--- title: "Mercader vs Beacons (2026): pricing, fees and when to choose each" description: "We compare Mercader and Beacons with verified prices: link in bio, digital store, email and commissions. See when Beacons is the better fit." url: https://www.mercader.app/en/comparativas/beacons language: en last_checked: 2026-10-28 competitor: "Beacons" source: https://beacons.ai/i/pricing --- # Mercader vs Beacons: artisan storefront or creator platform > Beacons is an all-in-one creator platform: link in bio, website, digital product store, email and media kit. Mercader is narrower: a storefront for artisans and small shops, with a catalog, events and contact, but no checkout. [Create my free storefront](https://app.mercader.app/auth?mode=signup) **The short version:** Beacons wins if you sell digital products, build an email list or chase brand deals. Mercader wins if you sell physical pieces at markets and through messages and do not want to manage a checkout or pay commission. ## Verified prices Beacons bills in US dollars and adds a seller fee on its lower plans. Mercader bills in your local currency and does not process payments. | Plan or concept | Price | How it is billed | | --- | --- | --- | | Mercader · 14-day trial | $0.00 | No card required | | Mercader · Basic | $6.00/month | Monthly, no lock-in | | Mercader · Pro | $24.00/month | Monthly, no lock-in | | Mercader · Commission on direct sales | 0% | We do not process payments | | Beacons · Free | $0/month | Free. Link in bio and store with a 9% seller fee. | | Beacons · Creator | $8.33/month | $100 per year; $10/month if billed monthly. Custom domain, 300 daily AI credits and a 9% seller fee. | | Beacons · Creator Plus | $25/month | $300 per year; $30/month if billed monthly. 0% seller fee, unlimited email and courses. | | Beacons · Creator Max | $83.30/month | $1,000 per year; $100/month if billed monthly. White-glove onboarding, priority support and an NFC card. | USD prices checked on beacons.ai. Mercader does not match its email, course or checkout features; this compares the cost of having a public page, not identical toolkits. Verified on 2026-10-28. Source: [https://beacons.ai/i/pricing](https://beacons.ai/i/pricing). Mercader does not process payments or charge commission on direct sales; Beacons does charge a seller fee for selling inside its store on the lower plans. ## What each one does | Feature | Mercader | Beacons | | --- | --- | --- | | Link in bio | Yes: one link with catalog, events and contact. | Yes, with templates and blocks. | | Standalone website | No: the storefront is the page. | Yes: up to fifteen websites depending on the plan. | | Store with checkout | No: it does not process payments. | Yes: digital products with integrated payment. | | Seller fee | 0% on direct sales. | 9% on Free and Creator; 0% from Creator Plus. | | Email marketing | No: enquiries arrive as messages, not as a mailing list. | Yes: 50 sends per month on Free and unlimited on Plus. | | Media kit and brand deals | No. | Yes: media kit and collaboration tools. | | Events | Yes: a calendar of markets and events. | Music event embeds; not an artisan market calendar. | | Contact | Enquiry form on the storefront. | Form and email; the buyer pays inside Beacons. | ## When to choose Beacons Beacons is the better option if your business looks like this: - You sell courses, downloads, memberships or tickets and need checkout. - You want to collect emails and run campaigns without another tool. - You are looking for brand collaborations and a media kit that updates itself. - Your audience is digital-first and a higher fee is worth having everything in one place. ## When to choose Mercader Mercader fits when the business is more counter than funnel: - You sell physical products and close payment on WhatsApp, Instagram or at the market. - You need to show your next market, not a concert calendar. - You do not want a commission eating into the margin of every piece. - You prefer a simple page you can maintain from your phone. ## Use case An illustrator selling prints at markets and taking commissions on Instagram. Beacons lets her sell downloads and collect emails; if her main business is physical prints and commissions, Mercader removes the checkout and the fee and keeps the catalog and next market front and centre. ### A real example: Mirasol Mirasol publishes 19 jewellery and bag pieces with prices on a public storefront. There is no cart: interested buyers start a conversation. That is the model Mercader covers and Beacons handles with its store and its seller fee. [See the storefront](https://mirasol.mercader.app) ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Beacons cheaper than Mercader? It depends on the plan and the fee. Beacons has a free plan with a 9% seller fee; Mercader has a monthly fee and 0% commission. At low volume, work out the total cost before deciding. ### What can I sell on Beacons? Beacons documents digital products (downloads, courses, memberships and tickets) with integrated payment, and it is built around creators and digital goods. If what you need is a catalog people can browse and enquire about, Mercader is more direct. ### Does Mercader include email marketing? No. Contacts arrive as enquiries to the business, not as a list for campaigns. If you need a newsletter, Beacons includes one. ### Does Mercader process payments? No. There is no checkout or card payment inside Mercader. Payment is arranged directly with the customer. ### Can I move from Beacons to Mercader? There is no automatic import. You can recreate the catalog in Mercader and keep both links during the transition; the URLs do not transfer. ## Keep reading - [cost-of-selling-online-as-an-artisan](https://www.mercader.app/en/blog/cost-of-selling-online-as-an-artisan.md) - [high-converting-link-in-bio](https://www.mercader.app/en/blog/high-converting-link-in-bio.md) ## Other comparisons - [Mercader vs Linktree](https://www.mercader.app/en/comparativas/linktree.md) - [Mercader vs Shopify](https://www.mercader.app/en/comparativas/shopify.md) - [Mercader vs Etsy](https://www.mercader.app/en/comparativas/etsy.md)