Alias is a free URL shortener with click analytics, custom aliases, link expiry, QR code generation, bulk CSV shortening, link-in-bio pages, a browser extension, and an official TypeScript SDK.

Is Alias free to use?

Yes. Alias offers a free plan with no credit card required. You can shorten links, track clicks, build a link-in-bio page, and use the API at no cost.

Can I create custom short links with Alias?

Yes. Alias lets you set custom aliases for your links, replacing random slugs with branded, memorable short paths such as alias.live/your-brand.

Does Alias track who clicks my links?

Yes. Alias tracks every click with detailed analytics including country, device type, browser, and referrer. This data is available in your dashboard.

Can I shorten multiple URLs at once?

Yes. The Bulk Shortening tool lets you shorten up to 50 URLs in one request. Upload a CSV file or paste a list, then download the results with short URLs and any errors as a CSV.

Does Alias have link-in-bio pages?

Yes. Every Alias account can create a Linktree-style page at alias.live/p/yourname. Add up to 20 links, pick from 6 gradient colour themes, and track clicks on each button individually.

Is there an official SDK or API?

Yes. Alias provides a REST API and an official TypeScript/JavaScript SDK (npm install aliaslive-sdk). The SDK supports ESM and CommonJS, has full type safety, and covers shortening, bulk shortening, and link management with zero runtime dependencies.

Is there a browser extension?

Yes. Alias has a free extension for Chrome and Edge. Right-click any page or link to shorten it instantly. Works in guest mode with no setup, or connect your account for custom slugs saved to your dashboard.

Can I set an expiry date on a short link?

Yes. Alias lets you set an expiration date on any link. Once expired, the link stops redirecting — ideal for time-sensitive campaigns.

How fast are Alias redirects?

Alias redirects are processed in under 50 milliseconds on average, ensuring a seamless experience for anyone clicking your links.

Affiliate Link Shortener: How to Shorten, Track, and Manage Affiliate URLs

May 30, 2026 · Tips · 5 min read

Long affiliate links look spammy and are hard to share. Learn how to shorten affiliate URLs, track clicks per campaign, and manage your affiliate link library.

Affiliate URLs are long, contain tracking parameters, and often include your affiliate ID in plain sight. Shortening them makes them cleaner to share, harder to hijack, and gives you independent click data on top of your affiliate network's reporting.

Why Affiliate Marketers Use URL Shorteners

Clean links — https://2shr.ink/best-hosting looks more trustworthy than a 200-character affiliate URL with your ID exposed.
Platform compatibility — some social platforms block raw affiliate URLs. A short link on a clean domain typically passes through.
Independent tracking — Alias records click counts, country, device, and referrer. You can verify these against your affiliate network's numbers.
Centralised management — all your affiliate links in one Alias dashboard, searchable and sortable.
Updatable destinations — if a product page URL changes (e.g. the affiliate programme switches platforms), update the destination without touching anywhere you shared the link.

How to Shorten an Affiliate Link

Copy your affiliate URL from your affiliate dashboard.
Log in to Alias and click "New link".
Paste the affiliate URL as the destination.
Set a custom slug describing the product — alias.live/best-vpn or alias.live/hosting-deal.
Save the link and copy the short URL. Share this instead of the raw affiliate URL.

The affiliate tracking parameters are preserved in the destination URL — Alias only shortens the outer shell. Your affiliate commission tracking is not affected.

Naming Your Affiliate Short Links

Good naming habits make your link library useful as it grows. A few conventions that work well:

Product-focused: alias.live/ahrefs, alias.live/bluehost, alias.live/notion
Channel-specific: alias.live/ahrefs-yt (YouTube), alias.live/ahrefs-email (newsletter)
Campaign-specific: alias.live/ahrefs-nov (November campaign)
Content-specific: alias.live/ahrefs-review (in a review post), alias.live/ahrefs-comparison (in a comparison post)

Tracking Clicks by Channel

Create a separate Alias short link for each channel where you promote the same affiliate product. If you promote a VPN across your blog, YouTube, and newsletter, use alias.live/vpn-blog, alias.live/vpn-yt, and alias.live/vpn-email. Your Alias dashboard will show you exactly which channel sends the most affiliate clicks — information that helps you focus your content efforts.

Do Affiliate Networks Allow Link Shorteners?

Most affiliate networks allow link shorteners as long as the final destination URL — where the user lands after the redirect — is still the correct affiliate URL with your tracking parameters. Alias passes the destination URL unchanged, so your commission tracking works normally. Always check your specific network's terms of service, as a small number of programmes prohibit cloaking.

Set Link Expiry for Limited-Time Offers

Some affiliate deals are time-limited — a Black Friday sale, a launch promotion, a coupon that expires. Set an expiry date on the short link. When the deal ends, the link shows an expired page instead of sending visitors to a full-price product — which protects your credibility.

Manage your affiliate links for free