I’ve spent years in the SEO and affiliate marketing trenches since 2017, and I’ll tell you right now, in 2025, link shorteners aren’t just handy tools for cleaning up ugly URLs.
They’re legitimate assets for building backlinks, driving traffic, and yes, actually making real money from your content.
Yes, you heard it right! Link shortener sites are not just tools to shorten long URLs, they can also help you build quality backlinks and generate some extra income on the side.
According to Cognitive Market Research, the global URL Shortener market will be USD XX billion in 2023 and expand at a compound yearly growth rate (CAGR) of 20.00% from 2023 to 2030 (Source) .
In this article, I’ve compiled a list of 95 Free link shortener sites to create Backlinks and monetize your links.
Whether you’re a blogger, an SEO enthusiast, or just someone looking for ways to make money online, this guide has got you covered.
Plus, you can download the full list of link shortener sites at the end of this article for future use!
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What Are Link Shortener Sites?
Link shortener sites are platforms that take a long URL and convert it into a shorter, more manageable link. But they’re more than just a convenience tool. These shortened links often come with features like-
Backlink Creation- Some of the shortening services allow users to place their links within their system, which is beneficial to SEO ranking and the credibility of the website.
Monetization- You can make money by generating traffic through the links you shorten with some services. Your earnings depend on the number of clicks your links get.
Tracking and Analytics- Most service providers provide extensive analytics that will enable you to track interactions, audience profiles, and where traffic is coming from.
Why Use Link Shortener Sites?
Here’s why link shorteners are a valuable tool for anyone in the digital space-
- Create Backlinks for SEO
Backlinks are one of the most powerful factors for search engines in ranking sites. It is possible to improve your website’s status in search engine rankings by using link shortener platforms to generate backlinks.
- Earn Money Online
Many link shorteners offer a CPM (Cost Per Mille) model, meaning they’ll pay you for every 1,000 clicks on your shortened link. It’s a simple and passive way to generate income.
- Simplify Long URLs
Sharing long URLs may sometimes sound difficult, especially when publishing on social media. Short URLs have a cleaner look, a more professional look, and are much easier to share.
- Track Your Performance
Would you like to see how well your links are being presented? There are several link shorteners that have strong analytics sections that will tell you how many times your links are clicked, where the clicks are coming from, and how engaged the audience is.
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How Do Link Shortener Sites Work?
Using a link shortener is simple:-
- Paste Your Link: Copy the long URL you want to shorten.
- Generate a Shortened Link: Use the link shortener site to create a shorter version of your URL.
- Share the Link: Share your shortened link on blogs, social media, or forums.
- Earn Money or Backlinks: As users click your link, you’ll either earn money (on monetized platforms) or gain backlinks for SEO.
Types of Link Shortener Sites
Not all link shorteners are the same. Here are the main types you should know-
- Monetized Link Shorteners
These platforms pay you for every click on your shortened link. They’re great for bloggers, influencers, and anyone looking to earn passive income online.
- SEO-Focused Link Shorteners
These are designed to help you build backlinks. They’re ideal for marketers and SEO professionals who want to improve their website’s authority.
- General Link Shorteners
These platforms focus on simplifying long URLs. While they may not offer monetization or backlinks, they’re perfect for clean and professional link sharing.
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5 Popular Link Shortener Sites for Monetization
Take a look at some of the top monetized link shorteners listed in the full list-
Probably the most known and long-lasting monetized link shortener in the market.
Payout Rate: Up to $5 per 1,000 clicks.
Payment Methods: PayPal, Payoneer.
Shrinke.me
Delivers high CPM and international traffic.
Payout Rate: $7-$20 per 1,000 clicks.
Payment Methods: PayPal, Bitcoin.
Linkvertise
A link shortener with several revenue streams and premium monetization.
Payout Rate: Up to $15 per 1,000 clicks.
Payment Methods: PayPal, Bank Transfer.
Shorte.st
A simple to use service that never fails to pay out.
Payout Rate: $5-$10 per 1,000 clicks.
Payment Methods: PayPal, WebMoney.
Very good for traffic from around the world, Tier 1 countries perform very well.
Payout Rate: $6-$10 per 1,000 clicks.
Payment Methods: PayPal, Payoneer, Bitcoin
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5 Popular SEO-Focused Link Shorteners
I suggest using these link shorteners to help you grow your backlinks-
1. Bitly
- Website: www.bitly.com
- Why Use It: Clean and professional links, great for branding.
2. TinyURL
- Website: www.tinyurl.com
- Why Use It: Easy to use, reliable, and widely recognized.
3. Rebrandly
- Website: www.rebrandly.com
- Why Use It: Perfect for creating branded links and tracking performance.
4. BL.INK
- Website: www.bl.ink
- Why Use It: Offers advanced analytics for link performance.
5. T2M
- Website: www.t2m.io
- Why Use It: Provides detailed analytics and custom URLs.
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How to Maximize Earnings and Backlinks with Link Shorteners?
Target the Right Audience- Post links in platforms that are relevant to your target audience to gain more visibility.
Promote on Social Media- Maximize your audience by posting your links on popular social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Use Multiple Platforms- Take advantage of a blend of monetized and SEO-optimized link shorteners to achieve better results.
Track Your Performance- Track clicks, traffic origins, and audience interaction by examining data from your analytics tools.
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95 Free Link Shortener Sites List
Ready to start earning and building backlinks? I’ve compiled the complete list of 95 link shortener sites into an easy-to-download file.
| S No. | Name | DA | PA | HTTPS | Type |
| 1 | Bit.do | 79 | 64 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 2 | Ow.ly | 88 | 58 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 3 | Is.gd | 86 | 54 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 4 | Rebrandly | 84 | 47 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 5 | Sniply | 74 | 57 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 6 | VztURL Shortener | 35 | 38 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 7 | Trim Shortener | 70 | 60 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 8 | v.gd Shortener | 53 | 57 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 9 | Cutt.us Shortener | 55 | 56 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 10 | BCVC Shortener | 55 | 56 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 11 | To.ht Shortener | 27 | 48 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 12 | Ttree Shortener | 30 | 41 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 13 | Lil.ink Shortener | 30 | 45 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 14 | IamAWS Shortener | 26 | 43 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 15 | AbcAgency Shortener | 30 | 44 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 16 | Swish.st Shortener | 24 | 37 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 17 | Wow.link Shortener | 16 | 18 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 18 | u.to Shortener | 58 | 58 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 19 | s.id Shortener | 44 | 59 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 20 | Tiny.cc Shortener | 87 | 66 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 21 | ity.im Shortener | 40 | 54 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 22 | Soo.Gd Shortener | 43 | 51 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 23 | SusURL Shortener | 28 | 40 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 24 | QR URL URL Shortener | 25 | 35 | Yes | URL |
| 25 | Fc.lc Shortener | 33 | 38 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 26 | ShortURL Shortener | 52 | 46 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 27 | Cuttly Shortener | 52 | 48 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 28 | IP logger Shortener | 44 | 45 | Yes | URL |
| 29 | Short.cm Shortener | 29 | 44 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 30 | PicSee Shortener | 36 | 41 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 31 | TheLink.la Shortener | 14 | 11 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 32 | Whizurl | 18 | 24 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 33 | Al.ly Shortener | 37 | 44 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 34 | EarnZ Shortener | 20 | 28 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 35 | ShrtFly Shortener | 38 | 39 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 36 | Za.gl | 51 | 46 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 37 | MityURL | 12 | 23 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 38 | LinksOP Shortener | 29 | 42 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 39 | Url.ie Shortener | 47 | 53 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 40 | Ptiturl | 33 | 45 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 41 | Tiny.pl Shortener | 56 | 51 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 42 | Ux.nu Shortener | 46 | 52 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 43 | Gg.gg Shortener | 54 | 58 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 44 | 0rz.tw | 47 | 56 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 45 | Shrunken Shortener | 52 | 19 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 46 | Shrink.im Shortener | 12 | 26 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 47 | Chilp.it Shortener | 49 | 55 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 48 | Qr.net | 51 | 48 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 49 | Lnnkin | 17 | 25 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 50 | Google-URL | 13 | 25 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 51 | V2c.it Shortener | 8 | 8 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 52 | Zum.bi Shortener | 19 | 33 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 53 | Mi9 Shortener | 11 | 9 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 54 | URLways Shortener | 6 | 14 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 55 | Grabify Shortener | 44 | 43 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 56 | LinkSplit | 29 | 30 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 57 | Tals.top Shortener | 15 | 28 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 58 | YellKey Shortener | 20 | 30 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 59 | Shtn.me Shortener | 13 | 15 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 60 | Trsurl Shortener | 32 | 34 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 61 | Kutt.it Shortener | 41 | 25 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 62 | Corvo Shortener | 1 | 1 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 63 | Mnmlurl.ml Shortener | 11 | 15 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 64 | Short.blue Shortener | 23 | 15 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 65 | Haggybear | 12 | 11 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 66 | Bch.gg | 23 | 32 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 67 | Duplichecker Shortener | 50 | 30 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 68 | Smallseotools Shortener | 57 | 46 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 69 | Vivoldi Shortener | 10 | 12 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 70 | Sxe.cc Shortener | 20 | 29 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 71 | Shirc.pro Shortener | 1 | 3 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 72 | Lopby.com Shortener | 2 | 3 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 73 | Goolnk.com Shortener | 23 | 32 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 74 | Doiop.com Shortener | 49 | 51 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 75 | 1pt.co Shortener | 1 | 8 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 76 | Shorl.com Shortner | 51 | 59 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 77 | Teil.cc Shortener | 34 | 48 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 78 | PicSee.co | 36 | 30 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 79 | N9.cl Shortener | 40 | 23 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 80 | Ai6 | 25 | 39 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 81 | Correct.email Shortener | 18 | 25 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 82 | Mdpay.in Shortener | 8 | 17 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 83 | Yvd.app Shortener | 3 | 7 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 84 | T.tl Shortener | 16 | 34 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 85 | Eddie Shortener | 16 | 30 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 86 | S.Id | 56 | 37 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 87 | Zzb.bz | 46 | 52 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 88 | Gcc.gl | 15 | 31 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 89 | Bom.to | 40 | 47 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 90 | Pnut | 41 | 37 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 91 | 0rz.tw | 50 | 56 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 92 | Ouo Press | 60 | 44 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 93 | Ouo.io | 82 | 60 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 94 | Href.li | 44 | 55 | Yes | URL shortener |
| 95 | Cpm.link | 50 | 46 | Yes | URL shortener |
How Do You Use URL Shorteners for Link Building and Backlinking?
This is where most guides completely miss the mark. Here’s my tested strategy for using link shorteners to create actual backlinks while building your site’s authority-
- Set Up Custom Domain Shorteners
- First, forget using generic shortener domains. You need your OWN branded domain-
- Register a short, memorable domain (or use a subdomain of your existing site)
- Connect it to a shortener service that offers custom domains (Bitly Pro, Rebrandly, Short.io)
- Configure proper 301 redirects (not 302s, which pass less SEO value)
For example, instead of “bit.ly/your-link” you’d have “yourbrand.link/content” pointing to your destination page.
- Create Strategic Resource Links
Don’t just shorten random URLs. You can make specific shortened links for-
- High-value cornerstone content
- Product/service pages you want to rank
- Data-rich resources others might reference
- Comparison/review content with affiliate opportunities
- The goal is creating branded pathways to your most valuable content.
- Strategic Link Placement
Where you place these shortened links makes all the difference-
- Guest post author bios: Most editors allow a link in the bio, even when they’re strict about in-content links
- Forum signatures: Where allowed by forum rules (not spammy)
- Social media profiles: Not just posts, but permanent profile sections
- YouTube descriptions: Particularly for tutorial or review content
- Podcast show notes: Perfect for additional resources
- Q&A site profiles: Quora, Stack Exchange sites, etc.
- Comments sections: Only when adding genuine value (never spam)
Remember: the link itself contains your domain (through the custom domain setup), so every placement creates a backlink to your brand.
- Track, Analyze, and Scale
The analytics from your shortener service will show-
- Which content drives the most click-throughs
- Which placement sources deliver quality traffic
- Which topics generate the most engagement
Do 2x focus on what works and abandon what doesn’t.
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Does LinkedIn Have a URL Shortener?
Yes, LinkedIn uses a URL shortener of its own. When you post a link on LinkedIn, the platform will automatically shorten it to make sure it fits your post.
Still, LinkedIn’s URL shortener is mostly for use inside the platform, so you can’t use it to shorten links on other sites.
Is Google URL Shortener Free?
Google offered a free URL shortener called goo.gl, but they stopped it in 2019. Because goo.gl is no longer offered, you can use other free URL shorteners such as Bitly, TinyURL, and Rebrandly that work in a similar way.
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Conclusion
While link shorteners are a seemingly tiny aspect of the internet, their effect on internet marketing, as well as especially on user analytics and experience, isn’t small at all.
Whether you’re posting links to social media, sending emails, or printing tickets, shortened URLs can make your content more professional, engaging, and trackable.
So, Download the list of 95 Url shorteners and start building backlinks and also you can earn money if somebody else shortens urls.
Then next time you are confronted with a giant unwieldy URL, try out a link shortener and see if you like it. It’s a small step that can have a big impact on how your audience engages with your content. All The Best!
FAQ
Here are some free link shortener sites you can use to create backlinks-
- Bitly: Free and easy to use, with analytics included.
- TinyURL: Perfect for creating quick, shareable links.
- Rebrandly: Offers branded links and basic analytics for free.
- BL.INK: Great for tracking clicks and engagement.
- T2M: Provides free features for basic link shortening and backlinking.
A link shortener is a tool that cuts out links and makes them easier to work with. These shortened links are easier to share on social media, in messages or in emails, and typically look more professional.
You might even be able to use a few link shorteners to check how many clicks you get for your links, to create custom URLs, even to make a few dollars for every person who clicks on some of your links.
The following are some recommended websites for generating online backlinks-
- AdFly: Shorten URLs with monetized backlink opportunities.
- Linkvertise: Combine monetization and backlinking in one.
- Shorte. st: Offers backlinking alongwith monetization options.
- CPMlink- Best Way to Create Backlinks And Earn Money Online.
- Yourls: An open-source platform to create custom short URLs.
The Google URL Shortener, also known as goo.gl, was one of the most popular link shorteners. However, it was discontinued in 2019 and replaced by Firebase Dynamic Links (FDL). While FDL is more focused on app development, you can still use alternatives like Bitly or Rebrandly for link shortening.
Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast
If you’re seeking free tools, here are some great choices-
TinyURL : Quick and easy to use.
Bitly: Provides free plans with limited analytics.
Rebrandly: Free for custom-branded links with some limitations.
Yourls: Open-source project that is free and if you fancy building your specs.
INK: Free plan available with click tracking.
Here’s a comprehensive list of popular link shortener websites-
- Bitly
- TinyURL
- AdFly
- Shorte.st
- Rebrandly
- BL.INK
- CPMlink
- Linkvertise
- T2M
- Yourls
If your target is to make money, then these are the top paying link shorteners-
- Shrinke. me • Payouts: Up to $20 per 1,000 clicks.
- AdFly: Has trustworthy pays and features high CPM.
- Linkvertise: High quality traffic and high CPM.
- CPMlink: Excellent for premium traffic.
- Shorte. st: Awesome for monetizing globally.
For a URL shortener, either option (bit or google) is best:
Monetization: You can use either AdFly or Shrinke. me.
For SEO and backlinks: Use Rebrandly, or Bitly.
For free use: Go for TinyURL or Yourls.
Want to create branded links? These generators let you personalize your shortened URLs to your brand-
Rebrandly: The best for branded links and analytics.
Bitly: Offers custom domains for professional links.
Yourls: Opensource do-it-yourself URL shortener.
INK: Provides personalized links that enable intricate tracking.
T2M: Offers short branded links with tracking capabilities.
The links themselves do not carry a direct SEO benefit, but they can enhance the user experience and encourage click-through, which could help your SEO indirectly. Also, your brand visibility can be increased by using branded links.
Yes, most link shorteners provide the QR code creation for the shortened links. It really a great tool to use on your offline marketing collateral so that a user can scan it and go directly to the link.
Some shortening services may also track the users, raising privacy concerns. Be sure to look at the privacy policy of the service you opt for, so you’re aware of how your data and your users’ is going to be treated.
