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A custom URL shortener is an essential tool for marketers and businesses to build their brand, track campaigns, and optimize links. With so many options to choose from, it can be overwhelming to find the best one for your needs.
I‘ve tested and reviewed the top 10 custom URL shorteners based on features, pricing, ease of use, and more to help you make the right choice.
1. ClickMagick – Best Overall Custom URL Shortener
ClickMagick is my top pick for the best overall custom URL shortener because of its robust features, flexibility, and excellent support.
Key Features:
- Create branded, customizable links
- A/B split testing on links
- Link click fraud protection
- In-depth analytics and reports
- Integrations with top marketing tools
- 14-day free trial
I especially like ClickMagick because you can not only shorten links but also run split tests directly within the platform. This makes optimizing your links for more clicks and conversions super simple.
The filters allow you to zero in on any suspicious clicks, while the analytics give you deep insights into your link performance.
Pricing starts at $9 per month for the Starter plan, making it budget-friendly for small businesses. The higher-tier plans add more advanced capabilities like faster analytic updates, priority support, and additional link credits each month.
For its unmatched features, great support, and easy setup, ClickMagick earns the title of best overall URL shortener.
Try ClickMagick free for 14 days
2. Bitly – Best Free Option
Bitly is likely the most well-known free custom URL shortener. It offers an easy way to shorten links and basic analytics without any cost.
Key Features:
- Free branded short links
- Link management portal
- Basic click analytics
- Browser extensions for fast shortening
- Group accounts to manage multiple users
The free plan includes branded short links with your own custom domain, making it great for establishing brand consistency. You can see clicks, locations, referrers, and popular links over the past 30 days.
While Bitly doesn‘t provide the depth of analytics or robust toolset other paid shorteners do, it‘s an outstanding free option for basic short link needs.
The $29/month Paid plan upgrades you to real-time analytics, unlimited users, priority support, and API access.
For a reliable basic URL shortener with no monthly costs, Bitly is a superb choice. The free branded links make it especially appealing.
3. Rebrandly – Most User-Friendly
Rebrandly stands out as one of the most beginner-friendly and intuitive custom URL shorteners. If you want something easy to use that gets the job done, Rebrandly hits the mark.
Key Features:
- Custom branded domains
- One-click link shortening
- Click stats and location data
- Integrates with top marketing apps
- 15-day free trial
I love how quick and simple it is to create short links with Rebrandly. Just paste in a long URL, pick your custom domain, and click shorten – done!
The dashboard cleanly displays your click stats and popular links. You can easily filter to analyze traffic sources, locations, platforms, and more. These insights help enhance marketing efforts.
While some competing shorteners have more advanced analytics, Rebrandly provides all the vital link metrics in an easy-to-use format. Their support team is also top-notch.
Pricing starts at their free plan allowing 5,000 clicks per month. Upgrading to $39/month gets you more clicks, domains, and advanced features like UTM builders.
For its sheer simplicity and great support, Rebrandly takes the prize as the most user-friendly URL shortener.
4. Short.io – Best for Social Media
Short.io is a slick tool optimized for social media marketing. If you mainly shorten links to share on social platforms, Short.io is a leading choice.
Key Features:
- 100% branded short links
- Real-time social analytics
- Post to social networks directly
- Browser extensions
- 15-day free trial
Short.io makes it fast and easy to shorten and share social links all in one place. You can append UTM parameters to track campaigns and post to Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and more right from your dashboard.
The social insights provide great visibility into your audience and content performance. You can see clicks, actions, demographics, engagement, sentiment and more for each link. These metrics help guide your social strategy.
While the free plan is restricted to 100 clicks monthly, affordable paid plans start at $9/month. They also offer free nonprofit and student plans which is a nice perk.
For a URL shortener highly optimized for social media, Short.io is a top performer. The social publishing and metrics set it apart from competitors.
5. TinyURL – Best for Simplicity
TinyURL lives up to its name by offering a simple no-frills link shortening solution. If all you need is to shrink URLs with nothing extra, TinyURL delivers.
Key Features:
- Shorten long links
- Preview feature to test links
- Link customization options
- Free and paid plans
- Created over 1 trillion short links since 2002
As a free user, you can shorten an unlimited number of URLs to a tinyurl.com or preview link. Paid plans starting at $9.99/month let you create custom URLs for branding.
The shortened links automatically copy to your clipboard for easy pasting anywhere. TinyURL also provides the option to password protect or disable links as needed.
There are no analytics or social sharing built in. But if basic short link functionality is all you want, TinyURL offers an easy solution.
Their free link shortener has also withstood the test of time, being around since 2002. TinyURL has shortened over 1 trillion URLs, so they know what they’re doing!
6. BLYNK – Best for Developers
BLYNK stands out with its API and embed capabilities perfect for developers. If you want to integrate a shortener with apps or build custom redirection logic, BLYNK is ideal.
Key Features:
- Robust API capabilities
- White-label embeddable links
- Powerful redirect management
- Link access protection
- 30-day free trial
Developers will love the flexibility BLYNK provides to shorten, manage, track, and embed links dynamically. You can build upon their link infrastructure in creative ways.
For example, the Rules Engine allows you to set up conditional redirects based on parameters like device, geo-targeting, dates and more. You can also password protect or whitelist link access.
Pricing starts at a free plan allowing 1,000 clicks per month. From $9/month up to enterprise plans, they scale for needs small and large.
For devs looking to tightly integrate a URL shortener and unlock advanced features, BLYNK is a top choice.
7. PixelMe – Best for Link Retargeting
PixelMe specializes in link retargeting and analytics to help drive conversions. If recapturing website visitors is key, PixelMe simplifies the process.
Key Features:
- Audiences built from link clicks
- Link retargeting with Facebook & Google
- In-depth analytics dashboard
- Easy UTM tag builder
- 14-day free trial
PixelMe automatically tracks everyone who clicks your links and adds them to targeted customer audiences. You can then run tailored ads to re-engage visitors with what they’re already shown interest in.
The analytics provide visibility into your best-performing links overall and by channel, location, device and more. These insights further optimize marketing.
Plans start at $24/month for independent professionals up to $750/month for enterprise-level accounts.
For both comprehensible analytics and seamless integration with major ad platforms, PixelMe is the best URL shortener focused on driving conversions through retargeting.
8. Shorby – Best for Local Businesses
Shorby makes link shortening simple for local enterprises to drive in-person sales. With location-based redirects and insights, Shorby supports brick-and-mortars stores.
Key Features:
- Local store redirects
- Location-based click analytics
- Integrates with Google My Business
- Custom link domains
- 14-day free trial
Shorby equip local businesses to track links back to a nearby store location. For example, you can run a ZIP code radius campaign pointing to the three nearest stores.
The dashboard displays click metrics segmented by location so you can see which stores are converting best. These insights help optimize your local marketing strategy.
Pricing fits small businesses with plans from $15 to $199 per month. Premium support and priority setup are also included.
For any local enterprise needing simple short links tied back to physical store locations, Shorby is purpose-built to deliver.
9. Droplr – Best for Teams
Droplr excels at enabling teams to shorten, organize, and share links seamlessly. With slick collaboration features, Droplr streamlines team link management.
Key Features:
- Team workflow integrations
- Organize links in boards
- Robust mobile apps
- Real-time link analytics
- 30-day free trial
Droplr goes beyond a simple URL shortener to enable seamless link sharing across organizations. The visual boards let you drag-and-drop to arrange links however you like.
Team members can add tags, comments, and metadata to links for improved discoverability. The Droplr browser extension, desktop apps, and mobile apps ensure links are always within reach.
If working cross-functionally with lots of links, Droplr accelerates the process. Pricing starts at $9 per user/month for Pro teams and scales up to enterprise-level plans.
For streamlined link management with teams, Droplr is a game-changer. The extensive features facilitate collaboration across marketing, sales, product, and more.
10. Linkly – Best for Link Management
Linkly shines for those needing an all-in-one link management platform beyond just shortening URLs. With versatile options to track, organize, and share links, Linkly is a marketer’s dream tool.
Key Features:
- Robust dashboard to manage links
- Group links into customizable folders
- Schedule links to auto-publish
- Built-in A/B testing tool
- 14-day free trial
While Linkly excels at reducing long links, they also allow you to manage shortened URLs within their intuitive platform. You can organize, collaborate on, schedule, and test links all in one place.
Linkly also enables white-label reporting complete with your brand colors, fonts, and logo. This extra touch improves the experience for clients and team members accessing stats.
Plans fit personal and small business needs, starting at $25 per month. Volume discounts are also available for agencies and larger customers.
For superior link management beyond just shortening URLs, Linkly does it all in their robust platform. The many organizational features help tame link chaos.