beacons vs carrd
Beacons vs Carrd: Choosing the Right Platform for Your Online Presence in 2025
In the digital landscape of 2025, having a strong online presence is more crucial than ever. Whether you're a content creator, entrepreneur, small business owner, or freelancer, the platform you choose to showcase your work and connect with your audience can significantly impact your success. Two popular options that have gained considerable traction are Beacons and Carrd. Both platforms offer unique features and benefits, but which one is right for you? This comprehensive comparison will help you make an informed decision between Beacons vs Carrd based on your specific needs and goals.
What is Beacons?
Beacons (beacons.ai) is a versatile link-in-bio and website builder platform that has evolved significantly since its launch. Originally designed as a simple bio link tool for social media profiles, Beacons has expanded into a comprehensive platform that allows creators to monetize their content, sell products, accept donations, and build a complete web presence.
Key Features of Beacons
Beacons offers a range of features designed specifically for content creators and digital entrepreneurs:
Bio Link Pages: Create a customizable landing page with multiple links to consolidate your online presence.
Monetization Tools: Sell digital products, accept tips, offer subscriptions, and create paywalled content.
Website Builder: Build multi-page websites with custom domains.
Analytics: Track visitor data, click-through rates, and conversion metrics.
Email Collection: Gather email addresses from visitors to build your mailing list.
Social Media Integration: Seamlessly connect with Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and other platforms.
Mobile-First Design: Optimized for mobile users, where most social media traffic originates.
What is Carrd?
Carrd (carrd.co) is a simple yet powerful platform for building one-page websites. Since its inception, Carrd has gained popularity for its minimalist approach, ease of use, and affordability. It's particularly favored by those who want to create clean, straightforward landing pages without the complexity of traditional website builders.
Key Features of Carrd
Carrd's feature set focuses on simplicity and efficiency:
One-Page Websites: Build elegant, responsive single-page sites quickly.
Customizable Templates: Choose from a variety of professionally designed templates.
Custom Domains: Connect your own domain name to your Carrd site.
Form Building: Create contact forms, signup forms, and more.
HTML/CSS Customization: Add custom code for advanced users.
Embeds: Integrate third-party widgets and tools.
Password Protection: Secure your site with password access if needed.
Affordable Pricing: One of the most cost-effective website builders available.
Beacons vs Carrd: Detailed Comparison
Now that we've outlined the basic features of both platforms, let's dive deeper into how they compare across various important factors:
Ease of Use
Beacons: Designed with content creators in mind, Beacons offers an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that requires minimal technical knowledge. The platform guides users through the process of setting up their page with clear instructions and templates tailored for different types of creators.
Carrd: Known for its simplicity, Carrd provides one of the most straightforward website building experiences available. Its clean interface and minimal learning curve make it accessible even to complete beginners. The focused approach on single-page sites means fewer decisions and complications.
Verdict: Both platforms excel in user-friendliness, but Carrd edges out slightly for absolute beginners due to its more focused scope. However, Beacons offers more guided templates specifically for content creators.
Design Flexibility
Beacons: Offers a good balance of customization options without overwhelming users. You can personalize colors, fonts, layouts, and add various content blocks. The platform provides creator-specific templates that are optimized for conversion and engagement.
Carrd: Despite its simplicity, Carrd offers surprising design flexibility. Users can control nearly every aspect of their site's appearance, from typography to animations. For those comfortable with HTML and CSS, Carrd's Pro plans allow for even more customization through custom code.
Verdict: Carrd provides more design flexibility for those willing to learn its system, while Beacons offers more structured templates that are optimized for specific creator needs.
Functionality and Features
Beacons: Excels in creator-focused features like monetization tools, product sales, tip jars, and subscription options. The platform is built around helping creators convert their audience into paying supporters. In 2025, Beacons has expanded its e-commerce capabilities, making it a mini storefront for digital creators.
Carrd: Focuses on delivering a streamlined website experience rather than extensive features. While it supports forms, buttons, and embeds from other platforms, it doesn't offer native monetization tools. However, its simplicity makes it perfect for creating landing pages, portfolios, or digital business cards.
Verdict: Beacons wins handily for functionality specifically designed for monetization and creator economy features. Carrd is more limited but excels at its core purpose of simple, elegant websites.
Multi-Page vs Single-Page
Beacons: Supports multi-page websites, allowing users to create separate pages for different aspects of their business or content. This makes it suitable for more complex online presences that require distinct sections.
Carrd: Exclusively focused on single-page websites. While this might seem limiting, it encourages concise, focused content and can actually lead to higher conversion rates for specific purposes.
Verdict: Beacons offers more flexibility with multi-page support, while Carrd's single-page focus is either a limitation or a strength depending on your specific needs.
Pricing
Beacons: As of 2025, Beacons offers a free plan with basic features and Beacons branding. Paid plans start at around $10/month and scale up based on advanced features like removing branding, accessing premium monetization tools, and advanced analytics.
Carrd: Maintains its reputation for affordability with a free plan that offers considerable functionality. Pro plans range from approximately $9 to $19 per year (not per month), making it one of the most cost-effective website builders available.
Verdict: Carrd is significantly more affordable, especially for simple needs. Beacons' higher pricing reflects its specialized creator economy features.
Analytics and Insights
Beacons: Provides comprehensive analytics focused on conversion metrics, including click-through rates, product sales, donation amounts, and visitor demographics. These insights are tailored to help creators understand and monetize their audience better.
Carrd: Offers basic analytics on its paid plans, but generally requires integration with third-party tools like Google Analytics for more detailed insights.
Verdict: Beacons offers more robust native analytics, especially for tracking monetization and conversion metrics that matter to creators.
E-commerce and Monetization
Beacons: Shines in this category with built-in tools for selling digital products, accepting tips, offering subscriptions, and creating membership content. The platform handles payment processing and delivery, making it easy for creators to start earning without technical knowledge.
Carrd: Doesn't offer native e-commerce functionality but can be integrated with external tools like Gumroad, PayPal buttons, or Buy Me a Coffee embeds. This requires more setup and potentially sends visitors away from your site to complete transactions.
Verdict: Beacons is the clear winner for monetization with its purpose-built creator economy features.
Who Should Use Beacons?
Beacons is particularly well-suited for:
Content Creators: YouTubers, TikTokers, Instagram influencers, and other social media personalities who want to monetize their audience.
Digital Product Sellers: Those selling e-books, courses, templates, or other digital goods who need a simple storefront.
Creators Seeking Passive Income: Anyone looking to set up subscription content, membership sites, or donation systems.
Multi-Platform Creators: Those active across multiple social networks who need a central hub for their content and links.
Entrepreneurs Building an Audience: Business owners who want to collect emails and convert social followers into customers.
Consider Beacons if you're primarily focused on monetizing your online presence and converting your audience into paying supporters. Its specialized tools for the creator economy make it worth the higher price point if you're serious about generating income from your content.
Who Should Use Carrd?
Carrd is ideal for:
Minimalists: Those who appreciate clean, simple design and don't need complex functionality.
Budget-Conscious Users: People looking for an extremely affordable website solution.
Portfolio Creators: Photographers, designers, writers, and other professionals who need a simple showcase for their work.
Event Organizers: Those creating landing pages for weddings, conferences, or other events.
Early-Stage Projects: Startups or side hustles that need a professional web presence without significant investment.
Privacy-Focused Individuals: People who want to share information online without building a full social media presence.
Choose Carrd if your primary goal is to create a clean, professional-looking landing page or simple portfolio at minimal cost. Its focus on doing one thing extremely well makes it perfect for straightforward use cases.
Use Case Scenarios: Beacons vs Carrd
To help illustrate when each platform might be the better choice, let's examine some specific scenarios:
Scenario 1: Social Media Influencer
Emma is a lifestyle influencer with 100,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok. She wants to monetize her audience by selling digital products, accepting brand partnership inquiries, and collecting email subscribers.
Better choice: Beacons would be ideal for Emma because it allows her to sell products directly, showcase her brand partnerships, and collect emails all in one place. The analytics would help her understand which content drives the most conversions.
Scenario 2: Freelance Photographer
Marcus is a freelance photographer who needs a simple online portfolio to showcase his work to potential clients. He doesn't need e-commerce functionality as he handles bookings through email.
Better choice: Carrd would work perfectly for Marcus, allowing him to create a visually striking, image-focused portfolio at minimal cost. The single-page format would let visitors easily scroll through his work and contact information.
Scenario 3: Podcast Creator
Sophia runs a popular podcast and wants a central hub where listeners can find all episodes across different platforms, join her Patreon membership, buy merchandise, and sign up for her newsletter.
Better choice: Beacons would better serve Sophia's needs with its multi-page functionality, monetization options, and ability to showcase podcast episodes from various platforms in one place.
Scenario 4: Event Landing Page
David is organizing a tech conference and needs a simple landing page with event details, speaker information, a schedule, and a registration form.
Better choice: Carrd would be perfect for this temporary, focused use case. David could create a professional event page quickly and affordably, with all the necessary information on a single, scrollable page.
Platform Limitations to Consider
Before making your final decision, it's important to understand the limitations of each platform:
Beacons Limitations
Higher Cost: The monthly subscription model can add up compared to Carrd's annual pricing.
Learning Curve: More features mean more complexity, despite the user-friendly interface.
Transaction Fees: Beacons takes a percentage of monetization earnings on some plans.
Design Constraints: While customizable, Beacons sites often have a recognizable "Beacons look" that may not suit all brands.
Limited SEO Tools: Advanced search engine optimization options are somewhat limited.
Carrd Limitations
Single-Page Only: Not suitable for content-heavy websites or complex structures.
Limited Functionality: No native e-commerce or advanced features without third-party integration.
Form Limitations: The number of form submissions is capped on lower-tier plans.
No Blog Capability: Not designed for regularly updated content like blogs.
Limited Direct Monetization: No built-in tools for selling products or accepting payments.
Integration Capabilities
Both platforms offer various integration options with third-party services, but they differ in approach:
Beacons Integrations
Beacons focuses on integrations that enhance the creator economy experience:
Social media platforms (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, etc.)
Payment processors (Stripe, PayPal)
Email marketing tools (Mailchimp, ConvertKit)
Music streaming services (Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud)
Podcast platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Membership platforms (Patreon)
Carrd Integrations
Carrd takes a more open approach with HTML embeds that allow for various integrations:
Form processors (Formspree, Google Forms)
Payment buttons (PayPal, Stripe)
Scheduling tools (Calendly)
Video embeds (YouTube, Vimeo)
Social media feeds
Third-party widgets via HTML/JavaScript
Verdict: Beacons offers more seamless, purpose-built integrations for creator monetization, while Carrd provides more flexibility for custom integrations through code embeds.
Mobile Responsiveness
In 2025, mobile optimization is non-negotiable. Here's how the platforms compare:
Beacons: Built with a mobile-first approach, recognizing that most social media traffic comes from mobile devices. All Beacons pages are automatically optimized for mobile viewing without additional configuration.
Carrd: Excels at mobile responsiveness with designs that adapt beautifully to any screen size. The platform's minimalist approach naturally lends itself to mobile-friendly designs.
Verdict: Both platforms perform excellently on mobile devices, with automatic responsiveness being a core feature of each.
Growth and Scalability
As your online presence evolves, your platform needs may change:
Beacons: Offers more room to grow with multi-page capabilities and increasing monetization options. As creators expand their offerings, Beacons can accommodate more complex business models, product lines, and content types.
Carrd: More limited in scalability due to its single-page focus. While perfect for starting out, growing businesses may eventually outgrow Carrd's capabilities and need to migrate to more robust platforms.
Verdict: Beacons provides better scalability for growing creator businesses, while Carrd may require eventual migration for expanding projects.
Community and Support
The support ecosystem around a platform can be crucial, especially for beginners:
Beacons: Has developed a strong creator community with resources specifically tailored to monetization strategies. Their support team specializes in helping creators optimize their pages for conversion. The platform also offers creator-focused educational content.
Carrd: Has a passionate user base that shares templates and tips. The developer is known for responsive support, and there are numerous third-party tutorials available. The community particularly excels at creative design implementations.
Verdict: Both have supportive communities, with Beacons focusing more on creator business strategies and Carrd on design innovation.
Making Your Decision: Beacons vs Carrd
To help you make your final decision, consider these key questions:
What's your primary goal? Monetization (Beacons) or simple presentation (Carrd)?
What's your budget? Higher monthly investment (Beacons) or minimal annual cost (Carrd)?
How complex is your content? Multi-page needs (Beacons) or single-page sufficiency (Carrd)?
Do you need built-in selling tools? Native e-commerce (Beacons) or third-party integrations (Carrd)?
How important is design flexibility? Structured templates (Beacons) or more custom control (Carrd)?
Can You Use Both Platforms Together?
Interestingly, some creators have found success using both platforms for different purposes:
Using Beacons as their primary monetization hub linked from social media profiles
Creating specialized Carrd landing pages for specific projects, events, or campaigns
Linking between the platforms to create a more comprehensive online ecosystem
This hybrid approach leverages the strengths of each platform while minimizing their limitations.
Alternatives to Consider
If neither Beacons nor Carrd seems like the perfect fit, consider these alternatives:
Linktree: Simpler than Beacons but more limited, focused exclusively on link-in-bio functionality.
Wix: More comprehensive website builder with greater functionality but higher complexity than either option.
Squarespace: Design-focused platform with more robust features but at a higher price point.
Patreon: Specialized platform for subscription content and creator support.
Gumroad: Focused on digital product sales with minimal website functionality.
Conclusion: Beacons vs Carrd in 2025
As we navigate the digital landscape of 2025, both Beacons and Carrd continue to serve valuable but distinct purposes in the website building ecosystem.
Beacons has established itself as the go-to platform for content creators looking to monetize their audience through a comprehensive hub that combines link-in-bio functionality with e-commerce capabilities. Its creator-focused features make it worth the investment for those serious about generating income from their online presence.
Carrd remains the champion of simplicity and affordability, offering one of the most streamlined ways to create a beautiful, functional single-page website. Its minimalist approach and remarkable value make it perfect for portfolios, landing pages, and projects with straightforward needs.
The best choice between Beacons vs Carrd ultimately depends on your specific goals, budget, and the complexity of your online presence. By carefully considering the factors outlined in this comparison, you can select the platform that will best support your digital journey in 2025 and beyond.
Remember that your online presence is an evolving asset. The platform that serves you best today might change as your needs grow and transform. Both Beacons and Carrd offer low-risk entry points that allow you to establish your digital presence now while keeping your options open for the future.