URL Shortener Analytics Compared: Bitly vs TinyURL vs a777.lt (2026)
Most URL shorteners lock analytics behind expensive subscriptions. This guide compares what Bitly, TinyURL, Rebrandly, Cutt.ly, and a777.lt actually give you — and what they charge for it — so you can choose the right tool for your needs.
What Analytics Should a URL Shortener Provide?
Before comparing tools, here are the analytics metrics that actually matter:
- Click count & unique visitors — Total reach and estimated unique reach. Essential baseline.
- Country breakdown — Know if your campaign is landing in the right markets.
- Referrer sources — See which channel drives clicks: social, email, organic, direct.
- Bot detection — Separate real human clicks from crawlers. Without this, your data is noise.
- Time-series chart — Visualise virality, campaign decay, or content seasonality.
- Device & browser breakdown — Optimise landing pages for your actual audience.
- Data export — Pull data into your BI tool, spreadsheet, or CRM.
Analytics Feature Comparison — 2026
| Feature | a777.lt Free / €5.99 once |
Bitly $29–$199/mo |
TinyURL $10/mo paid |
Rebrandly $12/mo paid |
Cutt.ly $25/mo paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Click count | ✅ Free | ⚠️ Limited free | ❌ Paid only | ❌ Paid only | ⚠️ Limited free |
| Unique visitors | ✅ Free | ❌ Paid only | ❌ Paid only | ❌ Paid only | ❌ Paid only |
| Country breakdown | ✅ Free | ❌ Paid only | ❌ Paid only | ❌ Paid only | ❌ Paid only |
| Referrer sources | ✅ Free | ❌ Paid only | ❌ Paid only | ❌ Paid only | ❌ Paid only |
| Bot detection | ✅ Free | ❌ None | ❌ None | ❌ None | ⚠️ Paid |
| Time-series chart | ✅ Free | ❌ Paid only | ❌ Paid only | ❌ Paid only | ❌ Paid only |
| Device & browser breakdown | Dashboard €5.99 | ❌ Paid only | ❌ Paid only | ❌ Paid only | ❌ Paid only |
| Data export (CSV) | ✅ Free | ❌ Paid only | ❌ Paid only | ❌ Paid only | ❌ Paid only |
| No signup required | ✅ Yes | ❌ Required | ❌ Required | ❌ Required | ❌ Required |
| Cookieless (no visitor consent needed) | ✅ Yes | ❌ Uses cookies | ❌ Uses cookies | ❌ Uses cookies | ❌ Uses cookies |
Pricing as of April 2026. ⚠️ = limited/partial feature.
Tool-by-Tool Analytics Breakdown
a777.lt — Best for free, private analytics
Every short link includes the full analytics stack at no cost: click count, unique visitors, country breakdown, referrer sources, bot detection, 30-day daily chart, and CSV export. No signup, no email, no cookies. The paid dashboard (€5.99 once, 12 months) adds device/browser breakdown, hourly charts, cross-link aggregation, and multi-format export.
Best for: Marketers, developers, indie hackers who want real data without a SaaS subscription.
Bitly — Extensive analytics, very expensive
Bitly's analytics are the most detailed in the market — city-level geo, device breakdown, referrer, click history, and campaign grouping. But the free plan gives you almost nothing analytically (30 links/month, no geo, no referrer). To access meaningful analytics you need the Core plan ($29/month) or higher. Full team analytics requires the Business plan at $199+/month.
Best for: Enterprise teams with budget who need brand-level custom domains and campaign management. See: Bitly alternatives →
TinyURL — Simple shortener, analytics as afterthought
TinyURL started as a pure shortener with no analytics. Their Pro plan ($10/month) added basic click tracking, but it remains rudimentary — no bot detection, no referrer breakdown. The interface is dated and the analytics won't tell you much beyond a raw click number.
Best for: People who just need short links with zero analytics needs. See: TinyURL alternatives →
Rebrandly — Good analytics, expensive for small users
Rebrandly focuses on branded links and provides solid analytics (geo, referrer, device, OS) on paid plans starting at $12/month ($144/year). The free plan gives 10 branded links but no analytics at all. Their primary differentiator is custom domain support and team features, not analytics depth.
Best for: Brand-conscious teams needing custom domains at scale. See: Rebrandly alternatives →
Which URL Shortener Should You Choose?
- You want free, full analytics with no account → a777.lt. Country, referrer, bot detection, chart, CSV export — all free.
- You need branded custom domains → Rebrandly or Bitly, but expect to pay $100–$350/year.
- You want maximum analytics depth for an enterprise team → Bitly Teams, but budget $200+/month.
- You just need a short link and don't care about analytics → TinyURL free tier works.
- You care about visitor privacy and GDPR compliance → a777.lt. Cookieless, no visitor profiles, no consent banners needed on your redirects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which URL shortener has the best free analytics?
a777.lt provides the most complete free analytics: click count, unique visitors, country breakdown, referrer sources, bot detection, daily chart, and CSV export — all free, no account needed. Bitly, TinyURL, Rebrandly, and Cutt.ly all require paid plans for analytics access.
Does Bitly give you analytics for free?
No. Bitly's free plan shows a rough click count but hides country data, referrer sources, and device breakdown behind paid plans starting at $29/month. For serious analytics you need their $199/month Business plan.
What analytics does TinyURL track?
TinyURL's free tier tracks nothing. Their paid Pro plan ($10/month) adds basic click counts, but no referrer breakdown, no bot detection, and no country-level data. It's the weakest analytics offering of the major services.
What should I look for in URL shortener analytics?
The essentials: click count, unique visitors, country breakdown, referrer sources, bot detection, time-series chart, and data export. Bonus features: device/browser breakdown, hourly distribution, and campaign grouping. a777.lt covers all essentials free and all bonus features for €5.99/year.
Do URL shortener analytics need GDPR consent?
It depends on the tool. Bitly, TinyURL, and Rebrandly all set cookies on visitors, which requires a consent banner under GDPR. a777.lt is cookieless — analytics are server-side only, no visitor cookies, no consent banner needed on your redirects.
Try the URL shortener with the best free analytics.
Clicks, countries, referrers, bot detection — all free. No signup. No cookies. No ads.