How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Short.io, Rebrandly, and Cuttly are the strongest free starting points, with branded links, QR codes, and analytics on their free plans.
- Dub is the best pick for teams that want link attribution, conversion tracking, and affiliate programs in the same platform.
- TinyURL and T.LY suit readers who want a fast, simple shortener without a heavy marketing platform around it.
- If you already use Bitly links in print or in old posts, moving to a custom domain you own matters more than any single feature, because the domain travels with you if you switch tools again.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Rebrandly | Branded links with team controls | See website | Yes |
 TinyURL | Simple, fast shortening | See website | Yes |
 Short.io | Free branded links with analytics | See website | Yes |
 Dub | Link attribution and affiliate programs | See website | See website |
 T.LY | Quick links with QR codes and private stats | $10 per month | Yes |
 Cuttly | Link management with surveys and bio pages | $25 per month | Yes |
 Switchy | Retargeting pixels on shared links | See website | See website |
 JotURL | All-in-one tracking links with deep linking | See website | See website |
Is your product missing or out of date?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 Bitly alternatives
#1Rebrandly
Best for: Branded links with team controls4.6/5 on
G2 (367 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit rebrandly.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Rebrandly is the closest like-for-like Bitly replacement for a team. Its free plan covers branded short links, link tracking, custom domains, and basic analytics, with no credit card required, and its homepage claims more than 1.5 million customers and 50 million links created. Paid plans add users, links, API access, and integrations, while the platform adds routing by city and hour, UTM building, password protection, and link expiration on advanced plans.
The compliance story is a real differentiator. Rebrandly states SOC 2 Type 2, GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA compliance, with single sign-on, two-factor authentication, and audit logs. That matters for health care, finance, and large companies where a shortener is not just a marketing tool but a system that handles click data. Rebrandly suits teams that want branded links under their own domain, with controls that scale from one marketer to a whole department.
What we like- Free plan with branded links, tracking, custom domains, and basic analytics
- Links do not expire by default
- Tag, search, bulk-edit, and expire links at scale
- SOC 2 Type 2, GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA compliance stated
Watch out for- Paid pricing is not shown as a single starting figure on the homepage
- Advanced team features, API access, and integrations sit on paid plans
#2TinyURL
Best for: Simple, fast shortening4.3/5 on
G2 (112 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit tinyurl.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
TinyURL is the name most readers already know, and that familiarity is its strength. A TinyURL link is short, easy to read aloud, and trusted by readers who have seen the domain for years. For a single link in a text message, a slide, or a social post, it does the job with no learning curve and no platform to manage.
The limit is branding and control. A free TinyURL link carries the TinyURL domain, not yours, and the deeper analytics, branded domains, and team features sit on paid plans. TinyURL suits readers who want the simplest possible Bitly alternative for occasional links, and readers who value a domain their audience already recognizes. Teams that need branded domains and campaign reporting should weigh Rebrandly, Short.io, or Dub instead.
What we like- Long-running, widely recognized short domain
- Quick shortening without a complex setup
- Branded short links and analytics on paid plans
Watch out for- The homepage fetched for this article showed only the brand header, so feature detail relies on the product's established offering
- Free links use the shared TinyURL domain, not your brand
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Short.io offers the most generous free plan on this list for branded links. Its free forever plan includes up to 1,000 branded links, custom domain support with automated SSL, rich analytics, QR codes, and API access, with no credit card required. Analytics cover real-time click streams, device and browser breakdowns, country and city geo data, and conversions, while QR codes can be edited without reprinting, with colors, logos, and PNG, SVG, and PDF exports.
The platform also covers A/B testing, UTM building, campaign tracking, bulk creation by CSV or API, and team roles. It suits creators, small teams, and startups that want branded links and real analytics without paying, and that may grow into paid plans as link volume rises.
What we like- Free forever plan with up to 1,000 branded links and custom domains
- Detailed analytics with geo, device, browser, and referrer data
- Dynamic QR codes with editable destinations
- REST API and integrations with Zapier, Slack, and Google Analytics
Watch out for- The free plan caps branded links at 1,000, so high-volume teams need a paid plan
- Some advanced team features sit on enterprise plans
#4Dub
Best for: Link attribution and affiliate programs4.9/5 on
G2 (24 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit dub.co
Starting priceSee website
Free planSee website
Dub starts from a different idea from most shorteners: a click is only useful if you know what it led to. Its platform unifies short links, real-time analytics, and affiliate programs, so a team can track a customer from first click to sale, and can run referral programs with commissions, payouts, and tax compliance in the same system. Short links include custom domains, custom previews, device and geo targeting, A/B testing, deep links, and branded QR codes.
Dub claims more than 100,000 customers, including teams at Framer, Vercel, and Perplexity, and handles hundreds of millions of links and events each month. The main question for a buyer is fit: Dub suits marketing teams and startups that want attribution and partnerships, while a reader who only shortens a few links a month will find it more platform than needed.
What we like- Branded short links with QR codes, device and geo targeting, A/B testing, and deep links
- Real-time analytics from click to conversion
- Built-in affiliate and referral programs with payouts
- API and SDKs for TypeScript, Python, Go, PHP, and Ruby
Watch out for- Pricing is not shown as a single starting figure on the homepage
- The affiliate and attribution features are more than a simple shortener needs
#5
T.LY
Best for: Quick links with QR codes and private stats
Visit t.ly
Starting price$10 per month
Free planYes
T.LY keeps the workflow short: shorten, share, and track. A visitor can paste a long URL, create a short link, and copy it without an account, then sign up when private stats, custom domains, QR management, or API access are needed. Paid plans start with Personal at $10 per month for 1,000 monthly short links and QR codes, Basic at $20 per month for 4,000, and Pro at $50 per month for 10,000, each with a 5-day free trial and unlimited clicks.
T.LY also states that it does not show ad interstitials before redirecting, which matters for reader trust, and its analytics cover traffic, referrers, devices, locations, and QR scans. The main limit is log retention: detailed logs are kept for 5 days on Personal, 7 on Basic, and 10 on Pro, so teams that need long-term click history should export stats regularly. T.LY suits individuals and small teams that want a clean shortener with honest limits.
What we like- Free quick links with no account needed
- Paid plans include unlimited clicks, private analytics, custom domains, QR codes, and API access
- No ad interstitials before redirecting
- OneLink bio pages on paid plans
Watch out for- Paid plans start at $10 per month for Personal, with monthly link and QR limits
- Detailed log retention is limited to 5 to 10 days depending on plan
#6
Cuttly
Best for: Link management with surveys and bio pages
Visit cutt.ly
Starting price$25 per month
Free planYes
Cuttly, spelled Cuttly on its site and reached at cutt.ly, is a full link management platform rather than a bare shortener. Its free plan includes short links, custom back-halves, a branded domain, QR codes, a Link in Bio page, and surveys, with unlimited clicks and no ads on links. Paid plans add more links, longer analytics history, customizable QR codes, action pages that act as simple landing pages, password protection, mobile redirects, link expiration, and retargeting pixels.
Cuttly claims more than 2.3 billion links managed and more than 1 billion monthly clicks, with 99.97 percent uptime over the last 30 days. The survey tool is a useful extra: a short link can lead to a feedback form, so a campaign link can collect answers as well as clicks. Cuttly suits creators and marketers who want bio pages, surveys, and action pages in the same tool as their short links.
What we like- Free plan with no credit card and unlimited clicks
- Branded domains, QR codes, Link in Bio pages, surveys, and action pages
- A/B testing, password protection, mobile redirects, and link expiration on paid plans
- API with Zapier and Make integrations
Watch out for- Paid Single plan costs $25 per month, which is higher than T.LY Personal
- The free plan limits short links to 30 per month and analytics history to 30 days
Starting priceSee website
Free planSee website
Switchy is built for one job that other shorteners treat as an extra: turning every shared link into a retargeting audience. When someone clicks a Switchy link, pixels from ad platforms can capture that visitor for later ads, even if the click leads to a third-party page such as an article, a video, or a product listing. Switchy claims this can multiply retargeted ad click-through rates, and it also lets users customize the title, description, and image that appear when a link is shared on social media.
Switchy also offers real-time analytics, A/B testing, custom domains, and a GDPR and CCPA privacy opt-in popup for retargeting links, so visitors can accept or decline pixels. Switchy suits advertisers and agencies that run paid campaigns and want every link, including links to content they do not own, to build a retargeting audience.
What we like- Retargeting pixels from Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Google Ads, Quora, and Pinterest on every link
- Custom social previews with title, description, and image
- Real-time analytics with referrers and audience sources
- Custom domains
- GDPR and CCPA privacy opt-in for pixels
Watch out for- Pricing is not shown on the homepage fetched for this article
- The retargeting focus is more than a basic shortener needs, and pixel use needs care with privacy rules
Starting priceSee website
Free planSee website
JotURL rounds out the list as an all-in-one link platform for marketers who track performance across channels. Its tools cover branded links, branded QR codes, custom link previews for social media, conversion tracking, a UTM builder and manager, and activity monitoring that checks links are still active. Deep linking sends app users straight to content inside an app, while retargeting, calls to action, and JotBio bio pages turn a short link into a small campaign hub.
JotURL claims more than 20,000 active users, more than 10 million tracking links managed, and more than 800 million clicks monitored each year, with clients including AppSumo, Sky, TIM, and Vodafone.
What we like- Branded links and branded QR codes
- Conversion tracking, UTM builder, and activity monitoring
- Advanced and easy deep linking into apps
- Retargeting, calls to action, and JotBio bio pages
- More than 20,000 active users claimed
Watch out for- Pricing is not shown as a single starting figure on the homepage
- The full toolkit is larger than a simple shortener, so setup takes longer
How we chose
We compared vendor homepages, pricing pages, and feature lists, focusing on services that shorten links as a core product and that were live in 2026. A service earned a place when its homepage confirmed link shortening, branded domains or custom slugs, and click tracking, and when it offered a free plan, a free trial, or a clear paid starting price. We included simple shorteners, branded link platforms, and attribution tools, so readers can compare a quick free link with a full campaign system. Prices are starting prices where a vendor publishes a figure, and See website means pricing is custom, tiered without a single headline figure, or shown only after signup, so the pricing page is the final check. One candidate, BL.INK, was dropped because its homepage now presents a connected packaging page rather than a link shortener, and it was replaced with JotURL, whose homepage was verified.
What to check before you switch from Bitly
Start with your existing links. Bitly links on a shared domain belong to Bitly, not to you, so you cannot take the short address with you when you leave. Links on a custom domain you own are different: you can point that domain at a new shortener and keep the same short addresses working. Before switching, list every Bitly link in print, in old posts, in emails, and in QR codes, and note which ones still get clicks. Move the live ones first, and keep the old service running until the new links are tested.
Choose a domain you own, then a shortener
The most durable decision is the domain, not the tool. Buy or connect a short domain you control, such as a short version of your brand, and use it for every new link. If you switch tools again in a few years, the domain moves with you and the printed links keep working. Rebrandly, Short.io, Dub, T.LY, Cuttly, and Switchy all support custom domains, and Short.io includes custom domains even on its free plan.
Compare click limits, not just monthly prices
A low monthly price can hide a low link or click limit. Short.io free plan allows 1,000 branded links, Cuttly free plan allows 30 short links per month, T.LY Personal allows 1,000 monthly short links, and T.LY paid plans include unlimited clicks but limited stats retention. Before paying, count how many new links you create each month, how many total links you need live, and how long you need click history. A plan with unlimited clicks but 30 days of history is a poor fit for a team that reports quarterly.
Test QR codes, previews, and redirects before printing
A short link often ends up in print, on packaging, or in a video, where it cannot be edited after release. Test the QR code on several phones, check the social preview title and image on each platform, and confirm the redirect works with tracking parameters intact. Switchy and JotURL let you control the social preview, Cuttly and Short.io offer editable QR destinations, and Rebrandly lets you edit a destination after sending. For printed material, use a branded link on your own domain with an editable destination, so a changed landing page does not turn the print run into dead links.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free Bitly alternative?
Short.io has the strongest free plan for branded links, with up to 1,000 branded links, custom domains, analytics, and QR codes. Rebrandly and Cuttly also offer free plans, while TinyURL and T.LY offer free quick links without a brand domain. Choose Short.io for branded free links, and TinyURL or T.LY for a single fast link.
Can I keep my Bitly links if I switch?
Links on a shared Bitly domain stay with Bitly, so you cannot move the short address itself. Links on a custom domain you own can be moved by pointing that domain at your new shortener. Before switching, list your live Bitly links, move the ones that still get clicks, and keep the old account running until the new links are tested.
Do Bitly alternatives offer QR codes?
Yes, most services on this list do. Rebrandly, Short.io, Dub, T.LY, Cuttly, and JotURL all generate QR codes for short links, and Short.io and Cuttly offer editable QR destinations so a printed code can point to a new page without reprinting. Check whether QR codes are included on the free plan or only on paid plans before choosing.
Which Bitly alternative is best for marketing teams?
Dub is the best pick for attribution, with click-to-conversion tracking and affiliate programs in one platform. Rebrandly suits teams that need compliance, roles, and bulk link management, while Short.io suits smaller teams that want branded links and analytics for free. For retargeting, Switchy adds ad pixels to every shared link.
Are free URL shorteners safe to use?
A short link hides its destination, so only use shorteners you trust, and only click short links from senders you trust. Reputable services serve links over HTTPS, screen for abuse, and let you preview a destination where supported. For your own links, use a custom domain you own, so readers can see your brand in the address before they click.
What happens if a URL shortener shuts down?
Short links on that service's shared domain stop working, which is why a custom domain you own is the safest choice. With your own domain, you can point it at another shortener and restore your links. Keep a spreadsheet of every short link, its destination, and its campaign, so a move to a new tool is a redirect change, not a rebuild.
Sources we checked (8)
- https://rebrandly.com
- https://tinyurl.com
- https://short.io
- https://dub.co
- https://t.ly
- https://cutt.ly
- https://switchy.io
- https://joturl.com
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 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.