LinkShrink vs Bitly Free Tier
Bitly's free plan changed dramatically in 2024–2025. Here's how they compare today.
| Feature | LinkShrink (Free) | Bitly (Free) |
|---|---|---|
| Links per month | ∞ Unlimited | 5 links/month |
| No signup required | ✓ Yes | ✗ Account required |
| Ads on redirect clicks | ✓ Never | ✗ Interstitial ads shown |
| User tracking on clicks | ✓ Zero tracking | ✗ Logs IP, device, geo |
| Custom slug (alias) | ✓ Free, unlimited | 3/month on free |
| Anonymous click stats | ✓ Free | Limited on free |
| QR code generation | ✓ Free, any size | 2/month on free |
| Link deletion token | ✓ Always included | Requires account |
| API access (no key) | ✓ Always open | API key required |
| Price per year | $0 | $420/year for full features |
Why Developers Are Leaving Bitly
The complaints are real. Here's what users have been saying.
$420/Year Price Shock
"After 10 years of loyalty, I was shocked to receive an email announcing prices would jump to $420/year." — Verified Bitly user. LinkShrink is free forever.
Interstitial Ads on Free Links
Bitly now shows ad pages before redirecting on free-plan links. Every click becomes a mini ad impression. LinkShrink has zero ads, ever.
Tracking Your Visitors
Bitly logs IP addresses, device types, browser fingerprints, and geolocation for every click. LinkShrink stores only an anonymous counter integer.
Vendor Lock-In
Your bit.ly links stop working if you stop paying. LinkShrink links live 30–90 days by default and you can self-host the entire stack via Docker.
Switch from Bitly in 30 Seconds
No account creation. No credit card. Just call the API.
# Bitly (requires API token, account, paid plan for >5 links/month) # curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" \ # -d '{"long_url":"https://example.com"}' \ # https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v4/shorten # LinkShrink — no token, no account, same result curl -X POST https://linkshrink.dev/api/v1/shorten \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"url":"https://example.com/your/long/path"}' # Response: # { # "status": "success", # "data": { # "shortUrl": "https://linkshrink.dev/abc1234", # "deleteToken": "a1b2c3d4...", # "analytics": "https://linkshrink.dev/api/v1/stats/abc1234" # } # }
Features Bitly Charges For — Free on LinkShrink
Custom Slugs
Set your own alias: /my-event-2026. No account, no approval, just include customAlias in your request. Bitly limits this to 3/month on free.
QR Code Generation
Every short link gets a QR endpoint automatically: /api/v1/qr/:code.png?size=512. Use in print materials, campaigns, or apps. Bitly charges for QR codes.
Link Expiry Control
Set TTL in seconds when creating a link. Perfect for time-limited campaigns. The link returns 410 Gone automatically after expiry. A paid-only feature on Bitly.