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Bitly alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Bitly: free plan is very limited and shows ads, and monthly volume caps on paid plans. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Bitly, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Rebrandly currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Rebrandly logoRebrandlyFree plan + paidNoWeb, Browser extension5 of 566.5
2Short.io logoShort.ioFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android +15 of 562.6
3Dub logoDubFree plan + paidYesWeb, Self-hosted5 of 559.6
4YOURLS logoYOURLSOpen sourceYesSelf-hosted, Web5 of 553.6
5TinyURL logoTinyURLFree plan + paidNoWeb, Browser extension0 of 046.7
6T.LY logoT.LYFree plan + paidNoWeb, Browser extension0 of 044.8
  1. Rebrandly logo

    1. RebrandlyTop pick

    Best for: Brands and agencies that want short links on their own domains with strong compliance

    Free plan + paidWeb, Browser extension

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Bitly

    Stronger focus on branded domains, with a more generous entry plan.

    Pros

    • Excellent custom domain support
    • Compliance certifications for regulated industries
    • API and webhooks for developers

    Cons

    • Free plan QR codes are watermarked
    • Higher tiers get expensive
    • More than casual users need
    Visit Rebrandly Compare with BitlyDetails and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Rebrandly a good Bitly alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Free plan
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026rebrandly.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Professional plan
    Includes 1,500 links/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026rebrandly.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Compliance
    SOC 2 Type 2, GDPR, HIPAA, CCPA
    Checked Oct 25, 2026rebrandly.com(opens source in a new tab)
    API
    Yes, used by 100k+ developers
    Checked Oct 25, 2026rebrandly.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Customers
    1.5 million
    Checked Oct 25, 2026rebrandly.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Short.io logo

    2. Short.io

    Best for: Small businesses that want branded short links on their own domains without paying much

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android, Browser extension

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Bitly

    Cheaper branded links with a free tier that includes custom domains.

    Pros

    • Custom domains on the free plan
    • Low-cost entry paid plan
    • Deep links, targeting and A/B redirects

    Cons

    • Interface is functional rather than polished
    • Advanced security features only on higher tiers
    • Tracked-click caps on lower plans
    Visit Short.io Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Short.io a good Bitly alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Free plan
    5 custom domains, 1,000 branded links
    Checked Oct 25, 2026short.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Hobby plan
    $5/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026short.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro plan
    $18/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026short.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Team plan
    $48/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026short.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Users
    1.2 million+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026short.io(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Dub logo

    3. Dub

    Best for: Startups and growth teams that want short links tied to conversions, with an open codebase

    Free plan + paidOpen sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Bitly

    Modern, open-source link platform with conversion tracking and a generous free plan.

    Pros

    • Open source with a self-hosting guide
    • Conversion tracking and attribution
    • Modern API, SDKs and webhooks
    • Free plan to start

    Cons

    • Self-hosting depends on several third-party services
    • Conversion features only on higher plans
    • More platform than casual users need
    Visit Dub Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Dub a good Bitly alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Free plan
    $0 forever
    Checked Oct 25, 2026dub.co(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro plan
    $30/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026dub.co(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026dub.co(opens source in a new tab)
    License
    AGPL-3.0 (core)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Documented
    Checked Oct 25, 2026dub.co(opens source in a new tab)
  4. YOURLS logo

    4. YOURLS

    Best for: People with PHP hosting who want a free, extensible shortener on their own domain

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Web

    53.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Bitly

    Free and self-hosted on your own domain if you want full control.

    Pros

    • Free and MIT-licensed
    • Large plugin ecosystem
    • Runs on standard PHP hosting
    • API and bookmarklets

    Cons

    • Dated default interface
    • Many features rely on third-party plugins
    • You handle updates and security
    Visit YOURLS Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.357
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is YOURLS a good Bitly alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Price
    Free and open source
    Checked Oct 25, 2026yourls.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Features
    Bookmarklets, API, stats
    Checked Oct 25, 2026yourls.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Plugins
    Dozens of plugins
    Checked Oct 25, 2026yourls.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Since
    2009
    Checked Oct 25, 2026yourls.org(opens source in a new tab)
  5. TinyURL logo

    5. TinyURL

    Best for: Anyone who needs a quick short link without signing up

    Free plan + paidWeb, Browser extension

    46.7

    score / 100

    Why switch from Bitly

    Quick, no-fuss short links for people who don't need marketing analytics.

    Pros

    • Shorten links instantly without an account
    • Custom aliases on the free tier
    • Long track record

    Cons

    • Analytics and branding need a paid plan
    • Smaller integration ecosystem than Bitly
    • Generic short domains can trigger spam filters
    Visit TinyURL Compare with BitlyDetails and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1515
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is TinyURL a good Bitly alternative?

    Verified facts

    0 of 0 verified

    No sourced facts yet.

  6. T.LY logo

    6. T.LY

    Best for: Developers and small marketers who want cheap branded links with an API

    Free plan + paidWeb, Browser extension

    44.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Bitly

    Lower-cost plans with unlimited clicks, QR codes and API access.

    Pros

    • Unlimited clicks on every paid plan
    • API access on every paid plan
    • Cheap entry tier
    • Shorten without an account

    Cons

    • Simpler analytics than bigger platforms
    • Few enterprise and compliance features
    • Trial is only five days
    Visit T.LY Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1515
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is T.LY a good Bitly alternative?

    Verified facts

    0 of 0 verified

    No sourced facts yet.

The best Bitly alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Rebrandly logo

Best Bitly alternative for most people

Rebrandly

Stronger focus on branded domains, with a more generous entry plan.

YOURLS logo

Best Bitly alternative for a free option

YOURLS

Free and self-hosted on your own domain if you want full control.

Short.io logo

Best Bitly alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Short.io

Cheaper branded links with a free tier that includes custom domains.

Dub logo

Best Bitly alternative for open source

Dub

Modern, open-source link platform with conversion tracking and a generous free plan.

Dub logo

Best Bitly alternative for self-hosting

Dub

Modern, open-source link platform with conversion tracking and a generous free plan.

Short.io logo

Best Bitly alternative for iPhone and Android

Short.io

Cheaper branded links with a free tier that includes custom domains.

TinyURL logo

Best Bitly alternative for working in the browser

TinyURL

Quick, no-fuss short links for people who don't need marketing analytics.

Bitly alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Bitly?

Rebrandly ranks first right now. Stronger focus on branded domains, with a more generous entry plan. Short.io and Dub follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Bitly?

Yes. Rebrandly (free plan + paid), Short.io (free plan + paid), Dub (free plan + paid) and YOURLS (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Bitly?

Yes: Dub and YOURLS. Dub and YOURLS can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from Bitly?

The complaints we hear most: free plan is very limited and shows ads; monthly volume caps on paid plans; costs climb steeply for higher tiers.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Bitly, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.