The upgrade decision
When to pay for a URL shortener
Most people never need to. Here are the signs that you do, and what the first dollar buys on each tool.
Five signs free has run out
- You want last quarter's numbers. Free history tops out at 30 days. ReSlug Pro keeps 365 days; Dub Pro keeps 1 year.
- You hit a quota that matters. 500 active links active links on ReSlug, the lifetime pool on Short.io, or Linkly's 500 clicks/mo.
- You need a second brand on ReSlug. One domain free, ten on Pro. Or move the extra brands to Short.io, which has five free.
- You need to route traffic. Sending visitors by country or device, password-protecting a link or splitting traffic between two pages are paid features everywhere.
- Someone else needs access. Team seats are paid on every tool, and ReSlug does not offer them yet. Dub Pro includes three users; Short.io Team includes unlimited.
What the first paid plan buys
| Tool | Cheapest paid | Price | Billing | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ReSlug | Pro | $9/mo or $79/yr | Monthly or yearly | Unlimited links, 10 domains, 365 days analytics, routing, API |
| Short.io | Hobby | $5/mo | Monthly or yearly | 2,500 (lifetime) links, 7 domains |
| Cuttly | Starter | $12/mo or $132/yr | Monthly or yearly | 300/mo links, still 30 days analytics |
| Linkly | Starter | $15/mo | Yearly only | 250/mo links, bot management, QR codes |
| Dub | Pro | $27/mo | Monthly or yearly | 1,000/mo (12,000/yr) links, 10 domains, 1 year analytics |
| TinyURL | Pro | about $9.99/mo | Varies by tier | Analytics, editing, 500 active links, branded domains |
| Bitly | Core | $10/mo | Yearly only ($120) | 100/mo links, 30 days analytics, no custom domain |
From vendor pricing pages, 8 November 2026. TinyURL figures are from third-party listings; see its review on the hub.
Where the money goes furthest
$5 on Short.io Hobby buys 2,500 (lifetime) and 7 domains, which is the cheapest paid plan in the group. $9 on ReSlug Pro buys unlimited links, ten domains, a year of analytics, routing and an API, which is the most for under ten dollars. $10 on Bitly Core buys 100/mo with no custom domain and must be paid as a year up front, which is the least.
TinyURL Pro at roughly $9.99 buys 500 active links, which is the same count ReSlug gives free. That is the clearest case of a paid plan being beaten by someone else's free one.
Reasons to stay free
If your links are personal, you post fewer than a few hundred, and a month of data is enough, there is no reason to pay. ReSlug free covers that comfortably. If you need several domains and little else, Short.io free covers that. The paid plans exist for volume, history, routing and teams, and most individual users need none of them.
Questions & answers
What is the cheapest paid URL shortener plan?
Short.io Hobby at $5 a month. ReSlug Pro at $9 a month, or $79 a year, includes far more for the extra dollars.
Is Bitly Core worth $120 a year?
It buys 100/mo a month and 30 days of history with no custom domain. ReSlug's free plan includes more links and a domain.
Can I get a year of analytics for free?
No. Free plans stop at 30 days. ReSlug Pro and Dub Pro both keep a year.
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. "When to pay for a URL shortener". Reviewed 8 November 2026. https://bestfreeurlshortener.com/when-to-pay/