Alias vs Bitly vs TinyURL: Full Feature Comparison [2026]

· Comparisons · 7 min read

See how Alias stacks up against Bitly, TinyURL, and Rebrandly. We compare pricing, analytics, bulk shortening, link-in-bio pages, API access, and more.

Bitly and TinyURL have been around for years — but both have grown expensive, limited, or cluttered with upsells. In 2026, Alias offers everything they do (and more) completely free. Here is the honest, feature-by-feature comparison.

Quick Summary

If you want a free URL shortener with real analytics, bulk shortening, link-in-bio pages, a TypeScript SDK, and a browser extension — Alias has everything in one place at no cost. Bitly charges $35+/month for features Alias gives you for free. TinyURL has no meaningful analytics. Rebrandly requires a paid plan for custom domains.

Pricing

  • Alias — Free. All core features included. No credit card required.
  • Bitly — Free tier limited to 10 links/month. Paid plans start at $35/month.
  • TinyURL — Free tier exists but analytics require a paid Pro plan ($9.99/month).
  • Rebrandly — Free tier limited to 10 links/month. Paid plans from $13/month.
  • Short.io — Free tier with 1,000 clicks/month limit. Paid from $19/month.

Click Analytics

Analytics is where the biggest gaps appear. Alias tracks every click with country, device type, browser, and referrer — all free. Bitly locks detailed analytics behind paid plans. TinyURL's free tier has no analytics at all.

  • Alias — Country, device, browser, referrer, daily breakdown. Free.
  • Bitly — Basic stats free; detailed geographic and device data paid only.
  • TinyURL — No analytics on free plan.
  • Rebrandly — Basic analytics on free; advanced paid.
  • Short.io — Analytics available but capped by click volume on free tier.

Custom Aliases (Branded Links)

  • Alias — Custom slugs on every link, free. No monthly limit.
  • Bitly — Custom back-halves available free but severely rate-limited.
  • TinyURL — Custom aliases available on paid plans only.
  • Rebrandly — Custom slugs free but limited to 10 links/month.

Bulk URL Shortening

Marketers and agencies often need to shorten dozens or hundreds of links at once. Alias lets you upload a CSV and shorten up to 50 URLs in a single request, then download the results as a CSV — all free.

  • Alias — CSV upload, up to 50 URLs per request, downloadable results. Free.
  • Bitly — Bulk shortening requires Enterprise plan (custom pricing).
  • TinyURL — No bulk shortening.
  • Rebrandly — Bulk import via CSV available on paid plans only.
  • Short.io — Bulk import on paid plans.

Link-in-Bio Pages

A link-in-bio page (like Linktree) lets you share one URL that points to all your important links. Alias includes this built-in at alias.live/p/yourname, with 6 gradient themes and per-link click tracking.

  • Alias — Built-in link-in-bio at alias.live/p/you. 6 themes. Free.
  • Bitly — No link-in-bio feature.
  • TinyURL — No link-in-bio feature.
  • Rebrandly — No link-in-bio feature.
  • Linktree — Separate product; free tier very limited, paid from $5/month.

Browser Extension

  • Alias — Free Chrome and Edge extension. Right-click any page or link to shorten instantly.
  • Bitly — Has a browser extension (Chrome/Firefox).
  • TinyURL — Has a basic browser extension.
  • Rebrandly — Browser extension available.

API & Developer SDK

Developers who want to integrate link shortening into their own apps need a reliable API. Alias provides a full REST API and an official TypeScript/JavaScript SDK (npm install aliaslive-sdk) with ESM and CJS support, zero runtime dependencies, and complete type safety.

  • Alias — REST API + official TypeScript SDK. Free. Zero rate limit on API for authenticated users.
  • Bitly — API available but rate-limited on free; most endpoints require paid plan.
  • TinyURL — Basic API available; advanced features paid.
  • Rebrandly — API available on all plans; free plan very limited.

QR Codes

  • Alias — QR code generated automatically for every link. Free.
  • Bitly — QR codes on paid plans only ($35+/month).
  • TinyURL — QR codes on paid Pro plan.
  • Rebrandly — QR codes on paid plans.

Link Expiry & Password Protection

  • Alias — Link expiry dates and password protection on every link. Free.
  • Bitly — No link expiry. No password protection.
  • TinyURL — No link expiry. No password protection.
  • Rebrandly — No link expiry or password on free plan.

The Bottom Line

Alias gives you everything: analytics, custom aliases, bulk shortening, link-in-bio pages, QR codes, password protection, link expiry, a browser extension, and a developer SDK — all free, with no monthly link limits and no credit card required. Bitly and TinyURL offer a fraction of these features at a price.

Try Alias free — no credit card needed