Beacons and Stan Store are creator storefronts: a link in bio page where you sell digital products, courses and bookings. They are popular with TikTok creators who need something to put in their bio link. This comparison covers plans, fees, payouts, TikTok relevance, ratings and the complaints that recur.
How we reviewed it: this comparison draws on each company’s own pricing and help-center pages, app store listings and public review sites, checked on October 14, 2026. We are not affiliated with either. Stan Store’s pricing page returned an error, so its prices come from its help center. Confirm current prices on each site.
Key Takeaways
- Beacons has a free plan. Free is $0 with a 9% seller fee. Creator is $10 per month, Creator Plus is $30 with 0% seller fee.
- Stan Store has no free plan. Creator is $29 per month ($300 yearly) and Creator Pro is $99 ($948 yearly), with a 14-day trial and 0% Stan fee.
- Processing fees still apply. Stan Store passes Stripe fees (2.9% plus $0.30 in the US) and a small payout fee.
- Ratings differ a lot. Stan Store is about 4.7 on Trustpilot from 2,193 reviews, while Beacons is about 2.0 from 42.
- Neither integrates natively with TikTok. You paste the link into your TikTok bio, which needs 1,000 followers or a business account.
Table of Contents
Beacons vs Stan Store at a Glance
| Best for | Creators who want to sell digital products from a link in bio |
| Beacons plans | Free $0; Creator $10 per month; Creator Plus $30; Creator Max $100 |
| Beacons seller fee | 9% on Free and Creator; 0% on Creator Plus and Max |
| Stan Store plans | Creator $29 per month ($300 yearly); Creator Pro $99 ($948 yearly) |
| Stan Store transaction fee | 0% from Stan; Stripe fees apply (2.9% plus $0.30 in the US) |
| Free trial | Stan Store 14 days; Beacons none mentioned |
| Company | Beacons AI Inc., San Francisco; Stan from FindCommunity, Inc. (app listing) |
| Ratings | Beacons Trustpilot 2.0 (42 reviews); Stan Store Trustpilot 4.7 (2,193 reviews) |
What Is Beacons vs Stan Store?
Beacons is a creator platform with a link in bio page, store, email tools, a media kit and an AI assistant. It has a web app and iPhone and Android apps.
Stan Store is a link in bio storefront aimed at selling digital products, courses, coaching calls and memberships. It has an iPhone app and no Android app, according to its help center.
Key Features
Link in bio and pages
Both give you a mobile-friendly page for your bio link. Beacons offers unlimited sub-pages and a custom domain on Creator.
Selling
Both sell digital products, courses and bookings. Beacons adds memberships and buy-now-pay-later on Creator Plus. Stan Store adds payment plans, order bumps and funnels on Creator Pro.
Beacons has email tools on all plans with monthly send limits. Stan Store email flows are Pro only.
AI
Beacons has an AI assistant with daily limits on Free. Stan Store has an assistant called Stanley and a beta AI Twin product.
Instagram DM automation
Both mention Instagram auto-DM tools, which are Instagram-only.
Pixels
Beacons lists Facebook, TikTok and Pinterest pixels under advanced marketing, and Stan Store lists a TikTok pixel on Creator Pro.
Which One Fits TikTok Creators?
Both are tools for the link in your TikTok bio. TikTok allows a clickable link in your bio with 1,000+ followers or a business account, and neither tool has a native TikTok integration. Read how to add a link to your TikTok bio first.
- Starting out: Beacons Free lets you try a link in bio without a monthly fee, but expect a 9% seller fee.
- Selling seriously: Stan Store is built for selling and has a much higher rating, but costs $29 per month from the start.
- Just need links: see Linktree alternatives.
- Make money: see how to make money on TikTok and how to sell on TikTok.
Beacons vs Stan Store Pricing and Fees
Figure 1. Beacons and Stan Store plans from official pages and help centers, USD, October 2026.
| Platform | Plans | Fees and payouts |
|---|---|---|
| Beacons | Free $0; Creator $10 per month or $100 yearly; Creator Plus $30 or $300 yearly; Creator Max $100 per month (its annual figure is inconsistent on the page) | Seller fee 9% on Free and Creator, 0% on Plus and Max. Card fees are deducted by the processor. Stripe and PayPal only. Subscription fees non-refundable |
| Stan Store | Creator $29 per month or $300 yearly; Creator Pro $99 per month or $948 yearly; no free plan; 14-day trial | 0% Stan fee. Stripe 2.9% plus $0.30 in the US, plus extras for international cards and recurring payments. Payout fee 0.25% plus $0.25. Cash-out minimum $10. Refunds absorb the Stripe fee |
Apple App Store prices for Stan Store show $29.99 and $99.99. Stan Store requires a Stripe Custom account created through its platform, and Stan may restrict access to funds if it terminates your account. Beacons may suspend or terminate accounts for any or no reason, and its terms say processors deduct fees before payouts. Neither lets you pause a subscription easily.
Best For and Not Ideal For
Best for
- Creators who sell digital products and courses
- Anyone who needs a link in bio with a store
- Creators who want an AI assistant and email tools
- Beacons: those who want to start free
Not ideal for
- People who only need a few links
- Sellers of physical products
- Anyone who wants Android app access to Stan Store
- Buyers who dislike non-refundable subscriptions
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Sell digital products from a bio link
- Beacons has a free plan
- Stan Store has strong ratings and a trial
- 0% Stan transaction fee on both Stan plans
- Email, courses and bookings in one place
- Bio-link setup guides
Cons
- Stan Store has no free plan
- Beacons charges 9% on lower plans
- Processing and payout fees apply
- Reviews of Beacons are poor on Trustpilot
- Neither has a native TikTok integration
- Payout holds and account termination risk
Ratings and User Reviews
Figure 2. Stan Store is rated far higher than Beacons on Trustpilot.
Beacons has a small Trustpilot sample with 76% one-star reviews, and the company has not invited reviews, so the sample is skewed. Stan Store has 90% five-star reviews from over two thousand reviewers. Treat the gap as a real signal but check recent reviews yourself.
What Users Complain About: Negative Reviews Summary
Recurring complaints from Trustpilot:
- Support (Beacons). Slow or generic replies and unanswered emails.
- Domains (Beacons). Domains bought through the platform are hard to transfer.
- Cancelling (Beacons). Downgrading and cancelling reported as hard.
- Payouts. Slow payouts on both, with Stan funds in an “Available Soon” state for weeks.
- Features changing. Advertised features becoming paid.
- Bugs (Stan). Course builder drafts disappearing.
- Account actions. One reviewer reports account deactivation with funds held.
How to protect yourself: start on the free plan or trial, confirm payout timing with a small sale, keep copies of your product files and customer lists, and avoid buying a domain through the platform.
Beacons vs Stan Store vs Alternatives
| Tool | Best known for |
|---|---|
| Beacons | Link in bio with store, email and AI tools |
| Stan Store | Storefront for digital products, courses and coaching |
| Linktree | Simple link in bio |
| Gumroad | Digital product marketplace |
For a simpler link page, see our Linktree alternatives guide. For more TikTok tools, see our TikTok guide.
Our Verdict
Choose Stan Store if you are serious about selling and Beacons if you want to start free. Stan Store has the better ratings and a 0% Stan fee, but it costs more upfront. Beacons is cheaper to try, but its reviews are weaker and its seller fee is higher on lower plans.
Run a small test sale on whichever you pick and check the payout timing before moving your audience.
Sources and methodology
- Beacons pricing (official)
- Beacons terms
- Stan Store plans (help center)
- Stan Store transaction fees
- Stan Store cash-out help
- Trustpilot Beacons
- Trustpilot Stan Store
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Beacons free?
Yes. Beacons has a free plan with a 9% seller fee. Paid plans start at $10 per month.
How much does Stan Store cost?
Creator is $29 per month or $300 yearly, and Creator Pro is $99 per month or $948 yearly, with a 14-day trial.
Does Stan Store take a cut of sales?
Stan takes 0%, but Stripe or PayPal processing fees and a small payout fee apply.
Do they work with TikTok?
Both are used as the link in your TikTok bio. Neither has a native TikTok integration, and TikTok requires 1,000 followers or a business account for a clickable link.
Which has better reviews?
Stan Store, with about 4.7 on Trustpilot compared with about 2.0 for Beacons.
Can I sell physical products?
Stan Store does not natively support physical products. Beacons focuses on digital products too.
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