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If you want to share URLs on the Internet, you can shorten them. Here we present the best free websites for short links
1. Bitly – the most popular service for short addresses
- Bitly creates links in the form “bit.ly/xyz”, the extension of which comes from Libya.
- On the Bitly website, all you need to do is copy your link into the top box and click “Shorten”. The short address will then be created immediately.
- You can also register for free on Bitly and thus use various statistics and management tools.
2. Is.gd – For years a simple site for shortening URLs
- Is.gd has been offering the same URL shortener for years and it works the same as it used to and hasn’t changed anything about the design of the site either.
- The very simply designed page can be found at “is.gd “
3. TinyURL – another classic besides Bitly
- TinyURL’s links are not as short as some of its competitors, but they do offer one advantage: the service allows you to create individual short URLs, and the text after the domain is freely definable.
- So a link could have the form “tinyurl.com/practice-tip”.
- On tinyurl.com you will find two text fields in which you simply enter the long link and, if you wish, the exact text of the output link.
4. t1p – German provider with malware protection
- The German service t1p is also particularly functional. Here you can provide your short link with a password or a time limit, among other things
- The t1p website has a simple structure: At the top you add the long address, at the bottom you can activate the various additional functions.
5. rebrandly – modern and simple
- Similar to Bit.ly, Rebrandly is also structured.
- The clearly arranged web app can be accessed at “rebrandly.com”.
- In addition to the URL shortener, you will also find other functions when you register. However, the URL Shortener function does not require registration.
What’s the point of shortening URLs?
With so many URL shorteners to choose from, the question is what’s the point of shortening URLs in the first place?
- Shortening a link makes URLs easier to use and saves space.
- In a document, for example, a link with over 50 characters takes up a lot of space and can also look out of place in the document.
- The shortened URL means that the link is only a few characters long and is easier to place in documents.
- A shortened URL can also save readers a lot of work in print media. This way you don’t have to copy the entire link, but only the few characters of the shortened link.
- Shortening the URL makes a lot of sense, especially on print media with limited space. For example, you have the option of placing a long URL on a small document such as a business card.
- In addition, shortened URLs also save minimal amounts of data, which can play an important role especially for QR codes or NFC tags.
- A QR code with a short link looks much clearer, is easier to scan and is scannable even at a small size, whereas a QR code of a long URL becomes very detailed and only scannable at a larger print size.
- Furthermore, short URLs can save characters and therefore costs in messaging services with limited message length.
