Bitly vs T.LY Comparison 2026
Bitly shortens links, makes QR codes and builds a link-in-bio page from one account. The free plan is 5 links a month with ads, then Core starts at $10 a month. T.LY shortens links too and puts the API on every paid plan starting at that same $10, with a lighter OneLink page for bundling destinations rather than a designed bio profile, and no free tier, only a 5-day trial. Both meter by links created rather than by clicks, unusual for this category. Pick Bitly for the QR codes and a designed bio page in one place. Pick T.LY when the API from the cheapest tier, not an enterprise call, is what matters.
At a glance
- Only Bitly has a free tier.
Side by side
Bitly | T.LY | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | From $10 | From $10 |
| Pricing model (they differ) | Free plan, paid tiers | Paid subscription |
| Free tier (they differ) | Yes | No |
| Billing | Monthly or annual | Monthly or annual |
| Free trial (they differ) | None | 5 days |
| API |
Bitly
Short links, QR codes and a bio page
Bitly shortens and brands links, makes QR codes that stay editable after they have been printed, and builds a link-in-bio page from the same account, with click data under all three. The free plan is five links a month and carries advertising. What the money buys is the branded domain and the reporting behind it.
Our note
For a bio link alone this is expensive next to Linktree or Zaap. It earns the money when the same links are going onto packaging and into a campaign report, which is the job the cheaper ones do not do.
Only on this side
- Covers analytics
- Works with Instagram
- Works with TikTok
T.LY
Short links with an API on every plan
T.LY shortens links behind your own domain and reports on the clicks, with the API available on the cheapest paid tier rather than held back for enterprise. Plans are metered by links created a month, so the traffic those links carry never changes the bill. A OneLink page collects several destinations behind one address, which is the link in bio case handled without a second product.
Why people weigh these two
- T.LY instead of Bitly
- Short links with an API on every plan at Bitly's same $10, but paid-only with no free tier at all.
- Bitly instead of T.LY
- Bitly matches the $10 starting price and adds QR codes and its own bio page on top, broader than T.LY's links-and-API focus.
Which one should you pick
Choose Bitly when the same link needs to work on a printed flyer, in a bio and in a campaign report, since the QR codes stay editable after printing and the bio page and UTM builder come from the same account. The free plan is 5 links a month with ads, too small for a real campaign, so budget for Core at $10 a month or Growth at $29, which adds 500 links, 10 landing pages and the AI assistant.
Choose T.LY when a developer will call the link shortener rather than click through a dashboard: the API ships on the $10 plan instead of waiting on Bitly's quoted, Enterprise-only tier. T.LY also holds its price better at volume: Business at $100 a month covers 20,000 links, against 3,000 for Bitly's $199 Premium plan. There is no free tier, only a 5-day trial with no card, and no designed bio page, so a profile-style link-in-bio still means Bitly or a dedicated tool.
Common questions
- Which is cheaper, Bitly or T.LY?
- They start at the same $10 a month. Below that, Bitly has a free plan of 5 links a month with ads and T.LY has none, only a 5-day trial. Above it, T.LY holds its price better at volume: Business at $100 covers 20,000 links a month, while Bitly's $199 Premium plan covers 3,000.
- Does T.LY have a free plan like Bitly?
- No. T.LY offers a 5-day trial with no card required, then charges from $10 a month for 1,000 links. Bitly's free tier is real, 5 links a month, but it carries advertising and is too small to run a campaign on.
- Which one includes API access without an enterprise plan?
- T.LY. The API ships on every paid tier, including the $10 entry plan. Bitly lists an API among its features too, but does not say which tier turns it on, and its top tier, Enterprise, is quoted rather than priced.
- Does either one build a link-in-bio page?
- Bitly builds a designed bio profile page from the same account that makes its short links and QR codes. T.LY instead offers OneLink, which bundles several destinations behind one address; it comes with the $10 plan, and more OneLinks on the higher tiers, but it is not a photo-and-bio profile the way Bitly's page is.
Ratings are the average of reviews readers left. The facts are stated by each tool’s own listing and are not verified by CloutStack. How we make money.