What is Bitly used for?

Bitly is a hosted link management platform for shortening URLs, generating QR codes and tracking click performance, with branded links, landing pages and an API. It is a good fit for tracking marketing campaign links, putting QR codes on print and packaging, and sharing short links over SMS.

Yes. Bitly has a free plan, and paid plans start at $10 per month.

Is Bitly open source?

No. Bitly is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. Open-source alternatives to Bitly include YOURLS, Kutt and Polr.

What are some alternatives to Bitly?

Bitly competes with Rebrandly, Short.io and Linktree. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Bitly alternatives.

Bitly: features, pricing and alternatives

About Bitly

Bitly is a commercial link management service primarily known for shortening long URLs into compact links that are easy to share. Beyond shortening, it provides QR code generation and an analytics area where teams can follow how links and codes perform across campaigns and channels.

The platform also includes branded links on a custom domain, mobile links for SMS, UTM campaign tracking, mobile-friendly no-code landing pages, link-in-bio pages and digital business cards. It connects with tools such as Shopify and Canva, offers an API for developers, and has added AI assistance and an MCP server for working with links from AI assistants.

Bitly is a hosted software-as-a-service product with no self-hosted edition. It suits marketers, social media managers, customer service teams and developers who need to see where traffic comes from, and the vendor describes options for small business, midmarket and enterprise customers.

Key features

URL shortening with click tracking
Dynamic QR code generator
Branded links on custom domains
UTM campaign parameters for links and QR codes
No-code mobile landing pages
Link-in-bio pages for social profiles
Integrations including Shopify and Canva
API for developers

Good fit for

→Tracking marketing campaign links
→Putting QR codes on print and packaging
→Sharing short links over SMS

Tags: url-shortener; qr-codes; link-management; analytics; utm; marketing; link-in-bio; branded-links

Bitly: questions and answers

What is Bitly used for?: Bitly is a hosted link management platform for shortening URLs, generating QR codes and tracking click performance, with branded links, landing pages and an API. It is a good fit for tracking marketing campaign links, putting QR codes on print and packaging, and sharing short links over SMS.
Is Bitly free?: Yes. Bitly has a free plan, and paid plans start at $10 per month.
Is Bitly open source?: No. Bitly is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. Open-source alternatives to Bitly include YOURLS, Kutt and Polr.
What are some alternatives to Bitly?: Bitly competes with Rebrandly, Short.io and Linktree. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Bitly alternatives.