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Most buyers should pick Rebrandly.
Rebrandly is the better default if price and billing flexibility matter: its pricing page lists Essentials at $8/month billed annually or $11 month-to-month, with 250 links/month. Bitly starts at $10/month billed annually ($120/year), with 100 links/month on Core and no published monthly Core price. Bitly suits marketers who need UTM tools, dynamic QR Codes and routing. Rebrandly adds link galleries, conversion tracking on Professional, and team workspaces. Compare plan caps before switching.
01Side by side
| Bitly | Rebrandly | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $10/mo, billed annually ($120/year) | $8/mo annual; $11/mo monthly |
| Free plan | 5 links and 2 QR Codes monthly | 10 links and 10 QR Codes monthly |
| Best for | Marketers tracking campaign performance | Creators and teams managing branded links |
| Core strength | Campaign analytics, dynamic QR Codes, and routing | Branded links, QR Codes, and link galleries |
| Learning curve | Not published | Not published |
| Integrations/data | UTM tools; Premium includes one year of data | REST API; real-time clickstream is an Enterprise add-on |
| Team/seat costs | Multi-user permissions listed on custom Enterprise | Professional: $22/mo annual; 2 workspaces and teammates |
| Support | Dedicated customer success manager on Enterprise | Dedicated customer success manager on Enterprise |
Bitly Choose Bitly if
- Choose Bitly if you need campaign analytics and dynamic QR Codes.
- Choose Bitly if Core's 100 links/month fits your workload.
- Choose Bitly if you want UTM tools and dynamic routing.
Rebrandly Choose Rebrandly if
- Choose Rebrandly if you want a lower annual starting price.
- Choose Rebrandly if monthly billing matters; Essentials is $11 monthly.
- Choose Rebrandly if team workspaces and conversion tracking matter.
02Pricing compared
Rebrandly is the cheaper, more flexible starting point: Essentials is listed at $8 per month with annual billing or $11 month-to-month, and includes 250 links and 250 QR Codes per month. Bitly Core costs $120 per year, shown as $10 per month, and includes 100 links and five QR Codes per month. The pricing page does not publish a monthly Core price.
Bitly Growth is $29 per month billed annually; Premium is $199 per month billed annually. Rebrandly Professional costs $22 per month annually or $32 monthly, while Growth is $104 annually or $149 monthly. These plans have different caps and features, so compare the exact tier you need. Rebrandly also sells separate High Volume versions at extra cost. Both offer free plans, but their included monthly link and QR limits are low.
03Features and depth
Bitly is the stronger fit when campaign measurement and link behavior matter. Its listed features include UTM building, click and scan analytics, dynamic QR Codes, bulk creation, and routing by country, region, device, or platform. Core includes 30 days of click and scan data; Growth includes four months, and Premium includes one year plus city-level and device data. Check plan limits before assuming a feature or volume is included.
Rebrandly focuses on branded links and link management. Its plans include QR Codes, while higher tiers add conversion tracking, workspaces, teammates, and password-protected links. Link galleries let users share multiple destinations from a social bio. Rebrandly lists unlimited custom domains as a platform feature, but plan caps still apply: Essentials includes two, Professional three, and Growth ten. Its Enterprise plan lists SSO, SCIM provisioning, and compliance support. The pricing details also list real-time clickstream data as an Enterprise add-on.
04Ease of use and learning curve
Both products cover the basic workflow: shorten a URL, brand it, create a QR Code, and review engagement. Rebrandly’s free plan includes 10 links and 10 QR Codes per month, plus one custom domain and a watermarked link gallery. Bitly’s free plan allows five links and two QR Codes per month, with unlimited clicks and scans listed.
The bigger learning-curve question is how much campaign control you need. Bitly’s UTM builder and routing options add useful choices, while Rebrandly’s workspaces, teammate access, and role permissions are more relevant to collaborative teams. We would compare the limits against your actual link volume and reporting needs before moving; the published plan details do not establish that either product is easier to learn.
Questions people ask
Is Bitly actually free?
Yes. Bitly lists a free plan with five links and two QR Codes per month, two custom landing pages, and three custom back-halves per month. It includes unlimited clicks and scans. If you need more links or QR Codes, compare the paid-plan caps and billing terms.
What is the best URL shortener?
It depends on the job. Rebrandly is the lower-cost starting point for branded links, with Essentials at $8 per month billed annually and 250 links per month. Bitly offers UTM tools, dynamic QR Codes, and routing features. Compare limits and required features before choosing.
What is better than Bitly?
Rebrandly may be a better fit if you want month-to-month billing, more links at the entry paid tier, link galleries, or team workspaces. Bitly may suit marketers who need its listed UTM builder, dynamic QR Codes, and routing. Plan caps vary, so check the tier you would actually buy.
Can I trust a Bitly link?
The published product details describe Bitly’s link and click-tracking features, but they do not establish that every Bitly link is safe. A shortened URL can hide its destination, so check where a link leads before sharing sensitive information. Rebrandly lists security and compliance features for its platform, including SSO and 2FA.