Choosing a link in bio tool involves more than just aesthetics. It should effectively support your goals, especially if you’re using it for your business or primary source of income.
Carrd is one of the most popular link in bio tools today, and I have been using it for weeks. It offers a wide variety of fun Carrd templates, allowing you to find one that matches your desired aesthetic.
On the other hand…
…atom.bio is also steadily rising as a crowd-favorite LinkTree alternative tool, thanks to its suite of great features that let you create more than just a one-page website and one that can drive sales (or whatever it is that you’re aiming for).
We used both tools, and here’s what happened.
Testing Methodology
We used these two tools to create a link in bio Instagram and TikTok to tie up a few lifestyle content social media accounts and an online shop.
We wanted a single link in bio page that would centralize everything while matching the intended personal branding. We were also looking for great analytics to see which campaigns were working.
We set a one-week timeframe to design and launch two separate pages: one using Carrd and the other using atom.bio. Both pages needed to meet the exact same requirements:
- Set-up and speed
- Embedded YouTube video and contact form
- Multiple links
- Cohesive branding design
- Built-in analytics
By the end of the week, we had two fully functional link in bio pages ready for review, both built under identical conditions, making it clear which platform truly delivered on every requirement.
With both pages live and meeting our criteria, all that was left was to see which platform not only ticked the boxes but did so more effectively.
Let’s dive in.
atom.bio result
Let me start by mentioning our favorite thing about this link in bio tool. Atom.bio offers unlimited links with full customization, analytics, and more, all for free.
And rumor has it that their free version is here to stay, including all the features that you’d normally pay for.
You’ve read that right. All features are free, even advanced features.
The second thing we loved about it is its frictionless setup.
The landing page was ready before I even realized it. And that’s less than five minutes from start to finish.
atom.bio is built to be effortlessly user-friendly, from the moment you land on their site to the actual page-building process. There’s no need to dive deep into templates unless you want to. You can pick a ready-made design or customize your own, fine-tuning every last detail to match your vision.
The interface is intuitive, and it will show you everything you need to customize your page.
Aside from links, you can also:
- Embed YouTube videos
- Connect your email so you can easily connect with brands, fans, collaborators, and clients
- Add clickable images
- Put a carousel or multiple images in a swipeable gallery
- Put shop links
- Build a contact list
- And many more.
It may look complicated at first glance because of how many features, buttons, icons, and elements you can put into your page. But the truth is, the process took less than just 5 minutes without any hassle or frustration at all.
That’s also thanks to its clutter-free, simple, and modern interface.
Getting started is just a few clicks away.
- Choose your template: atom.bio offers a wide variety of templates for every category, including food, gaming, pets, entertainment, beauty, and more. We like how these templates are specifically designed for each category rather than being neutral generic templates that can fit any niche.
- Upload your visuals: Now, upload the images you want to use for your background or banner. It’s customizable like that!
- Customize your content: This is where you can connect your integrations, edit buttons and widgets to align with your unique vision, and add external links.
- Go live in minutes: At this point, your page is ready to launch, but you can also explore further customization options.
What does this mean?
This means that whether you’re a go-with-the-flow creator satisfied with a ready-made design or a perfectionist wanting every detail fine-tuned, atom.bio has you covered.
The best part? No coding required.
You can also do it anytime and anywhere you may be, because atom.bio is also designed for mobile use. Because realistically, everything “social media” happens on our phones instead of computers or laptops.
I was able to edit even when I was sitting on the train going home.
How about analytics?
atom.bio also offers analytics and performance reports. What’s better? Even its analytics are user-friendly and intuitive, so you can easily view, read, and interpret the data, even if it’s your first time using a link in bio tool or even monitoring your social media performance.
Its analytics will show you which links are getting the most views and clicks, how many people view your page, and even where the traffic is coming from.
I can also see click-through rates per button and compare performance over time, which is super helpful when testing and promoting different things each week.
This is especially helpful if you’re a marketer or a creator for a living.
You can access beyond the basic features without needing a premium plan, unlike the more popular tools like LinkTree, which require you to pay before being able to access essential features such as analytics.
The only time you’ll have to pay (only if you want to) is when you want to remove the ads. But honestly? The ads (just a single ad on the bottom of your page all link in bio solutions have) are quite unobstructive, so most users don’t really mind…including us.
If anything goes wrong…
…they have a 24/7 live chat support, which is kind of rare for a free-tier tool.
Carrd Website result
Setting up a landing page for our link in bio with Carrd required more steps and took a bit longer than with atom.bio, but it was enjoyable, especially if you like fully customizing your pages.
Like with atom.bio, you don’t need any coding skills to get started. You can also choose from a variety of templates if you’re fine with a pre-made option.
There are many designs available.
I spent some time browsing through the available template designs.
But there’s one thing that prevented me from scrolling for too long.
Most of these Carrd templates are available only with a Premium plan. However, to be fair, they are beautiful and well-crafted designs, so I wouldn’t say they aren’t worth the investment.
Once you’ve chosen a template, you can now fine-tune every detail of your page, like adjusting fonts, color schemes, visuals, buttons, widgets, and more. You can also do a desktop or a mobile format.
Again, like with Carrd, you can create multiple pages, which is great if you’re building some kind of portfolio.
Almost all elements can be modified, from the banner down to the footer of the pages.
If atom.bio took less than 5 minutes, Carrd took me around 10 minutes, as I had to edit a lot of things.
How about the pages’ features?
Carrd also lets you embed YouTube videos, contact forms, shop listings, and more.
But the catch is, some of these features are gated behind Carrd’s Pro Plan. That means that you’ll really have to shell out a bit of cash to unlock the functionality you need.
While custom embeds are supported, achieving the our exact vision required workarounds and tweaking.
But the good news is that Carrd stayed visually consistent while we were using it, from the color schemes to the font adjustments and layout shifts, every page looked professionally done, even without coding involved.
If you’re comfortable tweaking CSS or embedding external widgets…
…you can also stretch Carrd’s flexibility. For users who want more granular style control without extras, those limitations can feel stifling.
Now, on to the burning question: how about the analytics?
Carrd also has built-in analytics where you can monitor the performance of your link in bio site, as well as its strengths and weaknesses.
Its reports are fairly basic. It will just give you a simple report of views and clicks. If that’s the only data you need, then Carrd is a good option for a link in bio tool.
But if you need more analytics for your company or branding, Carrd’s may feel more like an add-on rather than a full solution or feature.
All in all…
Building a link in bio page with Carrd is still very intuitive and easy. It’s not complicated at all. It will just take more time if you’re very deep into customizing your pages.
If you want a more advanced result, you can also head on to Carrd tutorials, which are available online.
atom.bio and Carrd Pricing
When it comes to tools for your business, value for money is just as important as features. We analyzed the pricing of atom.bio and Carrd to determine which option fits the budget and provides better value for your investment.
atom.bio Pricing
atom.bio’s core features are available through its free plan. This plan includes advanced features such as built-in analytics, extensive customization options, and support for all embedded media.
You can access all of this at no cost.
If you’re wondering, there’s also a premium plan available for $3.99/month that removes ads from the atom.bio interface.
Carrd Pricing
Carrd’s free tier allows you to create up to three sites and provides access to basic template designs.
The next tier, the Pro Standard, costs $19 per year and offers custom domain support, forms, additional widgets, and the removal of Carrd branding.
The Pro Plus tier, priced at $49 per year, includes additional integrations and features, such as password protection and advanced element settings (attributes, custom styles, and JS events).
Card vs atom.bio Link in Bio Tool FAQs
What does link in bio mean?
“Link in bio” is a phrase commonly used on social media to direct users to a clickable link found in the biography section of a profile. Since most platforms allow only one link in this space, it is often utilized as a gateway to a landing page that features multiple links or important content.
How to add link in TikTok bio?
On TikTok, you have to switch to a Business Account to unlock the option to add a clickable link in your profile. Next, go to Edit Profile, tap Website, and paste your desired URL. Many creators use link-in-bio tools like atom.bio to direct followers to multiple destinations with a single link.
What is the best tool for multi-link link in bio Instagram page?
There are a lot of great link in bio tools on the market today, with Caard, Milkshake, and atom.bio among others, at the lead. Most of these tools have half of their features gated behind a paywall, except for atom.bio. So if you’re still on the fence about getting one, atom.bio is a great place to start in as everything in it is free.
What should I put in my Instagram link in bio to get more clicks?
You can include your latest blog posts, shop links, featured videos, or special offers. To boost engagement, use a visually appealing link page that aligns with your personal or brand aesthetic. Tools like atom.bio make this easy and also track click performance.
What’s a good Carrd alternative for my portfolio?
If you need a solution that’s quick to set up and easy to maintain, atom.bio is a strong alternative. While Carrd excels at creating full-page sites, atom.bio specializes in stylish, functional bio link pages, complete with (free) built-in analytics to track user interactions with your content.
Are Carrd Templates free?
Carrd offers free templates; however, many of its advanced designs require a paid plan. If you want more customization without diving into advanced settings, atom.bio provides sleek, ready-made layouts from the start.
How do I make a strong link in bio for TikTok and Instagram?
Begin by organizing your most important links and visuals. Next, choose a platform that lets you personalize the page and track results. With atom.bio, you can customize the design to align with your brand style, incorporate images or videos, and monitor which links receive the most clicks.
So, what’s the verdict?
Both atom.bio and Carrd held their own during our test, but the results told us a very clear story.
With Carrd, we’re able to build a stunning page easily and quickly, but a few extra steps (and a Pro upgrade) were needed to add key features like analytics and an embedded video.
During the whole week and a half that we’re using it, the followers were able to navigate the links, but the experience felt more functional than engaging.
On the other hand…
…atom.bio checked all the boxes the moment we landed on its website.
The page was up in a few minutes, ready to handle multiple links, videos, forms, and other widgets.
We love how there’s no upgrade needed at all.
The followers responded not only with more clicks, but with longer visits, too. We’re also able to see which campaigns were performing best with its easy-to-use analytics.
Ultimately, Carrd provided a clean, minimalist solution, but atom.bio not only simplified the setup process, but also offered us deeper insights and a more interactive page that truly connected with the audience.
