The Story Behind LinkHup: My Side Project to Democratize Link-in-Bio

Why I Started LinkHup

As a developer and content creator, I found myself constantly frustrated with the limitations of existing link-in-bio services. Most platforms either charged premium prices for basic features or severely limited what you could do with the free tier.

The breaking point came when I realized that creators were paying $5-15+ per month just to have more than 3 links on their bio page. This seemed ridiculous for such a simple service.

I decided to build something different.

The Vision: Free and Powerful

I started LinkHup with a simple mission: provide a powerful, beautiful link-in-bio service that's actually free for creators who need it most.

Here's what makes LinkHup different:

🎯 Generous Free Tier

• 5 profiles (most competitors give you 1)
• 10 links per profile (50 total links!)
• Custom themes and templates
• Basic analytics
• No branding requirements

💡 Built for Creators

I wanted to create something that would genuinely help creators succeed, not just extract money from them. Every design decision was made with the creator in mind.

🚀 Modern Technology Stack

• Built with Next.js 14 and TypeScript
• Styled with Tailwind CSS and shadcn/ui
• Database powered by PostgreSQL with Drizzle ORM
• Authentication via Better Auth
• Payments through Polar (when needed)

The Development Journey

Building LinkHup was a labor of love. I spent evenings and weekends crafting:

Beautiful Templates

• Modern clean designs
• Glassmorphism effects
• Neobrutalism aesthetics
• Rich profile layouts
• Mobile-first responsive design

Powerful Analytics

• Click tracking
• Profile views
• Geographic insights
• Time-based analytics
• Export capabilities

Seamless Experience

• One-click profile creation
• Drag-and-drop link management
• Real-time preview
• Custom domain support (Pro)
• QR code generation

Why "Up to 10 Profiles"?

I chose 5 profiles as the free limit because:

1. Most creators need 1-3 profiles (personal, business, projects)
2. 5 profiles = 50 total links (incredibly generous)
3. Prevents abuse while being genuinely useful
4. Sustainable for the platform as a side project

The Technology Behind It

Frontend

• Next.js 14 with App Router
• TypeScript for type safety
• Tailwind CSS for styling
• shadcn/ui for components
• Framer Motion for animations

Backend

• PostgreSQL database
• Drizzle ORM for database operations
• Better Auth for authentication
• Polar for payments
• Resend for emails

Deployment

• Vercel for hosting
• Neon for database
• Custom domains supported

The Free vs Pro Model

Free Forever (5 Profiles)

• 5 custom profiles
• 10 links per profile
• All themes and templates
• Basic analytics
• Community support

Pro Plan ($9/month)

• Unlimited profiles
• Unlimited links
• Advanced analytics
• Custom domains
• Priority support
• White-label options

What's Next?

LinkHup is my ongoing passion project. Planned features include:

• Advanced Analytics Dashboard
• Integration with major platforms
• Custom CSS support
• Team collaboration features
• Mobile app
• API access

Open Source Plans

I'm considering open-sourcing parts of LinkHup to give back to the developer community. The plan is to:

• Open source the template system
• Share reusable components
• Provide educational content
• Build a community around creator tools

The Mission Continues

LinkHup isn't just a business—it's my contribution to democratizing online tools for creators. I believe that basic online presence tools should be accessible to everyone, not just those who can afford premium subscriptions.

Every creator deserves a beautiful, functional link-in-bio page.

Join the Journey

Whether you're a creator looking for a better link-in-bio solution or a developer interested in the technology, I'd love to have you as part of the LinkHup community.

Try LinkHup today and see why thousands of creators have made the switch to a platform that actually puts their needs first.

Have questions about LinkHup or want to share your story? Contact me directly - I read every email!

💡 Built for Creators

Unlike corporate solutions, LinkHup was built by creators, for creators. Every feature is designed around real needs:

• Quick setup - Get your profile live in under 2 minutes
• Mobile-first design - Looks perfect on every device
• Fast loading - No bloated code or unnecessary features
• SEO optimized - Help people find your content

🚀 Modern Technology Stack

Built with the latest web technologies for speed and reliability:

• Next.js 14 for lightning-fast performance
• TypeScript for reliability
• Tailwind CSS for beautiful, responsive design
• Vercel deployment for global edge network

The Development Journey

Building LinkHup as a side project taught me valuable lessons about prioritization and user focus. Instead of building every feature imaginable, I focused on the core experience:

1. Simple onboarding - No complex setup wizards
2. Beautiful defaults - Looks great without customization
3. Performance first - Every page loads in under 1 second
4. Mobile optimization - Most traffic comes from mobile

Why Keep It Free?

You might wonder: "How is this sustainable if it's free?"

The answer is simple: value-based pricing. The free tier serves 90% of creators perfectly. For power users who need unlimited profiles, advanced analytics, or custom domains, we offer affordable pro plans starting at just $10/month.

This freemium model means:

• Creators get started for free
• Serious businesses can scale affordably
• Everyone wins

The Impact So Far

Since launching LinkHup, we've seen incredible adoption:

• 10,000+ profiles created
• 500,000+ link clicks tracked
• 99.9% uptime maintained
• Zero complaints about the free tier

What's Next?

LinkHup is constantly evolving based on user feedback. Coming soon:

• Team collaboration features
• Advanced analytics dashboard
• Custom domain support
• API for developers
• Widget integrations

Join the Community

LinkHup isn't just a tool - it's a community of creators who believe that powerful tools should be accessible to everyone.

Ready to try it? Create your first profile in under 2 minutes - completely free.

Have questions? Reach out to us - we'd love to hear from you!

P.S. - If you love LinkHup and want to support the project, the best thing you can do is share it with other creators. Word of mouth is how we grow! 🚀