Read the fine print
Bitly pricing explained
Bitly's pricing page shows monthly figures, but two of the four plans cannot be paid monthly, and the feature that matters most sits two tiers up. Here is each plan translated into what you actually pay and get.
The four plans, in yearly terms
| Bitly plan | Price | Links | Custom domain | Analytics history | Ads on links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 5 per month | No | None | Yes |
| Core | $10/mo, billed annually only ($120/yr) | 100 per month | No | 30 days | None |
| Growth | $29/mo, billed annually ($348/yr) | 500 per month | 1 complimentary | 120 days | None |
| Premium | $199/mo, billed annually ($2,388/yr) | 3,000 per month | Yes | 1 year | None |
From bitly.com/pages/pricing, read 8 November 2026. Monthly-billed prices for Core are not offered; Growth's monthly-billed price is higher than the annual rate shown.
Free: five links, two QR codes, ads
The free plan is a trial in all but name. Five links and two QR codes a month, two landing pages, three custom back-halves, 1,000 API requests, no analytics history, no custom domain, and ads on the redirect. It is enough to see the dashboard, not enough to run anything.
Core: $120 up front for 100 links a month
Core is the plan that confuses people. The page says $10 a month, but the only option is annual billing, so the first charge is $120. For that you get 100 links and five QR codes a month, 5,000 API requests, a UTM builder and 30 days of history. There is no custom domain. If you only want links on your own domain, Core does not get you there.
Growth: $348 a year, and the domain finally appears
Growth is where Bitly becomes a branded-link tool. $29 a month billed annually, 500 links and ten QR codes a month, 25,000 API requests, 120 days of history and one complimentary custom domain. Most small businesses that pay Bitly are on this plan. It is also the plan the alternatives undercut hardest: ReSlug Pro gives unlimited links, ten domains and a year of history for $79 a year, and Short.io Pro gives unlimited links and ten domains for $18 a month.
Questions & answers
Is Bitly free?
There is a free plan: five links and two QR codes a month, with ads and no analytics history. Everything beyond that is paid.
What does Bitly Growth cost per year?
$348, billed as $29 a month annually. It includes 500 links a month, one custom domain and 120 days of history.
Does Bitly Core include a custom domain?
No. The custom domain starts at Growth.
What are Bitly's API limits?
1,000 requests a month on free, 5,000 on Core, 25,000 on Growth and 50,000 on Premium.
Sources for this entry
- Bitly pricing page bitly.com/pages/pricing
- ReSlug pricing page reslug.com/pricing
- Short.io pricing page short.io/pricing
Checked 8 November 2026. Vendor pages change; the date is the claim.
Cite this entry
Best Bitly Alternatives. "Bitly pricing explained". Reviewed 8 November 2026. https://bestbitlyalternatives.com/bitly-pricing-explained/