TinyURL is one of the oldest link shorteners, and it's genuinely simple — paste a URL, get a short one. But the moment you want to know how many people clicked, put your brand on the link, or generate a QR code, its free plan runs out of room. If that's you, here's the best free TinyURL alternative and how they compare.
Where TinyURL's free plan falls short
- No real click analytics on free links — you can't see clicks by time, country or device.
- Limited branding — custom aliases are basic and not on your own domain.
- No QR codes or link-in-bio in one place.
For a throwaway link that's fine. For marketing, a bio, or anything you want to measure, you'll want more.
lynkily — a free TinyURL alternative with analytics built in
lynkily shortens links just as fast, but the free plan includes the things TinyURL gates:
- Real-time click analytics — clicks over time, by country, city and device, on a live map. See analytics →
- Branded short links on your own custom domain. Why branded links win →
- QR codes for any link — free QR generator.
- A link-in-bio page, UTM builder and more — one platform instead of five.
TinyURL vs lynkily (free plans)
| TinyURL (free) | lynkily (free) | |
|---|---|---|
| Shorten links | Yes | Yes — 50/mo |
| Click analytics | Limited | Full (time/geo/device) |
| Branded / custom domain | No (free) | Yes |
| QR codes | Add-on | Yes |
| Link-in-bio page | No | Yes |
How to switch (2 minutes)
- Paste your long URL into lynkily and shorten it.
- Optionally add a branded domain and a custom slug.
- Share it and watch the clicks roll into your dashboard.
Comparing more tools? See the cheapest URL shorteners and Bitly vs TinyURL vs lynkily.