9 Best Free and Paid Link Shorteners (2024)

What is the best link shortener?

Here's my list of the best URL and link shorteners to use this year.

1. Rebrandly.

The best for creating and sharing brand links ($29 per month).

Rebrandly is a link management platform that helps you track, mark, shorten, and share short URLs using a custom domain name. It also allows you to easily collaborate with multiple members of your team. In fact, you can create team-specific folders to collaborate and visualize a specific set of branded links without confusion.

Additionally, it changes destination URLs and creates custom URL links. You can also create expired links and enable faster redirects.

Rebrandly is a comprehensive platform for tagging and managing links.

Here's all it can do for you:

• Brand image - put your brand name on the links you share to improve the visibility of your brand.
• Integrate - Integrate your links into your existing tools and workflows.
• Analyze - Monitor your entire email and social media marketing strategy.

Additionally, Rebrandly allows you to manage 404 traffic and SSL directly from the dashboard. You can also connect and manage multiple custom domains with your brand. It also allows you to build and schedule personalized traffic reports to be sent to the teams concerned.

Features

• Deep links - Easily route traffic to a specific landing page. Or direct them to your mobile app based on device, language, location, and other factors.
• Retargeting by links - Easily add traffic to the AdWords, Facebook, and Twitter retargeting list. You can also send retargeting pixels directly through branded links.
• Domain Management - Custom SSL management, 404 redirections management, SSL, main domain forwarding and multiple domain names.

Pricing

Rebrandly offers five plans:

• Free: $0 per month
• Sarter: $29 per month
• Pro: $69 per month
• Premium: $499 per month
• Business: Custom price

You also get a 30-day money-back guarantee for all paid plans.

2. Bit.ly.

The best way to shorten social media affiliate links ($29 per month)

Bit.ly is a platform custom link management and shortening based in New York. It allows you to create shortened links that are easily recognizable.

With bit.ly, you can access deeper insights across 20 data points, including reference channels and geographic data. It helps you make smarter business decisions based on data.

Bitly's API and integration with over 700 applications allow you to automate and evolve your workflow effectively. You can also share custom shortened links in bulk via text messages and referral links to your affiliate channel. And to ensure absolute security, Bit.ly encrypts all links with HTTPS.

You can also replace bit.ly with custom names for better branding, so your customers can recognize your business right away.

Overall, Bit.ly is more suitable Benefits

• Link Management
• Create brand links
• Creating mobile links
• Campaign management and analysis

Features

• Auto Branding - Build custom links in bulk and get in-depth analytics on the performance of your content.
• Extensive integrations - Integrate a multitude of business applications into your tech stack and workflow to keep things simple. You can also create mobile-friendly deep links through Sprinklr, HootSuite, and Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
• Powerful analytics - Bit.ly's real-time interactive dashboard tracks critical business metrics, such as store visits, open rates, and demographics.

Pricing

Bitly offers three options:

• Free: $0 per month
• Basic: $29 per month
• Premium: $199 per month
• Customized: Plan on request

You can save up to 33% on an annual subscription.

3. TinyURL.

Free link shortener for small businesses (free).

TinyURL is a link shortening platform that creates short aliases for long URLs, making it easy to share and track them.

TinyURL offers a link preview function that allows you to check the final shortened link in advance in order to avoid incorrect redirections. It also allows you to add a shortcut link to the browser toolbar. Then, simply click a button to shorten the link. You can also redirect to any page by creating a smaller URL.

TinyURL has functions for tracking, managing, and analyzing links with paid plans.

Features

• Clean user interface - TinyURL offers a simple user interface. All you need to do is put the web link in the box and click on the “Make TinyURL” option. You will immediately get your shortened URL.
• URL types - It offers three types of URLs, including a long link, a short link, and a preview link.

Pricing

• Free: $0 per month
• Pro: $9.99 starting at per month
• Bulk 100k: $99 starting at per month

The Pro plan is a great option for small business owners looking for the best URL shorteners.

4. Ow.ly (Hootsuite).

Best for anyone who uses Hootsuite for their social media campaigns (free).

Ow.ly is a link shortening tool that shortens URLs and tracks incoming traffic from those links. It also creates custom links that are tamper-proof to generate traffic. You can also collaborate and provide access to multiple team members to shorten links.

Additionally, Ow.ly allows you to track clicks in newsletters, on Facebook, in comments, and on microsites.

To avoid phishing and malware, it checks all links against the Google Safe Browsing blacklist. Additionally, all custom URLs are fully redirectable and indexable in accordance with SEO best practices.

Features

• In-depth reports - Download in-depth data analysis reports in PDF and CSV formats to share externally.
• Campaign monitoring - Track your campaigns based on a variety of parameters including date ranges, click through rate, and demographics.
• Hootsuite - Integration with Hootsuite helps you shorten links when scheduling social media posts. For more information, see my complete analysis of Hootsuite and Buffer.

Pricing

You get free access to Ow.ly with all Hootsuite plans, including the freemium plan. However, you get more advanced features with paid plans.

Here are all of the plans Hootsuite offers:

• Freemium: $0 for up to 3 social profiles.
• Professional: $49 per month for up to 10 social profiles.
• Team: $129 per month for up to 20 social profiles.
• Business: $599 per month for up to 35 social profiles.
• Business: plan on quotation

You can try the paid Professional and Team plans for 30 days for free.

5. URL Shortener by Zapier.

The best for creating automated link shortening workflows (free).

Zapier's URL shortener automatically creates and saves shortened links, allowing you to create automated workflows. For example, you can automatically shorten the link of a social media post and save it to Google Sheets simultaneously.

And if you want to share a link via text message, Zapier's URL shortener will automatically shorten your link. It also allows you to make additional savings on additional text characters.

Zapier also offers integration with over 2,000 apps, including Google Sheets, to automatically add and publish shortened URLs.

Features

• Automated links - Add Zapier's URL shortener to any workflow, and it will automatically take care of shortened links and tracking settings.
• Extensive integration - It offers integration with over 2,000 applications, including social media applications, Google docs, email marketing tools, and survey forms.
• Unlimited links - It comes free with Zapier. You can create an unlimited number of shortened links.

Benefits

• The free plan allows the integration of 100 tasks per month.
• Include shortened links in personalized messages and emails.
• Track link performance across data points, including demographics and link clicks.
• It provides quick support via email.
• You can also get personalized support by hiring a Zapier expert.

Rates

The Zapier URL shortener comes free with all Zapier plans.

6. BL.INK.

The best for measuring link performance and value ($48 per month).

BL.INK is a leading link management tool that can help you create custom shortcut links. It includes custom words in the links to create a memorable brand impression.

The BL.INK USP is a powerful analysis to measure the performance and value of your links. It helps you manage and monitor every contact and interaction with your links.

Here is everything BL.INK can do for you:

• BLINK in Social - It increases your social value by creating links to social networks that are easy to share.
• BLINK in messaging - It creates links to be shared via messaging platforms like WhatsApp, SMS, Skype and Messenger.
• BLINK Everywhere - You can use BL.INK to shorten links on various media such as QR codes, emails, PDFs, etc.

You can also change every detail at any time. Plus, the open API allows you to connect to your own tech stack. Plus, you can connect it to thousands of automation tools, including Zoho Flow and Zapier.

BL.INK is also scalable to allow you to serve large international teams, large brand portfolios, and numerous campaigns.

Features

• Brand links - Easily create brand links with custom short domains.
• Advanced analytics - Integrate BL.INK it with Google and Adobe Analytics to optimize your campaigns and track performance.
• Flexible pricing - It offers multiple pricing tiers so you only pay for the resources you use. For more features, you can upgrade your subscription plan instantly.

Pricing

BL.INK offers five pricing plans:

• Expert - $48 per month
• SMEs - $99 per month
• Team - $299 per month
• Business - $599 per month
• Business - Personalized plan

You also get a 21-day free trial.

7. Firebase.

The best way to promote mobile applications (free).

Firebase Dynamic Links is a new URL shortener created by Google. It helps you create dynamic links and shortcuts to generate more application installations. You can create links that help users open the same page on the mobile app that they were viewing on the mobile website. This will help you convert more mobile web app users into native mobile app users.

It offers several unique features like A/B testing, cloud messaging, powerful analytics, unlimited dynamic links, etc. Google's URL shortener also offers an API reference for web, iOS, and Android to grow the app's user base and generate more revenue.

Features

• Effective marketing - Dynamic links allow users to see the same marketing content in the app as in your desktop campaign.
• Desktop user migration - Send links to smartphones via text message to install the mobile application.
• Fallback URL - Automatically invites the user to install the application if it is not installed on the smartphone.

Pricing

Firebase Dynamic Links is 100% free to use.

8. YOURLS.

Best simple, open source tool (free).

YOURLS (Your Own URL Shortener) is an open source URL shortener tool. It allows you to create private and public links. It can also help you manage your own URL shortening service thanks to its small PHP scripts.

It also offers a great plugin architecture that allows you to include new custom features. You can use YOURLS to create links with sequential or custom keywords.

It also offers powerful analytics to track multiple parameters, including referrer tracking, click history, and geolocation.

Features

• Bookmarklets - Easily create shortened links and share them with handy Bookmarklets that you can save in your browser.
• Developer API - Customize and add additional features to the application through its developer API.
• Output formats - Offers multiple output formats including XML, JSON, or simple plain text.

Pricing

YOURLS is an open-source platform. So, it's 100% free to use.

9. AdFly.

Earn money by sharing shortened links (free).

AdFly is a free URL shortening tool. It not only helps you shorten links but also helps you monetize those links.

All you need to do is sign up and create an account. After that, it will help you earn money every time a user clicks on a shortened link. Finally, place your links on several social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to get more clicks and visibility.

You can also advertise safely, without a popup. Additionally, AdFly allows you to track the performance and metrics of your links in order to make marketing decisions based on data.

Features

• Safe advertising - It offers safe advertising thanks to the permanent analysis of advertisements by anti-malware and antivirus servers.
• Anti-fraud filter - It ensures that only authentic traffic is routed to your links for a better return on investment.
• API - Instantly create Adf.ly links via the website, widget, or application using its API.

Pricing

AdFly is a free, open-source URL shortening tool.

10. Tiny.cc.

Best simple link shortener for small businesses ($5 per month).

Tiny.cc is another easy to use URL and link shortening tool. Simply paste your long URL into the text box and click on the “shorten” option. You'll get the shortened link in a few seconds. You can also personalize these links.

Tiny.cc also helps you create smart targets to automatically route users based on their language. You can also add retargeting pixels to assess campaign performance and maximize your return on investment.

Additionally, you can use Tiny.cc domains if you don't have the budget to buy a branded domain. It also allows you to create vanity URLs or keyword-rich shortened links for better branding and visibility. You can also add your brand name to the link to make it more reliable.

Features

• Logo display - Add a logo preview in your shortened links to create more impact on new users.
• Effective management - Manage multiple customers and custom domains from a single account
• Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) - Use shortened links with BLE tags for asset tracking and proximity marketing.

Pricing

Tiny.cc offers four paid plans (monthly billing):

• Basic: $5 per month
• Enterprise: $25 per month
• Pro: $44 per month
• Company: Based on quotations

You can also use the freemium plan. However, the free plan only provides the link that will eventually expire. In contrast, paid plans allow you to generate unwanted links that you can change later.

Choose annual billing to save 8.3% on monthly billing.

What is a URL shortener or a link shortener?

A URL or link shortener helps you reduce the length of your URL. It also allows you to rename the URL and customize it to align with your brand requirements.

Memorizing a long URL is hard for most of us, especially when it contains random numbers and characters. However, you can easily remember a shorter URL with a custom name. Plus, short URLs are also easier to manage and share.

That's where URL and link shorteners come in.

Here are a few key reasons why you need a link shortener:

• A short URL takes up less character space. That means you can easily share it in a text message or a tweet without going over the character limit.
• You can set parameters in a short URL to track key metrics like location, platform, geography, and demographics. This helps you monitor traffic coming from a particular link.
• You can also connect your own custom domain to the URL shortener. You can use this custom domain as a basis for shortened links. For example, instead of using rebrand.ly or bit.ly, you can use your own brand domain name.

What features should you look for in a link shortener?

You'll find the market awash with URLs and link shorteners. The sheer number of options and unique features could baffle you and prevent you from making the right decision.

Here are some essential characteristics to look for in a URL shortener:

• Powerful analytics : In-depth analytical reports will help you track traffic coming from specific URLs. You can easily study the performance of your marketing campaigns using key metrics like click-through rate, geography, and demographics. Real-time monitoring will also help you optimize your marketing campaign and get a better return on investment.
• Brand links - To have better brand recall value, it is essential to market with brand links. So, look for a URL shortener that offers custom branded domains for more personalized marketing on web pages.
• Extensive integration - Easy integration with your CRM and other marketing tools will help you rename and shorten URLs and links more effectively. Tools like URL Shortener by Zapier also help you automate the workflow.
• Domain Management - Large businesses often run multiple campaigns with multiple custom domains. Look for a tool that allows you to manage multiple domains like SSL, 404, and forwarding domains.
• Free plan - If you run a small business and don't need advanced features, you don't always need to pay for your URL shortener. You can create a free account and use a free URL shortener like TinyURL.

Summary.

Here is my list of some of the best URL and link shorteners. Each tool offers a few benefits and a few standard functions. Some are free, others offer flexible paid packages. The best choice will depend solely on your marketing needs, your budget, and the size of your business/team.

For example, you get free access to Ow.ly if you're already using HootSuite. URL Shortener by Zapier is a great option if you want to include link shortening in an automated workflow. And if you are looking for a simple and free solution, TinyURL may be a good choice.

On the other hand, businesses with large teams and a big budget can choose Rebrandly to effectively manage major marketing campaigns.

Review all of the tools carefully to choose the best URL shortener for you and your business.