Dub vs Shlink: Open Source URL Shorteners Compared
Dub vs Shlink: Open Source URL Shorteners Compared
Both replace Bitly with open source alternatives, but they take different approaches. Dub is a full link management platform with analytics, team collaboration, and a modern UI. Shlink is a focused URL shortener API with a separate web client.
Quick Verdict
Choose Dub for a complete Bitly replacement — beautiful dashboard, click analytics, team workspace, and marketing features. Choose Shlink for a developer-focused URL shortening API — lightweight, API-first, and the simplest self-hosted option.
The Comparison
| Feature | Dub | Shlink |
|---|---|---|
| Stack | Next.js, TypeScript | PHP, Symfony |
| Dashboard | ✅ (beautiful, built-in) | Separate web client |
| Click analytics | ✅ (detailed) | ✅ |
| Geo analytics | ✅ | ✅ |
| Device/browser | ✅ | ✅ |
| Referrer tracking | ✅ | ✅ |
| Custom domains | ✅ | ✅ |
| QR codes | ✅ | ✅ |
| Tags/folders | ✅ | ✅ (tags) |
| Team workspaces | ✅ | ❌ |
| Link expiration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Password protection | ✅ | ❌ |
| UTM builder | ✅ | ❌ |
| API | ✅ (REST) | ✅ (REST, comprehensive) |
| CLI | ❌ | ✅ (shlink-cli) |
| Webhooks | ✅ | ❌ |
| Bot detection | ✅ | ✅ |
| Self-hosted | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cloud option | Dub.co | ❌ |
| Stars | 19K+ | 3K+ |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
When to Choose Dub
- Complete Bitly replacement with built-in dashboard
- Marketing team needs analytics and UTM tracking
- Team collaboration with workspaces
- Link management as a platform (not just shortening)
- Password-protected links
- Webhooks for integrations
- Modern Next.js stack
When to Choose Shlink
- API-first URL shortening
- CLI for scripting and automation
- PHP ecosystem fits your infrastructure
- MIT license preferred over AGPL
- Lightest possible self-hosted solution
- You'll build your own frontend or use the web client
- Simplest deployment (Docker + database)
The Bottom Line
Dub is the full-featured Bitly replacement — built-in analytics dashboard, team workspaces, UTM builder, and marketing features. It's what most teams want.
Shlink is the developer's choice — an API and CLI for URL shortening with analytics, without the opinionated frontend. It's more modular, lighter, and MIT-licensed.
For marketing teams, choose Dub. For developers building link management into their own apps, choose Shlink.
Compare link management tools on OSSAlt — analytics, API features, and community health side by side.