API-first alternatives
Bitly alternatives for developers
Bitly's API is mature, but it is metered by plan: 1,000 requests a month on free, 5,000 on Core, 25,000 on Growth. If your integration outgrew those numbers, these are the alternatives that treat the API as the product.
API access and limits compared
| Tool | API on free plan | Rate or volume limit | SDKs and webhooks | Cheapest plan with API |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dub | Yes | 600 req/min on Pro, 1,200 on Business | TypeScript, Python, Go, Ruby, PHP; webhooks on Business | Free; Pro $27/mo |
| Short.io | Yes | 50 req/s; 10,000 API links/yr on Pro | REST, Zapier | Free; Pro $18/mo |
| ReSlug | Pro only | 10 keys, 200 req/min | REST, webhooks, Zapier, MCP server | Pro $9/mo |
| Linkly | Yes | 500 clicks/mo on free | Webhooks, Zapier, Make, n8n on Starter | Free; Starter $15/mo annual |
| Rebrandly | Yes | 100 calls/min free, 600 on Professional | REST, 1 webhook on Professional | Free; Essentials $16/mo |
| Bitly | Yes | 1,000/mo free, 5,000 Core, 25,000 Growth, 50,000 Premium | REST, many community libraries | Free; Core $120/yr |
From vendor pricing pages and documentation, read 8 November 2026.
Dub: the obvious move
Dub is built by developers for developers. The code is public, the SDKs are generated and typed, and conversion tracking on Business ties a click to a sign-up or a sale. The free plan is 25 links a month with three domains, enough to build against. Pro is $27 a month for 1,000 links a month, ten domains, a year of retention and 600 requests a minute. If Bitly's request caps are your problem, Dub removes them.
Short.io: a free API with real limits
50 requests a second on the free plan, with five domains and 1,000 links. Bulk and API-created links are capped at 10,000 a year on Pro and 100,000 on Team. The documentation is adequate. For a backend that mints a moderate number of branded links, it is the cheapest working option.
ReSlug: cheapest paid API, plus an MCP server
The API is on Pro at $9 a month: ten keys, 200 requests a minute, unlimited links, webhooks, a Zapier integration and an MCP server so an AI agent can create and manage links. No official SDKs yet. The right choice if you want the lowest monthly cost rather than the deepest tooling.
When Bitly's API is still the right call
If your integration is already built and your volume sits under the Growth cap of 25,000 requests a month, moving costs engineering time for little gain. Bitly also has the widest set of community libraries. Switch when the caps bind, when you need webhooks and conversion data, or when you want to stop paying $348 a year for the domain that goes with it.
Questions & answers
Which Bitly alternative has the best API?
Dub: open source, official SDKs in five languages, webhooks, conversion tracking and API access on the free plan.
Is there a free shortener API with high limits?
Short.io allows 50 requests a second on its free plan, with five custom domains.
What are Bitly's API rate limits?
Monthly request caps by plan: 1,000 free, 5,000 Core, 25,000 Growth, 50,000 Premium.
Sources for this entry
- Bitly pricing page bitly.com/pages/pricing
- Dub pricing page dub.co/pricing/links
- Short.io pricing page short.io/pricing
- ReSlug pricing page reslug.com/pricing
- Linkly pricing page linklyhq.com/pricing
- Rebrandly pricing page www.rebrandly.com/pricing
Checked 8 November 2026. Vendor pages change; the date is the claim.
Cite this entry
Best Bitly Alternatives. "Bitly alternatives for developers". Reviewed 8 November 2026. https://bestbitlyalternatives.com/bitly-alternatives-for-developers/