Shlink VS Lstu

Lstu

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

Landing page //
2022-04-08

Landing page //
2023-06-19

Shlink

Website: shlink.io
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Lstu

Website: lstu.fr
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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.

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.

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 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.

Shlink videos

+ Add

2020 Wine Reviews: Shlink Haus Wines

Lstu videos

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Welcome to LSTU!

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Shlink and Lstu)

Lstu

Link Management

54 54%

Link Management

46% 46

URL Shortener

52 52%

URL Shortener

48% 48

Branded URLs

57 57%

Branded URLs

43% 43

Online Services

38 38%

Online Services

62% 62

User comments

Share your experience with using Shlink and Lstu. 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 / 9 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

Lstu mentions (0)

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

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Shlink and Lstu, 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.

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

Kutt.it - Kutt.it is a free and open source URL shortener with custom domains and stats.

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