Check out my linktree clone here
Ever find yourself staring at a Linktree subscription renewal email and thinking, “Am I really paying this much for a glorified list of links?”
That was me last spring. $29/month for the Pro plan, which adds up to a whopping $348 annually. For what? A page with some buttons. I love Linktree’s convenience, don’t get me wrong, but something about paying the equivalent of a decent weekend getaway for a digital business card felt… excessive.
So I did what any slightly stubborn developer would do: I decided to build my own. And thanks to AI coding tools, what would have been a weekend project took me exactly 47 minutes from concept to deployment.
Let me walk you through how I saved nearly $300 a year with less than an hour of work – and how you can do the same.
The Moment I Realized I Was Being Ripped Off
Picture this: I’m reviewing my monthly expenses (a rare moment of adulting) when I notice the Linktree charge. $29. Not enough to set off immediate alarm bells, but definitely enough to make me pause.
I clicked into my Linktree dashboard and had an epiphany: I’m literally paying for a page with 8 links and a profile picture. As a developer, this felt like paying someone to boil water for me when I own a perfectly good kettle.
The observation that changed everything: Linktree’s core functionality is embarrassingly simple. It’s a single page with some styled buttons, basic analytics, and maybe a few extras. The actual technical complexity behind it is minimal.
But here’s what most people miss: the gap between Linktree’s simple functionality and its premium pricing represents a massive opportunity. With modern tools, anyone with basic technical skills can replicate this service for practically nothing.
Breaking Down the True Cost of Linktree
Before we dive into the DIY solution, let’s understand exactly what we’re paying for with Linktree:
- Basic plan: Free (but with Linktree branding)
- Starter plan: 5/month(5/month (5/month(60/year)
- Pro plan: 29/month(29/month (29/month(348/year)
- Premium plan: 49/month(49/month (49/month(588/year)
What do those premium plans get you? Custom backgrounds, removal of Linktree branding, basic analytics, scheduling, and a few integration options.
The hidden pattern nobody talks about: These features require minimal server resources and development complexity. The pricing isn’t based on costs – it’s based on what the market will bear and the convenience factor.
My Failed Experiment with Open Source Alternatives
Before building my own solution, I actually tried the open source route. LinkStack seemed perfect – it’s free, open source, and has a decent feature set.
I set it up on my NAS, feeling pretty clever about my money-saving hack. Everything worked great… until it didn’t.
The first time my NAS went down during a power outage, I figured it was a minor inconvenience. I’d just reboot and be back in business. Except LinkStack refused to restart properly. After two hours of troubleshooting, I finally got it working again.
Then it happened again a month later. Same issue, different error messages. As I was knee-deep in configuration files at 11 PM on a Tuesday, a realization hit me: I was spending more time maintaining this “free” solution than it would take to build something simpler and more reliable.
The crucial observation: Sometimes open source alternatives have hidden costs – your time, your sanity, and your reliability. I liked the idea of owning my own data, but I needed something that wouldn’t break if I looked at it funny.
The AI-Powered Alternative: Building Your Own “LinkLoom”
I’m calling my Linktree alternative “LinkLoom” – feel free to steal the name or come up with your own clever tree-adjacent branding.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- A GitHub account (free)
- Vercel or Netlify account (free tier)
- About 45 minutes of your time
- An AI coding assistant (I used WindSurf, but any decent AI code editor will work)
Total cost: 0upfront,about0 upfront, about 0upfront,about0-5/month depending on traffic (and even then, only if you get massive traffic).
Let me share how my build process went:
Step 1: Define What You Actually Need
I sat down and listed the features I actually used on Linktree:
- Multiple links with custom titles
- A profile picture
- Custom background color
- Basic click tracking
- Mobile-friendly design
Notably absent: fancy animations, scheduled links, premium integrations – all the stuff I was paying for but never used.
But I added one crucial requirement based on my LinkStack experience: reliability. I wanted something that wouldn’t break every time a server hiccuped. And I still wanted to own my data.
Step 2: Create the Base Project
This is where AI makes things ridiculously simple. I opened WindSurf and typed:
“I want to create a Linktree alternative with React and Next.js. It should have a clean design with a profile photo, bio section, and the ability to display multiple customizable links. Let’s start with a basic project setup.”
Within seconds, the AI generated the initial project structure:
// Create a new Next.js project
// npx create-next-app link-loom
// cd link-loom
It then walked me through the essential files, explaining each component as it went.
Step 3: Building the Core Component
Here’s where things got interesting. I prompted:
“Now let’s create the main component that will display my profile and links. I want it to have a clean, modern design with a circular profile picture at the top, followed by a name and short bio, and then a series of button-style links below.”
The AI generated a complete React component that looked remarkably like Linktree but with my own styling preferences. The magic was in the simplicity – it suggested using a simple JSON structure to store my links:
// data/links.js
export const profileData = {
name: "Your Name",
bio: "Developer, writer, coffee enthusiast",
avatar: "/images/avatar.jpg",
links: [
{
title: "My Portfolio",
url: "https://yourportfolio.com",
icon: "🌐"
},
{
title: "Twitter",
url: "https://twitter.com/yourusername",
icon: "🐦"
},
// Add more links as needed
]
};
This made updating my links as simple as editing a text file – no fancy dashboard needed!
Step 4: Adding Analytics
Basic analytics was surprisingly simple. The AI suggested:
“Let’s add a simple analytics function that will track clicks without requiring any external services.”
It then generated a straightforward function that logs clicks to a simple API endpoint, which stores the data in a JSON file. For my needs, this was perfect – I could see which links were getting clicked and when.
For those wanting more robust analytics, the AI also suggested an easy integration with Google Analytics or Plausible (which has a free tier).
Step 5: Making It Pretty
AI-generated CSS is honestly a game-changer for someone like me who knows how to code but isn’t a design wizard. I prompted:
“I want a clean design with subtle animations when hovering over links. Let’s use a color scheme that’s easy on the eyes – maybe soft blues and grays with white text.”
The result was surprisingly stylish CSS that made my links look professional and polished. The AI even suggested adding:
- Custom transitions between hover states
- A subtle entrance animation when the page loads
- Responsive design that works on all devices
The surprising insight: When you strip away the marketing and premium positioning, a Linktree-style page is fundamentally just HTML, CSS, and a tiny bit of JavaScript. The AI understood this pattern immediately and generated exactly what I needed.
Step 6: Deployment in Two Minutes
The final step was deployment. I pushed my code to GitHub and connected it to Vercel. With literally three clicks, my LinkLoom was live on a free Vercel URL.
For those wanting a custom domain, you can either:
- Use a domain you already own (point it to your Vercel deployment)
- Buy a new domain (as low as $12/year)
Either way, you’re still saving hundreds compared to Linktree’s premium plans.
The reliability factor: Unlike my self-hosted LinkStack that went down with my NAS, a Vercel-hosted solution has 99.99% uptime. My links stay accessible even if my home network is down, my NAS crashes, or any other technical disaster strikes. And since the core data lives in my GitHub repo, I still own it completely.
The “Wait, That’s It?” Moment
After finishing my LinkLoom, I had that distinct feeling you get when something turns out to be much easier than expected. I sat back and thought, “People are paying hundreds of dollars a year for… this?”
Don’t get me wrong – Linktree has built a great service with excellent UX and reliability. But for anyone with basic technical knowledge (or access to AI tools), the value proposition suddenly seems questionable.
The key observation most people miss: The premium we pay for many digital services isn’t for technical complexity – it’s for convenience. Once you have tools that make development convenient, that premium becomes unnecessary.
Beyond the Basics: Supercharging Your DIY Linktree
Once I had the basic version working, I realized I could add features that Linktree charges premium prices for:
Custom Link Scheduling
I added a simple date-based visibility toggle to my links JSON:
links: [
{
title: "Limited Time Offer",
url: "https://example.com/special",
icon: "🔥",
visible: {
from: "2023-10-01",
to: "2023-10-31"
}
}
]
With about 10 lines of code (AI-generated, of course), my LinkLoom now shows and hides links based on date ranges – a feature Linktree charges $29/month for!
Theme Switching
Adding a simple theme toggle took about 15 minutes. Now I can switch between light, dark, and custom color schemes on the fly.
Password Protected Links
For client-specific resources, I added a simple password protection feature that Linktree doesn’t even offer on their standard plans.
Data Ownership Without the Headaches
What I love most about my solution is that it strikes the perfect balance between data ownership and reliability:
- My link data lives in a GitHub repository that I control
- The code is mine, not locked into a proprietary platform
- I can export, backup, or migrate everything with a few clicks
- Yet it runs on reliable infrastructure I don’t have to maintain myself
After my LinkStack debacles, this feels like having my cake and eating it too. I own my data without having to be on call as a sysadmin for a links page.
The Cost Breakdown: LinkLoom vs. Linktree vs. Self-Hosted
Let’s talk actual numbers:
Linktree Pro (what I was using):
- 29/month=29/month = 29/month=348/year
Self-hosted LinkStack:
- Server/NAS costs: $0 (using equipment I already had)
- My time troubleshooting: Roughly 5 hours per year (valued conservatively at 50/hour)=50/hour) = 50/hour)=250 worth of headaches
- Total: $250/year in time costs
My DIY LinkLoom:
- Vercel hosting: $0 (free tier)
- Domain name: $12/year (optional)
- My time: ~1 hour to build, virtually zero maintenance
- **Total: 12/year∗∗(or12/year** (or 12/year∗∗(or0 if you use the free Vercel domain)
Annual savings compared to Linktree: $336
Annual savings compared to self-hosted headaches: $238 in time
And that’s assuming you only have one Linktree. If you manage multiple, the savings multiply.
Is This Approach Right for You?
Before you cancel your Linktree subscription, let’s be honest about who this approach works for:
This is perfect for you if:
- You have basic familiarity with GitHub
- You can follow technical instructions
- You want complete control over your link page
- You enjoy learning new skills
- You like saving money
- You value owning your data
- You don’t want to deal with server maintenance
Stick with Linktree if:
- You need immediate changes with zero learning curve
- Your time is extremely valuable (like, $300/hour valuable)
- You need enterprise-level reliability guarantees
- You’re intimidated by technical terms like “repository” and “deployment”
Try an open-source self-hosted solution if:
- You enjoy tinkering with servers
- You already have a reliable hosting solution
- You have experience with troubleshooting
- You want maximum control over every aspect of the system
The Step-by-Step Implementation Guide
Ready to build your own? Here’s your roadmap:
- Set up your development environment
- Install Node.js if you don’t have it already
- Create a GitHub account if needed
- Create your project
npx create-next-js-app link-loom cd link-loom - Create your components
- A main container component
- A profile section component
- A links section component
- Define your data structure
- Create a simple JSON file with your links and profile info
- Style your components
- Use CSS modules or styled-components
- Add basic analytics
- Create a simple API endpoint to track clicks
- Deploy to Vercel or Netlify
- Connect your GitHub repo
- Deploy with one click
If any of these steps sound challenging, remember: this is exactly where AI coding assistants shine. You can literally tell them what you want at each step, and they’ll generate the code for you.
The Unexpected Benefits Beyond Cost Savings
While saving $300+ per year was my initial motivation, I discovered several unexpected benefits from building my own solution:
- Skill development – I learned more about Next.js and deployment
- Complete customization freedom – No more working within Linktree’s limitations
- No traffic limits – Some link-in-bio services limit visitors on free plans
- Privacy control – I’m not sharing my audience data with a third party
- Portfolio addition – My custom LinkLoom actually became a nice addition to my developer portfolio
- Peace of mind – Unlike my self-hosted solution, I don’t worry about my links going down
The most interesting revelation? Building this myself changed how I think about other subscription services. I’ve started asking, “Could I build this?” before committing to new ongoing payments.
The Future-Proof Advantage
One final observation: when you build your own solution, you’re not at the mercy of a company’s pricing changes or feature restrictions.
Remember when Linktree suddenly restricted the number of links on their free plan? Or when they moved analytics behind a paywall? Their users had no choice but to upgrade or compromise.
With your own solution, you’re in control. Forever. And unlike my self-hosted experiment, my Vercel-deployed solution doesn’t require me to be an on-call systems administrator.
Let’s Talk Results
Two months after switching to my DIY LinkLoom, I’ve:
- Saved $58 in subscription fees
- Added 3 custom features Linktree doesn’t offer
- Enjoyed 100% uptime (unlike my self-hosted version)
- Received compliments on my link page design
- Maintained complete ownership of my data
- Enjoyed the satisfaction of building something myself
The click-through rate on my links? Identical to what I was getting on Linktree. My audience hasn’t noticed any difference, except a few people asked how I created such a nice custom page.
Taking Action: Your Next Steps
If you’re ready to save $300+ per year with less than an hour of work:
- Cancel auto-renewal on your Linktree (don’t cancel immediately; keep it running until your alternative is ready)
- Follow the implementation steps above
- Test thoroughly before switching your social media bio links
- Make the switch and enjoy your savings!
Remember: the beauty of this approach is that you can start small. Build the basic version first, then add features as you need them.
The Bigger Picture: Beyond Linktree
This DIY approach works for more than just Linktree. Think about other simple services you’re paying for monthly:
- Landing pages
- Email capture forms
- Simple membership sites
- Basic e-commerce pages
With AI coding tools, many of these are now within reach for the average technically-inclined person to build themselves.
The real question becomes not “Can I build this?” but “Is it worth my time to build this?” When the savings reach into hundreds of dollars per year, the answer is often yes.
The sweet spot I’ve found is building simple jamstack applications deployed to reliable platforms. You get the best of both worlds – ownership without maintenance headaches. After my NAS adventures with LinkStack, I’m never going back to self-hosting something that needs to be reliable.
Who knew that a simple link page could be the gateway to significant savings, data ownership, and a new way of thinking about digital services?
P.S. If you build your own Linktree alternative using this guide, I’d love to see it! Drop me a message with your creation – I’m always inspired by seeing how others customize and improve on these concepts. And if you get stuck anywhere in the process, remember that AI assistants are remarkably good at helping troubleshoot specific coding issues!
