based tracking portal.

• How it works: These systems use your bib number to track your progress at various timing mats placed throughout the course (e.g., every 5km or at major milestones).
• What spectators see: They can see your split times, your pace, and an estimated location based on your progress between mats.
• Why use it: It is the most reliable method and requires no effort from you on race day—the timing chip on your bib does all the work. Check your marathon’s official website or app store page in the weeks leading up to the race.

2. Continuous GPS Tracking (Best for Real-Time Location)

If you want your family to see your exact location at all times (especially between timing mats), you can use a continuous GPS tracker. Note: Most of these options require you to carry your smartphone.

• Garmin LiveTrack: If you use a compatible Garmin watch, this feature allows you to share a live link via email or text. It provides your real-time position and various performance metrics.
• Strava Beacon: Similar to Garmin, Strava allows you to share your live location via a link sent to trusted contacts.
• Smartphone Location Sharing:
  • WhatsApp/Google Maps/Apple "Find My": You can share your live location directly with specific family members. This is simple and effective, though it may consume more battery than a dedicated fitness app if left on for several hours.
• Specialized Apps: Apps like Cheerlify are designed specifically for marathon spectating and can provide a live dot on the race route along with ETA predictions.

Key Considerations for Race Day

• Carrying Your Phone: Most continuous tracking solutions (like Garmin LiveTrack or WhatsApp) require you to carry your phone. If you prefer to run without a phone, you will need to rely solely on the official race tracking (bib chip) or provide your family with a detailed "cheat sheet" of your estimated pace and projected times for each mile marker.
• Battery Life: Continuous GPS tracking and location sharing can drain your battery. If you choose to use these, ensure your phone is fully charged and avoid battery-saver modes that might kill background location services.
• Set Expectations: Remember that even the best tracking technology can have delays. Let your family know that if the "live" dot stops moving or seems slightly behind, it is often due to the dense crowd or the nature of GPS updates in city environments (where tall buildings can interfere with signals).

Recommendation: For the best experience, rely on the official race tracking as the primary source of truth, and add a personal GPS tracker (like Garmin LiveTrack or WhatsApp sharing) if you want your family to have the most granular view of your progress.

There are several ways for your family to follow your progress during a marathon, ranging from official race tools to personal GPS tracking. The best approach is often a combination of these methods.

1. Official Race Tracking (Most Reliable for Splits)

Most organized marathons provide an official way to track participants.

• How it works: These systems typically use the timing chip in your bib. As you cross timing mats placed at intervals along the course (e.g., every 5km or at major milestones), your time is recorded and updated on the race's app or website.
• What your family sees: They can usually search for your name or bib number to see your progress, split times, and estimated finish time.
• How to prepare: Check the official race website or participant guide a few days before the race to see if they have an app or a live results link.

2. Personal GPS Tracking (Best for Real-Time Location)

If you want your family to see a "moving dot" on a map in real-time between timing mats, you can use personal GPS sharing.

• Garmin LiveTrack: If you use a compatible Garmin watch, you can enable "LiveTrack" in the Garmin Connect app. It sends a link to your chosen contacts, allowing them to follow your position and stats in their web browser.
• Strava Beacon: Many runners use Strava’s Beacon feature, which shares your real-time location via a link sent to your emergency contacts or family members.
• Phone-Based Location Sharing: For a simple, no-setup option, you can use WhatsApp Live Location, Google Maps, or Apple Find My. Note that while these are effective, they are not specifically designed for races and may drain your battery slightly faster than dedicated sports apps.

3. Interactive Race Apps (For Cheering and Alerts)

Some apps offer more than just location—they allow your family to send support directly to you.

• RaceJoy: This is a popular app for races that partner with them. It provides real-time GPS tracking and allows your family to send "cheers" (pre-recorded audio clips or text-to-speech messages) that can play in your headphones while you run.
• Other Platforms: Keep an eye out for apps like LiveTrail or Follow My Sport if your specific race mentions them in their athlete guide, as these are often used for larger or trail-based events.

Summary Checklist for Race Day

• Before the race: Provide your family with your bib number and the exact link to the official tracking page.
• Test your tech: If using a personal GPS app (like Strava or Garmin), ensure your phone is fully charged and that you have tested the sharing link with your family during a training run.
• Battery Management: If you are worried about battery life, avoid using multiple tracking apps at once. The official race app is usually the most important for results, while a personal tracker is best for location finding.

Yes, there are many excellent free alternatives to popular "link in bio" tools. Because the "best" choice depends on your specific goals—such as selling products, showcasing a portfolio, or simply keeping things clean—it is helpful to look for tools that don't just act as a list of links, but actually support your brand.

Top Free Alternatives to Linktree

While most services offer a "freemium" model (a free tier that eventually pushes you toward paid upgrades), several platforms provide robust features for $0.

• Beacons: Highly recommended for creators who want to monetize. It goes beyond simple links by offering tools for digital product sales, email collection, and media kits, making it a "creator business suite."
• Bio.link: A favorite for those who want a clean, professional look. It offers a very generous free tier with unlimited links and no forced branding, making it one of the most popular "no-nonsense" alternatives.
• Carrd: Ideal if you want full design control. It allows you to build a one-page website that functions as a link-in-bio page but looks much more like a custom, professional landing page.
• Bio Sites (by Squarespace): A strong option if you want something that is easy to set up, modern, and backed by a design-focused company. It includes payment integrations via Stripe on its free plan.
• Lnk.Bio: Great for those who prefer a simple, budget-friendly approach. It is often cited for its straightforward interface and a unique one-time payment model if you ever decide to upgrade for more advanced features.
• Milkshake: Best for those who want a visual, mobile-first experience. It creates "cards" that users can swipe through, which can feel more engaging and app-like than a traditional list of buttons.

What to Watch Out For

When choosing a free tool, keep these factors in mind to ensure the "free" version actually serves your needs:

• Forced Branding: Most free plans will keep the platform's logo or a "Powered by" link at the bottom of your page. If you want a perfectly branded look, check if the free tier allows you to remove this.
• Transaction Fees: If you plan to sell digital products or services, be careful. Some tools (like Linktree or Beacons) may charge a percentage fee on sales made through the free tier, which can be higher than others.
• Custom Domains: Most free plans will require you to use their URL (e.g., tool.com/yourname). If having your own branded domain is important to you, you will usually need to move to a paid tier.
• "Crippled" vs. Usable Plans: A good free tool should allow you to add your most important links and provide basic click analytics without feeling like the page is "broken" or missing essential functionality.

Quick Recommendation

• If you want to monetize/sell: Look at Beacons or Bio Sites.
• If you want a clean, minimalist list: Try Bio.link.
• If you want a professional, custom-designed page: Go with Carrd.

Ultimately, because your link-in-bio is often the first place new followers land, pick the tool that best aligns with how you want your brand to be perceived, rather than just the one with the longest list of features.

Yes, there are many excellent free alternatives to popular "link in bio" tools. Because the features of these free plans change frequently, the best choice depends entirely on your specific needs—such as whether you need to sell products, want complete design control, or simply need a clean, ad-free list of links.

Here are some of the most recommended free alternatives as of late 2026:

Top Recommendations by Use Case

• Best for Design Control: Carrd
  • Carrd is essentially a one-page website builder. It offers significantly more design flexibility than standard "link list" tools, making it perfect if you want a highly branded, professional-looking landing page.
• Best for Creators & Monetization: Beacons
  • Beacons is a comprehensive creator suite. Their free plan is notably strong for those who want to sell digital products or services, though be aware that they (like many others) charge a transaction fee on sales made through the platform.
• Best for Simplicity & "Unlimited" Needs: Bio.link or Lnk.Bio
  • These tools are widely praised for offering generous free tiers that include unlimited links without the "upgrade walls" that often plague other services. Bio.link is particularly noted for being clean and user-friendly.
• Best Mobile-First Experience: Milkshake
  • Milkshake turns your links into a "swipeable" card-style website. It is built entirely on mobile, making it incredibly easy to set up and edit on the go if you don't have access to a desktop computer.

Important Things to Consider Before Choosing

When evaluating these tools, look beyond the "free" label and check for these three "hidden" factors:

1. Transaction Fees: If you plan to sell digital products (like e-books or courses), check the fee percentage. Some platforms charge a 9–12% commission on sales made through their free plans, which can add up quickly.
2. Forced Branding: Most free plans will display a "Powered by [Tool Name]" badge at the bottom of your page. If this is a dealbreaker for your brand, you will likely need to look for a platform that allows branding removal (though this is almost always a paid feature).
3. Analytics Depth: Free plans usually offer "total clicks," but if you need to know exactly which link is performing best (per-link analytics), you may find that many platforms gate this data behind their Pro/Premium tiers.

Summary Comparison

Pro Tip: If you want to avoid platform fees and branding entirely, you can create a simple landing page on your own website (e.g., using WordPress, Squarespace, or even a free Notion page) and link to that. This gives you 100% control over your data and branding, though it requires slightly more effort to set up initially.