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Bitly

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Last updated on

Company health

Employee growth
8% increase in the last year
Web traffic
4% decrease in the last quarter

Ratings

G2
4.5/5
(738)
Glassdoor
3.4/5
(1892)

Bitly description

Bitly is a well-known platform used by individuals and companies to shorten lengthy website addresses, create QR codes, and build simple landing pages. This can be useful for sharing links on social media or in print materials, as well as tracking how many people click on them. Bitly also offers analytics so you can see how your links are performing. They are a large company with millions of users and a focus on helping businesses connect with their audiences online.


Who is Bitly best for

Bitly is a popular link shortening and QR code platform ideal for marketing and social media professionals. Users praise its ease of integration with existing workflows and appreciate the analytics for tracking link performance. However, some users have criticized Bitly's billing practices and customer support. Consider Bitly if you need a comprehensive solution for managing, tracking, and optimizing your links, but be aware of potential billing issues.

  • Ideal for small, medium, and large businesses needing robust link management.

  • Strong fit for e-commerce, retail, and media; beneficial for marketing & social media pros.


Bitly features

Supported

Bitly supports customizable landing pages and their association with QR codes.

Supported

Bitly supports dynamic QR codes, allowing changes to destination URLs without recreating the code.

Supported

Bitly provides analytics for clicks, audience insights, and campaign tracking. Deeper ROI analysis requires other tools.

Supported

Bitly allows creating and customizing QR codes that link to website URLs.

Supported

Bitly allows creating custom short links with custom domains and back-halves.

Qualities

We evaluate the sentiment that users express about non-functional aspects of the software

Value and Pricing Transparency

Strongly negative
-0.77

Customer Service

Rather negative
-0.58

Ease of Use

Strongly positive
+0.72

Reliability and Performance

Neutral
+0.26

Ease of Implementation

Strongly positive
+1

Bitly reviews

We've summarised 748 Bitly reviews (Bitly TrustPilot reviews and Bitly G2 reviews) and summarised the main points below.

Pros of Bitly
  • Easy integration with existing automation workflows for emails and SMS.
  • Simple and efficient URL shortening for social media and print materials.
  • Useful analytics for tracking link performance and click-through rates.
  • Customization options for branded short links and QR codes.
  • QR code generation capability for various marketing purposes.
Cons of Bitly
  • Predatory and deceptive billing practices, often resulting in unwanted annual subscriptions.
  • Lack of adequate customer support, especially regarding billing issues.
  • QR codes generated during trials often expire unexpectedly after the trial ends.
  • Limited customization options available for free users.
  • Advanced features, including custom domains, require expensive subscriptions.

Bitly pricing

The commentary is based on 92 reviews from Bitly G2 reviews and Bitly TrustPilot reviews.

Bitly offers a free plan and four paid plans: Core, Growth, Premium, and Enterprise. Annual plans offer savings of up to 34%.

Users sentiment

Rather negative
-0.67

See the Bitly pricing page.

  • Bitly has a free plan.

  • Bitly has a free trial.

Free
Free

2 QR Codes/month, 5 links/month, 2 custom landing pages, 3 custom back-halves/month, Unlimited clicks & QR Code scans, QR Code customizations.

Core
$10 per month

5 QR Codes/month, 100 links/month, 5 custom landing pages, 30 days of click & scan data, UTM Builder, Advanced QR Code customizations, Link & QR Code redirects.

Growth
$29 per month

10 QR Codes/month, 500 links/month, 10 custom landing pages, Complimentary custom domain, Branded links, 4 months of click & scan data, Bulk link & QR Code creation.

Premium
$199 per month

200 QR Codes/month, 3,000 links/month, 20 custom landing pages, 1 year of click & scan data, Custom campaign-level tracking, City-level and device type click & scan data, Mobile deep linking.

Enterprise
Custom

Multiple users & group permission management, At-scale link & QR Code generation, Advanced performance tracking, Customized onboarding & priority support, Dedicated customer success manager, High-volume API & webhook access, 99.9% SLA uptime, SSO logins.


Bitly alternatives

  • Logo of Rebrandly
    bitly vs Rebrandly
    Shorten, brand, and track your links for better clicks.
    Read more
  • Logo of Dub
    Dub
    Short links, big insights. Track, brand, and optimize clicks.
    Read more
  • Logo of BL.INK
    bitly vs BL.INK
    Manages editable, branded short links and QR codes securely.
    Read more
  • Logo of TinyURL
    TinyURL
    Shortens long links, making them easy to share and track.
    Read more
  • Logo of QR TIGER
    QR TIGER
    Custom QR codes with tracking, editable links, and integrations.
    Read more
  • Logo of BetterLinks
    BetterLinks
    Shorten, track, and manage links for better click insights.
    Read more

Bitly FAQ

  • What is Bitly and what does Bitly do?

    Bitly is a link management platform that shortens URLs, creates custom branded links, generates QR codes, and provides analytics. It helps businesses, marketers, and individuals share links easily, track engagement, and manage their online presence effectively.

  • How does Bitly integrate with other tools?

    Bitly integrates with various platforms through its API and webhooks, enabling seamless connection with social media management tools, marketing automation platforms, and analytics dashboards. This streamlines workflows for efficient link management and data analysis.

  • What the main competitors of Bitly?

    Top alternatives to Bitly include BL.INK, Pixel, and ElkQR. These platforms offer similar features such as custom short links, QR code generation, and link tracking analytics. They are suitable for individuals and businesses looking for link management solutions.

  • Is Bitly legit?

    Bitly is a legitimate link shortening and QR code service. It's widely used and offers helpful analytics. However, be aware of potential billing issues and limited free features. Consider exploring alternatives if these are concerns for your is Bitly safe needs.

  • How much does Bitly cost?

    Bitly's pricing ranges from free to $2,388/year. The free plan offers basic link shortening and QR codes. Paid plans, Core, Growth, and Premium, offer increased features and usage limits. Enterprise plans offer custom pricing for large organizations. Is Bitly worth it? It depends on your link management and analytics needs.

  • Is Bitly customer service good?

    Bitly's customer service receives negative feedback. Users report difficulty contacting support, especially with billing and refund issues. Some find the support team unresponsive and unhelpful in resolving their problems. While some users have positive experiences, negative reviews are prevalent.


Reviewed by

MK
Michal Kaczor
CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

TT
Tymon Terlikiewicz
CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.