Shlink VS Anchr.io

Anchr.io

Anchr provides you with kind of a toolbox for tiny tasks on the internet.

Landing page //
2022-04-08

Landing page //
2023-04-21

Shlink

Website: shlink.io
$ Details

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Anchr.io

Website: anchr.io
$ Details

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Shlink features and specs

Self-Hosted
Shlink is a self-hosted URL shortener, providing full control over your data. You can deploy it on your own server and manage the privacy and security of your shortened links.
Custom Domains
Shlink supports the use of custom domains for shortened URLs, allowing you to maintain consistent branding and a professional appearance.
Detailed Analytics
Shlink offers comprehensive analytics, including geographic breakdowns, referrers, and device types, allowing you to gain valuable insights into your link traffic.
REST API
Shlink comes with a powerful REST API, enabling developers to integrate URL shortening functionality into their own applications with ease.
Open Source
As an open-source project, Shlink invites community contributions and code audits, ensuring the software continues to improve and remain secure.
QR Code Generation
Shlink can automatically generate QR codes for each shortened URL, providing an easy way to share links in physical media.
Webhooks
Shlink supports webhooks, allowing for real-time notifications and triggering of actions when certain events, such as link clicks, occur.

Possible disadvantages of Shlink

Setup Complexity
Setting up Shlink requires some technical knowledge, including server management and configuration, which might be a barrier for users without technical expertise.
Maintenance
As a self-hosted solution, Shlink requires regular maintenance and updates to ensure security and performance, which can be time-consuming.
Resource Intensive
Running Shlink on your own server can consume significant resources, especially with high traffic volumes, necessitating a robust hosting environment.
Lack of Premium Support
Being an open-source project, Shlink does not offer official, dedicated premium support, which might be a drawback for businesses needing immediate assistance.
Learning Curve
The extensive feature set and customization options of Shlink come with a learning curve, requiring time and effort to master all functionalities.

Anchr.io features and specs

Ease of Use
Anchr.io provides a simple, user-friendly interface that makes it easy for users to shorten URLs without any technical expertise.
Customizable Links
Users can create custom short links which help in brand optimization and easy recall for marketing purposes.
Analytics
Anchr.io offers click statistics and detailed analytics, enabling users to track the performance of their links.
Free to Use
Offers a free plan that allows users to take advantage of basic URL shortening features.
No Account Required
Users can shorten links and use basic features without needing to create an account, providing immediate access to the service.

Possible disadvantages of Anchr.io

Limited Features for Free Users
While the free plan is useful, it lacks some advanced features that are only available in the paid plans.
Data Privacy
Since URL shortening involves tracking clicks and other data, there could be concerns over how this data is used and stored.
Dependence on Service Availability
Reliance on Anchr.io for URL management means any downtime or service interruptions could render URLs unusable.
Limited Branding Options
Compared to some other URL shortening services, Anchr.io offers relatively fewer options for branding and customization in their free or basic tiers.
Scalability
For larger enterprises or businesses with extensive URL management needs, Anchr.io might not offer the scalability required without subscribing to higher-tier plans.

Analysis of Shlink

Overall verdict

Shlink is a robust and flexible URL shortening solution, particularly favored by those who prefer self-hosting for privacy reasons. Its comprehensive set of features and ease of integration make it a good choice for users with technical knowledge who want to maintain their data sovereignty.

Why this product is good

Shlink is a self-hosted URL shortener that provides privacy-focused features. It allows you to create and manage short links with advanced features like custom slugs, URL tags, and detailed analytics. Its self-hosted nature ensures that you have full control over your data, which is a significant advantage for those concerned with privacy and data ownership. Additionally, Shlink supports features such as QR code generation, REST API integrations, and Geolocation and Device Targeting for enhanced link customization.

Recommended for

Tech-savvy individuals or organizations seeking to self-host their URL shortener
Privacy-conscious users who want to retain control over their data
Developers looking for a URL shortener with robust API support
Businesses that require advanced analytics and customization features for their URLs

Analysis of Anchr.io

Overall verdict

Good

Why this product is good

Anchr.io is a link shortening and content management tool that simplifies sharing and organizing links. It offers features such as link analytics, custom link aliases, and easy integration with other tools, which can enhance the efficiency of digital workflows.

Recommended for

Digital marketers looking to track link performance
Social media managers who require organized link sharing
Content creators needing simple link management solutions
Businesses wanting to enhance brand presence with custom URLs

Shlink videos

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2020 Wine Reviews: Shlink Haus Wines

Anchr.io videos

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Shlink and Anchr.io)

Anchr.io

Link Management

70 70%

Link Management

30% 30

URL Shortener

69 69%

URL Shortener

31% 31

Branded URLs

64 64%

Branded URLs

36% 36

Online Services

100 100%

Online Services

0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Shlink and Anchr.io. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Shlink seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 14 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.

Shlink mentions (14)

How I Built a Scalable, Free URL Shortener.
Building a URL shortener from scratch? Nah, you’re crazy! Instead, we grabbed a trusty open-source solution that’s already been battle-tested. By using this ready-made tool, we skipped the drama of starting from zero and cut our development time way down. This gave us more time to focus on making our app and management system even better—plus, it saved us from pulling out our hair! - Source: dev.to / 10 months ago
Show HN: An open-source alternative to Bitly
Last big project at my old job was for an appointment notification service. In addition to making messages longer and thus costing us more, counterintuitively the unshortened URLs got flagged as spam by automated systems and end users more than shortened. However, you can’t use bitly or other free/public shorteners; use one hosted on your own domain. I used shlink https://shlink.io/. - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
Copying microsofts aka.ms links with our internal Dns to help stop phishing
IF you just want to setup an internal link shortener, there is software out there for it. We do it at my company. The best one I've found is Shlink: https://shlink.io/. Source: almost 2 years ago
Shlink CLI issue
I have just set up shlink.io via /r/portainer and docker-compose. Now I have tried opening the CLI to generate an API key which I need for the shlink web interface but unfortunately it closes in a fraction of a second after bin/cli, showing all available arguments. Source: almost 2 years ago
Permanent URL to file possible?
Are you looking for stable HTTP/S URLs that you can publish for others to access? One solution to that might be to purchase your own domain and host a little redirector service that bounces the consumer to the real, currently active, cloud URL. Something like https://shlink.io/ might work (but I’ve not used it, and that’s just a suggestion not a recommendation!). Source: about 2 years ago

Anchr.io mentions (0)

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

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Shlink and Anchr.io, you can also consider the following products

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.

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

YOURLS - 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.

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

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

Catbox - Unlimited weaboo file hosting.