Best Shorby Alternatives in 2026

Shorby (now branded Shor. at shor.by) is a link in bio tool built for businesses that sell through chat. Its "Smart Pages" put messenger buttons next to your links, and every plan is priced by tracked clicks, with branded short links and retargeting pixels for ad platforms. Plans start at $9 a month, and its published pricing table lists no free plan.

That model suits a business running ads into WhatsApp or Messenger. It is more than most creators need, and the click caps can feel tight if a post takes off. The best Shorby alternatives in 2026 are Taplink and ContactInBio if you still want messenger buttons, hoo.be if you are a creator who earns from tips, products and affiliate links, Linktree for a familiar all-rounder, Lnk.Bio for the lowest price, and Beacons if you want automated DMs.

Below, we compare each one using its own pricing page as of October 2026, and show you how to add a WhatsApp chat button to any link in bio page in two minutes.

What is Shorby and how much does it cost?

Shorby is operated by Dream Prints Inc. In July 2019 it was number two on Product Hunt's Product of the Day. Its pitch is simple: put links, messenger buttons, a dynamic content feed and a countdown on one page, then track every click and retarget the people who tapped. Its pricing page says you only pay for real clicks, not bots.

Here are the four plans Shorby publishes. Prices are per month.

Every plan includes unlimited links per page, click insights, a built-in affiliate link, Google Analytics and team members. Extra clicks on Pro cost $9 per 30,000. Source: Shorby pricing, published on shorby.com, checked October 2026.

Why look for a Shorby alternative?

There is no free plan

Shorby's terms say it may offer a free trial at its discretion, but its pricing table starts at $9 a month. Several alternatives cover the same messenger buttons for free.

Click caps can bite

The Start plan tracks 3,000 clicks a month. A single post that does well can pass that in a day. Rocket raises the cap to 10,000, and Pro to 30,000. Most link in bio tools do not limit clicks at all.

The product looks quiet

Shorby's pricing still marks custom domains as "Soon", its terms were last updated in August 2021, and its FAQ page returned a not-found error when we checked in October 2026. None of that stops the tool working, but if you want new features over time, it is worth weighing.

You are a creator, not an ad-driven business

Branded short links and multi-platform retargeting are built for paid campaigns. If your traffic comes from your own posts, you probably want tips, products, embeds and email capture instead.

What are the best Shorby alternatives in 2026?

1. Taplink: the closest like-for-like swap

Taplink's free Basic plan includes unlimited links, messaging app links, email, SMS, click-to-call and save-contact buttons, and page view stats. Pro costs $4 a month on a 12-month plan and adds images, video, click analytics, social media pixels and SEO settings. Business costs $8 a month on a 12-month plan and adds branding removal, a custom domain, lead forms, a built-in CRM, webhooks and payments with a 0% Taplink transaction fee. Billing starts at three months, with 30% off for six months and 50% off for twelve.

Choose it if customers order or book with you in chat apps and you want pixels and a CRM in the same tool.

2. ContactInBio: messenger smart links with a lifetime option

ContactInBio's messenger "smart links" open WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, Skype or Viber with your number already filled in. The free Starter plan includes a WhatsApp button, contact form, link click tracking and visitor analytics. Business lists at $7 a month, $4 a month billed yearly, or a $91 one-time lifetime price, which the site was showing at a discount when we checked. Business adds a Facebook pixel, email sign-ups, Mailchimp and branding removal. See our ContactInBio alternatives for more options in this style.

3. hoo.be: for creators who earn from their page

hoo.be builds your page at hoo.be/yourname from blocks: Links, Carousels, Products with a price and shop button, Tips, Events with ticket links, Contact collection and Forms with text, email, phone, select, yes/no and address fields. Contacts and form responses export to CSV.

For tracking, hoo.be supports a Facebook Pixel, TikTok Pixel and Google Analytics ID, plus an Amazon affiliate tag field. Tips run through Stripe, with a hoo.be fee of 9% on Free, 5% on Pro and 0% on Premium. Pro adds referrer, device, country and city analytics, a scheduled redirect link and branding removal. Plans are at hoo.be/pricing.

Choose it if your traffic comes from your own content and you earn through affiliate picks, tips, products or events.

4. Linktree: the familiar all-rounder

Linktree's free plan includes unlimited basic links and email and phone sign-ups. Starter is $6 a month billed yearly ($8 monthly) and adds basic analytics. Pro is $12 a month billed yearly and removes branding, adds custom designs and mailing list integrations, and charges 0% Linktree fees on sales. Premium, at $30 a month billed yearly, adds Instagram auto-replies, link routing and data export. Our Linktree alternatives guide covers where it falls short.

5. Lnk.Bio: the lowest price

Lnk.Bio's free plan includes unlimited links and special links for email, phone, SMS and iMessage. Mini costs $0.99 a month or $9.99 once and adds click-through rates, demographics, two years of history and Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and Google pixels. Unique costs $24.99 once and removes branding.

6. Beacons: if you want automated DMs

Beacons' free plan includes "Smart Reply" auto-DMs, a customizable link in bio, media kits and five email automations, and you can sell with a 9% seller fee. Creator Plus costs $30 a month and drops seller fees to 0%. It suits creators who want conversations to start in Instagram DMs rather than WhatsApp.

How do the prices compare?

Here is the cheapest paid plan on each tool, per month.

Cheapest paid plan, per month

Shorby Start$9

Linktree Starter$6

Taplink Pro$4

ContactInBio Business$4

Lnk.Bio Mini$0.99

Price is only part of it. This table shows the features that matter most if you are coming from Shorby.

From each company's website in October 2026. "None listed" means the pricing page shows no monthly click cap.

Do you need a special tool for WhatsApp links?

No. WhatsApp's click-to-chat feature lets anyone start a chat with you from a link, without saving your number first. The format is https://wa.me/ followed by your full number in international format, with no plus sign, zeros, brackets or dashes. You can also add a pre-filled message, so the visitor only has to tap send.

That means any link in bio tool with a normal link button can do what a messenger button does. Here is how to set it up.

1. Write your number in international format. Country code first, then the number, digits only. A US number becomes 1 followed by ten digits.
2. Build the link. Add it to https://wa.me/ to get your chat link.
3. Add a pre-filled message. Append ?text= and a URL-encoded message, such as "Hi, I'd like to book" with spaces written as %20.
4. Add it as a link on your page. Give it a clear label like "Message us on WhatsApp" and move it near the top.
5. Test it on your phone. Tap the button from inside Instagram and TikTok to make sure WhatsApp opens with the message ready.

Which Shorby alternative should you choose?

• You run ads into chat and need pixels plus a CRM: Taplink Business.
• You want messenger smart links and like paying once: ContactInBio's lifetime plan.
• You are a creator who earns from tips, products and affiliate links: hoo.be.
• You want the best-known name: Linktree.
• You want the cheapest paid plan: Lnk.Bio.
• You want conversations to start in Instagram DMs: Beacons.

Not sure what your page should include? Our guide to what to add to your link in bio covers the essentials, and the link in bio features guide explains which features matter.

How do you switch from Shorby without losing traffic?

Do the move in one sitting, before your next Shorby billing date, so no visitor lands on an outdated page.

• Export what you can. Note your top links, messenger numbers and click numbers for the last 30 days.
• Rebuild your page. Put your chat button and current offer first, then your best links.
• Re-add your pixels. Recreate your Meta, TikTok or Google tracking so your ad audiences keep building.
• Replace short links. Search old posts, ads and printed QR codes for shor.by links and update the ones that still get traffic.
• Update every bio on the same day, then cancel Shorby before the next billing date.

Frequently asked questions