Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

TinyURL VS ShadyURL

Compare TinyURL VS ShadyURL and see what are their differences

TinyURL logo TinyURL

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

ShadyURL logo ShadyURL

Don't just shorten your URL, make it suspicious and frightening.
  • TinyURL Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-26
  • ShadyURL Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-09-19

TinyURL features and specs

  • 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.
  • Free Service
    The service is completely free to use, making it accessible for personal and business use alike.
  • Permanent URLs
    Shortened links created with TinyURL do not expire, ensuring that links remain active indefinitely.

Possible disadvantages of TinyURL

  • Limited Analytics
    TinyURL does not provide detailed analytics or tracking features for the shortened URLs, which may be a drawback for marketing and performance analysis.
  • No Edit or Delete
    Once a TinyURL is created, it cannot be edited or deleted, which can be problematic if the link destination needs to be changed or removed.
  • No User Accounts
    TinyURL does not offer user accounts or dashboards, which can make it difficult to manage and organize multiple shortened URLs.
  • Potential for Abuse
    Because TinyURL is free and does not require registration, it can be used to create malicious or spam links, potentially leading to security concerns.

ShadyURL features and specs

  • Anonymity
    ShadyURL allows users to create URLs that obscure the destination link, providing a layer of anonymity for the destination website.
  • Humor
    The service often creates intentionally suspicious or funny URL names, which can be used for comedic effects in social interactions.
  • Pranking
    It can be used for lighthearted pranks, as the URLs can make recipients curious or wary about clicking the link.
  • Ease of Use
    ShadyURL is simple and straightforward to use, requiring only the original URL to generate a shady version.

Possible disadvantages of ShadyURL

  • Trust Issues
    The suspicious nature of the URLs could discourage users from clicking on them, as they might suspect malicious content.
  • Phishing Concerns
    It could potentially be exploited for phishing attacks, as the real destination URL is obscured.
  • Professionalism
    Using URLs generated by ShadyURL may not be appropriate in professional or formal communications due to their dubious appearance.
  • Limited Use Case
    The primary use case is for humor or pranking, which limits its practicality in more serious applications.

Analysis of TinyURL

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.

TinyURL videos

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ShadyURL videos

ShadyURL: Make Suspicious & Frightening URLs

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to TinyURL and ShadyURL)
Link Management
94 94%
6% 6
URL Shortener
95 95%
5% 5
Branded URLs
95 95%
5% 5
QR Codes
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

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

TinyURL Reviews

Top 10 Bitly alternatives and competitors in 2025
Winner: Bitly is the superior choice for businesses with its advanced features like unlimited branded links, detailed analytics, and QR codes, while TinyURL offers a more affordable option with basic link management capabilities.
Source: blog.replug.io
11 Best URL Shorteners For 2025 (Comparison)
TinyURL is a free and simple URL shortener. It doesnโ€™t have any of the bells and whistles the other tools on this list have, so it truly is just a simple link shortener.
10 Excellent Google URL Shortener Alternatives
If youโ€™re looking for a free link shortener with a simple and intuitive interface, TinyURL is what you need. You donโ€™t need to create an account to use TinyURL, and itโ€™s easy to generate custom links for your current webpage, blog post, social media post, and more.
Source: bitly.com
07 Best Bitly Alternative You Will Only Need (FREE)
Some of the most popular alternatives to Bitly include Rebrandly, TinyURL, and Pxl.to. These services offer similar features to Bitly, such as the ability to create and share short links. However, they each have their unique advantages. Pxl.to, for example, allows you to customize your links with your branding, while TinyURL offers a simple and easy-to-use interface.
11 Best Bitly Alternatives & Similar URL Shorteners
Nowadays, you may find quite a few Bitly competitors out there. Those competitors and alternatives offer lots of exciting things that help you with the tasks you are working with. One of the best names you should consider is TinyURL.

ShadyURL Reviews

We have no reviews of ShadyURL yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, ShadyURL should be more popular than TinyURL. It has been mentiond 10 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.

TinyURL mentions (6)

  • ๐Ÿ” Design a TinyURL System (Like Bit.ly) โ€” 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): base = 62 chars = [] while num > 0: num, rem = divmod(num, base) chars.append(self.alphabet[rem]) return... - Source: dev.to / 3 months 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 simple, you may want to check out TinyURL as well. - Source: dev.to / 6 months 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 1 year ago
  • More "J3w World Order" disinfo spread online
    u/Migmag360 The reason your post cannot be posted and/or approved by us is because it contains a Bitchute link--which reddit bans. You have to mask the link using TinyURL. And then re-post it again with the new link instead. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Does the Atomic Bomb exist? Part 2
    u/fedx0 I have approved this post, the reason it's still banned by Reddit is because of the Bitchute links, you cannot post Bitchute links on Reddit. If you remove the links to Bitchute, or disguise the Bitchute links using TinyUrl and re-post the article, then it should be fine. If not then you will have to post the article somewhere else, then post the link to it on here instead. Source: about 3 years ago
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ShadyURL mentions (10)

  • A URL shortener not shortening the URL but makes it look dodgy
    My goto for this purpose used to be https://shadyurl.com but sadly it seems like it's gone, so glad to have a replacement! - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Hacker News top posts: May 15, 2022
    ShadyURL: Don't just shorten your URL, make it suspicious and frightening\ (25 comments). Source: over 3 years ago
  • ShadyURL: Don't just shorten your URL, make it suspicious and frightening
    The function f is idempotent, if f(x) = f(f(x)) For this URL shortener, if http://www.5z8.info/super-nsfw_g0v1ba_hot-older-goats.mov (from above) points to http://shadyurl.com/, then shortening http://www.5z8.info/super-nsfw_g0v1ba_hot-older-goats.mov should also return http://www.5z8.info/super-nsfw_g0v1ba_hot-older-goats.mov. It's not enough for it to always return the same URL for the same input... - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • This is the single most creepiest link Iโ€™ve ever seen.. thoughts?
    Theres a website that literally makes links creepy lol Heres the site Type anything in and it makes your url weird. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Poop.is โ€“ A Crappy Link Shortener
    Also mentioned on HN quite a while ago: http://shadyurl.com. - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing TinyURL and ShadyURL, 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.

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

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.

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

Linktree - Connect your audience to all of your content with just one link.