Software Alternatives & Startups

TinyURL VS eBay

Compare TinyURL VS eBay and see what are their differences

TinyURL

The first notable URL shortener, online since 2002. Branded short links on your own domain, with click analytics that count human and bot traffic separately, QR codes, editable destinations, bulk creation and a REST API.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Freemium $11 / Monthly (Pro - 125 links/mo)
eBay

Buy and sell electronics, cars, fashion apparel, collectibles, sporting goods, digital cameras, baby items, coupons, and everything else on eBay, the world's online marketplace

Rating
5.0 · 1 review
Pricing
Freemium
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, eBay seems to be a lot more popular than TinyURL. While we know about 379 links to eBay, we've tracked only 6 mentions of TinyURL.

social mentions
6 vs 379
URL Shortener popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

TinyURL
eBay
Website tinyurl.com ebay.com
Pricing
Freemium $11 / Monthly (Pro - 125 links/mo) Official pricing
Freemium
Company Startup from the United States · 20 - 49 employees · 2002 Startup from the United States
Listed in

About TinyURL and eBay

In their own words, as submitted to SaaSHub.

TinyURL
eBay

TinyURL is a URL shortening and link management platform, and was the first notable URL shortener when it launched in January 2002. It now serves over 4.4 million registered users and has created billions of links. Free accounts cover 30 links a month, with links that never expire. Paid plans...

Read more about TinyURL

No description of eBay yet.

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

TinyURL 8 features
eBay 5 features
  • Ease of Use
    TinyURL offers a very simple interface that allows users to create shortened URLs quickly without needing to register or log in.
  • Custom Aliases
    Users have the option to create custom aliases for their shortened links, making them more memorable and meaningful.
  • Link Analytics
    Every link reports clicks over time, referrer, geography, device type, operating system and browser, with human and bot clicks counted separately and two years of history retained.
  • Links That Never Expire
    Links created on the free plan do not expire, so shortened URLs stay valid in print, packaging and archived content.
  • Branded Domains
    Shorten links on your own custom domain or subdomain rather than a shared one. One branded domain on the free plan, three on paid plans.
  • Editable Destinations
    A link destination can be changed after the link has been shared, so a URL already printed or posted can be repointed without being reissued.
  • QR Code Generation
    Generate QR codes for shortened links, for packaging, print and other offline placements.
  • REST API and Bulk Creation
    Documented REST API (OpenAPI 3.0, bearer-token auth) for link creation, updates and analytics retrieval, plus bulk batch endpoints for high-volume workflows.
  • Wide Variety
    eBay offers a vast array of products, from new to used items, rare collectibles, and everything in between, allowing users to find almost anything they need.
  • Competitive Pricing
    Due to the presence of numerous sellers, prices on eBay can often be lower than on other platforms, benefiting customers looking for deals.
  • Auction Option
    The auction feature allows users to bid on items, potentially securing them at lower prices compared to fixed-price listings.
  • Buyer Protection
    eBay offers buyer protection programs which can provide refunds for items that do not arrive as described or do not arrive at all.
  • Global Reach
    eBay's international marketplace connects buyers and sellers from around the world, broadening the customer and product base significantly.

Possible disadvantages

  • Seller Fees
    eBay charges various fees for listing and selling items, which can cut into profits for sellers, especially those with lower-priced items.
  • Variable Buyer Experiences
    The quality of products and shipping times can vary greatly between sellers, potentially leading to inconsistent buyer experiences.
  • Scams and Fraud
    Despite security measures, eBay is still susceptible to scams and fraudulent listings, which can create challenges for both buyers and sellers.
  • Complexity for New Users
    The multitude of options and features can be overwhelming for new users, making it less user-friendly for those unfamiliar with online marketplaces.
  • Shipping Costs
    Shipping costs can sometimes be high, especially for international purchases, which can deter potential buyers.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

TinyURL
eBay

Overall verdict

  • TinyURL is considered a good and reliable service for those who need to create short URLs for personal or professional purposes. It is especially valuable for its simplicity and no-cost offering, appealing to users who need straightforward URL shortening without additional features.

Why this product is good

  • TinyURL is a popular URL shortening service that allows users to convert long, cumbersome URLs into shorter, more manageable links. This is particularly useful for sharing links on social media, in emails, or in printed materials where space is limited. TinyURL is easy to use, doesn't require an account, and offers free shortening services. The ability to create custom aliases also adds a layer of personalization and memorability to the links.

Recommended for

    TinyURL is recommended for individuals, small businesses, and organizations that need a quick and simple way to shorten URLs for social media posts, email campaigns, print materials, or casual link sharing without requiring advanced tracking or analytics features.

Overall verdict

  • Overall, eBay is a reliable platform for many users seeking diverse product offerings and opportunities for good deals, particularly in second-hand and unique items. However, experiences can vary depending on individual transactions, as the platform hosts a vast number of independent sellers.

Why this product is good

  • eBay is a well-known e-commerce platform that offers a wide variety of products through both auction-style and fixed-price formats. It provides a marketplace for sellers to reach a global audience and for buyers to find items at competitive prices. eBay offers buyer protection programs and a feedback system that helps foster trust among users. Additionally, it supports various payment methods and has a mobile app for convenient shopping.

Recommended for

  • Bargain hunters looking for competitive prices on both new and used items.
  • Collectors seeking rare, unique, or vintage products that may not be available elsewhere.
  • Individuals interested in participating in auction-style buying for potentially lower prices.
  • Sellers who want to reach a global audience to sell products ranging from handmade items to high-demand consumer goods.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

TinyURL 0 videos + Add
eBay 6 videos + Add

No TinyURL videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Top 5 eBay Buyer Scams & How to Avoid Them - eBay Advice Part 1

More videos

  • - TRYING ON DRESSES I BOUGHT ON EBAY UNDER £10!
  • - How to Buy Stuff on Ebay for Beginners
  • - 10 eBay SCAMS You Should Know About!
  • - I Bought Sneakers From Ebay And THIS Happened....
  • - The WILDEST Nike Sneaker Ever?! Nike SB Dunk Low Sandy eBay REVIEW & On Feet

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
TinyURL
eBay
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing TinyURL and eBay.

What makes your product unique?

TinyURL's answer

TinyURL has been running continuously since January 2002, which makes it the first notable URL shortening service and one of the oldest still operating. For a link shortener that longevity is the product, not trivia: a short link is only useful for as long as it still resolves, and links created here don't expire.

Three things set it apart day to day:

  • Human and bot clicks are reported separately. Most shorteners report raw click totals that quietly include crawlers and link-preview bots, so reported traffic reads higher than the real audience. Separating them means the numbers can be trusted for attribution.
  • Destinations stay editable after a link is published. A link already printed on packaging or posted to social can be repointed without reissuing it.
  • A permanent free tier, not a trial - 30 links a month, one branded domain, links that never expire.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

TinyURL's answer

Three practical reasons, depending on what you need:

  • You want attribution you can trust. Analytics cover clicks over time, referrer, geography, device, OS, browser and language, retained for two years, with bot traffic separated out.
  • You want your own brand on the link. Bring your own domain or subdomain on any plan, with up to three branded domains on paid tiers.
  • You want links that outlive the campaign. Twenty-four years of continuous operation, and a free tier that doesn't expire, matter when a link is printed on something you can't reprint.

Pricing starts free and goes to $9/month billed annually ($11 month-to-month) for 125 links a month with unlimited tracked clicks. Bulk plans handle 50,000 links a month for agencies and high-volume senders, and there's a REST API for automating the whole lifecycle.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

TinyURL's answer

  • Marketing teams running campaigns across several channels who need per-link attribution rather than a single lumped traffic figure
  • Social media managers and creators working inside character limits, who want a branded link rather than a generic one
  • Agencies managing links for multiple clients, each on its own branded domain
  • Developers automating link creation and analytics through the REST API
  • Enterprises needing SLA-backed uptime and compliance support
  • Educational Institutions
  • The healthcare industry

It also has a long tail of individual users who simply need a link shortened, which the free tier covers without an account upgrade.

What's the story behind your product?

TinyURL's answer

Kevin Gilbertson, a web developer, launched TinyURL in January 2002 so he could link directly to newsgroup postings, which at the time had long and unwieldy addresses. It was the first notable URL shortening service, and it arrived years before shortening became a category.

Twitter used TinyURL as its default shortener until May 2009, which put it in front of a mass audience during the period when character limits made short links essential.

Since then it's grown from a single-purpose utility into a link management platform: branded domains, click analytics with two years of retained history, editable destinations, QR codes, bulk creation and a REST API. It now serves over 4.4 million registered users and has created billions of links.

Which are the primary technologies used for building your product?

TinyURL's answer

TinyURL is a cloud-hosted web application, accessible from any browser with no install. Its public interface is a REST API (v2.4.2) published as an OpenAPI 3.0 specification and authenticated with bearer tokens, covering link creation, editing, destination changes, analytics retrieval and bulk batch processing.

Who are some of the biggest customers of your product?

TinyURL's answer

Twitter used TinyURL as its default URL shortener until May 2009.

User comments

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

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

TinyURL no reviews yet
eBay 5.0 · 1 review

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

TinyURL 6 mentions
eBay 379 mentions
  • 🔐 Design a TinyURL System (Like Bit.ly) — From Scratch
    Import string Class TinyURL: def __init__(self): self.url_to_code = {} self.code_to_url = {} self.counter = 1 self.alphabet = string.ascii_letters + string.digits def encode_base62(self, num): ... - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • URL shorteners and why would you need one?
    Choose a shortener: Pick a link shortener that fits your needs---many offer options like custom branding, QR code creation, and analytics. Ziplink, Short.io, and Bitly are all capable of that. If you are looking for something really... - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Building a Scalable URL Shortener with Node.js (Part 1/2)
    I'm sure you're familiar with URL shortener tools like TinyURL and Bitly, as they are widely used online. It simply takes a long URL and creates a shorter, unique alias that redirects to the original link. - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago

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  • Dad passed away, here is his collection.
    Then, if you want to sell certain ones or all of them, you could list them on Reverb.com or ebay.com or some site(s). I wouldn't advise Craigslist because you either have to let people into your home, go to their home or meet somewhere... Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Help needed.
    First thing is get off the app. It's terrible for anything but basic selling functions. Open a browser and go to to ebay there. Best if you can use a computer or tablet for that, but it's doable on a phone even. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • New collector help
    Ebay is the biggest market, but note that ebay.co.uk doesn't show the exact same results as ebay.com. There are also german, italian, spanish, and other versions of ebay that can offer surprising deals if you're clever about it. Also... Source: almost 3 years ago

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Alternatives to TinyURL and eBay

When comparing TinyURL and eBay, 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.

    Compare Bitly to TinyURL or eBay:

  • Amazon

    Online shopping from the earth's biggest selection of books, magazines, music, DVDs, videos, electronics, computers, software, apparel & accessories, shoes, jewelry, tools & hardware, housewares, furniture, sporting goods, beauty & much more

    Compare Amazon to TinyURL or eBay:

  • Rebrandly

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

    Compare Rebrandly to TinyURL or eBay:

  • Etsy

    Buy and sell handmade or vintage items, art and supplies on Etsy, the worlds most vibrant handmade...

    Compare Etsy to TinyURL or eBay:

  • Short.io

    Short.io makes short links (vanity urls) on your own domain. Free signup, analytics and API. Chrome, slack, zapier and segment integrations.

    Compare Short.io to TinyURL or eBay:

  • craigslist

    craigslist provides local classifieds and forums for jobs, housing, for sale, services, local community, and events

    Compare craigslist to TinyURL or eBay: