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Dub alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Dub: self-hosting depends on several third-party services, and conversion features only on higher plans. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Dub, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Bitly currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Bitly logoBitlyFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android +15 of 566.5
2Short.io logoShort.ioFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android +15 of 562.6
3Shlink logoShlinkOpen sourceYesSelf-hosted, Web5 of 559.6
4Rebrandly logoRebrandlyFree plan + paidNoWeb, Browser extension5 of 557.2
5Sink logoSinkOpen sourceYesSelf-hosted, Web3 of 355.3
  1. Bitly logo

    1. BitlyTop pick

    Best for: Marketing teams that want a trusted, widely recognised short-link and QR code platform

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android, Browser extension

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Dub

    The incumbent, with broader QR code and enterprise features.

    Pros

    • Recognisable, trusted short links
    • Dynamic QR codes and link-in-bio in the same account
    • Mature API and integrations

    Cons

    • Free plan is very limited and shows ads
    • Monthly volume caps on paid plans
    • Costs climb steeply for higher tiers
    Visit Bitly Details 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 Bitly a good Dub alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Free plan
    5 links/month, with ads
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bitly.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Core plan
    $10/month billed annually
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bitly.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Growth plan
    $29/month billed annually
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bitly.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Premium plan
    $199/month billed annually
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bitly.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Integrations
    Shopify, Canva, HubSpot and more
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bitly.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 Dub

    Cheaper branded links with custom domains on the free plan.

    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 Dub 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. Rebrandly logo

    4. Rebrandly

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

    Free plan + paidWeb, Browser extension

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Dub

    Strong branded-domain management and compliance certifications.

    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 Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    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 Dub 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)
  4. Sink logo

    5. Sink

    Best for: Developers on Cloudflare who want a free, serverless shortener on their own domain

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Web

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Dub

    Serverless and open source, running entirely on Cloudflare.

    Pros

    • No server to maintain
    • Runs on Cloudflare's edge network for fast redirects
    • Built-in analytics and dashboard

    Cons

    • Tied to Cloudflare's platform
    • No hosted version or support
    • Requires some developer setup
    Visit Sink Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    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 Sink a good Dub alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platform
    Runs entirely on Cloudflare
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Development
    Active
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Dub alternative for…

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

Bitly logo

Best Dub alternative for most people

Bitly

The incumbent, with broader QR code and enterprise features.

Shlink logo

Best Dub alternative for a free option

Shlink

Simpler to self-host with a single Docker image.

Short.io logo

Best Dub alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Short.io

Cheaper branded links with custom domains on the free plan.

Sink logo

Best Dub alternative for open source

Sink

Serverless and open source, running entirely on Cloudflare.

Shlink logo

Best Dub alternative for self-hosting

Shlink

Simpler to self-host with a single Docker image.

Bitly logo

Best Dub alternative for iPhone and Android

Bitly

The incumbent, with broader QR code and enterprise features.

Rebrandly logo

Best Dub alternative for working in the browser

Rebrandly

Strong branded-domain management and compliance certifications.

Dub alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Dub?

Bitly ranks first right now. The incumbent, with broader QR code and enterprise features. Short.io and Shlink follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Dub?

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

Is there an open-source alternative to Dub?

Yes: Shlink and Sink. Shlink and Sink can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from Dub?

The complaints we hear most: self-hosting depends on several third-party services; conversion features only on higher plans; more platform than casual users need.

How is this list ranked?

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