Kutt.it
Best for self-hosting
Why teams pick it
Self-hosted URL shortener with custom domains and API
Open-source alternatives to Cutt.ly
Compare community-driven replacements for Cutt.ly in url shorteners & link management workflows. We curate active, self-hostable options with transparent licensing so you can evaluate the right fit quickly.
Cutt.ly
Cutt.ly provides a link management platform with custom short links, detailed analytics, QR codes, link-in-bio pages, and an API for automation.Read more
Key stats
- 14Alternatives
- 11Support self-hosting
Run on infrastructure you control
- 10Active development
Recent commits in the last 6 months
- 10Permissive licenses
MIT, Apache, and similar licenses
Counts reflect projects currently indexed as alternatives to Cutt.ly.
Start with these picks
These projects match the most common migration paths for teams replacing Cutt.ly.
Sink
Privacy-first alternative
Why teams pick it
Developers wanting self-hosted URL shortening with API access and analytics
All open-source alternatives
Kutt.it
Self-hosted URL shortener with custom domains and API
Self-host friendlyActive developmentPermissive licenseJavaScript
Why teams choose it
- Zero‑configuration installation with optional Docker support
- Custom domain handling and themable UI
- Full link management: edit, delete, password, expiration
Watch for
Requires Node.js 20+, limiting older environments
Migration highlight
Company branding short links
Create branded URLs on a custom domain, track clicks internally, and enforce password protection for sensitive campaigns.
Sink
Serverless link shortener with analytics on Cloudflare infrastructure
Self-host friendlyActive developmentPrivacy-firstVue
Why teams choose it
- 100% serverless deployment on Cloudflare edge network with Workers KV storage
- Built-in analytics engine for link performance tracking without external dependencies
- AI-powered slug generation and customizable case-sensitive short URLs
Watch for
Tightly coupled to Cloudflare infrastructure; limited portability to other platforms
Migration highlight
Marketing Campaign Tracking
Create branded short links for social media campaigns and monitor click-through rates with built-in analytics across multiple channels.
UrlHub
Self-hosted URL shortener with custom links, QR codes, and security
Self-host friendlyActive developmentPermissive licensePHP
Why teams choose it
- Custom URLs for readable, branded short links
- QR code generation for mobile-friendly sharing
- Device‑aware redirection to mobile‑specific destinations
Watch for
Requires Laravel/PHP 8.2+ and server setup
Migration highlight
Internal documentation linking
Create short, memorable URLs for intranet resources, reducing broken links and improving navigation.
Dub
Open-source link attribution platform for marketing teams
Self-host friendlyActive developmentPrivacy-firstTypeScript
Why teams choose it
- Link attribution and conversion tracking across marketing channels
- Integrated affiliate program management capabilities
- Self-hosting option for data sovereignty and customization
Watch for
Requires familiarity with Next.js ecosystem for self-hosting
Migration highlight
Multi-Channel Campaign Attribution
Track conversion sources across email, social, and paid ads to optimize marketing spend and identify highest-performing channels
Zero Width Shortener (ZWS)
Compress URLs into invisible characters for seamless sharing
Active developmentPermissive licenseIntegration-friendlyTypeScript
Why teams choose it
- Invisible zero‑width character encoding produces blank‑looking URLs
- Web UI, CLI, and OpenAPI for flexible link creation
- Shields.io endpoints provide live usage statistics
Watch for
Some platforms may strip zero‑width characters
Migration highlight
Embedding links in technical documentation
Readers see clean text while the hidden link directs to the resource
Pygmy
Self-hosted URL shortener with analytics and custom links
Self-host friendlyPermissive licensePrivacy-firstPython
Why teams choose it
- Custom short codes and auto-expiring links with secret key protection
- User authentication with personal dashboards and link tracking
- Real-time analytics accessible by appending + to any short URL
Watch for
Requires Python 3 environment and familiarity with Flask/Django stack
Migration highlight
Internal Marketing Campaigns
Marketing teams create branded short links with expiration dates for time-sensitive promotions, tracking click-through rates via the built-in analytics dashboard.
Chhoto URL
Blazingly fast, lightweight self‑hosted URL shortener with built‑in analytics
Self-host friendlyActive developmentPermissive licenseRust
Why teams choose it
- Under 6 MB Docker image and <15 MB RAM usage
- Customizable short URLs with automatic expiry
- Privacy‑respecting hit counting
Watch for
No built‑in TLS; requires external reverse proxy for HTTPS
Migration highlight
Internal documentation links
Generate short, memorable URLs for internal wiki pages, reducing copy‑paste errors and keeping links tidy.
Azure Url Shortener
Budget-friendly URL shortener running in your Azure subscription
Self-host friendlyActive developmentPermissive licenseC#
Why teams choose it
- Schedule-based redirects to route traffic by time or campaign
- Built-in click statistics and tracking dashboard
- Blazor admin UI with REST API for programmatic management
Watch for
Requires an Azure subscription and familiarity with cloud deployments
Migration highlight
Time-sensitive marketing campaigns
Redirect early-bird links to registration pages, then switch to replay content after an event concludes
Url-Shorten-Worker
Fast, serverless URL shortener powered by Cloudflare Workers
Active developmentPermissive licenseIntegration-friendlyJavaScript
Why teams choose it
- Custom short link aliases
- Password‑protected redirects
- Edge‑cached storage via Workers KV
Watch for
Tied to Cloudflare Workers ecosystem
Migration highlight
Temporary sharing in chat
Generate short links that automatically expire after 24 hours, keeping conversations tidy.
Shlink
Self-hosted URL shortener with API, CLI, and Docker
Self-host friendlyActive developmentPermissive licensePHP
Why teams choose it
- Full-featured REST API for creating, tracking and managing short links
- Command-line interface for installation, API‑key handling and bulk operations
- Official Docker image with environment‑variable configuration for rapid deployment
Watch for
Requires PHP 8.3+ and specific extensions
Migration highlight
Marketing campaign tracking
Generate branded short links with QR codes for offline media and collect click analytics via the API.
GitHub Pages URL Shortener
Serverless URL shortener hosted entirely on GitHub Pages
Self-host friendlyPrivacy-firstIntegration-friendlyHTML
Why teams choose it
- Zero‑cost hosting on GitHub Pages, no server required
- Uses GitHub issues as a simple, version‑controlled datastore
- Clean short URLs without hash fragments (e.g., ccb.wtf/1)
Watch for
Relies on GitHub API rate limits
Migration highlight
Project documentation linking
Provide concise, memorable links to docs hosted on GitHub Pages
YOURLS
Self‑hosted, customizable URL shortener built with PHP
Active developmentPermissive licensePrivacy-firstPHP
Why teams choose it
- Full control over shortened URLs and data storage
- Built‑in analytics and detailed click statistics
- Plugin architecture for custom functionality
Watch for
Requires a PHP‑compatible server and basic admin skills
Migration highlight
Personal link management
Create short, memorable URLs for personal bookmarks and share them across social platforms while retaining full control over click data.
UrlHum
Fast, privacy‑focused URL shortener built on Laravel
Self-host friendlyPermissive licensePrivacy-firstPHP
Why teams choose it
- IP hashing and anonymization for privacy
- Granular admin panel controls over URL creation
- Instant analytics via ‘+’ suffix showing clicks, countries, referers
Watch for
Still under heavy development; not production‑ready
Migration highlight
Internal link tracking for a dev team
Enables private analytics on shared resources while keeping IP data anonymous.
Polr
Self-hosted URL shortener with branding and API control
Self-host friendlyPrivacy-firstIntegration-friendlyPHP
Why teams choose it
- Self-hosted infrastructure for complete data ownership and privacy
- Robust REST API for programmatic link creation and management
- Themable, modern interface with straightforward setup wizard
Watch for
Requires self-hosting infrastructure and MySQL database management
Migration highlight
Branded Marketing Campaigns
Marketing teams deploy custom short domains to track click-through rates and maintain brand consistency across social media and email campaigns.
Choosing a url shorteners & link management alternative
Teams replacing Cutt.ly in url shorteners & link management workflows typically weigh self-hosting needs, integration coverage, and licensing obligations.
- 11 projects let you self-host and keep customer data on infrastructure you control.
- 10 options are actively maintained with recent commits.
Tip: shortlist one hosted and one self-hosted option so stakeholders can compare trade-offs before migrating away from Cutt.ly.