{"id":402,"date":"2005-06-20T18:58:00","date_gmt":"2005-06-20T13:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2005\/06\/20\/short-tiny-small-urls-links\/"},"modified":"2026-10-12T15:31:50","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T10:01:50","slug":"short-tiny-small-urls-links","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2005\/06\/short-tiny-small-urls-links\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Free URL Shorteners to Create Short Links (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Long links break in emails, forum signatures and social posts, and they&#8217;re hard to remember. In 2005 we recommended TinyURL, Shorl and SnipURL to make short links. TinyURL is still going strong, and today a good <strong>URL shortener<\/strong> also tracks clicks, lets you choose a custom ending and can even use your own domain. Here are the best free options in 2026.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-64623\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/free-url-shorteners-1024x538.webp\" alt=\"Best free URL shorteners\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/free-url-shorteners-1024x538.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/free-url-shorteners-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/free-url-shorteners-150x79.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/free-url-shorteners-768x403.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/free-url-shorteners.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> The easiest free URL shorteners are TinyURL (no account needed, custom aliases) and Bitly (free plan with click stats). For branded links on your own domain, use Rebrandly, Bitly&#8217;s paid plans or a WordPress plugin like Pretty Links. Use short links where space is tight, but avoid them where trust matters, since people can&#8217;t see where they lead.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6adc643c4c0ca\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6adc643c4c0ca\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2005\/06\/short-tiny-small-urls-links\/#Why_use_short_URLs\" >Why use short URLs?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2005\/06\/short-tiny-small-urls-links\/#Best_free_URL_shorteners\" >Best free URL shorteners<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2005\/06\/short-tiny-small-urls-links\/#How_to_create_a_short_link\" >How to create a short link<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2005\/06\/short-tiny-small-urls-links\/#Short_link_safety\" >Short link safety<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2005\/06\/short-tiny-small-urls-links\/#Tips\" >Tips<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2005\/06\/short-tiny-small-urls-links\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2005\/06\/short-tiny-small-urls-links\/#Is_TinyURL_still_free\" >Is TinyURL still free?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2005\/06\/short-tiny-small-urls-links\/#Do_short_URLs_expire\" >Do short URLs expire?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2005\/06\/short-tiny-small-urls-links\/#Do_short_links_hurt_SEO\" >Do short links hurt SEO?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_use_short_URLs\"><\/span>Why use short URLs?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Fit links into text messages, social posts, printed materials and QR codes.<\/li>\n<li>Make links easy to read aloud or type.<\/li>\n<li>Track how many people clicked and from where.<\/li>\n<li>Replace long tracking URLs with clean links.<\/li>\n<li>Hide long affiliate URLs (always with proper disclosure).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Best_free_URL_shorteners\"><\/span>Best free URL shorteners<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TinyURL<\/a> &#8211; the original from 2002. Paste a link, optionally choose a custom alias, and get a short URL instantly; accounts add editing and stats.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bitly.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bitly<\/a> &#8211; free plan with a limited number of links per month, click analytics and QR codes.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rebrandly.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rebrandly<\/a> &#8211; focuses on branded short links using your own domain.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pretty Links<\/strong> (WordPress plugin) &#8211; short links on your own site, like yoursite.com\/go\/name, with click tracking. We use it on QuickOnlineTips.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Old services like Shorl and SnipURL have faded, and Google&#8217;s goo.gl shortener stopped creating new links in 2019, a reminder that links on a third-party shortener depend on that service surviving.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_create_a_short_link\"><\/span>How to create a short link<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Copy the long URL from your browser&#8217;s address bar.<\/li>\n<li>Open TinyURL or Bitly and paste it.<\/li>\n<li>Optionally enter a custom alias, like tinyurl.com\/my-recipe.<\/li>\n<li>Copy the short link and share it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Short_link_safety\"><\/span>Short link safety<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Short links hide the destination, so scammers use them too. Before clicking a suspicious one, preview it: add a + to the end of a Bitly link, or use an expander tool. See our guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/02\/scary-short-urls\/\">how to check short links before you click<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tips\"><\/span>Tips<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Use your own domain for important links, so you control them forever.<\/li>\n<li>Don&#8217;t use short links in places where readers expect to see the full URL, like emails from banks.<\/li>\n<li>Add UTM tags to the long URL before shortening to track campaigns in Analytics.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_TinyURL_still_free\"><\/span>Is TinyURL still free?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes, creating basic short links on TinyURL is free, with paid plans for branded domains and advanced stats.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_short_URLs_expire\"><\/span>Do short URLs expire?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Usually not on major services, but they can stop working if the service shuts down.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_short_links_hurt_SEO\"><\/span>Do short links hurt SEO?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Major shorteners use 301 redirects, but for links on your own site, use the full URL.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Long links break in emails, forum signatures and social posts, and they&#8217;re hard to remember. In 2005 we recommended TinyURL,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":64623,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-402","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tips"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/402","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=402"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/402\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64624,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/402\/revisions\/64624"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64623"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=402"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=402"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=402"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}