Short.io vs Bitly: which is better? Comparison 2026

By our public methodology Short.io scores 96 out of 100 and Bitly scores 67. Below: the factors and facts where they differ, each fact with its source.

Best URL Shorteners and Link Management Tools 2026 How we rank

1

Short.io

96/100
5

Bitly

67/100

Score breakdown

Short.ioBitly
Price and free plan9420
Link features10088
Security and privacy100100
Track record8267

Pros and cons

Short.io

  • Low monthly price
  • Independent security certification
  • Published GDPR commitment
  • Single sign-on available

Bitly

  • Independent security certification
  • Published GDPR commitment
  • Single sign-on available
  • Has a permanent free plan
  • No custom domain on a free plan

Facts side by side

FactShort.ioBitly
Cheapest paid plan, monthly billing$5.00 short.ioNot verified
Free planYes short.ioYes bitly.com
Links on the free plan (per month, or in total where the vendor sets a lifetime limit)1,000 short.io5 bitly.com
Own custom domain on the free planYes short.ioNo bitly.com
Own custom domain for short linksYes short.ioYes bitly.com
Edit the destination after sharingYes short.ioYes bitly.com
Link expiryYes short.ioYes bitly.com
Password-protected linksYes short.ioNot verified
UTM builderYes short.ioYes bitly.com
QR codesYes short.ioYes bitly.com
Link-in-bio pageYes short.ioYes bitly.com
Bulk shorteningYes short.ioYes bitly.com
Public APIYes short.ioYes dev.bitly.com
Two-factor authenticationNot verifiedYes bitly.com
Single sign-on (SSO)Yes short.ioYes bitly.com
SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certificationYes short.ioYes bitly.com
GDPR commitment publishedYes short.ioYes bitly.com
Founded2015 short.io2008 bitly.com
Public status pageYes shortiostatus.comNot verified
Company headquartersUnited States short.ioUnited States bitly.com
CompanyShort.cm Inc. short.ioBitly, Inc. bitly.com

← URL shorteners and link management Short.io alternatives Bitly alternatives