The very best URL shorteners for lengthy hyperlinks in 2024

For sharing hyperlinks to the principle pages of a web site, you may merely copy-paste the URL (e.g. setapp.com). However with regards to ecommerce merchandise, social media, referrals, and different JavaScript-heavy locations, URLs can get fairly lengthy and unruly. URL shorteners resolve this downside and aid you share hyperlinks on-line with out feeling such as you’re pasting in a novel. However which one must you use?

What’s a URL shortener?

A URL shortener (aka a hyperlink shortener) is a service that turns lengthy hyperlinks into quick and memorable ones (for instance, bit.ly/take a look at) for simple sharing, promoting, referral monitoring, and extra. 

There are each free and paid methods to shorten lengthy hyperlinks, with the latter typically providing additional options, akin to branded hyperlinks, customized domains, superior analytics, and extra.

How does a URL shortener work?

The best way quick URL turbines work is by redirecting your lengthy hyperlinks via their very own quick domains.

Bitly, for instance, owns bit.ly, so it’s in a position to redirect any web page via the bit.ly area by including just a few characters after the slash (e.g. bit.ly/sgtrv). Equally, Rebrandly owns rebrand.ly, and TinyURL owns tinyurl.com. 

What are the advantages of utilizing a URL shortener?

The primary motive to make use of quick hyperlink turbines is aesthetic. Quick hyperlinks look significantly better on-line. Plus, they’re simpler to repeat and paste, are extra memorable, and usually tend to be clicked on.

One other non-obvious however worthwhile motive to shorten URLs is the flexibility to trace analytics for hyperlinks that don’t originate out of your web site. You possibly can’t set up a tracker on a Wikipedia web page, for instance, however you may monitor how many individuals clicked in your quick hyperlink that results in that web page.

The fast rise in tiny hyperlink reputation may be attributed to Twitter. Within the early days, Twitter restricted all tweets to 140 characters, which included hyperlinks. The longer the hyperlinks had been the less characters had been left for the remainder of the tweet. That offered an amazing incentive for everybody to shorten URLs. And whereas tweets and different social media posts may be for much longer now, it’s nonetheless customary to make use of hyperlink shorteners when posting on-line. 

There are some potential downsides to utilizing hyperlink shorteners as effectively. Hyperlink shorteners have decrease belief than common hyperlinks, because the ultimate URL can’t be seen till the shortened one is clicked. This loophole continuously will get exploited by scammers and spammers on-line.

It’s additionally vital to decide on the URL shortener you utilize fastidiously as a result of they management the redirect. URL shorteners that don’t have trusted monitor data can swap your redirect for one among their very own at any time, leading to your hyperlink directing folks to spammy or scammy web sites.

Prime URL shorteners of 2024

Earlier than 2019, the go-to service to shorten hyperlinks was Google URL Shortener. It was free, straightforward to make use of, and created goo.gl quick hyperlinks that directed guests wherever on-line. 

After the Google hyperlink shortener was shut down, a wide range of automated URL shortening companies sprung as much as take its place. Under, we dissect six high hyperlink shorteners in the marketplace at the moment and aid you select the one which fits your wants greatest.

1. Quick Menu: The quickest URL shortener on Mac

Not like different URL shorteners which might be primarily internet apps, Quick Menu is a light-weight utility that lives proper in your Mac’s menu bar. 

Quick Menu can shorten URLs robotically, as quickly as you copy them to your clipboard, utilizing both its personal shrtm.nu area or one other well-liked service, from bit.ly to tinyurl.com. You possibly can even manually add customized URL shorteners and use them with Quick Menu natively. 

You may also shorten hyperlinks through the use of a customized keyboard shortcut and evaluate all of the hyperlink historical past proper within the menu bar app, which syncs between your Mac and iOS units through iCloud. 

The fundamental options of Quick Menu are free to make use of, however you’ll have to pay wherever from $0.99 to $5 for upgrades, akin to entry to all URL shorteners, the flexibility to make use of affiliate accounts, and extra. Or get Quick Menu with all of the options included while you obtain it as a part of the Setapp assortment.

2. Bitly: Analytics and customization

With greater than 600 million hyperlinks processed each month, Bitly is the most important URL shortening service on the internet. 

The Bitly URL shortener makes use of the bit.ly area. You possibly can create a free account but it surely limits you to 10 quick hyperlinks a month (or 5 custom-made ones). To get hyperlink redirects, customized domains, in-depth analytics, QR code optimizations, and extra, you’ll want to improve to one of many paid plans, starting from $8 to $199 a month. 

3. TinyURL: Primary shortening

Launched in 2002, TinyURL is the oldest well-liked quick URL generator nonetheless in service. Whereas it doesn’t provide a ton of additional options, akin to hyperlink in bio and QR code integrations, it has cheaper costs and a extra beneficiant free account allowance in comparison with Bitly.

For instance, you get 30 branded or 100 TinyURL shortened hyperlinks monthly at no cost. Paid plans begin at $9.99 and provide larger utilization limits and detailed analytics. 

4. Rebrandly: Customized hyperlinks

One of the latest entrants within the tiny hyperlink area is Rebrandly. Not like different quick hyperlink turbines, Rebrandly doesn’t provide generic quick hyperlinks and focuses on creating branded hyperlinks, utilizing your individual area, proper from the beginning.

There’s a free plan that offers you 10 branded hyperlinks a month, fundamental analytics, UTM parameters for Google Analytics, and even QR codes. Nevertheless, for larger volumes and extra in-depth analytics, you’ll want to subscribe to one of many paid plans, beginning at $14 a month.

5. Go Hyperlinks: Memorable shortcuts

An fascinating twist on creating quick and memorable hyperlinks is Go Hyperlinks. Not like typical hyperlink shorteners which might be meant for exterior audiences (e.g. sharing on social media or emailing), Go Hyperlinks are supposed to be easy-to-remember shortcuts used inside your group. 

The best way Go Hyperlinks works is by integrating into the apps you utilize, from Slack to Google Docs to your browser. After that, you may create numerous Go Hyperlinks, akin to go/roadmap, for instance, that might take you to a particular Trello or Asana board. As soon as a Go Hyperlink has been created, anybody in your workforce can use that hyperlink in any app, and it might robotically redirect them to the proper place. With the proper naming technique, you may transfer round your paperwork quicker than ever earlier than and cease trying to find vital URLs.

As much as 5 folks in your workforce can create limitless Go Hyperlinks on a free plan. Paid plans provide extra customers, group instruments, and AI-powered search outcomes.

6. URL Shortener for Google Chrome: Browser extension

Other than Go Hyperlinks, one drawback of quick URL turbines is that you must go to a separate web site to create them, which takes you out of your movement, particularly if you’ll want to do it a number of occasions a day. 

URL Shortener for Google Chrome is a good answer to that. It really works proper within the browser and allows you to shorten a protracted URL by clicking on the extension in Chrome. The extension itself runs on the TinyURL service beneath, so it’s going to restrict the quantity of hyperlinks to 100 a month, which is greater than sufficient for most individuals.

What’s the most effective URL shortener for you? 

As you may see, it’s not clear which URL shortener is the most effective. It’s important to select the one which’s greatest to your particular scenario. Quick Menu covers all bases and allows you to get all the advantages from free accounts at totally different companies. Bitly provides you in-depth analytics on paid plans. TinyURL has a beneficiant free account with 100 hyperlinks a month. Rebrandly permits you to add your customized area proper from the beginning. Go Hyperlinks are good for inside use. And URL Shortener for Google Chrome permits you to keep in movement.

Strive Quick Menu for the subsequent seven days at no cost, due to the trial of Setapp. Setapp is a platform of greater than 240 excellent apps for Mac and iOS throughout all possible classes, from internet growth to picture retouching. Obtain all apps at the moment and discover just a few new gems!