Lstu VS YOURLS

Lstu

A nice and open source url shortener. You can use it as service or install it on your own server.

YOURLS is a website that contains all the tools you need to create and launch your very own URL shortener. URL shorteners like bitly or TinyURL are fine for public use, but they offer limited options in terms of URL customization.

Landing page //
2023-06-19

Landing page //
2023-03-18

Lstu

Website: lstu.fr
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YOURLS

Website: yourls.org
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Lstu features and specs

Lightweight
Lstu is designed to be very minimalistic and lightweight, which means it requires fewer resources to run effectively.
Open Source
Lstu is open source, allowing users to inspect, modify, and contribute to its code, thus ensuring transparency and flexibility.
Privacy-Focused
Lstu emphasizes user privacy by not collecting any personal data or analytics, making it a good choice for privacy-conscious users.
Customizable
Users can customize Lstu according to their needs, including features like adding custom short URLs and branding.
Self-Hosted
Being self-hosted, users have complete control over their data and the operational environment, enhancing security.
Free to Use
As an open-source project, Lstu does not require any licensing fees, making it cost-effective for both personal and commercial use.

Possible disadvantages of Lstu

Limited Features
Compared to more comprehensive URL shorteners, Lstu lacks advanced features like analytics, link lifecycle management, and extensive API support.
Technical Setup
As a self-hosted solution, users need some technical knowledge for installation, configuration, and maintenance.
Support
Being an open-source project, it might lack formal customer support. Instead, users rely on community support which may not be as immediate or comprehensive.
Scalability
Lstu may not be inherently designed for handling a very high volume of short URLs and traffic, limiting its use for larger-scale applications.
Dependency on Server
Self-hosted solutions like Lstu require users to have a reliable server and take care of backups and uptime, which can be a burden for some users.
Basic User Interface
Its minimalist approach can result in a very basic user interface that might not be as polished or user-friendly as other commercial options.

YOURLS features and specs

Self-Hosted
YOURLS allows you to host the URL shortening service on your own server, giving you full control over your data and avoiding reliance on third-party services.
Customization
Since YOURLS is an open-source platform, you can customize it according to your needs, adding personalized branding and functionalities.
Analytics
It offers detailed analytics for each shortened URL, including click counts, referrers, and geographical data, helping you understand your audience better.
Plugin Support
YOURLS supports plugins, allowing you to extend its functionality with additional features like spam filtering, link previews, and more.
Free and Open-Source
The platform is free to use and open-source, meaning there are no licensing costs and you benefit from a community of developers constantly improving the software.

Possible disadvantages of YOURLS

Technical Expertise Required
Setting up and maintaining a YOURLS instance requires technical expertise, including knowledge of web servers and databases, which may not be suitable for non-technical users.
Hosting Costs
Since YOURLS is self-hosted, you will incur costs for web hosting, domain registration, and potentially higher server resources if your service becomes popular.
Maintenance
You are responsible for all maintenance tasks, such as updating software and ensuring security, which can be time-consuming.
Scalability Issues
Depending on your hosting solution, you may face challenges in scaling the service to handle high volumes of traffic efficiently.
Limited Built-In Features
While YOURLS is highly customizable through plugins, the out-of-the-box features are relatively basic when compared to some commercial URL shortening services.

Analysis of Lstu

Overall verdict

Lstu is considered a good choice for those looking for a straightforward, no-frills URL shortening service. Its open-source nature and ease of use make it an attractive option for individual users and developers who wish to integrate URL shortening into their own projects.

Why this product is good

Lstu is a minimalistic URL shortener that is free, open-source, and self-hostable. It is praised for its simplicity and the ability to host it on your own server, giving users full control over their data. It is particularly appreciated by users who prioritize privacy and want to avoid using more commercial options that might track user data.

Recommended for

Developers looking for a customizable and self-hostable URL shortener.
Privacy-conscious users who want to avoid third-party tracking.
Small businesses and individuals seeking a free and open-source solution.

Analysis of YOURLS

Overall verdict

YOURLS is a great choice for individuals or organizations looking for a customizable and secure URL shortening solution. It is particularly suitable for those who want to avoid relying on third-party services.

Why this product is good

YOURLS (Your URL Shortener) is a self-hosted URL shortening service that provides full control over your short URLs. It allows users to customize and manage their links, track their analytics, and ensure privacy and security since it's hosted on your own server. Its open-source nature ensures transparency and the ability to modify the functionality as needed.

Recommended for

Businesses that need branded and secure short URLs.
Developers looking for an open-source URL shortener they can customize.
Organizations prioritizing data privacy and control.
Bloggers or marketers who want to track detailed analytics of their links.

Lstu videos

+ Add

Welcome to LSTU!

YOURLS videos

+ Add

How to make a URL Shorter with YOURLS

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Lstu and YOURLS)

Lstu

YOURLS

URL Shortener

21 21%

URL Shortener

79% 79

Link Management

20 20%

Link Management

80% 80

Branded URLs

20 20%

Branded URLs

80% 80

Online Services

49 49%

Online Services

51% 51

User comments

Share your experience with using Lstu and YOURLS. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Lstu and YOURLS

Lstu Reviews

We have no reviews of Lstu yet.
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YOURLS Reviews

11 Best URL Shorteners For 2025 (Comparison)

YOURLS is a free and lightweight URL shortener you can install on your site via PHP scripts and/or plugins. You can use it to create simple, custom-branded short links. You can even set things up in such a way that allows outside parties to use your link shortener.

Source: startupbonsai.com

11 Best Bitly Alternatives & Similar URL Shorteners

Yourls is a lightweight software to install regardless of the many features you have to enhance your campaign. It will be worth your efforts to try this platform in the first place.

Source: www.regendus.com

Top 8 Alternatives of Bit.Ly in 2023

YOURLS URL shortenerEmail Verification Tools, Features and Comparison of top five ServicesEmail Verification Tools can be game-changing for your business operation. But not knowing how to purchase them will be a blunder. Learn how to select one for your business.StartupTalkyAnsh MehreyConclusionFAQsIs there a free alternative to Bit.ly?Does Google have a URL shortener?How do...

Source: startuptalky.com

The 8 Best Alternatives to Google URL Shortener

Yourls, which is an acronym for "your own URL shortener," is exactly that—a service your run on your own server. Similar to Polr, Yourls is free and open-source. With Yourls, you can choose whether your links will be public or private. It includes bookmarklets, which let you turn a long URL into a short one from your web browser in just one click. By default, the tool...

Source: zapier.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, YOURLS seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 21 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Lstu mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Lstu yet. Tracking of Lstu recommendations started around Mar 2021.

YOURLS mentions (21)

Raindrop.io: cross-platform, collaborative bookmark manager
This is what I use and like: https://yourls.org. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
Ask HN: Building a url shortner, similar to bitly, can I make it profitable?
Similar to...? https://yoslash.com/ Personally I just use https://yourls.org/. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
self-hosted url shorter with device targeting
YOURLS has a "detect-mobile-device" plugin. Is that what you were looking for? Source: about 2 years ago
Tool/solution to "masquerade" or encode/decode part of the url to avoid showing subpaths details (f.e: myDomain.tld/myFolder/MyFile should became myDomain.tld/casualStringGeneratedAndMappedByTheTool) ?
You will need to implement the YOURLS URL Shortener (https://yourls.org) and then implement the following YOURLS Plug-in - https://github.com/peterberbec/yourls-keyword_charset_length (Keywords, Charset & Length). Source: over 2 years ago
How create Short Links from my main domain name?
Personally I would use something like this, although it does require a database. https://yourls.org/. Source: over 2 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Lstu and YOURLS, you can also consider the following products

Polr - An open source URL shortener. A great non-profit and free alternative to bit.ly, TinyURL, or goo.gl.

Bitly - Get the most out of your social and online marketing efforts. Own, understand and activate your best audience through the power of the link with Bitly Enterprise.

Shlink - A self-hosted URL shortener

TinyURL - Are you sick of posting URLs in emails only to have it break when sent causing the recipient to...

Rebrandly - Rebrandly is the easiest way to create, share and manage branded links.

Zagl - Zagl is an online tool that allows you to shorten your domain URL links and get paid with the engagements.