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.