We compared the most popular link tracking tools across features, pricing, and usability. Here is what we found — and why the best option might be free.
Published March 15, 2026 — Updated March 21, 2026
Choosing the right link tracking tool can make or break your marketing analytics. The wrong tool locks important features behind expensive plans, while the right one gives you everything you need to track link clicks effectively.
| Tool | Free Links | Custom Domain | UTM | Conversions | API |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Track Link | 25 | ||||
| Bitly | 10 | ||||
| Rebrandly | 10 | ||||
| Short.io | 1,000 | ||||
| TinyURL | Unlimited (no tracking) | ||||
| PixelMe | 5 |
Best free option. Includes features that competitors charge $29+/month for — custom domains, UTM tracking, conversion tracking, and API access all on the free plan.
Pricing: Free / Pro from $9/mo
The most well-known link shortener. Free plan is limited to 10 links with basic analytics. Custom domains and UTM tracking require paid plans starting at $29/month.
Pricing: Free / Core $8/mo / Growth $29/mo
Strong custom domain support with a branded link focus. Free plan includes 1 custom domain but limits analytics and UTM features to paid tiers.
Pricing: Free / Essentials $13/mo / Pro $32/mo
Generous free tier with 1,000 links. Good for teams that need high volume. Lacks conversion tracking and some advanced analytics on the free plan.
Pricing: Free / Personal $19/mo / Team $49/mo
Simple URL shortener. Free plan has no analytics or tracking at all. You need the paid plan for any click tracking, custom domains, or analytics.
Pricing: Free (no analytics) / Pro $12.99/mo
Focused on retargeting pixels and attribution. Strong conversion features but expensive. Free plan is very limited at 5 links and 500 clicks.
Pricing: Free / Starter $24.99/mo / Growth $74.99/mo
For most users, Track Link offers the best value. It is the only free link tracker that includes custom domains, UTM tracking, conversion tracking, and API access on the free plan.
Ready to start? Try the free tracking link generator or read our guide on how to track a link.
Track Link and Short.io top the list for free-plan generosity, but they target different use cases. Short.io gives you up to 1,000 free links but does not include conversion tracking on the free tier. Track Link gives you 25 free links with custom domains, UTM tracking, conversion tracking, and API access all on the free tier. Bitly, Rebrandly, and TinyURL keep the most useful features behind paid plans starting at $8 to $32 per month.
It depends on which features you need. Bitly's $29 per month Growth plan unlocks UTM tracking, custom domains, and basic analytics. If you already use Bitly across multiple campaigns, the upgrade is reasonable. However, several free alternatives in this comparison include the same features at no cost. The brand recognition of Bitly does not translate into better link performance, and visitors do not engage with Bitly URLs more than other shortened URLs.
Yes, but it complicates analytics. Each tool maintains separate click data, so you would need to manually combine reports across dashboards. A more practical approach is to consolidate on one tool that covers your campaigns, then use UTM parameters to segment traffic by channel. If you must run two tools in parallel, use them for clearly separate purposes, for example one for internal links and one for marketing campaigns.
Tracking links add a single redirect hop between the click and the destination. Modern providers complete this redirect in 30 to 100 milliseconds at the edge, which is imperceptible to users in most regions. The exception is providers without distributed infrastructure, which can add 200 to 500 milliseconds of latency. For paid ads on mobile devices, redirect speed directly affects bounce rate, so picking a fast provider matters.
Link tracking captures the click event before the visitor reaches your site. It records the country, device, browser, referrer, and UTM parameters at the moment of redirect, even if the destination site has no analytics installed. Google Analytics captures behavior on your site after the visitor arrives, including pageviews, scroll depth, and conversions. The two are complementary: link tracking measures click-through, Google Analytics measures on-site behavior.
Track Link is one of the few free link tracking tools that includes conversion tracking on its free plan. Most competitors, including Bitly, Rebrandly, Short.io, and TinyURL, restrict conversion tracking to paid tiers starting at $13 to $75 per month. PixelMe focuses on retargeting and conversion attribution but limits the free plan to 5 links per month, which makes it unusable for most marketing campaigns.
Custom domain availability varies. On free plans, Track Link, Rebrandly, and Short.io support at least one custom domain. Bitly, TinyURL, Cuttly, and PixelMe require a paid plan. Setup typically involves adding a CNAME record at your DNS provider that points to the tracking tool's hostname. SSL certificates are usually issued automatically. Custom domains improve click-through rate and trust, especially for branded campaigns and printed materials.
Retention varies by tool and plan. Bitly's free plan retains data for 30 days. Track Link's free plan retains 7 days of detailed click history with aggregated data kept longer. Rebrandly retains 30 days on the free plan. Short.io provides longer retention windows on the free plan. Paid plans across all providers extend retention to 12 months or longer. For long-term analysis, exporting data periodically or using the API is recommended on free tiers.
Custom domains, UTM tracking, conversions, API — all free. No credit card required.
Start tracking for free