Comparison
Bitly vs Short.io
A feature-by-feature comparison of Bitly and Short.io — plus a free alternative that beats both.
How do Bitly and Short.io compare, and is there a better option? The table below puts both side by side against urlik — a free, all-in-one link toolset.
17/17
urlik
features free3/17
Bitly
features free4 paid1 limited9 missing
6/17
Short.io
features free4 paid1 limited6 missing
| Feature | urlik | Bitly | Short.io |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Limited | Limited |
| Use without sign-up | Yes | No | No |
| Custom alias | Yes | Paid | Yes |
| QR codes | Yes | Paid | Yes |
| Click analytics | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Password-protected links | Yes | No | Paid |
| Link expiry / self-destruct | Yes | No | Paid |
| A/B link rotation | Yes | No | Paid |
| Retargeting pixels | Yes | No | Paid |
| UTM builder | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Link-in-bio page | Yes | Paid | No |
| Temporary email | Yes | No | No |
| Encrypted file transfer | Yes | No | No |
| Video downloader | Yes | No | No |
| Developer API | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Custom domain | Yes | Paid | Yes |
| Pay with crypto | Yes | No | No |
Comparison based on publicly available information as of publication. Trademarks belong to their owners: Bitly, Short.io.
Verdict
Bitly or Short.io — or something better?
Both Bitly and Short.io do link shortening well, but each is a single-purpose paid tool. urlik gives you shortening with analytics, QR codes, temporary email, encrypted file sharing, payment links and a link-in-bio page — free, no sign-up, in 8 languages.