Bitly vs TinyURL
Updated October 2026 · AppBreakup editorial
Bitly
The best-known link shortener, now a full platform for branded links, QR codes and link-in-bio pages.
TinyURL
One of the oldest URL shorteners, free for quick links with paid plans for branded domains.
The short answer
TinyURL is the better fit for occasional users who just need a short link fast, since it works without an account. Bitly is the better fit for marketing teams that need campaign analytics, dynamic QR codes and integrations. The biggest difference is the free tier: TinyURL's is generous for casual use, while Bitly's is capped at a few links a month with ads.
Bitly or TinyURL: our take
TinyURL has been shortening links since 2002 and still works the way many people remember: paste a long URL on the homepage, optionally choose a custom alias, and get a tinyurl.com link back without signing up. A free account adds a history of your links and basic stats. Bitly expects you to have an account and is designed around tracking, with click analytics by location, time and device from the start.
The free plans are where they differ most. Bitly's free plan allows 5 links a month and shows ads on its redirects, which makes it a trial rather than a long-term option. Paid Bitly plans start with Core at $10 a month and Growth at $29 a month, billed annually, and scale by monthly link and QR code volume. TinyURL's free tier is enough for casual use, and its paid plans add branded custom domains, editable destinations, detailed analytics, QR codes, bulk shortening, link-in-bio pages and team features.
On paper their paid feature lists overlap, but Bitly has the larger ecosystem: a mature API, dynamic QR codes, UTM building and integrations with Shopify, Canva and HubSpot, plus enterprise options like SSO. TinyURL has an API as well, but fewer integrations. Both run in the browser with an extension; Bitly also offers iOS and Android apps. Note that generic shortener domains, including both of these, can be treated with suspicion by some spam filters, which is one reason marketers move to custom domains.
Choose TinyURL if you shorten the occasional link for a message or a slide and do not care about analytics. Choose Bitly if links are part of marketing campaigns and you need reporting, QR codes and connections to the rest of your marketing stack.
Which should you pick?
Choose Bitly if…
- Marketing teams that want a trusted, widely recognised short-link and QR code platform
- You need iOS and Android, which TinyURL doesn't list
- Recognisable, trusted short links
- Dynamic QR codes and link-in-bio in the same account
Choose TinyURL if…
- Anyone who needs a quick short link without signing up
- Shorten links instantly without an account
- Custom aliases on the free tier
About each app
What is Bitly?
Bitly is the default name in short links. Paste a long URL and you get a short bit.ly link, or a branded one on your own domain, with click analytics showing where, when and on what device people opened it. Over the years it has grown into a broader connections platform: dynamic QR codes you can edit after printing, simple landing pages, a link-in-bio page, UTM building, bulk creation, an API and integrations with tools such as Shopify, Canva and HubSpot. Large companies use it for campaign tracking, and its enterprise plans add SSO, custom domains at scale and support. The free plan is now very limited, with a handful of links and QR codes a month and ads on its redirects, so it is only good for trying the service. Paid plans are priced by monthly link and QR code volume, with the best value on annual billing. It runs in the browser with iOS and Android apps and a browser extension.
What is TinyURL?
TinyURL has been shortening links since 2002 and is still the quick option many people reach for: paste a long URL on the homepage and get a tinyurl.com link back, optionally with a custom alias, without signing up. A free account keeps a history of your links and basic stats. Paid plans add branded domains, editable destinations, detailed analytics, QR codes, bulk shortening, link-in-bio pages and team features, and there is an API for developers. Because it is so old and widely used, TinyURL links are recognisable, though some spam filters and corporate networks treat generic shortener domains with suspicion. The free tier is generous for casual use, while the paid tiers compete with Bitly and Rebrandly on features but have a smaller ecosystem. It runs in the browser with a browser extension. For marketing teams that care about analytics and integrations, dedicated link-management platforms usually offer more.
Side by side
| Attribute | Bitly | TinyURL |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid |
| Open source | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, Browser extension | Web, Browser extension |
| Best for | Marketing teams that want a trusted, widely recognised short-link and QR code platform | Anyone who needs a quick short link without signing up |
| Status | Active | Active |
Bitly vs TinyURL pricing
Bitly: free plan + paid
- Free plan: 5 links/month, with ads source
- Core plan: $10/month billed annually source
- Growth plan: $29/month billed annually source
- Premium plan: $199/month billed annually source
TinyURL: free plan + paid
We couldn't verify TinyURL's plan details on its own site yet, so we don't list them.
TinyURL pricing pagePlatforms
| Platform | Bitly | TinyURL |
|---|---|---|
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension |
Bitly facts
5 of 5 verified- Free plan
- 5 links/month, with ads
- Checked Oct 25, 2026bitly.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Pay annually Pay Monthly Save up to 34% with our annual plans Free With Ads Try it out for free $ 0 /month Get Started What's included: 2 QR Codes/month 5 links/month”
- Core plan
- $10/month billed annually
- Checked Oct 25, 2026bitly.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Core Unlock powerful data Annual Only $ 10 /month Annual charge of $120”
- Growth plan
- $29/month billed annually
- Checked Oct 25, 2026bitly.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Growth Recommended Create memorable brand experiences $ 29 /month Annual charge of $348”
- Premium plan
- $199/month billed annually
- Checked Oct 25, 2026bitly.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Premium Scale your connections $ 199 /month Annual charge of $2,388”
- Integrations
- Shopify, Canva, HubSpot and more
- Checked Oct 25, 2026bitly.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Integrations Shopify Canva Hubspot Connector”
TinyURL facts
0 of 0 verifiedNo sourced facts yet.
Pros and cons of Bitly
- Recognisable, trusted short links
- Dynamic QR codes and link-in-bio in the same account
- Mature API and integrations
- Free plan is very limited and shows ads
- Monthly volume caps on paid plans
- Costs climb steeply for higher tiers
Pros and cons of TinyURL
- Shorten links instantly without an account
- Custom aliases on the free tier
- Long track record
- Analytics and branding need a paid plan
- Smaller integration ecosystem than Bitly
- Generic short domains can trigger spam filters
Other apps to consider
DubInstead of Bitly
Modern, open-source link platform with conversion tracking and a generous free plan.
Bitly vs TinyURL: common questions
Is Bitly better than TinyURL?
TinyURL is the better fit for occasional users who just need a short link fast, since it works without an account. Bitly is the better fit for marketing teams that need campaign analytics, dynamic QR codes and integrations. The biggest difference is the free tier: TinyURL's is generous for casual use, while Bitly's is capped at a few links a month with ads.
Is Bitly free?
Bitly has a free plan, with paid plans for more features. See its verified pricing facts above for current limits.
Is TinyURL free?
TinyURL has a free plan, with paid plans for more features. See its verified pricing facts above for current limits.
Is Bitly or TinyURL open source?
Neither is open source.
Which platforms do Bitly and TinyURL support?
Bitly: Web, iOS, Android and Browser extension. TinyURL: Web and Browser extension.