Bitly vs TinyURL Comparison 2026
Bitly shortens links and adds QR codes and a link-in-bio page from one account, free for 5 links a month with ads, then $10 a month for Core. TinyURL has shortened links for free since before bio pages existed, needs no account for that, and its Pro plan at $9 a month adds 3 branded domains and unlimited tracked clicks. Neither charges by clicks; both meter by links created a month. Pick Bitly for the QR codes and bio page bundled with the link. Pick TinyURL for a link people already recognise by name, built to survive years in print.
Short links, QR codes and a bio page
The short link everyone recognises, with analytics
At a glance
- TinyURL starts cheaper, at $9.
- Both have a genuinely free tier.
Side by side
Bitly | TinyURL | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (they differ) | From $10 | From $9 |
| Pricing model | Free plan, paid tiers | Free plan, paid tiers |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Billing | Monthly or annual | Monthly or annual |
| Free trial | None | Not stated |
| API | Yes |
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
TinyURL
The short link everyone recognises, with analytics
TinyURL has shortened links for free since before link-in-bio pages existed, and the paid tiers add branded domains, editable destinations and click analytics on top of that. Links are metered per month with a stated overage rate rather than being cut off. Three branded domains come on the entry plan. Anybody who wants a landing page with buttons on it is looking at the wrong product, because this shortens links and stops there.
Why people weigh these two
- TinyURL instead of Bitly
- The other short link everyone recognises, with analytics from $9; its free tier against Bitly's five-links-a-month free plan.
- Bitly instead of TinyURL
- Bitly adds QR codes and its own bio page on top of the short link, from $10, broader than TinyURL's plain link-shortening focus.
Which one should you pick
Choose Bitly when one link needs to become a QR code for a poster, a row in a link-in-bio profile and a labelled row in a campaign report, all from the same account. The free plan is 5 links a month with ads, which will not run a real campaign, so plan on Core at $10 a month, or Growth at $29 for 500 links, 10 landing pages and the AI assistant.
Choose TinyURL when the job is a link and nothing else. It is a dollar cheaper to start, $9 a month against Bitly's $10, with unlimited tracked clicks and 3 branded domains built into that first paid tier, and a free plan that still shortens links with no account needed. It does not build a bio page; somebody stacking several links behind one address needs Bitly or a dedicated tool. At real volume TinyURL states its overage rate plainly, $1.50 per 10 extra links on Pro, rather than forcing an upgrade.
Common questions
- Is TinyURL cheaper than Bitly?
- At the entry paid tier, yes: TinyURL Pro is $9 a month against Bitly Core at $10. Both have free plans too, but they differ. TinyURL's free shortening needs no account, while Bitly's free plan is capped at 5 links a month and carries ads.
- Which one includes a link-in-bio page?
- Bitly does, built from the same account as its links and QR codes. TinyURL shortens one link at a time and states plainly that anybody wanting a page with several buttons on it needs a dedicated link-in-bio tool instead.
- Does either one charge by how many people click the link?
- No, which is unusual for the category. Both charge by how many links you create a month, not by traffic. TinyURL's Pro plan states unlimited tracked clicks at $9 a month, and Bitly's pricing is built around links created rather than clicks served too.
- Which is better for a link that has to survive years in print?
- TinyURL, mostly on reputation: it has shortened links since before link-in-bio pages existed, and people recognise the domain. Both let you repoint a link after printing, Bitly through editable QR codes and TinyURL through editable destinations, so neither locks you in once something is printed.
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.