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.
| 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.
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.