Free tier
Custom domain URL shortener for free
Connecting your own domain used to be the feature that sold the paid plan. On five shorteners it now comes with the free one. The useful comparison is what else the free plan carries, because that decides how long you can stay on it.
The five free plans with a custom domain
| Tool | Domains | Links | Clicks tracked | Analytics | SSL | API |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ReSlug | 1 | 500 active links | 1,000 tracked clicks/mo | 30 days | Automatic | Pro plan |
| Short.io | 5 | 1,000 lifetime | 50,000/mo | Not documented | Automatic | Yes |
| Dub | 3 | 25/mo | 1,000 events/mo | 30 days | Automatic | Yes |
| Cuttly | 1 | 30/mo | Not stated | 30 days | Automatic | Yes, 30 links/mo |
| Linkly | 1 | 100/mo | 500/mo, then links pause | Country-level | Not documented | Yes |
Vendor pricing pages, 8 November 2026. Rebrandly's free plan is omitted because its only free domain is a .bio address, not a domain you own.
Where each free plan runs out
Every free plan has a ceiling, and the shape of the ceiling matters more than its height.
- ReSlug counts active links, so deleting an old link frees a slot, and tracks 1,000 clicks a month; links keep redirecting past that, you just stop seeing new analytics until the month resets.
- Short.io counts links for life. A thousand sounds like a lot until a year of campaigns has used them; then the $5 Hobby plan is the next step.
- Dub resets 25 links each month. Fine for a developer prototype, tight for marketing.
- Cuttly resets 30 links a month and labels free links as Cutt.ly branded in the dashboard.
- Linkly pauses links once 500 clicks are used in a month. That is the one ceiling that takes published links offline, so it is the one to avoid for anything printed.
Picking between them
If you want one brand with a real volume of links and analytics you can read, ReSlug's free plan is the only one that covers it. If you want several domains and will create links slowly, Short.io's five domains and thousand links last a long time. If you are a developer wiring links into a product, Dub's free API with three domains is the right sandbox. Cuttly suits a creator with a handful of links and a bio page. Linkly is a trial of its paid product, not a plan to live on.
All five issue, or are documented as issuing, the certificate for you, so none requires buying SSL. Setup follows the same five steps on each.
The ones that are not free
Bitly requires Growth at $348 a year. Rebrandly requires Essentials at $132 a year for a domain you own. TinyURL requires Pro at about $120 a year. T.LY and Switchy have no free plan at all. The costs entry sets all ten side by side.
Questions & answers
Which URL shortener lets me use my own domain for free?
ReSlug, Short.io, Dub, Cuttly and Linkly. Each connects at least one domain on its free plan and issues the certificate automatically, or is documented as doing so.
What is the catch with a free custom domain?
Link or click limits. ReSlug caps tracked clicks at 1,000 a month, Short.io caps lifetime links at 1,000, Dub and Cuttly reset small monthly quotas, and Linkly pauses links after 500 clicks.
Does Bitly offer a custom domain on the free plan?
No. The first Bitly plan with a custom domain is Growth at $29 a month billed annually.
Can I use a free custom domain commercially?
Short.io states commercial use is allowed on free. ReSlug's free plan has no non-commercial restriction. Check each vendor's terms if your use is high volume.
Sources for this entry
- ReSlug pricing reslug.com/pricing
- Short.io pricing short.io/pricing
- Dub pricing dub.co/pricing/links
- Cuttly pricing cutt.ly/pro-pricing
- Linkly pricing linklyhq.com/pricing
Checked 8 November 2026. Vendor pages change; the date is the claim.
Cite this entry
Best Custom Domain URL Shortener. "Custom domain URL shortener for free". Reviewed 8 November 2026. https://bestcustomdomainurlshortener.com/free-custom-domain-url-shortener/