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Linq review (2026): is the free plan enough?

NFC business cards and a pocket CRM with a second phone line

Free plan · from $29/moBusiness CardsChecked Oct 23, 2026 · graded Oct 24, 2026 by ToolGPA
Visit buy.linqapp.comFree guide
Linq, as pictured on buy.linqapp.com
How Linq presents itself. Image from buy.linqapp.com.

Linq report card

2.0GPA

Fair · out of 4.0 · graded Oct 24, 2026

Best for an NFC card with a second work phone line

Linq pairs NFC cards with an app that collects contacts and adds a second phone number with call transcripts. Every card needs Linq One at $29 a user a month just to switch on, the free app shows only your last 5 contacts, and Linq's main site now says it's no longer a business card company.

Who Linq is for

  • Fits if you want a separate work number with call notes in the same app as your card
  • Works for teams buying many cards or badges at once, with 15% to 60% off bulk orders

Who Linq is not for

  • Pricey if you just want a card, because every Linq product needs Linq One at $29 a user a month to activate
  • Tight if you're staying free: the app shows only your 5 most recent contacts and can't switch on a card
  • Not for you if you want a native CRM link, as Linq connects through Zapier or webhooks only
  • Watch out: Linq's main site now sells an iMessage API and says it's no longer a digital business card company
  • Watch out: the App Store still sells older Linq Pro plans the help pages no longer describe, and the trial length isn't stated
See the alternatives

Why Linq gets a 2.0

Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.

  • DValue for moneyLinq One is $29 a user a month, or $249 a year (about $20.75 a month), in this category's dearest tenth, where the middle is $5. A card bought on top, $14.99 to $59.99, won't work without it.
  • CFree plan and trialThe app is free, but a free account shows only your 5 most recent contacts and can't activate a Linq card or any other NFC product. You hit that cap on day one.
  • CFeaturesContact pages, NFC cards and badges, lead forms, a card scanner, enrichment, a second phone number with call transcription and AI summaries, and a team dashboard. The listing's gap: no native CRM, only Zapier or webhooks.
  • CEase of useNo store rating on record. Before a card works you buy it, subscribe to Linq One and activate it in the app, and the trial length isn't stated.
  • BPlatforms and integrationsWeb, iPhone and Android, with Zapier, webhooks, Calendly, Acuity Scheduling and Apple Wallet. No desktop app and no native CRM integration.

What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Linq's own pages on 23 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.

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Linq: 2.0 GPA on ToolGPA

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Where Linq stands among digital business cards

Linq's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 0 of the 10 other digital business cards we grade, and level with 1.

It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 1 of 10) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).

Its paid plans start at $29 a month for each person, against a middle price of $5 for the category: 8 of the 8 others that charge start lower.

On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 6 tools score higher and cost less.

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 11 digital business cards we grade, cut by the letter each got. Linq’s own letter is outlined.

  • DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 10
  • CFree plan and trialAbove 2 of 10, level with 1
  • CFeaturesAbove 0 of 10, level with 6
  • CEase of useAbove 0 of 10, level with 3
  • BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 1 of 10, level with 9

Price against what you get

Each dot is one of 9 digital business cards. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.

Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged

C2.0B3.0A4.0$2$5$10$20$50More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessLinq

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

  • The best score at each price
  • Has a free plan
  • No free plan
The full chart, and the best digital business cards at every price

Keep Linq, or make your own?

Keep it

To replace Linq you would be making phone numbers and calls carried over the phone network. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 9 of the 10 other digital business cards grade higher. It costs $348 a year.

What you could make

  • Digital business card and email signature: an app builder makes these well.

What you could not

  • Phone numbers and calls carried over the phone network.
  • A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
  • It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.

What this rests on. Linq’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.

What is Linq?

Linq sells NFC and QR business cards, badges and hubs that open a Linq page, a contact page built in its iOS and Android app. The Linq One subscription, which is needed to activate any card, adds lead forms, a card scanner, contact enrichment, a second phone number with call transcription and a team dashboard. The company's main site now sells an iMessage messaging API instead.

Worth knowing

  • Every Linq card or NFC product needs an active Linq One subscription ($29 per user a month) to work; buying the product does not include account access.
  • Linq's main site now sells an iMessage API and says it is no longer a digital business card company, though the card store and apps are still live.
  • CRMs connect through Zapier or webhooks; Linq's help says the app has no native one-click CRM integrations.
  • The US App Store still lists older Linq Pro ($4.99 a month or $49.99 a year) and Pro Plus purchases that Linq's help pages no longer describe.

Key features

Linq pages
A contact page with links, photos, video, Calendly embeds and a lead form. Linq One allows more than one page, with two pages per seat.
NFC and QR products
Cards, mini cards, badges and hubs open your page with a tap or scan; Hyper Linq products show an iPhone App Clip preview that Linq One can customize.
Contact capture and follow-up
People who tap your card can send their details back. Linq One adds a paper card scanner, contact enrichment, reminders, follow-up templates and message snippets.
Linq Phone
Linq One includes a second phone number with call forwarding, call recording and transcription, AI call summaries, text suggestions and auto-replies.
Team admin dashboard
Admins add team members, activate and reassign products, manage phone numbers, bulk-edit pages and publish a team directory.

Linq pricing

As of Oct 23, 2026, Linq has a free plan, and paid plans start at $29 per user / month (Linq One).

Starts at
$29 per user / month (Linq One)
Free plan
The app is free and Linq calls Linq One optional, but a free account shows only the 5 most recent contacts and cannot activate a Linq card or other NFC product.
Free trial
Free trial on Linq One's monthly plan in the iOS app; the length is not stated
Free$0A Linq page in the app that shows only your 5 most recent contacts. Cards and other NFC products cannot be activated.
Linq One$29per user / month, billed monthly ($249 per user billed yearly)2 pages per seat, lead forms, card scanner, enrichment, a second number with call transcription and AI summaries, CRM links and admin tools.
Linq Card$14.99one-time, per cardNFC and QR card that opens your Linq page; needs Linq One to activate. Custom printed $34.99, metal $39.99, engraved metal $59.99.

Read from linqapp.com on Oct 23, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Linq before you buy.

Pricing in detail

Ways to pay less

  • Annual discountSave 29% with yearly Linq One

    Linq One is $29 per user a month, or $249 per user a year, which Linq's page says saves 29%.

    Stated on linqapp.com
  • Other savings15% to 60% off products ordered in bulk

    Orders of 10 to 24 products get 15% off, rising by tiers to 30% at 100, 50% at 1,000 and 60% at 10,000 or more, applied automatically at checkout.

    Stated on help.linqapp.com
Every Linq discount and ways to spend less

Works with

Linq alternatives

All Linq alternatives comparedAll digital business cards

Common questions

Does Linq have a Windows app?

No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 23, 2026. Linq is listed for Web, iOS and Android.

Does Linq have a macOS app?

No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 23, 2026. Linq is listed for Web, iOS and Android.

Is Linq open source?

Linq is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 23, 2026.

Sources for this page

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 23, 2026.