Your domain, no payment
Free URL shortener with a custom domain
A short link on your own domain gets clicked more and blocked less. These are the plans that let you set one up without paying, and what else comes with it.
Who includes a custom domain free
| Tool | Free domains | Free links | SSL | Analytics on free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ReSlug | 1 | 500 active links | Automatic | 30 days |
| Short.io | 5 | 1,000 links (lifetime) | Automatic | Not documented |
| Dub | 3 | 25 links/mo | Automatic | 30 days |
| Cuttly | 1 | 30 links/mo | Automatic | 30 days |
| Linkly | 1 | 100 links/mo | Automatic | Country-level |
| Rebrandly | 1 (.bio only) | 10 links/mo | Automatic | Not documented |
| Bitly | 0 | 5 links/mo | — | None |
| TinyURL | 0 | Unlimited basic links | — | None |
Domain counts from vendor pricing pages, 8 November 2026.
Which one to pick
Choose by how many domains you need and how many links you will create.
One brand, lots of links: ReSlug. The single domain comes with 500 active links, a QR code per link and 30 days of data, and nothing is shown to visitors except your destination.
Several brands, moderate volume: Short.io. Five domains is more than any paid plan on Bitly or Rebrandly includes below their top tiers. The cost is a link pool of 1,000 links (lifetime) that does not refill and no stated analytics retention.
Links created by code: Dub. Three domains, an API and SDKs, 25 links/mo.
A handful of links and a bio page: Cuttly. One domain, 30 links/mo, 30 days of analytics.
Setting up a free custom domain
- Pick the domain. A subdomain of something you already own, such as go.yourbrand.com, costs nothing. A dedicated short domain costs roughly $10 to $40 a year at a registrar.
- Add the domain in the shortener's dashboard. It gives you a DNS record to create, usually a CNAME.
- Create that record at your DNS provider and wait for it to propagate, typically minutes.
- The shortener issues an SSL certificate. On ReSlug, Short.io, Dub and Cuttly this is automatic.
- Create a link and check it redirects over HTTPS.
What the paid-only domains cost
For contrast, Bitly includes a custom domain only from its Growth plan at $29 a month billed annually. TinyURL sells branded domains on Pro from about $9.99 a month. Rebrandly moves from the .bio domain to real domains on Essentials at $16 a month. T.LY includes one domain on its $5 Hobby plan with no free tier.
Questions & answers
Which free URL shortener gives the most custom domains?
Short.io, with five on the free plan. Dub gives three. ReSlug, Cuttly and Linkly give one each.
Does Bitly let you use a custom domain for free?
No. A custom domain arrives on Bitly's Growth plan at $29 a month billed annually.
Can I use a subdomain as my short domain?
Yes, on every tool listed here. go.yourbrand.com works and costs nothing beyond the domain you already own.
Is SSL included on free custom domains?
On ReSlug, Short.io, Dub and Cuttly the certificate is issued automatically when the DNS record is detected.
Sources for this entry
- ReSlug pricing page reslug.com/pricing
- Short.io pricing page short.io/pricing
- Dub pricing page dub.co/pricing/links
- Cuttly pricing page cutt.ly/pro-pricing
- Linkly pricing page linklyhq.com/pricing
- Rebrandly pricing page www.rebrandly.com/pricing
- Bitly pricing page bitly.com/pages/pricing
- TinyURL pricing page tinyurl.com/app/pricing
- T.LY pricing page t.ly/pricing
Checked 8 November 2026. Vendor pages change; the date is the claim.
Cite this entry
Best Free URL Shortener. "Free URL shortener with a custom domain". Reviewed 8 November 2026. https://bestfreeurlshortener.com/free-url-shortener-with-custom-domain/