Top 15 link shortening services

To share links to certain products, interesting publications or other materials, it is enough to copy the link and send it to the recipient.Unfortunately, not all links have an acceptable length and more or less attractive appearance, which may cause suspicion among particularly cautious users and discourage them from clicking on this link. And this is just one of the reasons.

However, a link shortener can come to the rescue. There are many services that provide this service, and we will look at the top 15 of them.

Why you need short links

Imagine that the URL of the famous Ukrainian hosting https://tuthost.ua/ would not look so beautiful and concise, but would contain an unreadable set of letters and a lot of domain names of different levels. Would you then want to take advantage of all its quality services? Most internet users would be distrustful of such a cumbersome link.

Also, short links have the following advantages:

• if you shorten long URLs, you can save space when posting links, especially in posts that are limited in size;
• short links are easier to read and remember, making them more attractive to users;
• Link shortener allows you to hide long and complex URLs, which can be useful if you want to provide the user with a cleaner and clearer interface (for example, if you need to place a link on your website);
• this feature can be used to prevent tracking and monitoring of links, which may be useful in certain cases.

Quite often links are shortened in the case of affiliate programmes to simplify the customer service process. The fact is that affiliate links have a significant length, as they include a large number of parameters, and it is not very convenient to use them for advertising and mailing in their original form.

The 15 best link shortening services

There are many services that can be used to shorten links quickly. In order to make a choice in favour of a certain option, it is worth getting acquainted with their features and distinctive parameters. This will allow you to choose the best option to use.

1. Bitly is the most popular service for short addresses

With such a link shortener, you can create a short link that looks like bit.ly/xyz.

It is not difficult to use this service. To quickly create a short link, you must first copy an existing variant. After that, you need to paste it into the appropriate field and click on the “Reduce” button. Within a few seconds, the short link will be ready.

To get more features, you can sign up on Bitly’s official website. This will allow access to more tools and functionality.

Bitly can also be used to identify broken links in a timely manner. To see how actively exploited such a link is, you should put a “+” sign in front of it.

2. Goo.gl simplicity and functionality

The Goo.gl service has a similar functionality. You don’t have to be registered with Google to access this service. A distinctive feature is the ability to track statistics across different URLs.

You can also use it to monitor the performance of various websites. This helps to ensure an acceptable level of safety.

3. t1p.de German security

The t1p.de service provides a high level of protection and privacy as it does not collect personal data of the user.

The process of shortening a link is quite simple, you need to insert the link in the input field “Ihr Link” and click “Linkrzen”. You can copy the short link to the clipboard automatically by clicking on “Link kopieren”. The disadvantage of this service is obvious all the interface is presented only in German.

4. Is.gd is the most mature link shortening service out there

The Is.gd service has been running for many years now, with its design remaining virtually unchanged throughout. What remains unchanged is not only its reliability and design, but also its popularity among users, which is due to the following features:

• With Is.gd you can quickly create short links. The whole process is literally two clicks away.
• You can also generate a QR code with the help of this service. It in turn can be used not only for business cards, but also for a variety of adverts, which will allow for more active link distribution.

The service also provides the ability to verify links by previewing them.

5. TinyURL is a strict classic

As for the TinyURL service, it can be used to create both short and long links. The essence of it is that you can create these links yourself. The beginning of the shortened link looks like “tinyurl.com” and you can enter the rest of the URL yourself.

There are several fields on the TinyURL service site. In one field you need to enter the link to shorten, in the other the URL you want to get in the output. This can be useful in many cases, especially for one’s internet site. If you decide to buy VPS hosting, create your website and add some links (to your other projects or advertisements) to one of its pages, you can customise these links as you like.

6. Rebrandly modern and simple link shortener

Many internet users who use link reductions have long had the tried and trusted Rebrandly service added to their browser bookmarks. Among its main advantages are a few key ones:

• attractive minimalistic design and user-friendly interface;
• the ability to shorten a link in two clicks, which takes a few seconds;
• versatility.

The minus is that the versatility is only available to registered users. Once you sign up, you’ll be able to edit recently created links, track click-through rates, and more.

The Rebrandly service provides a choice of several pricing plans. It should be based on the number of links that need to be processed within a set amount of time.

7. AdLinkFly service for short e-commerce URLs

To work with monetised short links, you can use the AdLinkFly service. The list of available options of this service is quite large. In addition to standard link shortening, you can also create an account and get paid for users who click on your links.

This service is often used by advertisers, as it can be used to develop affiliate links or unique referral solutions.

8. Ow.ly link shortener for social networks

The list of the most popular functionality that the Hootsuite service has includes Ow.ly. It allows you to quickly shorten links and prepare them for further use and distribution on social media.

To get access not only to Ow.ly, but also to other functions of the service, you need to register in advance. This procedure will not take much time.

Registered users can enjoy the following benefits:

• track the effectiveness of the links;
• perform link retargeting;
• the ability to use the site from mobile devices.

Ow.ly also provides analytics and link monitoring capabilities. This option will be especially useful for you if you plan to rent a server and create your own Internet resource.

9. Bit.do tactical link shortener

This online tool is quite simple and easy to use, but to get access to all the options, you should register beforehand.

By creating the appropriate account, you can not only transform links, but also see exactly how they are used. Additionally, users get access to personal domains that may be required to actively run a business.

Also through the Bit.do service, you can create links that will never terminate. For people doing business online, this is especially important, because it will not be necessary to remove those links that do not work, as well as to form new URLs that lead to this or that resource.

10. Mcaf.ee browser support

McAfee is known for its computer security and anti-virus solutions. The Mcaf.ee service also provides the user with the ability to shorten long URLs and create more compact and easy to remember versions. This can be useful for convenience and security when exchanging links, including preventing hidden threats and online fraud.

It is additionally possible to get information on exactly how the shortened link was prepared through the browser. This is important because the degree of reliability of the link can be checked in advance. By contacting the service, you can get accurate information whether the link is safe or not. This is especially important if software licences or specific software products are required.

11. su.pr service with recommendations

This tool can be found on the official Stumbleupon web portal. In addition to link shortening, this service can recommend certain publications or sites to users. This service also allows you to put likes and leave comments under posts.

12. polr link shortener for brands

Polr is a self-hosted service with which you can shorten and manage URL links. It provides the ability to create shorter and more convenient versions of long URLs, which can be useful for sharing links in posts, websites and social media.

If we compare Polr with competitors, we can highlight the presence of a free demo version, which many services do not have. This allows you to try out the service beforehand and then decide whether to use its services or not.

Also, Polr is open source, which ensures control and reliability.

13. BudURL perfect tracking

If you need to shorten links for later publication in emails, social networks or other places, you can use the BudURL service. It includes a lot of functionality, options with which you can manage and monitor your links.

Through BudURL, you can not only shorten and publish links, but also change their purpose over time if the need arises. By using the corresponding option, it will be possible to check how many people have already used this link.

14. Moourl.com Franco project

If the ranking was made according to the level of cuteness, Moourl.com would deservedly take the first place the cute cartoon cow on the home page will not give a lie. But besides the opportunity to plunge into innocent childhood for a few seconds, the service perfectly copes with its main task of turning long links into short ones. It’s quick, easy and free.

The creator of this service was Rodrigo Franco, who set out to create the simplest and most accessible service possible. And it fulfilled that goal perfectly.

15. Stutt.us Arabian chic

The traffic for this service comes directly from Saudi Arabia. To get access to all functionalities, you need to register.

It is free to use the service if you need to shorten a few links. But to cut up to 100 links at a time, you need to sign up for a paid plan.

One of the pluses of the service is its cross-platform nature. You can run Scutt.us not only on your computer, but also on your phone and tablet.

Conclusion

To attract more customers, engage the audience, not to break the layout of the site and not to scare off cautious users, you need to reduce links. It is also much more convenient to send short URLs in emails, and they are better suited for posting on social networks, as they attract more attention and are better remembered.

To choose a service that is convenient to use, you need to pay attention to its pros and cons. After all, at first glance, the tools for link shortening may seem simple, but at a closer look you can find a lot of additional useful features and nuances.