Self-hosted shortener
URX vs Shlink: which one for your app?
URX is hosted: no server, database or updates to run. Store routing, QR codes, a Bio Page and analytics work from the dashboard, and deep links and Universal Links come with Pro at $9 a month. Shlink's docs don't list deep links or bio pages, and its QR codes are deprecated since version 4.5.
Shlink is a free, open-source (MIT) link shortener you host yourself, for developers who want short links on their own domains.
Choose URX if
you make an app or share one, and want a free link that sends each phone to its store, with a $9 plan that opens the app.
Choose Shlink instead if
you want full control of the data, are happy to run your own server, and need no limits on links or clicks.
Feature by feature
Checked 24 October 2026. Sources at the bottom of the page.
| Feature | URX | Shlink |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes: 25 Smart Links, 1,000 clicks a month, no card | Free and open source; no plan limits |
| One link: iPhone to the App Store, Android to Google Play | Yes, on Free | Yes, with device redirect rules (since 4.0) |
| Opens your app (deep links) | Pro, $9 a month: URI-scheme deep links and Universal Links. App Links on your own domain come with Growth ($29) | Not listed |
| Right screen after install (deferred deep links) | Pro, $9 a month | Not listed |
| QR codes on the free plan | Yes, PNG and SVG | PNG or SVG, deprecated since 4.5 |
| Link-in-bio page on the free plan | Yes, 1 Bio Page | Not listed |
| Click analytics on the free plan | Yes, kept 30 days | Yes: visits with location, referrer and browser |
| Past the free limit | Links keep working. Visitors see a short URX page (up to 10 seconds) until the month resets | No limits; you run the server |
| Your own domain | Growth, $29 a month | Yes, several domains on your own server |
| Cheapest paid plan | Pro, $9 a month ($90 a year) | None: free software, you pay for hosting |
URX prices
- Free: store routing, 25 Smart Links, 1,000 clicks a month, QR codes, 1 Bio Page, 30-day analytics. How Smart Links work
- Pro, $9 a month: deep links, deferred deep links, Universal Links, routing rules, no URX page or branding, and all 7 Growth Plan Missions
- Growth, $29 a month: custom domains (and App Links on them), team seats, API, and Contacts: which link brought each sign-up and sale
- Full pricing
Shlink prices
- Free and open source (MIT); you pay for your own hosting
Questions
Is there a free hosted alternative to Shlink?
Yes, with nothing to install. URX's free plan sends iPhone visitors to the App Store, Android visitors to Google Play and everyone else to your website, with 25 Smart Links, 1,000 clicks a month, QR codes, a Bio Page and 30 days of click analytics. Past the monthly clicks, links keep working: visitors see a short URX page first until the month resets.
Can Shlink send iPhone and Android users to different links?
Yes. Its redirect rules can match device types, including iOS and Android, since Shlink 4.0 (checked 24 October 2026).
When is Shlink the better choice?
When you want to self-host, own all the data and avoid any plan limits.
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Sources
Last checked 22 October 2026, on each product's own pages. "Not listed" means we didn't find it there, not that it can't be done. Prices change: check each product's own page before you buy. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@urx.si.
Claim
your link.
Type the name you want. Then paste your store links and scan it with your phone.