2 Open Source alternatives to Bitly in 2026
We compare 2 self-hostable tools you can deploy on your own server in minutes, with license, tech stack and a ready-to-copy docker-compose.
Quick comparison
Sorted by featured first, then GitHub stars as a tiebreaker — the same rule we use across the whole site.
Detailed profile of each alternative
Alternative to Bitly
Link shortener with analytics, an open source alternative to Bitly.
Alternative to Bitly, Rebrandly
URL shortener server with API and analytics, an alternative to Bitly.
How much does Bitly cost, and how much can you save?
Bitly charges a recurring monthly fee. Self-hosting the alternative, you only pay for the server — usually a few dollars a month.
Calculate your exact savings in the SaaS Audit →Already know which one you want?
Add Dub to the Stack Builder and generate a ready-to-deploy docker-compose.yml, alone or alongside the rest of your stack.
Build my stackFrequently asked questions
Do I need Docker to self-host a Bitly alternative?
1 out of 2 have a ready-to-copy docker-compose.yml; the rest use their own installer (each tool's page says which).
How much RAM do I need at minimum?
The lightest option on this list is Shlink, which runs on as little as 1GB of RAM — enough for a cheap VPS.
Are they all 100% free, or are there paid features like on Bitly?
1 out of 2 are 100% FOSS. The rest are Open-Core: the core is free and self-hostable, but some advanced feature may stay paid — we call it out on each tool's page.