Free · No account · Instant

Long URL?
Make it short.

Paste any link below and get a clean, shareable short URL in under a second.

Links shortened

~0.8s

Avg. response time

100%

Free, always

✦ No signup required ✦ Works on Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp & email ✦ Short links never expire ✦ Paste. Click. Done. ✦ Free URL shortener since 2014 ✦ Custom aliases supported ✦ No signup required ✦ Works on Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp & email ✦ Short links never expire ✦ Paste. Click. Done. ✦ Free URL shortener since 2014 ✦ Custom aliases supported

Simple as 1–2–3

How it works

01

Paste your URL

Copy any long link — from a browser, email, document, or anywhere — and paste it into the box above.

02

Click Shorten

Hit the Shorten button. We'll generate a compact link in under a second — no account or login needed.

03

Share anywhere

Copy your short link and share it on social media, email, SMS, print — it works everywhere.

Why ShortLink

Built for people, not marketers

Zero friction

Paste and shorten. No account, no email, no CAPTCHA. Done in two clicks.

Safe & secure

We check every link before shortening. Malicious URLs are blocked automatically.

Links never expire

Your short URLs stay active permanently. No artificial time limits.

Blazing fast

Redirection happens in milliseconds. Visitors reach the destination without noticeable delay.

Custom aliases

Choose your own slug to make links readable and on-brand — like urlis.net/launch.

Works everywhere

Twitter, Instagram bio, WhatsApp, email campaigns, printed flyers — any channel.

The case for short links

Why ShortLink?

Everything you need to know about why a shorter URL makes a real difference — for trust, shareability, and your brand.

First impressions start with your URL

When faced with long URLs, research has shown that most internet users initially believe the link is spam — so it is easy to see why short URLs appeal to those who want to drive traffic to their site. Your URL is the very first impression your website will make, yet it is something people often overlook.

Trust is built on brevity

People have a natural tendency to associate a shorter URL with a more reputable site. When seeing a long string of characters and letters, users may feel apprehensive about the website. Though many legitimate sites have long URLs, users still associate legitimacy with a shortened link.

Easier to remember, easier to share

Shortened URLs are easier to remember, making advertising or distribution more effective. A shortened URL makes it easier to copy from a print source, or anytime you have to type a link instead of clicking. A shortened URL also has a higher chance of becoming a permalink — a URL intended to never change.

Character limits & platform compatibility

Shortened URLs are more aesthetically pleasing. Shortening a URL lets you mask unnecessary information. Twitter and some other services limit character length, so a shortened URL makes it easier to share across any platform. In-depth research shows that shorter URLs are shared more frequently compared to pages with long URLs.

Reliable redirection you can trust

The process of redirection behind URL shortening can be complicated. Use a trusted source like ShortLink to avoid complications. Some URL shorteners provide very limited custom domains, and others will not work with your domain. The free service at ShortLink delivers a quick, easy, and free way to generate a shorter URL for your site. The process for URL shortening is reliable and secure, so you can safely generate a better URL.

Did you know?

3× more clicks

Studies show short links receive up to three times more clicks than their long-form equivalents on social media.

Permanence

Never expires

Every link created on ShortLink.net stays live permanently — no time limits, no link rot.

Zero cost

100% Free

No hidden tiers. No credit card. No account required. ShortLink has been free since day one and always will be.

Search engine optimisation

Friendly Links & SEO

How shorter URLs can meaningfully improve your search rankings, authority, and click-through rates.

Your URL is your first SEO signal

Your URL is the first step toward improving search engine optimisation (SEO). Bots have a difficult time with long and complicated URLs, so it makes sense that shorter, cleaner URLs receive a higher ranking. Short URLs help your site establish trust and authority with search engines and users alike.

Scale your site without URL chaos

As your business or online presence grows, so will your website. Growing your site will be much more comfortable with shortened URLs. As you add more pages of content, a shorter URL makes it easier to link each subsequent page without creating an unnecessarily long and confusing address.

Professionalism signals click-worthiness

A shortened URL conveys professionalism. Deciding which link to click from a search result, advertisement, or social media share happens almost subliminally. We want links that convey where they will take us — and our brains register short, clean links as more professional and safe to click.

One of the easiest wins in digital marketing

Using a URL shortener is one of the quickest and easiest things you can do to increase traffic and click-throughs to your site. When used alongside smart SEO choices, relevant content, and analytics-driven marketing, you will be well on your way to building a strong online presence. Most people think they need to pay a fortune for a webmaster — in truth, tools like ShortLink are one more free asset in your box to help build the website you need.

SEO quick wins

  • Shorter URLs rank better in search results
  • Clean links are easier for bots to crawl
  • Higher click-through rates from SERPs
  • Builds trust & authority signals
  • Easier to share on social and print
  • Reduces bounce from link-fear in email
  • Permalinks that won't break over time

Identity & recognition

Build Brand & Name Recognition

How the links you share become part of your identity online — and why it matters more than you might think.

The world's biggest brands have simple URLs

Shorter URLs help build brand and name recognition. Think of all the major players online — Wikipedia, Amazon, Walmart. Each one has a URL that anyone could type out without thinking. Memorable URLs become part of the brand itself.

Your URL should reflect your identity

Whatever your presence is on the web, you want it to build a brand and name recognition. You will never accomplish that goal with a URL that looks like bi87()*&toforward/jack456285.com. However, if you are a law firm and your URL contains both your firm name and the keyword "law," you will start building name recognition immediately.

URL masking vs. link cloaking — know the difference

URL shorteners work by masking the original web address. This masking of a complex URL should not be confused with link cloaking. Link cloaking is a blackhat method used to fool search engine spiders into thinking a site is about something different from its actual content. Cloaked URLs will be removed and often end up banned from Google search results. ShortLink uses transparent, honest redirection — your link goes where it says it does.

Before shortening

https://www.example.com/articles/2024/marketing/how-to-increase-click-through-rates-with-better-links?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=spring_promo

😟 Hard to read, looks like spam, breaks in emails

After shortening

https://urlis.net/spring-promo

😊 Clean, trustworthy, on-brand, easy to remember

Custom aliases = instant branding

Use the custom alias field above to choose exactly what appears after the slash — making your links as recognisable as your logo.

Questions

FAQ

Get in touch

Contact us

Have a question, bug report, or partnership inquiry? Drop us a message and we'll reply within 24 hours.

📧 hello@shortlink.net