📝 Quick summary: A free link shortener turns a long, ugly web address into a short one that is easy to share and easy to track. Here are 10 tools you can use at no cost, with the real free limits we could verify on their official sites.
Long links look messy in emails, social posts, and printed material. A free link shortener fixes that in seconds, and many of them also show you how many people clicked.
Free plans change often, so always double-check the official site before you commit. Where a site does not publish its limits, we say so instead of guessing.
🔍 What to Look For in a Free Link Shortener
- ⏱️ Monthly link limits. Some tools cap how many links you can create each month, so check the number first.
- 📈 Click tracking. Basic stats show which links get attention. Not every free plan includes them.
- 🌐 Custom domains. A branded domain looks more trustworthy than a generic one.
- ✏️ Custom back-halves. A readable ending like /my-guide is easier to remember than random letters.
- 🔒 Link safety and longevity. Pick a service you expect to stay online, because your short links depend on it.
📊 Quick Comparison Table
| Tool | Free Access | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Bitly | 5 links per month | Occasional, polished links |
| TinyURL | Free to use; check the official site | Quick, simple shortening |
| Rebrandly | 10 new links per month | Branded links |
| Short.io | 1,000 branded links | Custom domains and stats |
| Cuttly | 30 links per month | All-round free features |
| T.LY | Free to use; check the official site | Simple everyday links |
| Tiny.cc | Free account; limits not listed | Custom endings and stats |
| Kutt | Free open source | Self-hosting with stats |
| YOURLS | Free open source | Full control of your data |
| is.gd | Free to use; check the official site | Minimal, no-fuss shortening |
🏆 The 10 Free Link Shortener Tools
1️⃣ Bitly
Bitly is probably the best-known name in link shortening. You paste a long URL, and you get a clean short link in a few seconds. It is a safe choice when you want something that looks professional and that people already recognize.
The free plan is small, though. Bitly’s pricing page lists 5 links per month, 2 QR codes per month, and 3 custom back-halves per month. Clicks and scans are unlimited. If you only share a few links each month, that may be plenty. Heavy users will hit the cap quickly.
| 💰 Free plan | 5 links, 2 QR codes, and 3 custom back-halves per month; unlimited clicks and scans |
| 🎯 Best for | Occasional sharing with a trusted brand |
| 💻 Works on | Web browser |
| 👤 Account | Free account needed |
- Well-known and trusted name
- Unlimited clicks and scans
- Includes QR codes
- Only 5 links per month
- No data history on the free plan
💡 Pro tip: Save your 5 monthly links for your most important campaigns, and use another tool for casual sharing.
2️⃣ TinyURL
TinyURL is one of the oldest link shorteners on the web, and its name is still a household word. The idea is simple. You paste in a long address, and it gives you back a short one you can share anywhere.
Today TinyURL also offers branded links and analytics, mostly as part of its paid plans. The basic shortening is free to use, but the site does not clearly publish its free limits on the pages we checked. So check the official site for current limits before you plan a big campaign. For a one-off link in a message or document, it is hard to beat for speed.
| 💰 Free plan | Free to use; check the official site for current limits |
| 🎯 Best for | Fast, one-off short links |
| 💻 Works on | Web browser |
| 👤 Account | Check the official site |
- Very familiar and easy to use
- Quick for one-off links
- Paid upgrade path if you grow
- Free limits are not clearly published
- Branding and analytics lean paid
💡 Pro tip: Test the link on your phone before you send it out, so you know it opens the right page.
3️⃣ Rebrandly
Rebrandly focuses on branded links. Instead of a random short domain, your links can carry your own brand name, which builds trust when people see them in a feed or inbox.
The free plan is limited but useful for testing. The official pricing page shows 10 new links and 10 QR codes per month (the QR codes carry a watermark). Clicks and scans are unlimited, though detailed engagement data covers only 100 clicks per month. You get one workspace and no teammates. It suits solo creators who care about a branded look.
| 💰 Free plan | 10 new links and 10 watermarked QR codes per month; detailed data for 100 clicks per month |
| 🎯 Best for | Branded links for solo creators |
| 💻 Works on | Web browser |
| 👤 Account | Free account needed |
- Strong focus on branded links
- Unlimited clicks and scans
- Includes QR codes
- Only 10 links per month
- No teammates on the free plan
💡 Pro tip: Use your free links for pages you will share for a long time, like your main offer or newsletter sign-up.
4️⃣ Short.io
Short.io is generous for a free plan, especially if you want to use your own domain. It is built for people who care about branded short links and want to see where clicks come from.
The official pricing page lists 1 user, 5 custom domains, 1,000 branded links created on the website, and 1,000 links through the API or bulk create. The branded link limits count over the account’s lifetime. You also get 50,000 tracked clicks per month. If you go over, links keep working, but you cannot see stats beyond the limit.
| 💰 Free plan | 5 custom domains, 1,000 branded links, 1,000 API links, 50,000 tracked clicks per month |
| 🎯 Best for | Custom domains and click stats |
| 💻 Works on | Web browser and API |
| 👤 Account | Free account needed |
- Large free link allowance
- Up to 5 custom domains
- Stats on countries, devices, and more
- Only 1 user
- Link limits are lifetime, not monthly
💡 Pro tip: Connect a domain you already own, so every link you share builds your own brand.
5️⃣ Cuttly
Cuttly (also written Cutt.ly) packs a lot into its free plan. Besides shortening links, it gives you a simple QR code, a link-in-bio page, and a small survey tool. That makes it a handy all-in-one option for creators.
According to the official pricing page, the free plan includes 30 short links per month, 3 custom back-halves per month, and 1 branded domain. Analytics history covers 30 days, and clicks are unlimited. The link-in-bio page holds up to 5 URLs. The API is limited to 3 calls per 60 seconds, so heavy automation is not a fit.
| 💰 Free plan | 30 links and 3 custom back-halves per month; 1 branded domain; 30 days of analytics |
| 🎯 Best for | Creators who want extras in one place |
| 💻 Works on | Web browser and API |
| 👤 Account | Free account needed |
- 30 links per month
- Link-in-bio page included
- Built-in UTM builder
- Only 3 custom back-halves a month
- QR code style cannot be customized
💡 Pro tip: Use the link-in-bio page for your social profiles, then keep your monthly links for single campaigns.
6️⃣ T.LY
T.LY is a newer, no-nonsense shortener with a very short domain. A short domain matters on platforms where every character counts, like X or SMS messages.
The official site lists a free URL shortener and a free browser extension, which makes it quick to shorten the page you are on. However, the pages we checked do not state the exact free link or click limits. So the safest advice is to check the official site for current limits. Paid plans add more features if you outgrow the free tier.
| 💰 Free plan | Free to use; check the official site for current limits |
| 🎯 Best for | Short links with a very short domain |
| 💻 Works on | Web browser and browser extension |
| 👤 Account | Check the official site |
- Very short domain
- Free browser extension
- Clean, simple interface
- Free limits are not clearly published
💡 Pro tip: Install the browser extension if you share links many times a day.
7️⃣ Tiny.cc
Tiny.cc has been around for years and keeps things plain. You can make short links with an optional custom ending, and you can also create QR codes from the same place.
The official site describes a free option with custom short links, QR codes, and link statistics. Registering an account keeps your links from expiring and lets you edit them later. The site does not list exact free limits, and it says paid plans offer higher limits. So treat the free tier as a light-use option and check the site for current details.
| 💰 Free plan | Free custom short links, QR codes, and link stats; exact limits not listed |
| 🎯 Best for | Simple custom endings and basic stats |
| 💻 Works on | Web browser |
| 👤 Account | Free account keeps links from expiring |
- Custom endings are available
- QR codes included
- Edit links after creating them
- Free limits are not published
- Higher limits need a paid plan
💡 Pro tip: Create an account right away so your links do not expire.
8️⃣ Kutt
Kutt is a modern, open source link shortener. You can run it on your own server, which means there are no monthly link caps from a vendor. It is a good match for developers and tech-savvy bloggers.
Per its official project page, Kutt is MIT licensed and supports custom domains, custom short URLs, optional passwords, expiry times, private statistics, and a REST API. Self-hosting needs Node.js 20 or later, and it can run with Docker. One warning from the project itself: the official site is kutt.to, and kutt.it is not owned by the project.
| 💰 Free plan | Free, open source (MIT license); you pay only for your own hosting |
| 🎯 Best for | Self-hosting with custom domains and stats |
| 💻 Works on | Your own server, Docker, plus Chrome and Firefox extensions |
| 👤 Account | You create your own admin account |
- No vendor link limits
- Passwords and expiry options
- Full REST API
- You must set up and maintain it
- Needs your own hosting
💡 Pro tip: Turn off open registration if the tool is only for you or your team.
9️⃣ YOURLS
YOURLS stands for Your Own URL Shortener. It is free, open source software that you install on your own web host, so your links live on your own domain and your data stays with you.
The official site calls it the de facto standard self-hosted URL shortener. It includes a developer API, bookmarklets, and stats like click history, referrers, and visitor location. A plugin system lets you add more features. The code is MIT licensed. The trade-off is setup time, since you need to install and maintain it yourself.
| 💰 Free plan | Free, open source (MIT license); you pay only for your own hosting |
| 🎯 Best for | Full control of your links and data |
| 💻 Works on | Your own web host |
| 👤 Account | You manage your own admin login |
- Your domain, your data
- Click history, referrers, and geo stats
- Plugins for extra features
- Needs installation and upkeep
- Not ideal for beginners
💡 Pro tip: Keep regular backups of your YOURLS database, because your links depend on it.
🔟 is.gd
is.gd is a long-running, minimal link shortener. There is no heavy dashboard and no big pitch. You paste a link, and you get a very short one back.
That simplicity is the point. It works well when you just need a quick short link for a message, a note, or a post. We could not load the official site during our check, so we are not listing any numbers. Please check the official site for current limits and features, such as whether it offers stats or an API, before you rely on it for important links.
| 💰 Free plan | Free to use; check the official site for current limits |
| 🎯 Best for | Quick, no-fuss short links |
| 💻 Works on | Web browser |
| 👤 Account | Check the official site |
- Very simple to use
- Short domain name
- No clutter
- Few extras compared with bigger tools
- Check features before relying on it
💡 Pro tip: Use it for casual links, and pick a tool with stats for anything you want to measure.
🚀 Tips for Using a Free Link Shortener Well
| Tip | Why It Helps |
|---|---|
| Test every link before sharing | A typo in a short link can send people to the wrong page. |
| Use readable back-halves | Words are easier to remember and look more trustworthy than random letters. |
| Add UTM tags to the long URL first | You can see in your analytics which campaign brought the visit. |
| Keep a list of your short links | You will know what each one points to if you ever switch tools. |
| Use your own domain when you can | You keep control of the links even if the tool changes its plan. |
Short links work especially well on printed material, so pair one with a code from our guide to free QR code generators. They also fit nicely into your posting routine, so see our list of free social media scheduling tools. If you plan to self-host, the official YOURLS site has the install guide.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is a free link shortener?
It is an online tool that turns a long web address into a short one at no cost. The short link redirects visitors to the original page.
Is a free link shortener really free?
Yes, the basic features are free. Most tools limit how many links you can create or how much data you can see, and charge for more.
Which free link shortener has the most free links?
Among the tools with published numbers, Short.io lists 1,000 branded links on its free plan. Open source tools like Kutt and YOURLS have no vendor cap, but you host them yourself.
Can I track clicks with a free plan?
Often yes. Bitly and Rebrandly count clicks, Cuttly offers 30 days of analytics, and Short.io lists 50,000 tracked clicks per month. Limits differ, so check each site.
Do short links expire?
It depends on the tool. Tiny.cc says registering an account keeps your links from expiring. Check the terms of any tool you use for important links.
Can I use my own domain for free?
Some tools allow it. Short.io lists 5 custom domains and Cuttly lists 1 branded domain on their free plans. Bitly’s free plan does not offer a custom domain.
What is the best free option for developers?
Kutt and YOURLS are both open source and have APIs. You run them on your own server, so you control the data.
Are short links safe to click?
The link itself is not harmful, but it hides the real address. Only click short links from people and sources you trust.
Will a short link hurt my SEO?
Short links that redirect normally do not harm your site. Use your full URL for internal links on your own website, and keep short links for sharing.
Can I edit where a short link points?
Some tools let you edit the destination after creating the link, and Tiny.cc says registered accounts can edit their links. Check your tool’s dashboard for this option.
What happens if a free shortener shuts down?
Your short links could stop working. That is why a custom domain or a self-hosted tool is the safer choice for links you need for years.
Do I need an account to use a free link shortener?
It varies. Some tools need a free account for stats and editing. Others let you shorten a link right away. Check the official site of the tool you pick.