Bitly Free Plan Limits in 2026
Bitly's free tier has become increasingly restrictive. Here's exactly what you get, what the limits are, what it costs to unlock more, and what alternatives exist if those limits don't work for you.
What Bitly's Free Plan Actually Includes
| Feature | Bitly Free | Bitly Core ($29/mo) |
|---|---|---|
| Links per month | 10 | 200 |
| Click analytics | ❌ None | ✅ Basic |
| Custom back-half | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Custom domain | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (1 domain) |
| QR codes | ✅ Yes (static) | ✅ Yes |
| API access | Limited | ✅ Yes |
| Monthly cost | $0 | $29/month |
The most significant limitation of Bitly's free tier is the 10 links per month cap. For affiliate marketers, content creators, or anyone running multiple campaigns, 10 links is exhausted in a matter of days. The second limitation is the complete absence of click analytics — you have no way of knowing whether anyone is actually clicking your links.
Bitly Paid Plan Costs
If you need more than 10 links/month or any analytics at all, here's what Bitly charges:
- Core: $29/month ($348/year) — 200 links/month, basic analytics, 1 custom domain
- Growth: $199/month — 5,000 links/month, advanced analytics, 2 custom domains
- Premium: $399/month — custom link limits, premium support
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
For most individual users and small businesses, the jump from $0 (free, no analytics) to $29/month ($348/year, basic analytics) is steep. The Core plan also caps you at 200 links/month — still not unlimited.
Free Bitly Alternatives That Remove These Limits
If Bitly's free tier is too restrictive, here are the main alternatives:
| Service | Free links | Free analytics | Paid analytics |
|---|---|---|---|
| a777.lt | Unlimited | ✅ Full | €5.99/yr |
| Bitly | 10/month | ❌ None | $348/yr |
| TinyURL | Unlimited | ❌ None | $9.99/mo |
| Rebrandly | 5/month | Limited | $29/mo |
a777.lt is the only free URL shortener that includes full analytics (countries, referrers, browsers, devices, bot detection) at no cost, with no link creation limit.
When Bitly's Limits Don't Matter
Bitly's free plan works fine if:
- You create fewer than 10 new short links per month
- You don't need to know how many people click your links
- You want a recognizable "bit.ly/" domain in your short links
- You already have all your links created and just need them to keep redirecting
If any of those conditions don't apply — especially if you need analytics — a free alternative like a777.lt will serve you better without the monthly cost.