.webp)
Features
Why Sked?
Sked Social is a third party app and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any social network platforms.
See our Terms & Privacy Policy.
See our Terms & Privacy Policy.
Download
follow us
© 2024 Sked Social. All rights reserved.
This post compares 7 of the best link in bio tools for Instagram. Check it out to pick the best app for you.
Are you wondering how to add a link to your Instagram bio? Looking for a tool or app that will make it possible?
We have a bone to pick with Instagram - its linking options are a garbage fire.
You know by now that you can’t include functional links in Instagram captions. On top of this, you can only include “swipe up” links on your Instagram stories if you have a verified account or over 10k followers.
That’s right - Instagram makes it notoriously difficult to drive traffic away from your own profile. That leaves many of us with only one precious spot to actually include a working link: our Instagram bios.
But the hassle doesn’t stop there: Instagram only allows one clickable link within your bio.
In Instagram’s defense, Business profiles do allow you to add buttons for calls, emails, directions to your business and bookings, but, otherwise, one link is all you get.
This presents a challenge for businesses who want to direct their followers to many different places. Most brands end up including a link to their homepage and then calling it a day.
But homepages are broad. They’re generally an overview of everything a business offers. And if a reader does not find what they were looking for quickly, they’re likely to lose interest. Instead, it’s likely you want to direct followers to specific content. This could be things like:
- A blog post
- Your email opt-in
- A podcast episode
- Individual products or services
- Free downloadable content
Here’s the real question. With space for only one link, how can you offer many different destinations based on people’s interests?
This is where the link in bio tools for Instagram come into play.
What are link in bio tools?
These tools offer an easy solution to Instagram’s link in bio restrictions.
There’s some variance in how these different tools work, but here’s the gist of it:
- You create an account with your chosen tool
- Through your account dashboard, you set up the different destinations you want to offer to Instagram followers (i.e. your blog, your newsletter signup, your shop or more)
- Most tools will also provide the option to customise your text, colours, etc.
- Save those options and the tool will give you a single unique link
- Paste that link in your Instagram bio. When followers click it, they’re sent to a landing page. This page has buttons linking to your chosen destinations
It’s an easy way to present your followers with many different options, while still only clicking one link in your bio.
Think of it like your very own Instagram website.
Making the most of the link in your Instagram bio
Links will help you create and grow your business, but with only one link in your bio, you are limiting the amount of content you can share and promote. New blog post? Featured product? Flash sale? Three choices but only one link. By choosing one to promote through your Instagram you are minimising the effectiveness of the other promotions. If you choose to regularly swap your links out, then you are massively cutting into the time given to each link, not to mention the fuss and bother resulting from the revolving door of links.
By using a link in bio tool, you won’t have to choose or swap and change. You can get the most out of all of your content and easily update your links.
Your choices are plentiful when it comes to which tool you choose, with both free and paid options on the market.
Link in bio tools for Instagram compared
So which link in bio tool is best for you? We’ve compared some of the most popular link in bio tools, so you can decide for yourself.
Linktree
Linktree is the most well-known and basic of the link in bio tools. Your free plan comes with unlimited links and some basic colour customisation on the free plan; a paid plan adds a few more features.
Instead of changing your links all the time, Linktree gives you the option to reorder and disable links.
Cost: The basic plan is free, but if you're a serious poster you'll want to upgrade to a paid plan, starting at $6 per month.
Sked Link
This tool is part of your Sked Social plan. We may be biased but this link tool is pretty great. It allows you to add buttons that link to anywhere online and use a gallery of your Instagram posts to direct users to the right page.
Sked Link is incredibly intuitive and user-friendly. You have the option to:
- Customise your landing page’s introductory text
- Modify your button text and font
- Choose from a range of colours
- Set up redirects to point your Sked Link to a particular URL if you need
- Use custom CSS for extra configurability
Each of these elements means your link in bio page can reflect your branding and you can easily swap out and reorder buttons.
Sked Link also has a handy feature that allows you to add your Facebook Pixel and Google Analytics ID, meaning you can accurately monitor the traffic being directed from Instagram.
Want to reflect your Instagram feed? Sked Link allows you to add your Instagram feed as an option within your customised link. Meaning users can click on a photo that will direct them to the desired link. Try it for free for 7 days.
Cost: Sked Link comes with any Sked Social plan (starting at $25 USD per month), and includes unlimited bulk scheduling for your Instagram (and all your other social accounts), as well as data to show you the best time to post, weekly reports, a content library, and UGC reposting tool.
Spend less and get more with Sked Social
Get everything social schedulers are missing without writing a blank check for an enterprise platform. AI-integrated tools, custom collaboration and approval workflows, deep analytics and insights, and real auto-posting to more platforms — it’s all here.
Get Started for FREEMilkshake
Probably the most customisable of all the link in bio tools and with a unique design, Milkshake lets you make a free Instagram website on your phone in minutes. This app is the newest venture by Cyan Ta’eed, co-founder of one of Australia’s biggest startup success stories, Envato.
Milkshake uses cards that act as the website pages that build your site. With a similar feel to Instagram, you can swipe through these cards just like you would an Instagram story. Each card can be customised to suit your brand look and feel and can be personalised with text, images, GIFs, videos, blog posts, podcast episodes, contact details and links.
Cost: Free
Linkin.bio
Instead of having blocks or pages with links, Linkin.bio, similarly to the customisable option within Sked Link, lets you turn your Instagram feed into one big, clickable, mobile-optimised landing page.
Less of a customisable website and more of a direct reflection of your Instagram feed. This tool can be linked to Shopify stores, so you’ll be able to identify how much revenue each Instagram post is generating through the link in your bio.
Unlike the other options discussed, this tool only uses one link and then you’ll have to add links to your posts.
Cost: free plan available, paid plans start at $7.50 per month.
Lnk.bio
At the free level, Lnk.bio offers the same functionality as all the other free tools. It’s easy to use, and you can add unlimited links to your landing page. Plus, Lnk.bio has a very sleek and appealing design.
Similar to Linktree, you login through Instagram and you can rearrange and disable links at any time.
However, much like Linktree, many of the best features hide behind the tool’s various paid tiers.
Paid features include things like custom URLs and analytics.
And you need to get all the way up to the “Pro—Whitelabel” plan before you can remove the Lnk.bio branding. This requires a $24.99 payment.
Cost: free plan available, paid plans start at $0.99 per month.
Shorby
Shorby is a platform that has a few tools, the main one being SmartPages, which allows you to create a custom page filled with links to your content.
While it is a paid platform, it does let you use your own branding, links to messenger services, has customisable content blocks - including being able to add pop animations, GIFs and videos - and will link to your other social accounts.
Cost: plans range from $9-$99.
Link in Profile
Ever wished you could send your followers to a link from a specific Instagram photo? Link in Profile meets that need.
This tool is a little different than the others. Rather than setting up a landing page using your own links and text, Link in Profile pulls content from your own Instagram grid.
You can then add a link to that specific photo that will take users to that linked content.
Let’s say you just posted a photo of one of your new products to your Instagram account. Link in Profile pulls that image in and allows you to add a link directly to the page to buy that product.
In your photo caption, you can instruct followers to visit the link in your bio to purchase. When they click your custom link, they’ll see your Instagram photos and then click the one they’re interested in. Then they’re taken directly to the linked content.
You’ll either need to link your photos through the Link in Profile dashboard or you can paste a link in the caption of your posts.
Cost: $9.99 per month
Best Practices for Your Instagram Bio Links
Using one of the above link in bio tools is a great way to maximise the one link you’re allowed in your Instagram bio. However, there are a few other best practices that you should be aware of.
For starters, just because most tools offer the option to use unlimited links doesn’t mean you should. As with anything, way too many calls to action will confuse your followers. This will ultimately make them leave without doing anything.
We recommend sticking with five or fewer links on your landing page. This way you aren’t presenting your followers with an overwhelming amount of options.
You also want to know how successful your links are. So it’s smart to use tracking links to see which ones are generating the most traffic for you.
Finally, you’ll have limited text real estate on each of your link buttons. Make it straightforward and catchy enough to inspire action. This way users will actually know what they’re clicking on.
For example, saying something like “Free Marketing Tips” is a lot more impactful than just having a button that says “Blog.”
Use Your Instagram Bio Link to Your Advantage
The fact that Instagram makes it challenging to link away from your profile is a major point of frustration for many of us.
Fortunately, there are many tools available that can help you work around those limitations.
Send your followers where you really want them to go with link in bio tools for Instagram.
Give one of the above link in bio tools a try (and remember to implement these best practices too) and you’ll be well on your way to making the most of your Instagram bio—even if it is only one link.