Head to head
Bitly vs TinyURL: which URL shortener should you pick in 2026?
The best-known shortener, now a connections platform with QR codes and landing pages, priced for teams. One of the oldest shorteners, still free for basic links, with analytics and branded domains sold as paid add-ons. Here is how their free plans, prices and features line up.
Bitly and TinyURL are the two shorteners everyone knows, and both have drifted toward paid plans. TinyURL still lets you shorten unlimited links for free with no account and no ads, but gives you no analytics or editing. Bitly's free plan is five links a month, with ads, and no analytics history.
Paid, TinyURL Pro is around $9.99 a month for 500 active links with analytics and up to three domains (third-party figures; the official page could not be fetched). Bitly Core is $10 a month billed annually for 100 links a month with no domain; Growth is $29 for 500 links and one domain.
Bitly vs TinyURL: every limit side by side
| Bitly | TinyURL | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ||
| Free plan available | Yes | Yes |
| Free links | 5 links/mo | Unlimited basic links |
| Custom domain on free | No | No |
| Ads on free links | Yes | No |
| Analytics on free | None | None |
| QR codes on free | 2/mo | Yes |
| Paid | ||
| Cheapest paid plan | Core, $10/mo | Pro, $9.99/mo |
| Billed annually | $10/mo | — |
| Links on cheapest paid plan | 100/mo | 500 active links |
| Custom domains (paid) | 0 (Growth plan and up) | Up to 3 branded domains |
| Analytics retention (paid) | 30 days | Not documented |
| Features | ||
| API | Yes | Paid plans |
| Link-in-bio pages | Yes | No |
| UTM builder | Yes | No |
| Link expiration | Not documented | Bulk plan |
| Password-protected links | Not documented | No |
| Geo / device routing | Enterprise | No |
| A/B split testing | No | No |
| Retargeting pixels | No | No |
| Bot-click filtering | Not documented | Not documented |
| Team seats | Enterprise | No |
Sources: Bitly pricing and TinyURL pricing, checked 8 November 2026.
Choose Bitly if…
- You want QR codes, landing pages and a known enterprise vendor.
- You need deep links and a large integration catalogue.
Choose TinyURL if…
- You want free, unlimited, ad-free basic links with no account.
- You want a cheaper paid plan with a branded domain (Pro, ~$10).
Bottom line
For free use TinyURL wins easily. For paid use, both are undercut by ReSlug, Short.io and Dub.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bitly or TinyURL better for a free plan?
Bitly gives you 5 links/mo free; TinyURL gives you Unlimited basic links free. See the free-plan rows in the table above for domains, ads and analytics.
Which is cheaper, Bitly or TinyURL?
Bitly's cheapest paid plan is $10/mo (Core) and TinyURL's is $9.99/mo (Pro), both billed monthly. Annual billing lowers the effective rate where offered.
Can I use my own domain with Bitly and TinyURL?
Bitly: on paid plans (0 (Growth plan and up) domains). TinyURL: on paid plans (Up to 3 branded domains domains).