Dub vs Shlink in 2026: Open Source URL Shorteners Compared

TL;DR

Both Dub and Shlink are open source Bitly alternatives you can self-host for unlimited links and analytics. Dub is the full link management platform — built-in analytics dashboard, team workspaces, UTM builder, QR codes, A/B testing, traffic routing, and a modern Next.js interface. Shlink is the API-first URL shortener — lightweight PHP service, comprehensive REST API, CLI tool, and an optional separate web client. For marketing teams and link management: Dub. For developers building link shortening into their own apps: Shlink.

Key Takeaways

Dub (AGPL-3.0, 19K+ stars) is a complete link management platform — the product that marketing teams will want to use every day
Shlink (MIT, 3K+ stars) is a developer-focused URL shortening API — lightweight, flexible, and MIT-licensed
Bitly's Premium plan ($29/month) limits to 1,500 links/month with 5 custom domains; both open source tools have unlimited
Dub has traffic routing (serve different URLs by device/OS, country, or language) and A/B testing
Shlink has a CLI (shlink-cli) for scripting and server management
Both provide click analytics including referrer, browser, country, and device type

The Link Management Market

URL shorteners solve a persistent problem: long, ugly URLs are hard to share in print, on social media, and in marketing materials. Tracking which links drive traffic closes the attribution loop for marketing.

Bitly became the default for many teams, but its pricing model creates problems at scale:

Free: 10 links/month (effectively useless for teams)
Basic: $8/month — 200 links/month, 1 custom domain
Premium: $29/month — 1,500 links/month, 5 domains
Business: $199/month — custom volume

For teams managing hundreds or thousands of links, Bitly is expensive. Both Dub and Shlink eliminate per-link pricing entirely.

Dub — The Full-Featured Link Management Platform

Dub was built as the product that marketing and growth teams actually want to use — a beautiful dashboard, intuitive link creation, rich analytics, and team collaboration. It's not just a URL shortener; it's a link intelligence platform.

# Dub self-hosted Docker Compose
services:
  dub:
    image: dubinc/dub:latest
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "3000:3000"
    environment:
      - NEXTAUTH_SECRET=your-nextauth-secret-min-32-chars
      - NEXTAUTH_URL=https://dub.yourdomain.com
      - DATABASE_URL=postgresql://dub:password@postgres:5432/dub
      - REDIS_URL=redis://redis:6379/0
      - NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_DOMAIN=dub.yourdomain.com
      - NEXT_PUBLIC_SHORT_DOMAIN=link.yourdomain.com
      # Email
      - EMAIL_SERVER=smtp://user:pass@smtp.yourdomain.com:587
      - EMAIL_FROM=noreply@yourdomain.com
    depends_on:
      - postgres
      - redis
  postgres:
    image: postgres:15-alpine
    environment:
      POSTGRES_DB: dub
      POSTGRES_USER: dub
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: password
    volumes:
      - dub_db:/var/lib/postgresql/data
  redis:
    image: redis:7-alpine
volumes:
  dub_db:

Link creation goes beyond a simple URL → short URL mapping. Every link in Dub can have:

Custom slug (memorable alias vs random characters)
Custom domain (use your brand domain: go.yourcompany.com/product-launch)
Expiration date (link stops redirecting after a specific date)
Password protection (redirect requires entering a password)
UTM parameters (auto-append UTM source/medium/campaign)
Device targeting (send iOS users to App Store, Android to Play Store, desktop to web)
Geo targeting (send EU visitors to EU-specific landing pages)

Analytics are per-link and aggregate across your workspace:

// Dub SDK — retrieve link analytics
import { Dub } from 'dub';

const dub = new Dub({ token: 'your-api-token' });

const analytics = await dub.analytics.retrieve({
  domain: 'link.yourcompany.com',
  key: 'product-launch',
  interval: '30d',
  groupBy: 'country',
});

// Returns: { country: 'US', clicks: 2543 }, { country: 'GB', clicks: 812 }, ...

The analytics dashboard shows:

Total clicks over time (line chart)
Clicks by country (world map + table)
Clicks by device type (desktop/mobile/tablet)
Clicks by browser
Clicks by referrer domain
UTM campaign performance

A/B testing sends traffic to multiple destination URLs and tracks performance:

70% → product-page-v1.yourcompany.com
30% → product-page-v2.yourcompany.com

After sufficient data, you see which variant drives more conversions.

Team workspaces separate link management by organization, client, or project. Multiple team members can create links, view analytics, and manage settings within the same workspace.

QR codes generate automatically for every link. Download as SVG or PNG in customizable sizes for print marketing materials.

// TypeScript SDK
import { Dub } from 'dub';

const dub = new Dub({ token: process.env.DUB_API_TOKEN });

// Create a tracking link for a marketing campaign
const link = await dub.links.create({
  url: 'https://yourapp.com/landing/summer-sale',
  domain: 'go.yourcompany.com',
  key: 'summer-sale-email',
  expiresAt: new Date('2026-09-01'),
  utm: {
    source: 'email',
    medium: 'newsletter',
    campaign: 'summer-2026',
  },
});

console.log(`Short link: ${link.shortLink}`);
// Short link: https://go.yourcompany.com/summer-sale-email

Key features:

Built-in analytics dashboard (no separate app)
Custom domains and slugs
QR code generation
UTM builder and parameters
Device/country/language traffic routing
A/B split testing
Link expiration
Password protection
Team workspaces
Webhooks
TypeScript/JavaScript SDK
REST API
AGPL-3.0 license, 19K+ stars

Shlink — The Developer API

Shlink makes a different trade-off: be the best URL shortening API, not the best link management UI. The philosophy is that developers know what they want in a UI, so Shlink provides the API and lets you build (or use a separate web client).

# Shlink Docker Compose
services:
  shlink:
    image: shlinkio/shlink:stable
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "8080:8080"
    environment:
      - DEFAULT_DOMAIN=link.yourdomain.com
      - IS_HTTPS_ENABLED=true
      - DB_DRIVER=postgres
      - DB_HOST=shlink_db
      - DB_PORT=5432
      - DB_NAME=shlink
      - DB_USER=shlink
      - DB_PASSWORD=password
      # Geolocation for country analytics
      - GEOLITE_LICENSE_KEY=your-maxmind-license-key
      # Initial API key
      - INITIAL_API_KEY=your-initial-api-key
    depends_on:
      - shlink_db
  shlink_db:
    image: postgres:15-alpine
    environment:
      POSTGRES_DB: shlink
      POSTGRES_USER: shlink
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: password
    volumes:
      - shlink_db_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
  shlink_web:
    # Optional separate web client
    image: shlinkio/shlink-web-client:stable
    ports:
      - "8090:8080"
volumes:
  shlink_db_data:

The CLI (shlink-cli) manages the Shlink server from the command line:

# Install shlink-cli globally
npm install -g @shlinkio/shlink-cli

# Configure connection to your Shlink server
shlink server:add \
  --name "Production" \
  --url "https://link.yourdomain.com" \
  --api-key "your-api-key"

# Create short URLs from the terminal
shlink short-url:create \
  --long-url "https://yourapp.com/landing/new-feature" \
  --custom-slug "new-feature" \
  --domain "link.yourdomain.com" \
  --tags "launch,q2-2026" \
  --valid-since "2026-04-01T00:00:00"

# List top links by click count
shlink short-url:list --order-by=visits-DESC --max-per-page 20

# Get click analytics for a specific link
shlink short-url:visits get-link new-feature --start-date "2026-01-01"

The REST API is comprehensive and well-documented:

# Create a short URL
curl -X POST "https://link.yourdomain.com/api/v3/short-urls" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: your-api-key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "longUrl": "https://yourapp.com/docs/getting-started",
    "customSlug": "getting-started",
    "maxVisits": 1000,
    "tags": ["docs", "onboarding"]
  }'

# Get visit analytics
curl "https://link.yourdomain.com/api/v3/short-urls/getting-started/visits" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: your-api-key" \
  | jq '.data | .[] | {date: .date, country: .visitLocation.countryName}'

Multiple database backends are supported:

PostgreSQL (recommended for production)
MySQL/MariaDB
SQLite (for development or low-traffic deployments)

Separate web client (Shlink Web Client) provides a simple UI for teams that don't want to use the API directly. It connects to your Shlink API and provides basic link management. This modularity lets different teams connect their own UI tools to the same Shlink API.

Key features:

Comprehensive REST API (all operations)
CLI (shlink-cli) for scripting
Multiple database backends (PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite)
Country/city-level geolocation analytics
Browser and device tracking
Bot detection and filtering
Custom domains
QR code API endpoints
Link expiration and visit limits
Tags for organization
Webhooks on link visits
Separate web client (optional)
MIT license, 3K+ stars

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	Dub	Shlink
License	AGPL-3.0	MIT
Stars	19K+	3K+
Stack	Next.js + TypeScript	PHP + Symfony
Built-in dashboard	✅ Excellent	❌ (separate app)
Analytics	✅ Detailed	✅ Detailed
Team workspaces	✅	❌
A/B testing	✅	❌
Traffic routing	✅ Device/country/language	❌
UTM builder	✅	❌
Password protection	✅	❌
QR codes	✅	✅ (API)
CLI	❌	✅
REST API	✅	✅ Comprehensive
TypeScript SDK	✅	✅
Cloud option	Dub.co	❌
Redis required	✅	❌

Decision Framework

Choose Dub if:

Marketing teams will create and manage links day-to-day
Built-in analytics dashboard eliminates the need for a separate analytics tool
UTM parameter management needs to be systematic
A/B testing landing page URLs is part of your growth workflow
Traffic routing by device or country is needed
Team workspaces separate links by client or campaign
You want the Dub.co cloud option

Choose Shlink if:

You're a developer building URL shortening into your own application
MIT license is required (commercial products avoiding AGPL)
PHP stack fits your existing infrastructure
CLI control from terminal is important
You'll build your own UI or use the optional Shlink Web Client
MySQL/MariaDB is your preferred database
Modular, API-first architecture fits your architecture

Cost Comparison

Solution	Annual Cost
Bitly Premium	$348/year
Bitly Business	$2,388/year
Dub Pro (cloud)	$288/year
Dub self-hosted	$60–120/year (VPS + Redis)
Shlink self-hosted	$60–100/year (lighter stack)

UTM Strategies and Analytics Attribution

Link shorteners and link management tools are most valuable when integrated into a consistent attribution strategy. Shortened links without consistent UTM parameters produce click data without meaning — you know someone clicked the link, but not from which campaign, channel, or audience segment.

Consistent UTM parameter naming. The most common attribution failure is inconsistent UTM values across campaigns. A link tagged utm_source=twitter and another tagged utm_source=Twitter (capital T) appear as separate sources in Plausible, Matomo, or Google Analytics. Establish and document naming conventions before you start creating links: lowercase always, specific values for source (twitter, linkedin, newsletter), medium (social, email, cpc, organic), and campaign (match the campaign name in your planning doc). Dub's UTM builder UI enforces this by offering preset values rather than free-text fields — use the presets to avoid typos.

Campaign-specific custom domains. For product launches or seasonal campaigns, a branded short domain (like launch.yourproduct.com or sale.yourbrand.com) creates a recognizable pattern that improves click-through rates versus generic short URLs. Both Dub and Shlink support multiple custom domains. Register campaign-specific domains in advance, configure them in your link management tool, and use them only for that campaign. After the campaign, the domain can be redirected to your main site or decommissioned — all historical links associated with it continue to resolve if the domain stays active.

QR code integration for offline attribution. The same link that powers a digital campaign can generate a QR code for print, signage, or packaging. Dub generates QR codes for every shortened link; Shlink's API supports QR code generation as well. For physical marketing with QR codes, create a unique link (and therefore a unique QR code) per placement — different QR codes for magazine ads versus trade show banners versus product packaging. The click data then tells you which physical placements drive conversions, closing the attribution loop for offline-to-online traffic.

Link expiration for time-sensitive promotions. Both Dub and Shlink support setting link expiration dates. After a promotional link expires, Dub redirects to a configurable URL (typically a "this offer has ended" landing page). This prevents embarrassment when someone shares a promotional link after a sale ends — the link is still functional but redirects appropriately. Configure expiration on any link tied to a time-limited offer, event registration, or beta access.

Routing analytics to your analytics stack. Link click data from Dub and Shlink is most valuable when it flows into your analytics platform alongside on-site behavior. Dub's webhooks send click events to any endpoint — pipe them to your data warehouse or to Plausible via the Events API. Shlink's analytics can be exported via the REST API. For teams using Plausible or Matomo for web analytics, the UTM parameters on Dub/Shlink links flow automatically through to the analytics platform when the destination page loads — the link tool tracks the click, the analytics platform tracks the session.

Deep link support for mobile apps. Both Dub and Shlink can route links conditionally — send iOS users to the App Store, Android users to the Play Store, and desktop users to a web page, all from a single short link. This requires configuring platform-specific redirect rules per link. Dub's link creation UI includes deep link configuration. Shlink requires the redirect conditions to be set via the API or a custom redirect rule file. For product teams with mobile apps alongside web products, conditional deep links significantly improve the mobile onboarding experience for users who click links in email campaigns or SMS messages.

Link management as a team capability. In Dub, workspace members can create and manage links within shared workspaces. This makes link creation a team capability rather than something bottlenecked through one person's account. Create workspaces by team (marketing workspace, developer-relations workspace) with appropriate access levels. Shlink's API key architecture allows similar team delegation — each team member gets an API key scoped to their campaigns.

See open source alternatives to Dub on OSSAlt.

Dub vs Shlink in 2026: Which Open Source URL Shortener?