Bitly Free Plan: What You Get and What You Don't (2026)

Bitly is one of the most recognisable URL shorteners in the world. Millions of people use it to shorten links, and many start with the free plan. But Bitly's free tier has become much smaller over the years, and it's worth understanding exactly what you're getting, and what you're not.

Everything below about Bitly is taken from Bitly's own pricing page as it stood on 1 October 2026. Plans change, so check that page for the current numbers.

Watch: Bitly's free plan in 80 seconds

What's Included in Bitly's Free Plan

Bitly's Free plan gives you:

• 5 short links per month: the number of new links you can create each month.
• 2 QR Codes per month, with limited colour, frame and pattern options.
• 3 custom back-halves per month, so three of your links can have an ending you choose.
• 2 custom landing pages (Bitly's link-in-bio style pages).
• Unlimited clicks and QR Code scans: there is no cap on how many people can use a link.
• 1,000 API requests per month.

The plan is labelled "With ads" on the pricing page. More on that below.

For casual, personal use (sharing the odd link) this may be enough.

What You Don't Get

1. Only 5 Links Per Month

This is the biggest restriction. If you're a marketer, a content creator or running a business, five links a month goes quickly: every campaign, email, social post or ad that needs tracking wants its own link. The first paid plan, Core, lists 100 links a month.

2. Ads in Front of Your Links

Bitly's Free plan is labelled "With ads". Bitly's help centre explains that links on the free plan can show a preview page carrying an advert before the visitor reaches your destination, and that the way to remove it is to upgrade to a paid plan. If the link is on a flyer, in an email or in your bio, that advert sits between your audience and your page.

3. No Changing Where a Link Points

Bitly calls this "Redirects". The Free plan has none: once a link is made, its destination is fixed. Redirects start on Core, at 5 a month. That matters for anything printed, such as a QR code on a poster, because a destination you can't edit means a reprint when the page moves.

4. No Click History

The pricing table lists Data History as not included on Free, along with country, device and referrer data. History starts on Core with 30 days. So on the free plan you can share a link, but you can't look back at who clicked it or where they were.

5. No Custom Domain

All free links use Bitly's domain. Branded links and a custom domain are listed from the Growth plan, so your links look like everyone else's until then.

6. No UTM Builder, Expiry or Routing

The UTM builder starts on Core. Link expiration and dynamic routing by country or platform start on Growth, and mobile deep links on Premium.

Bitly Free Plan vs Linkly Free Plan

The trade-off is real, and it runs both ways. Bitly doesn't cap clicks, but gives you five links, no editing, no history and an advert in front of your page. Linkly gives you 100 links a month that you can edit and report on, on your own domain, with no ads, but tracks up to 500 clicks a month on the free plan. Past that cap, links show an over-limit page until the allowance resets or you upgrade, so a free Linkly link is not the right home for a campaign you expect thousands of clicks from. The full details are in About the Linkly Free Plan.

Some Linkly features need a paid plan too: device and browser analytics, the UTM builder and custom QR codes start on Starter, while geo and device redirects, link rotators, expiring links, password protection and tracking pixels start on Pro. See the pricing page for the current plans.

When Bitly's Free Plan Makes Sense

Bitly's free plan is fine if:

• You only need a handful of links a month
• You don't mind an advert appearing before your page
• You won't need to change a link after you've shared it
• You don't need to see who clicked
• You're sharing links casually, not for business

And to be fair to Bitly: it is the name everybody recognises, its paid plans are capable, and if you are already paying for one and it's working, there is no reason to move.

When to Look at Alternatives

If any of these apply, you'll outgrow Bitly's free plan quickly:

• You create more than 5 links a month
• The link is going on something printed, and the destination might change
• You want to see where your clicks came from
• You want your own branded domain
• You don't want an advert between your audience and your page

Getting Started with Linkly's Free Plan

Linkly's free plan includes 100 new links and 500 tracked clicks a month, one custom domain, country-level click analytics, API access and unlimited team members, with no ads. You can change any link's destination after you've shared it.

Already have links in Bitly? You can import your Bitly links rather than starting again.

Try Linkly for free. No credit card required.

Related Reading

• Bitly Alternative — a detailed feature comparison
• Bitly vs Linkly — head-to-head comparison
• Bitly Enterprise Pricing — what Bitly charges larger teams
• Best Link Shortener 2026 — our roundup of the top tools
• About the Linkly Free Plan — full details on what's included