9 MOST USEFUL FREE URL SHORTENERS EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT
URL or the Uniform Resource Locator is one of the most useful factors for the online marketers or people operating their work through the world wide web. An URL can be long or short. But, long URLs can sound a bit confusing, unrecognizable for users to keep in mind. So, it's better to design short URLs for managing the link, track data, etc. There's a solution for every problem. Similarly, there are free URL shorteners available online to design your web address into a simpler one.
WHAT IS URL SHORTENER?
URL shortening is a technique to shorten your website address and direct you to the web page. In this process, the lengthy URLs get converted into shorter ones using strings of letters/numbers and commands. Numerous URL shorteners are present over the world wide web to help the users ease their burden. Like:
1. BITLY:
One can design shorter URLs using this simple and easy to process shortening tool and share links over every social media platform from different channels. It follows a technique of shortening the URL with a series of letters or numbers. You can reliably share data and information at a faster speed. Overall, Bitly is the world's largest URL shortener.
Bitly Features:
Optimizes and enhances marketing efforts
Collects performance insights
Click context
Tracks the campaign's performance
Shortens the shared links
Gethers user's intelligence
Tracks and examine the individual links
Free Plan
Basic Plan: $29/month
Premium Plan: $199/month
2. KUTT:
With this modern and effective URL shortener, one can generate recognizable and shorter links. The interface is quite simple, and Kutt is an open-source and free shortener. You can shorten the URL using GitHub as well.
Kutt Features:
You can set custom domains
Separate private statistics
Free and open-source URL shortener
Manages the links efficiently
The user can set different passwords for shortened URLs
API
You can set custom URLs
3. POLR:
An open-source and best link shortener published in PHP and Lumen, and the central database is MySql. Overall, a user can access the main website and GitHub for generating the URLs using Polr.
Polr Features:
The interface is simple and modern
Easy-to-use URL shortener tool
Minimalist feeling
It is intrepid
Robust API
Full brand control
Offers customized URLs, permissions, and themes
4. YOURLS:
Through this tool, a user can decide whether he/she wants to keep the URLs private or public. You can customize the URLs and control the data. In short, it's a perfect choice for branding your website address.
YOURLS Features:
Cool API
Open-source and free
You can run it on your server
Robust tracking tools available
Neat Ajaxed interface
Provides sequential and custom keywords
Quite interactive UI
5. ZWS:
ZWS or the Zero Width Shortener is one of the most simple and free URL shorteners available online that shortens the URL's width at zero spacing.
ZWS Features:
Easy to use and understand interface
Attractive dashboard
Delivers the results very fast
Strong API
Quite manageable
Technical knowledge is not necessary
6. SHLINK:
The word 'Shlink' comprises two words, short and link, indicating its potentiality of shortening the web address to make it look custom and user-friendly.
Shlink Features:
You can access shortened URLs from anywhere
Simple authentication
Easy to integrate
It serves more than one domain
Easy tracking of the eMails
The user gets detailed statistics of URL visits, browser, and location
A manageable and powerful tool
7. PYGMY:
A pygmy is a user-friendly tool where one can extend and deploy the URLs for a better experience. The interface is feature-rich and easy to manage.
Pygmy Features:
External authentication with LDAP
Get detailed analytics of the links
Secret key protected URL
Auto expire URL
The dashboard is easy-to-use
Get custom URLs
8. URLHUM:
You can launch a live demo to understand the URL shortening process over this platform. It is one of the safest and advanced URL shorteners available online. The tool is Php based and quite famous for its laravel framework.
UrlHum Features:
You can review the codebase at GitHub
Get detailed reports
Easy-to-use
Safest URL shortener
Free and open-source
9. CUTTLY:
A modern URL shortener that helps the users to generate unique domains. The user also gets the click rate stats and tracking them. You can manage your links like a pro and build brand engagement using Cuttly.
Creates, secures, and removes the links
Track the details with detailed reports
Powerful API
Offers free and paid versions
Cuttly Pricing: The tool offers 4 kinds of plans, namely:
Free Plan
Single Plan: $25/month
Team Plan: $99/month
Team Enterprise Plan: $149/month
FINAL VERDICT:
These are some of the best free URL shorteners that help users to generate shorter and simpler links. We hope that our readers understood URL shortening quite thoroughly.