Design Inspiration
Best Behance Alternatives in 2026: 4 Portfolio Sites Compared
Four Behance alternatives for showing design work: Dribbble, Cargo, Contra and Format, with what each is for, the free plan, and the cheapest paid plan.
Your tool hereOn tool pages, blog posts and the feeds, next to what people came to read.$19 / 3 months →Behance is Adobe's portfolio platform for full case studies, a better fit than a single shot when you want to show the whole design process. It is free to post. People look for alternatives for two reasons. Some want a portfolio on their own domain rather than a profile on someone else's network. Others want a place where clients find and pay them, not only a place where other designers look.
Below are 4 alternatives, with who each suits, what the free option is and what the cheapest paid plan costs. Prices checked 6 November 2026 on each site's own pages, billed yearly unless stated.
| Site | Best for | Free option | Cheapest paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dribbble | Being found by clients, short shots | Free plan | Lite, $4/mo |
| Cargo | A portfolio site on your own domain | Free to try privately; free for students | $14/mo |
| Contra | Freelancers who want commission-free work | Free plan | Pro, $29/mo or $199/year |
| Format | Photographers and visual portfolios | 14-day trial, no card | Basic, $10/mo |
1. Dribbble — a network where clients find designers
Best for: designers who want inbound work and a feed of other people's shots.
Dribbble is a designer network rather than a site builder. The Free plan costs $0. Lite is $4/mo billed yearly and adds an enhanced profile layout, a search ranking boost, leads and proposals, up to 3 services and a portfolio website. Standard at $8/mo billed yearly drops the designer platform fee on payouts to 0%. Plus is $99/mo billed yearly and sets the client platform fee to 0%.
Caveat: the portfolio website starts at the paid Lite plan, and the 0% platform fees apply to annual plans only.
Official site: dribbble.com/pro.
2. Cargo — a site builder for creative work
Best for: a portfolio on your own domain that does not look like a template.
Cargo is a site builder for creative professionals. One account can run several sites, for example a portfolio, client presentations, idea boards, a profile site and a shop. There is one price and no tiers: $14/mo billed yearly, or $19/mo billed monthly. That includes one custom domain; each extra domain is $2/mo billed yearly. You can try Cargo privately for any length of time, and it is free for students and teachers.
Caveat: selling needs the Commerce add-on at $5.50/mo billed yearly, and there is no free public plan for non-students.
Official site: cargo.site/information.
3. Contra — commission-free freelance work
Best for: freelancers who want to be hired and paid through the same profile.
Contra calls itself a commission-free creative network: clients post jobs for free and creatives apply directly, and its pricing page says it is always commission-free for creatives. Projects on Contra carry a cover image, a creator profile and engagement counts. Pro is $199/year or $29/mo and, as the pricing page reads, waives client payment and digital product fees.
Caveat: the Free plan lists payment fees of $15 or $29 per payment and a 5% digital product fee (minimum $3, maximum $29), and third-party payment processing fees are separate. It is a place to get hired more than a place to publish long case studies.
Official site: contra.com/pricing.
4. Format — a portfolio builder for photographers and visual artists
Best for: photographers, illustrators, filmmakers and designers who want a portfolio site with client tools and a store.
Format builds portfolio websites and adds client management and a store for products, services and digital downloads. It offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. Basic is $10/mo billed yearly or $14 billed monthly and includes 70 high-resolution images; Pro allows 1,500.
Caveat: Basic is limited to 10 website pages, and Pro and Pro Plus are often shown with a first-year discount, so check the renewal price before you buy.
Official site: format.com/pricing.
How to choose
- You want to be found by clients: Dribbble or Contra.
- You want your own domain and design control: Cargo.
- You are a photographer or visual artist who wants a store and client galleries: Format.
- You want to show a full process case study at no cost: stay on Behance, and add a Cargo or Format site on your own domain if you need one.
Many designers use two: a network for discovery and a site they own to send clients to. If you are looking for work rather than hosting it, Peerlist is a free professional network for developers and designers.
FAQ
What is the best free alternative to Behance?
Dribbble has a Free plan at $0, but its portfolio website starts at the $4/mo Lite plan. Cargo can be tried privately for any length of time and is free for students. For free posting with no site, Behance itself remains free.
Is Dribbble better than Behance?
They do different jobs. Dribbble is built around short posts and being hired through the network. Behance is built for longer case studies.
Which Behance alternative gives me my own domain?
Cargo includes one custom domain in its single $14/mo price (billed yearly). Format lists a free custom domain for the first year on its pricing page; check which plan includes it at checkout.
Does Contra take a commission?
No. Contra says it is always commission-free for creatives. Payment processing fees from third-party providers are separate, and the Free plan has its own per-payment fees.