Free plans only
Best free URL shortener in 2026
Eight shorteners offer a free plan. Two do not. This site looks only at what you get before paying: how many links, whether your own domain is allowed, whether your audience sees ads, how much click data you can see and whether QR codes are included.
Free plans at a glance
| Tool | Free links | Tracked clicks | Custom domain | Ads on links | Analytics | QR codes | Bio page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ReSlug | 500 active links | 1,000 tracked clicks/mo | Yes | None | 30 days | Yes | 1 page |
| Bitly | 5 links/mo | Not stated | No | Yes | None | 2/mo | 2 pages |
| Dub | 25 links/mo | 1,000 tracked events/mo | Yes | None | 30 days | Yes | No |
| Short.io | 1,000 links (lifetime) | 50,000 tracked clicks/mo | Yes | None | Not documented | Yes | Not documented |
| Rebrandly | 10 links/mo | 100 engagement clicks/mo | 1 (.bio domain) | None | Not documented | 10/mo, watermarked | 1 gallery, watermarked |
| TinyURL | Unlimited basic links | Not stated | No | None | None | Yes | No |
| T.LY | No free plan | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cuttly | 30 links/mo | Not stated | Yes | None | 30 days | 1 style | 1 page (5 links) |
| Linkly | 100 links/mo | 500 clicks/mo | Yes | None | Country-level | No | No |
| Switchy | No free plan | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Free-plan rows only, taken from each vendor's pricing page on 8 November 2026. "Not documented" means the page does not state it.
Why ReSlug is the pick
The free plan on ReSlug allows 500 active links and 1,000 tracked clicks/mo. It includes one custom domain with SSL issued for you, a QR code on each link, 30 days of click data, link expiry and a single bio page. No ad is shown to the person clicking, on any plan.
Set that against the other free plans. Bitly allows 5 links/mo, shows ads and keeps no click history. TinyURL is unlimited but tells you nothing about who clicked. Cuttly includes a domain and analytics but stops at 30 links/mo. Linkly includes a domain and an API but pauses links after 500 clicks/mo.
The one place ReSlug is beaten on free is domain count. Short.io includes five custom domains at no cost, where ReSlug includes one. If you run links for several brands and do not want to pay, start with Short.io.
The other free plans worth having
- Short.io. 1,000 links (lifetime), five custom domains, 50,000 tracked clicks/mo and API access. The link quota never refreshes, so it is a reservoir rather than an allowance. Analytics retention is not published.
- Dub. 25 links/mo with three custom domains, 1,000 tracked events/mo, 30 days of retention and a full API with SDKs. Built for people writing code, not for people posting links.
- Cuttly. 30 links/mo, one branded domain, 30 days of analytics, a QR code and a bio page holding five links. The best free plan for a creator with a short list of links.
- Linkly. 100 links/mo, one custom domain and API access, but only 500 clicks/mo. When the click quota runs out the links stop redirecting until the month resets.
- TinyURL. Unlimited basic links with no account. No analytics, no editing, no domain. Right for a link you will never look at again.
The free plans to skip
Bitly's free tier is the weakest here on every row that matters: 5 links/mo, 2/mo QR codes, no custom domain, no analytics history and ads shown to your audience. It exists to move you to a paid plan, and the first paid plan with a custom domain costs $29 a month billed yearly.
Rebrandly's free plan is usable as a trial and little more: 10 links/mo, 10/mo, watermarked and 100 engagement clicks/mo. The watermark on QR codes rules it out for anything printed.
T.LY and Switchy have no free account plan. T.LY offers a five-day trial and then charges from $5 a month. Switchy starts at $47.
How this site reads a free plan
Each entry on this site isolates one question. Limits compared puts every quota in one table. Custom domain covers who lets you use your own domain for nothing. No ads lists the plans that never put an interstitial in front of your audience. Analytics compares how much click data free users see. The catches explains lifetime quotas, click caps and branding labels. When to pay is for the day free stops being enough.
For paid plans, head-to-head comparisons and full reviews, use the hub at Best URL Shorteners.
Questions & answers
Which URL shortener has the most generous free plan?
ReSlug on links and features: 500 active links, a custom domain, QR codes, a bio page and 30 days of analytics. Short.io on domains: five included free with 1,000 links (lifetime).
Is there a free URL shortener with no ads?
Most of them. Only Bitly's free plan is documented as showing ads. ReSlug, Short.io, Dub, Cuttly, Linkly and TinyURL serve clean redirects on free. See the no-ads entry.
Can I use a free URL shortener for a business?
Yes. Short.io states that commercial use is allowed on free. ReSlug, Cuttly and Linkly place no non-commercial restriction on their free plans. Avoid putting a plan that shows ads in front of customers.
Do free URL shortener links expire?
Not by default on any plan listed here. ReSlug lets you set an expiry date on free. Linkly pauses links when the monthly click cap is reached, which is different from expiry.
Sources for this entry
- ReSlug pricing page reslug.com/pricing
- Bitly pricing page bitly.com/pages/pricing
- Dub pricing page dub.co/pricing/links
- Short.io pricing page short.io/pricing
- Rebrandly pricing page www.rebrandly.com/pricing
- TinyURL pricing page tinyurl.com/app/pricing
- T.LY pricing page t.ly/pricing
- Cuttly pricing page cutt.ly/pro-pricing
- Linkly pricing page linklyhq.com/pricing
- Switchy pricing page www.switchy.io/pricing
Checked 8 November 2026. Vendor pages change; the date is the claim.
Cite this entry
Best Free URL Shortener. "Best free URL shortener in 2026". Reviewed 8 November 2026. https://bestfreeurlshortener.com/