How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Rankite is independent; if a vendor ever pays for a featured spot, that listing is clearly labeled Partner.
Key takeaways
- Bitly is the safe default: a free plan with 5 links a month, paid tiers from $10 a month, and QR codes, landing pages, and analytics in one dashboard.
- Rebrandly is the branding specialist, with a free plan that includes a custom domain and paid plans from $11 a month.
- Dub is the modern open-source option: free for 25 links a month, Pro at $25 a month, with conversion tracking and built-in affiliate programs.
- TinyURL is the cheapest paid upgrade at $9.99 a month, and its free tier shortens links with no signup at all.
- Voluum and RedTrack are ad trackers for performance marketers, not simple shorteners, starting at $149 and $79 a month respectively.
- BL.INK targets compliance-first enterprises at $48 a month and up, with a 21-day trial and no free plan.
- Match the tool to the job: shorteners for everyday links, ad trackers for paid campaign ROI.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Bitly | Teams wanting the trusted all-rounder | $10/month (Core) | Yes (5 links/month, 3 custom back-halves, unlimited clicks) |
 Rebrandly | Branding-focused marketers | $11/month (Essentials) | Yes (10 links/month, 1 custom domain, 100 tracked clicks) |
 Dub | Modern teams wanting link attribution | $25/month (Pro) | Yes (25 links/month, 3 custom domains, 1,000 tracked events) |
 TinyURL | Quick no-signup shortening | $9.99/month (Pro, billed annually) | Yes (unlimited basic shortening, no account needed) |
 Voluum | Affiliate and performance media buyers | $149/month (Profit; $119/month billed annually) | Free trial (14 days) |
 RedTrack | Server-side tracking with CAPI on every plan | $79/month (Builder) | Free trial (14 days, no credit card) |
 BL.INK | Compliance-first enterprise link management | $48/month (Expert+) | Free trial (21 days) |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
The best link tracking software
Starting price$10/month (Core)
Free planYes (5 links/month, 3 custom back-halves, unlimited clicks)
Bitly has been the default shortener since 2008, and the product has grown well past basic shortening. The dashboard now handles short links, dynamic QR codes, and link-in-bio landing pages together, with click and scan analytics by channel, location, and device. The free plan includes 5 links and 3 custom back-halves a month with unlimited clicks, which covers light use.
Paid plans scale predictably: Core at $10 a month adds 100 links, redirects, and 30 days of click data, while Growth at $29 a month brings a complimentary custom domain and branded links. The honest catch is that the features marketers actually want, branded domains and deep analytics, are gated behind the higher tiers. If you want one tool your whole team already knows, Bitly is it.
What we like- Most recognized short-link brand
- QR codes, landing pages, and analytics in one dashboard
- Free tier keeps clicks uncapped
Watch out for- Free plan allows only 5 links a month
- Branded domains need the $29 Growth tier
- Advanced analytics sit on the $199 Premium tier
Starting price$11/month (Essentials)
Free planYes (10 links/month, 1 custom domain, 100 tracked clicks)
Rebrandly's pitch is that every link should carry your brand. Even the free plan supports a custom domain, which Bitly reserves for paid tiers, and the platform adds traffic routing, UTM auto-tagging, link expiration, and retargeting pixels as you move up. The API is a genuine strength, with 100,000+ developers building on it at serious volume.
Essentials at $11 a month covers 250 links and 2 domains, while Professional at $32 a month adds conversion tracking, workspaces, and teammates. The honest catch is cost per link: heavy link creators pay more here than on flat-rate tools. Rebrandly fits marketing teams where brand consistency and campaign analytics justify the premium.
What we like- Free plan includes a custom domain
- Strong API used by 100,000+ developers
- Link expiration, password protection, and retargeting built in
Watch out for- Per-link cost is high versus simpler shorteners
- Free tier is small
- Click overages can get expensive on viral content
#3
Dub
Best for: Modern teams wanting link attribution
Visit dub.co
Starting price$25/month (Pro)
Free planYes (25 links/month, 3 custom domains, 1,000 tracked events)
Dub is the open-source challenger built by an ex-Vercel engineer, and it shows in the polish. Short links come with QR codes, device and geo targeting, A/B testing, and deep links, while the analytics layer tracks the full journey from click to sale. Dub Partners bakes affiliate program management into the same platform, removing the need for a separate tool.
The free plan is genuinely useful: 25 links, 3 custom domains, and 1,000 tracked events a month. Pro at $25 a month raises limits to 1,000 links and 50,000 events, and Business at $75 a month adds conversion tracking. The honest catch is the event-based billing model, which differs from the link-based pricing most buyers expect. For modern teams that care about attribution over vanity metrics, Dub is the most interesting option here.
What we like- Open source and self-hostable
- Conversion tracking ties clicks to revenue
- Built-in affiliate and referral program management
Watch out for- Event-based billing is unusual and takes getting used to
- Newer platform with a smaller integration ecosystem
- Enterprise compliance certifications still maturing
Starting price$9.99/month (Pro, billed annually)
Free planYes (unlimited basic shortening, no account needed)
TinyURL has been shortening links since 2002, and the core experience has not changed: paste a URL, get a short link, no account required. That simplicity is the product. The free account adds a branded domain, custom aliases, and basic stats, and paid Pro at $9.99 a month (billed annually) adds analytics, link editing, 3 branded domains, and API access.
The honest catch is the ceiling. Pro caps you at 500 active links, and the next step up is the Bulk plan at $99 a month aimed at API-heavy users, with links expiring after 90 days by default. TinyURL is perfect for individuals and small shops that need reliable shortening with light tracking. Anyone running serious campaigns will outgrow it.
What we like- Shorten links instantly with no signup
- Links created decades ago still resolve
- Cheapest paid tier in this list
Watch out for- Free tier has no analytics at all
- Pro caps active links at 500
- Bulk plan links expire after 90 days by default
Starting price$149/month (Profit; $119/month billed annually)
Free planFree trial (14 days)
Voluum is not a link shortener with analytics bolted on; it is a full ad tracker for people who buy traffic for a living. It connects 130+ platforms, tracks every click and conversion with 30+ data points, and its Automizer feature pauses losers, adjusts bids, and manages campaigns without leaving the dashboard. The company says 6,700+ advertisers track $10 billion in annual revenue through it.
Profit starts at $149 a month ($119 billed annually) with 1 million monthly events and 20 active campaigns, scaling to Scale at $349 a month and business tiers beyond. The honest catch is the audience: if you are not running affiliate campaigns, native ads, or paid media at volume, this is the wrong tool. For performance marketers, it is the industry standard.
What we like- 30+ data points tracked per visit in real time
- Traffic Distribution AI routes traffic to winners automatically
- Anti-Fraud Kit blocks bot traffic
Watch out for- No free plan
- Pricing scales steeply with event volume
- Overkill for anyone not running paid traffic
Starting price$79/month (Builder)
Free planFree trial (14 days, no credit card)
RedTrack competes directly with Voluum on ad tracking, with one clear differentiator: the Conversion API is included on every plan starting at $79 a month. Server-side tracking captures clicks and conversions without relying on browser cookies, so ad blockers and iOS privacy changes do not degrade your data. Ad spend syncs from every connected platform every 5 to 30 minutes, giving true ROAS per campaign, ad set, and creative.
The Builder plan at $79 a month includes unlimited campaigns, landers, and offers with a 14-day trial and no credit card required. The honest catch is the learning curve: the product assumes you understand media buying concepts like postbacks and attribution windows. Solo affiliates and small media-buying teams get Voluum-class tracking at a lower entry price.
What we like- Conversion API included on every plan
- Server-side tracking survives ad blockers and iOS restrictions
- Ad-level cost sync across Meta, Google, TikTok, and Snapchat
Watch out for- No free plan
- Interface assumes media-buying knowledge
- Smaller brand than Voluum with fewer third-party tutorials
#7
BL.INK
Best for: Compliance-first enterprise link management
Visit bl.ink
Starting price$48/month (Expert+)
Free planFree trial (21 days)
BL.INK, now part of Loftware, is built for organizations where link infrastructure has to satisfy legal and procurement. The platform offers branded short links with dynamic routing, QR codes, broken-link monitoring, and audit-ready controls, with GDPR compliance standard and HIPAA agreements on Enterprise. Every plan starts with a 21-day trial.
Pricing starts at $48 a month for Expert+ (10,000 active links), rising to $99 for SMB, $299 for Team, and $599 for Business, with Enterprise on custom quotes. The honest catch is positioning: this is deliberately not a tool for casual users or small bloggers. Regulated industries and large brands that need governance around every link will find the compliance story worth the premium.
What we like- Enterprise compliance (GDPR, HIPAA BAA on Enterprise)
- Dynamic links with rules-based routing
- Broken-link monitoring and structured data features
Watch out for- No free plan
- $48 entry price is steep for small teams
- Interface and sales process lean enterprise
How we chose
We reviewed vendor pricing pages, product documentation, and public customer reviews on G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius, plus practitioner discussions in affiliate marketing and growth communities. We required each tool to provide real click analytics (not just shortening), verified every vendor homepage was live, and weighed tracking depth, branded domain support, API quality, pricing transparency, and fit for small to mid-size US businesses. One candidate, ClickMeter, was dropped because its domain now redirects to Rebrandly. No hands-on testing was claimed or performed; pricing reflects vendor-published figures.
What to check before you buy
Link tools look interchangeable until you hit their limits. These checks prevent surprises.
Link and click caps on your plan
Most plans cap monthly links, tracked clicks, or both, and overage fees vary wildly. Estimate your real monthly volume, including QR scans, and check what happens at the cap: hard stop, overage charge, or forced upgrade.
Data retention windows
A 30-day analytics window is fine for campaign optimization and useless for year-over-year comparisons. Check how long click data is kept on the plan you would actually buy, not the top tier.
Branded domain support
If brand trust matters, confirm custom domains are included on your tier and how many you get. Some tools include one domain free; others charge extra or gate domains behind higher plans.
Redirect speed and reliability
Every click passes through the vendor's servers. Slow redirects hurt conversion rates and SEO. Look for published uptime SLAs and test redirect speed yourself during a trial.
Shorteners vs. ad trackers: pick the right category
This list contains two different products. Link shorteners like Bitly, Rebrandly, Dub, and TinyURL create branded links and report clicks, scans, and basic attribution. They serve marketers, creators, and anyone sharing links publicly. Ad trackers like Voluum and RedTrack are built for paid traffic: they track post-click behavior across funnels, sync ad costs, detect fraud, and automate campaign decisions.
The confusion costs money. A content team buying Voluum pays for power it will never use, while an affiliate running paid traffic on Bitly misses the conversion data that decides profitability. If your links live in social posts, emails, and packaging, buy a shortener. If your links live inside paid campaigns with real budgets, buy an ad tracker. BL.INK sits in its own lane for enterprises that need compliance first.
Frequently asked questions
What is link tracking software?
It is software that shortens URLs and records what happens when people click them: how many clicks, where visitors come from, what devices they use, and which campaigns drive the action. Advanced tools add conversion tracking, A/B testing, and automation on top of the basic click data.
How much does link tracking software cost?
Simple shorteners start free, with paid plans from $10 to $25 a month. Branded-link platforms run $11 to $48 a month at entry level. Ad trackers for performance marketers start at $79 to $149 a month and scale with event volume. Enterprise link management runs into the hundreds per month.
Is there free link tracking software?
Yes. Bitly, Rebrandly, Dub, and TinyURL all offer free plans with varying link and click limits. Free plans work for light use and testing; production marketing needs paid tiers for branded domains, longer data retention, and higher volume.
What is the difference between Bitly and Rebrandly?
Both shorten links and track clicks, but Rebrandly centers on branded domains (even on its free plan) and offers deeper customization like link expiration and retargeting. Bitly bundles QR codes and landing pages more tightly and has stronger brand recognition. Rebrandly tends to cost more per link at volume.
Do I need Voluum or RedTrack instead of Bitly?
Only if you run paid traffic. Ad trackers measure what happens after the click across your funnel, sync ad spend, and automate campaign optimization. Bitly and similar shorteners measure the click itself. Content and social teams should buy a shortener; affiliates and media buyers should buy a tracker.
Can link tracking improve click-through rates?
Yes. Bitly reports branded links get 2.3 times more clicks than generic short links, and Rebrandly cites a 39 percent lift. The mechanism is trust: people click links that visibly carry a brand they recognize. Custom back-halves that describe the destination help too.
Sources we checked (10)
- https://bitly.com/
- https://bitly.com/blog/bitly-free-plan/
- https://bitly.com/blog/rebrandly-vs-bitly/
- https://rebrandly.com
- https://dub.co/
- https://dub.co/pricing
- https://tinyurl.com/
- https://voluum.com
- https://redtrack.io/
- https://www.bl.ink
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has spent more than a decade helping SaaS and e-commerce brands grow through search. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.