The Best Bitly Alternative in 2026
A modern URL shortener with real analytics, workspaces, tags, custom domains, and QR codes — starting free, without Bitly's enterprise pricing.
No credit card required
zus.co vs. Bitly: Feature Comparison
| Feature | zus.co | Bitly |
|---|---|---|
| Branded short links | All plans | All plans |
| Click analytics | All plans | Limited on free[source] |
| Custom domains | Pro plan (5 domains) | Premium plans only[source] |
| QR code generation | Auto-generated per link | Available on paid plans[source] |
| Team workspaces | Team plan ($29/mo) | Enterprise tier[source] |
| Tags & folders | All plans | Premium plans[source] |
| UTM builder | Built into link creation | Available[source] |
| Password-protected links | Pro plan | Enterprise only[source] |
| Link expiration | Pro plan | Premium plans[source] |
| REST API | All plans | All plans (rate-limited on free)[source] |
| Events feed (raw clicks) | All plans | Not available |
| Free tier link limit | 1,000 links/mo | 10 links/mo[source] |
| Geo & device breakdown | All plans | Premium plans[source] |
Comparison reflects publicly available information as of July 2026. Features and pricing may have changed.
What Bitly does well
Bitly is the most recognizable name in link shortening — they essentially invented the category. Their infrastructure is battle-tested at massive scale, serving billions of redirects monthly with near-perfect uptime. If your organization already uses Bitly across hundreds of team members, the migration cost is real, and their integrations with enterprise tools like Salesforce and Adobe are mature.
Where zus.co wins
Analytics without the paywall
zus.co includes full click analytics — countries, devices, browsers, unique vs. total clicks — on every plan, including free. With Bitly, detailed analytics are locked behind their Growth plan. You get a real-time events feed showing every click as it happens, not a 24-hour delay summary.
Custom domains on Pro, not Enterprise
Connecting your own branded domain (like links.yourcompany.com) is available on the zus.co Pro plan at $12/mo with up to 5 domains. Bitly restricts custom domains to higher-tier plans that start well above that price point. No "contact sales" step required.
QR codes auto-generated for every link
Every short link you create on zus.co automatically gets a QR code — visible right in the link creation flow. No extra clicks, no separate QR tool. You can download it as PNG and use it immediately in print materials, slides, or packaging.
A modern interface that doesn't feel like 2015
zus.co was built in 2025 with a clean, fast UI using modern frameworks. Folders, tags, and bulk operations are first-class features. The dashboard loads in under a second and doesn't require a training session to navigate.
1,000 free links vs. 10
Bitly's free plan caps you at 10 links per month and 5 total custom back-halves. zus.co's free tier gives you 1,000 links per month with 10,000 tracked clicks — enough for most individuals and small teams to run indefinitely without upgrading.
Pricing
zus.co starts at $0/mo (free forever) with 1,000 links. Pro is $12/mo for advanced features like custom domains, password protection, and link expiration. Team is $29/mo for unlimited everything plus collaboration.
Bitly's paid plans start at their Core tier and scale up to Enterprise with custom pricing. Their Growth plan — the first tier with meaningful analytics and custom domains — is priced significantly higher than zus.co Pro. Check their pricing page for current rates.
See Bitly's pricing page for their current rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The free plan includes 1,000 links per month, 10,000 tracked clicks, basic analytics, 1 custom domain, and API access. No credit card required to sign up.
You can recreate your links on zus.co and update your campaigns to use the new URLs. Since short links are redirects, your old Bitly links will continue to work — you just start using zus.co for new links going forward.
Yes. On the Pro plan ($12/mo), you can connect up to 5 custom domains. On Team ($29/mo), custom domains are unlimited. Domain verification uses a simple TXT record — no DNS migration required.
zus.co provides full click analytics on all plans: total clicks, unique clicks, geographic breakdown by country, device types, browser types, and a real-time events feed. Bitly reserves most of these features for premium tiers.
Yes. zus.co has a REST API available on all plans with full CRUD for links, folders, tags, and analytics. API documentation with interactive examples is available at zus.co/docs/api.
Absolutely. The Team plan ($29/mo) includes shared workspaces, team member management, and collaborative link organization with folders and tags. Every team member gets full access to analytics.
You can continue using your existing links, but you won't be able to create new ones until the next billing cycle or until you upgrade to Pro or Team.
Yes — every link you create automatically gets a QR code. You can see it in the link creation flow and download it as a PNG. No separate tool or extra payment needed.
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1,000 links per month, full analytics, custom domain, and API access. Free forever.