The Best TinyURL Alternative in 2026
TinyURL shortens links. zus.co shortens links and tells you who clicked them, from where, on what device — with branded domains, QR codes, and team workspaces.
No credit card required
zus.co vs. TinyURL: Feature Comparison
| Feature | zus.co | TinyURL |
|---|---|---|
| Branded short links | All plans | Paid plans only[source] |
| Click analytics | All plans (full) | Basic on free[source] |
| Custom domains | Pro plan (5 domains) | Paid plans[source] |
| QR code generation | Auto per link | Available |
| Team workspaces | Team plan | Not available |
| Tags & folders | All plans | Not available |
| UTM builder | Built into creation flow | Not available |
| Password-protected links | Pro plan | Not available |
| Link expiration | Pro plan | Paid plans |
| REST API | All plans | Paid plans[source] |
| Events feed (raw clicks) | All plans | Not available |
| Geo & device breakdown | All plans | Limited |
| Link organization | Tags + folders | None |
Comparison reflects publicly available information as of July 2026. Features and pricing may have changed.
What TinyURL does well
TinyURL is the original URL shortener — it's been around since 2002 and is one of the most recognized link shortening brands in the world. For quick, anonymous link shortening without an account, TinyURL is hard to beat: paste a link, get a short URL, done. Their simplicity is their strength for casual one-off use.
Where zus.co wins
Analytics that actually tell you something
TinyURL was designed for simple shortening. zus.co was designed for understanding your traffic. You get country-level geographic data, device and browser breakdowns, unique vs. total click counts, and a live events feed — all included on the free plan.
Your brand, your domain
With TinyURL, your links say "tinyurl.com." With zus.co, your links say "links.yourcompany.com." Custom domains are available on Pro ($12/mo) — connect up to 5, verify with a TXT record, and start using them in minutes.
Built for teams, not just individuals
TinyURL has no concept of workspaces or team collaboration. zus.co's Team plan ($29/mo) gives you shared workspaces where multiple members can create, organize, and track links together. Folders and tags keep everything organized as your link library grows.
QR codes and UTM tracking in one flow
When you create a link on zus.co, you get a QR code automatically and can add UTM parameters inline — all in one screen. No separate tools, no copy-pasting between a shortener and a UTM builder.
A real API on every plan
zus.co's REST API is available on all plans, including free. Create links, manage folders and tags, pull analytics — all programmatically. Full docs with interactive examples at zus.co/docs/api.
Pricing
zus.co: Free ($0, 1,000 links/mo), Pro ($12/mo), Team ($29/mo). All plans include analytics and API access.
TinyURL offers a free tier for basic shortening and paid plans for features like analytics, custom domains, and API access. Their paid plans add features that zus.co includes on all plans. See tinyurl.com/app/pricing for current rates.
See TinyURL's pricing page for their current rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you just need to shorten a link quickly, TinyURL works fine. But if you want analytics (who clicked, from where, on what device), branded custom domains, team workspaces, QR codes, and an API — zus.co gives you all of that starting free.
Creating a link is just as fast — paste a URL and go. But zus.co gives you more: inline QR codes, UTM parameters, tags, and folders. You can use it simply or take advantage of the full feature set.
Yes. 1,000 links per month, 10,000 tracked clicks, full analytics, 1 custom domain, and API access. No credit card required.
You need a free account to create links on zus.co. This is what enables features like analytics, link management, and custom domains that anonymous shorteners can't provide.
Yes. Every link automatically gets a QR code that you can view and download during creation. No separate QR generator needed.
Yes, on all plans. You get total clicks, unique clicks, country breakdowns, device types, browser types, and a real-time events feed.
Start free — no credit card
1,000 links per month, full analytics, custom domain, and API access. Free forever.