Google & Meta tracking
Google Ads Data Manager, GA4 Measurement Protocol and Meta Conversions API. Connect accounts and inspect delivery results.
Explore setup →ShortFreeURL vs Bitly
The best-known shortener. Strong brand and QR features, but link-level controls like passwords, cloaking and raw click streams are missing, and unlimited use sits behind expensive tiers.
ShortFreeURL
$4/month
Entry plan
Bitly
From $10/mo (Core, yearly)
Entry paid plan
What you get here that you will not find in most shorteners
Each of these is implemented in the product today — not a roadmap item. Follow a card to the feature page or the documentation.
Not in Bitly
Geo targeting down to the city
Rules cascade continent → country → state → city, with the full ISO 3166-2 subdivision set and a curated city list built in. Most platforms stop at country; the ones that go further usually charge for it.
Geolocation that works before you buy anything
A bundled IP registry gives continent and country out of the box, and the MaxMind-format reader is part of the codebase — drop a free GeoLite2 file into data/geoip/ for city precision. No paid lookup service, no per-click API bill.
159 free tools, no sign-up
URL, metadata, campaign, QR and developer tools that do real work in the browser against our API — redirect tracer, Open Graph checker, UTM audit, QR contrast checker, DNS and SSL lookups and more. No email capture.
An API reference generated from the routes
The reference is produced from the route handlers themselves, so it lists every endpoint this installation actually serves — with the parameters the code reads and a runnable curl example — rather than a hand-written page that drifts.
Zero-dependency deployment
The whole platform — redirect engine, dashboard, API, QR encoder, ZIP and XLSX writers, SMTP client, SQLite layer — runs on the Node.js standard library. Deploying is one `node server.js`; there is no npm install and nothing to audit but this codebase.
Not in BitlyEnd-to-end encrypted links
The destination is encrypted in the browser before it is saved and decrypted in the visitor's browser after the redirect. The server, and therefore we, never see it.
Link audits
Reports that only make sense against your own links: duplicates pointing at the same destination, untagged links, links about to expire, and insecure http:// destinations — each scoped to the domain you are looking at, with the fix a click away.
Destination monitoring with a shareable status page
Monitored destinations are visited every ten minutes and domains have DNS and SSL re-read every six hours; click spikes, click drops and expiring certificates raise alerts to the in-app bell, email or a webhook. Each domain can publish a public status page at a private URL you can revoke.
Sign in with your DNS provider to connect a domain
Cloudflare, GoDaddy, Namecheap, DigitalOcean, Vercel, Netlify, Porkbun, Hetzner, Linode, Gandi, Name.com and Route 53 write the records for you after a sign-in; six more hosts get a guided walkthrough. Nameservers are read first so the right provider is preselected.
A full admin panel with impersonation and per-organisation overrides
Operators get live-editable plan limits and feature gates, time-boxed user impersonation with a recorded reason, per-organisation overrides that expire on their own, moderation and abuse queues, a blog CMS and this very comparison matrix. Useful whether you run the hosted service or your own install.
Not in BitlyINR pricing with UPI, netbanking and GST invoices
Customers in India are billed in rupees through Easebuzz — UPI, netbanking, cards and wallets — and receive GST-compliant invoices. Everyone else pays in US dollars. No foreign-transaction fee on a $4 plan.
An in-app command palette
Press Ctrl/⌘ K anywhere in the dashboard to jump to a link, domain, page or setting, or to run an action, without leaving the keyboard. Press C to create a link from anywhere.
Feature by feature
Only here marks a feature Bitly does not offer — 26 in this table. See the full matrix across every platform →
| Feature | ShortFreeURL | Bitly |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & limits | ||
| Entry paid plan | $4 / mo (Starter) | $10/mo (Core, yearly only) Core is $120 a year and annual only; the cheapest monthly-billed plan is Growth at $35/mo ($29/mo yearly). Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Links on the free plan | 1,000 | 5 / mo Free: 5 links a month. Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Unlimited website links — monthly billing Website-created links. API and bulk creation have separate allowances; see each plan before automating. |
$14 / mo (Growth) | Custom (Enterprise) Premium ($300/mo, $199/mo yearly) has 3,000 links a month; Enterprise volumes are custom. Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Custom domains included | 6 Free; 7 Starter; 10 Growth; 50 Business; Unlimited Scale | 1 (Growth and above) A complimentary custom domain from Growth. Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Tracked clicks | 50,000/month free; unlimited Growth | Unlimited "Unlimited clicks & QR Code scans" on every plan. Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Native INR billing for India Only here Priced in ₹ with UPI, netbanking, cards and GST invoices via Easebuzz. |
✓ | — |
| Link editing | ||
| Custom slug | ✓ | ✓ |
| Edit destination after sharing | ✓ | partial Paid plans only |
| Folders, tags & workspaces | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bulk create & bulk edit | ✓ | ✓ |
| UTM builder + saved templates | ✓ | partial |
| AI slug & tag suggestions Only here | ✓ | — |
| Targeting | ||
| Country targeting Only here | ✓ | — |
| Region / city targeting Only here | ✓ | — |
| iOS / Android targeting Only here | ✓ | — |
| Mobile app deep links | ✓ | partial |
| A/B split testing Only here | Up to 10 variations | — |
| Link rotation Only here | ✓ | — |
| Link control | ||
| Expiration by date / clicks / TTL Only here | ✓ | — |
| Password protection Only here | ✓ | — |
| Link cloaking (masking) Only here | ✓ | — |
| Referrer hiding Only here | ✓ | — |
| Custom social preview (OG) per link Only here | ✓ | — |
| End-to-end encrypted links Only here | ✓ | — |
| Robots policy & custom robots.txt Only here | ✓ | — |
| HMAC-signed redirects Only here | ✓ | — |
| Main page & 404 redirects | ✓ | partial |
| QR codes | ||
| QR studio (colors, logo, shapes) | ✓ | ✓ |
| SVG / PDF vector download | ✓ | partial Paid plans only |
| Dynamic QR (editable destination) | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI QR artwork Only here | ✓ | — |
| Bulk QR export (ZIP) | ✓ | partial |
| Content | ||
| Link-in-bio page | ✓ | ✓ |
| Markdown pages on a short link Only here | ✓ | — |
| CTA overlay on shared pages Only here | Via cloaking | — |
| Analytics | ||
| Raw click stream (per-click log) Only here | ✓ | — |
| Human vs bot filtering | ✓ | partial |
| Conversion tracking | ✓ | partial |
| Public shareable stats page Only here | ✓ | — |
| CSV / XLSX export | ✓ | partial |
| Data retention | Unlimited on Pro | 13–24 months |
| Daily raw export to your S3 Only here | ✓ | — |
| Integrations | ||
| REST API | yes (50 req/s) | ✓ |
| Click webhooks Only here | ✓ | — |
| Retargeting pixels (GA4/Meta/AdRoll) Only here | ✓ | — |
| Zapier / Make | ✓ | ✓ |
| Slack / WordPress plugins | ✓ | ✓ |
| Browser extension | ✓ | ✓ |
| MCP server for AI assistants Only here | ✓ | — |
| Team & security | ||
| Teams & roles | Unlimited on Pro | Paid tiers |
| Per-link permissions Only here | ✓ | — |
| SSO / SAML 2.0 | Included in Pro | Enterprise |
| 2FA & passkeys | ✓ | ✓ |
| Upload your own SSL certificate Only here | ✓ | — |
| Audit log | ✓ | Enterprise |
| GDPR tooling & DPA | ✓ | ✓ |
| Remove "powered by" branding | Included in Pro | Paid tiers |
| Campaigns, integrations & assistance | ||
| Google & Meta tracking Google Ads Data Manager, GA4 Measurement Protocol and Meta Conversions API. Connect accounts and inspect delivery results. |
Starter · $4/month | Not listed Not listed on the vendor's public pages; this is not a claim that it lacks the feature. Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| More advertising platforms Snapchat, TikTok, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Reddit event connectors. Provider permissions and configuration are required. |
Starter · $4/month | Not listed Not listed on the vendor's public pages; this is not a claim that it lacks the feature. Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Email marketing drafts Mailchimp, Brevo and supported email providers: select a list and create a campaign draft from a short link. Review and send in the provider. |
Growth · $14/month | Not listed Not listed on the vendor's public pages; this is not a claim that it lacks the feature. Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Core apps & plugins Zapier, Make, Slack, Segment and WordPress. Browser extensions, REST API and SDKs use the same workspace quotas. |
Starter · $4/month | Yes (all plans) Pricing table lists Integrations on every plan. Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Additional workflows Other app connections and guided HTTP workflows with Make, Zapier or n8n. Follow the full illustrated setup guide. |
Starter · $4/month | Yes (all plans) Integrations are listed on every plan. Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Direct account imports Import selected URLs from supported task, form, document and scheduling accounts. API creation allowances apply. |
Starter · $4/month | Not listed Not listed on the vendor's public pages; this is not a claim that it lacks the feature. Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Multiple accounts Connect multiple accounts for the same provider within the plan connection allowance; manage and disconnect each independently. |
Starter · $4/month | Not listed Not listed on the vendor's public pages; this is not a claim that it lacks the feature. Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Android & developer tools Use current dashboard features on Android; download WordPress, SDKs and CLI installation guides. Purchases and API limits remain server-enforced. |
Free · included | Yes (all plans) Pricing table lists the Mobile App on every plan. Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Ask with AI Ask questions about current guides, API setup and plans; follow cited instructions and escalate account-specific problems to Support. |
Free · included | Partial (Core) "Bitly Assist: Create links and analyze performance with AI" from Core; a help-docs assistant is not listed. Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| New in September 2026 | ||
| App deep links: open YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, Spotify and more in their app Phones open the destination in its own app — YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, Spotify, X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Telegram, Amazon or your own app scheme — with the web page as the fallback. In-app browsers and crawlers get the normal redirect. Includes: App deep links |
Starter and above | Yes (Premium) Pricing table lists "Mobile Deep Links" on Premium and Enterprise. Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Referrer routing: a different destination per traffic source Send visitors from Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google, WhatsApp, TikTok, Reddit, any website or direct traffic to their own destination, with a default for everyone else. Includes: Referrer routing |
Starter and above | Not listed Pricing lists Referrer Data (analytics, Core and above) and routing by country, platform, region and device, not by referrer. Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Returning-visitor routing: first and repeat visits go to different pages A visitor's first click goes to the normal destination; from the second (or any later) visit they go to another page. Remembered with a cookie on your short domain. Includes: Returning-visitor routing |
Starter and above | Not listed Not listed on the vendor's public pages; this is not a claim that it lacks the feature. Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Bot and crawler handling: separate URL, block, or leave bots out of the count Choose what bots and scanners get from a link — the normal redirect, their own URL or a block — and whether their clicks count. Social preview crawlers keep reading your preview tags. Includes: Bots & crawlers |
Starter and above | Partial (plan not stated) Bot and crawler traffic is filtered from click counts; a separate destination or block for bots is not listed. Source: https://support.bitly.com/hc/en-us/articles/360028512711-How-does-Bitly-handle-traffic-from-bots (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Click alerts by email or webhook at click milestones and daily peaks An email, a webhook or both when a link reaches 100, 1,000 or any click number you pick, or passes a daily click count. Each alert is sent once. Includes: Click alerts · Click alert webhook retries |
Starter and above | Partial (Enterprise) Webhooks for engagement events are listed on Enterprise; click-milestone alerts are not listed. Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Automatic page title, tag and slug suggestions when you paste a URL Paste a URL and the title fills in from the page, with suggested tags and three free, readable slugs to pick from. On plans with AI slug & tag suggestions, AI can refine them using the monthly AI budget. Includes: Automatic page titles · Tag and slug suggestions · AI-refined suggestions |
Every plan | Partial (all plans) The page title is pulled from the destination when a link is shortened; tag and slug suggestions are not listed. Source: https://support.bitly.com/hc/en-us/articles/17100984403085-Why-is-the-title-missing-for-some-Bitly-Links (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Statistics trends: previous-period line, top-link sparklines, traffic sources, unique visitors and best time to post The statistics page adds a dashed line for the previous period on the clicks chart, a top-ten links leaderboard with the change and a small trend line for each, clicks by traffic source (social, search, email, direct and other websites), unique visitors against total clicks with the returning share, and the best hour to post in your timezone. A Print button lays the page out for paper or PDF. Includes: Previous-period line · Top links leaderboard · Traffic sources · Unique vs total clicks · Best time to post · Print or save as PDF |
Starter and above | Partial (Growth) "Activity Over Time" is listed from Growth; a previous-period comparison is not listed. Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Brand logos and flags in the top lists, a full-width countries map and link-type icons The top browsers, operating systems, referrers and social networks carry their logos, countries and cities carry flags, the countries map fills its card, and every short link in the list shows an icon for its type. Includes: Brand logos and flags · Link-type icons |
Every plan | Not listed Not listed on the vendor's public pages; this is not a claim that it lacks the feature. Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Click Stream live mode, filters, visitor journeys, suspicious-click flags and full CSV export Click Stream live mode shows new clicks every few seconds while the tab is open. Filter by country, device, browser, operating system, traffic source, link, bots or people and date, with the filters kept in the address. Each click shows the rule that chose its destination, the visitor's other clicks grouped into sessions, and why a click was flagged (bot, fake crawler, proxy or VPN, no browser identification, blocked). Export every filtered click to CSV, not only the first page. Includes: Live mode · Filter bar · How each click was handled · Visitor journeys · Suspicious-click flags · Full CSV export |
Starter and above | Partial (Growth) "Data Export" is listed from Growth; a live per-click stream is not listed. Source: https://bitly.com/pages/pricing (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Uploaded SSL certificates installed automatically, with expiry emails Upload a certificate for your own domain. It is installed and checked on the server automatically, and the workspace owner is emailed 30, 14, 7 and 1 days before it expires. Includes: Custom SSL installs itself |
Business and above | Partial (Enterprise) A purchased custom SSL certificate is enabled for Enterprise accounts through the account manager; automatic install and expiry emails are not listed. Source: https://support.bitly.com/hc/en-us/articles/360025619931-How-do-I-configure-security-settings-for-my-Bitly-custom-domain (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
| Support email answered by AI in the same thread Every ticket is checked against your own account records the moment it arrives, answered with what was found, and closed when it is resolved. An email to support becomes a ticket too, and the answer can come back in the same email thread. Includes: AI answers to support email |
Every plan | Partial (all plans) The "Dot" AI chatbot answers in the Help Center around the clock; ticketed email support (paid plans) is answered by support agents. Source: https://support.bitly.com/hc/en-us/articles/8797948531981-How-do-I-contact-Bitly-customer-support (checked 24 Sep 2026). |
Switching from Bitly
1. Export and import
Bitly exports a CSV of Bitlinks from the Links view. Fallback resolution is built in for Bitly: while the migration integration is on, any slug we do not recognise is looked up against your old Bitly domain, redirected and cached.
Upload the file under Bulk → CSV import and pick the Bitly import template. The preview shows every detected column, the field it maps to and the first twenty rows before anything is written. Imports take up to 10,000 rows per file.
2. What maps to what
| In Bitly | Here |
|---|---|
| Bitlink | Link slug on the same custom domain |
| Long URL | Original URL |
| Title | Link title |
| Tags | Tags |
| Campaign | UTM template + folder |
| bit.ly links | Cannot move — only links on your own domain are portable |
3. Check after migrating
- Turn on the Bitly migration integration before changing DNS, so links created after your export keep resolving.
- Check the click stream for requests served by fallback; switch fallback off when it stays at zero for a month.
- Bitly does not export geo rules or expiry; set those up here per link or as folder defaults.
- Spot-check twenty imported links, including any with a slash in the slug.
- Point the domain's DNS here and keep it attached at the old provider until fallback traffic drops to zero.
- Recreate anything the CSV did not carry: geo rules, expiry dates, passwords, UTM defaults and QR styling.
- Regenerate QR codes only if the domain changed — a code that encodes the same short URL keeps working.
Bitly is the most recognised shortener. Here is where it is strong, where it is thin, and what the price difference buys.
Where Bitly is strong
Brand recognition, a polished QR builder, campaign dashboards on higher tiers, and an enormous integration ecosystem. If a stakeholder has heard of one shortener, it is this one.
Where Bitly stops
Link-level controls are the gap: no password protection, no cloaking, no raw per-click log, and geo or device targeting is not part of the standard product. Link volume is metered tightly on lower tiers, and editing a destination after sharing is a paid feature.
Pricing
The entry paid plan starts around $8 per month with a small monthly link allowance; unlimited-feeling volume sits in the hundreds of dollars per month.
ShortFreeURL offers Free and four paid plans. Google and Meta tracking, core plugins, mobile targeting, A/B testing, link bundles, conversions, exports and click webhooks start on Starter. Other ads connectors and email marketing drafts are on eligible paid plans. Website and API-created links have separate allowances. Review current prices and features.
The verdict
Compare the features and allowances your team needs. ShortFreeURL offers advanced link controls on the tiers shown in its current plan matrix.
How to check this yourself
Open the full feature matrix on our compare page, then open Bitly's own pricing page next to it. Vendor pricing changes often — if anything here is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.
Competitor pricing and features are summarised from each vendor's public pricing and documentation pages and can change at any time. Prices and the September 2026 feature rows were checked on 24 Sep 2026 (USD); each vendor's comparison page names the official page behind every cell. "Not listed" means the vendor's public pages did not list the feature on that date, not that the vendor lacks it. Check the vendor's own site before making a decision — and tell us at hello@shortfreeurl.com if anything here is out of date.
Start Free — no credit card
The free plan includes 1,000 links, 6 custom domains and 50,000 tracked clicks a month, free forever. Choose a free subdomain from six shared domains. Paid plans start at $4 a month when you outgrow it, and you keep everything you have built.
Frequently asked questions
Is ShortFreeURL a good alternative to Bitly?
The best-known shortener. Strong brand and QR features, but link-level controls like passwords, cloaking and raw click streams are missing, and unlimited use sits behind expensive tiers. This page sets the two side by side, feature by feature, so you can judge the parts that matter to you rather than take a claim on trust.
How much does ShortFreeURL cost compared with Bitly?
ShortFreeURL starts at $4/month. Bitly starts at From $10/mo (Core, yearly). Both prices are entry tiers; the comparison table shows what each tier actually includes.
Can I move my existing links from Bitly?
Yes. ShortFreeURL imports links in bulk from a CSV export, keeping the destination, the slug where it is free, the title and the tags, so existing short links keep pointing where they did.
Do I have to change my domain to switch?
No. If you already use a branded domain, point it at ShortFreeURL and your existing short links keep their hostname. If you do not, a free subdomain is included.
Is there a free plan?
Yes. ShortFreeURL has a free plan with no card required, and every paid plan has a 7-day free trial.
Links, campaigns and support in one place
Choose the tools you need and see exactly which plan includes them. 72 available integrations, 45 guided workflows and 9 planned listings; planned listings are not working connectors.
More advertising platforms
Snapchat, TikTok, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Reddit event connectors. Provider permissions and configuration are required.
Explore setup →
Email marketing drafts
Mailchimp, Brevo and supported email providers: select a list and create a campaign draft from a short link. Review and send in the provider.
Explore setup →
Core apps & plugins
Zapier, Make, Slack, Segment and WordPress. Browser extensions, REST API and SDKs use the same workspace quotas.
Explore setup →
Additional workflows
Other app connections and guided HTTP workflows with Make, Zapier or n8n. Follow the full illustrated setup guide.
Explore setup →
Direct account imports
Import selected URLs from supported task, form, document and scheduling accounts. API creation allowances apply.
Explore setup →
Multiple accounts
Connect multiple accounts for the same provider within the plan connection allowance; manage and disconnect each independently.
Explore setup →
Android & developer tools
Use current dashboard features on Android; download WordPress, SDKs and CLI installation guides. Purchases and API limits remain server-enforced.
Explore setup →
Ask with AI
Ask questions about current guides, API setup and plans; follow cited instructions and escalate account-specific problems to Support.
Explore setup →USD monthly prices. Provider subscriptions may cost extra. API-created links consume the plan's automation allowance; website links and automation are separate. Compare full plans.