The numbers
Free URL shortener limits compared
One table, every published free-plan quota. Below it, what each number means in practice and which ones run out first.
The table
| Tool | Free links | Tracked clicks | Custom domain | Ads on links | Analytics | QR codes | Bio page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ReSlug | 500 active links | 1,000 tracked clicks/mo | Yes | None | 30 days | Yes | 1 page |
| Bitly | 5 links/mo | Not stated | No | Yes | None | 2/mo | 2 pages |
| Dub | 25 links/mo | 1,000 tracked events/mo | Yes | None | 30 days | Yes | No |
| Short.io | 1,000 links (lifetime) | 50,000 tracked clicks/mo | Yes | None | Not documented | Yes | Not documented |
| Rebrandly | 10 links/mo | 100 engagement clicks/mo | 1 (.bio domain) | None | Not documented | 10/mo, watermarked | 1 gallery, watermarked |
| TinyURL | Unlimited basic links | Not stated | No | None | None | Yes | No |
| T.LY | No free plan | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cuttly | 30 links/mo | Not stated | Yes | None | 30 days | 1 style | 1 page (5 links) |
| Linkly | 100 links/mo | 500 clicks/mo | Yes | None | Country-level | No | No |
| Switchy | No free plan | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Free-plan rows only, taken from each vendor's pricing page on 8 November 2026. "Not documented" means the page does not state it.
Link quotas, and how they count
Three different things are called a link limit.
- Active links. ReSlug counts links that currently exist. Delete one and the slot comes back. 500 active links means 500 live at once.
- Monthly allowance. Bitly (5 links/mo), Dub (25 links/mo), Cuttly (30 links/mo), Rebrandly (10 links/mo) and Linkly (100 links/mo) reset on a calendar month. Unused links do not carry over.
- Lifetime total. Short.io's 1,000 links (lifetime) is a pool that is never refilled. It is large, but a heavy user reaches the bottom.
TinyURL has no stated limit on basic links.
Click caps are the quieter limit
Several free plans cap tracked clicks rather than links. ReSlug tracks 1,000 tracked clicks/mo; links keep working past that, you just lose new analytics until the month turns. Dub counts 1,000 tracked events/mo. Short.io tracks 50,000 tracked clicks/mo, the highest figure here.
Linkly is the one to watch. Its cap is 500 clicks/mo, and when it is hit the links pause. A single busy post can take every link on the account offline for the rest of the month. Rebrandly counts 100 engagement clicks/mo.
Custom domains on free
Five free plans allow your own domain. Short.io allows five domains, Dub three, and ReSlug, Cuttly and Linkly one each. Rebrandly allows one domain, but only a .bio domain through its own service. Bitly and TinyURL do not allow a custom domain without paying. Details and setup steps are in the custom domain entry.
Analytics on free
ReSlug, Dub and Cuttly each keep 30 days of click data on free. Linkly shows country-level data without a published retention period. Short.io tracks clicks but does not publish how long it keeps them. Bitly keeps none on free. TinyURL shows nothing at all. More in the analytics entry.
Questions & answers
Which free URL shortener has the highest link limit?
TinyURL has no limit on basic links. Among plans with analytics and a custom domain, Short.io allows 1,000 links (lifetime) and ReSlug allows 500 active links.
What happens when I hit a free click cap?
On ReSlug and Dub, links keep redirecting and new analytics pause until the month resets. On Linkly, the links themselves pause.
Do free link quotas reset every month?
On Bitly, Dub, Cuttly, Rebrandly and Linkly, yes. On Short.io, no: the 1,000 links (lifetime) is a lifetime total. ReSlug counts active links, so deleting one frees the slot.
Sources for this entry
- ReSlug pricing page reslug.com/pricing
- Bitly pricing page bitly.com/pages/pricing
- Dub pricing page dub.co/pricing/links
- Short.io pricing page short.io/pricing
- Rebrandly pricing page www.rebrandly.com/pricing
- TinyURL pricing page tinyurl.com/app/pricing
- T.LY pricing page t.ly/pricing
- Cuttly pricing page cutt.ly/pro-pricing
- Linkly pricing page linklyhq.com/pricing
- Switchy pricing page www.switchy.io/pricing
Checked 8 November 2026. Vendor pages change; the date is the claim.
Cite this entry
Best Free URL Shortener. "Free URL shortener limits compared". Reviewed 8 November 2026. https://bestfreeurlshortener.com/free-plan-limits-compared/