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YOURLS VS PixelMe

Compare YOURLS VS PixelMe and see what are their differences

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YOURLS logo 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.

PixelMe logo PixelMe

URL shortener for savvy marketers
  • YOURLS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-18
  • PixelMe Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-15

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.

PixelMe features and specs

  • Retargeting
    Allows you to add retargeting pixels to short URLs to remarket to people who have clicked on your links.
  • Analytics
    Provides detailed analytics and insights on the performance of each shortened link.
  • Integrations
    Supports integrations with popular tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Ads, and more, enhancing its functionality.
  • Customization
    Enables custom branded URLs for better brand recognition and trust.
  • Ease of Use
    User-friendly interface that makes it easy to create and manage shortened links.
  • Link Management
    Provides a comprehensive dashboard for organizing and managing multiple links efficiently.

Possible disadvantages of PixelMe

  • Pricing
    Might be considered expensive for small businesses or individuals as compared to other URL shortening services.
  • Learning Curve
    The advanced features might require a learning curve for new users to fully utilize.
  • Feature Restriction
    Some advanced features and integrations are only available in higher-tier plans.
  • Dependency on Third-Party Cookies
    Relies on third-party cookies for retargeting, which can be blocked by some browsers and ad blockers, potentially reducing effectiveness.

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.

Analysis of PixelMe

Overall verdict

  • PixelMe is a valuable tool for those looking to boost their digital marketing efforts. It is particularly useful for businesses and individuals who need to track link performance and engage in advanced retargeting campaigns. Its user-friendly interface and effective integrations make it a top choice in URL shortening solutions.

Why this product is good

  • PixelMe is considered a good tool for marketers and advertisers primarily because it provides URL shortening with added benefits like retargeting pixels. It allows users to track the performance of their links and optimize their advertising strategies. The ability to customize short links and add retargeting pixels to any URL can significantly enhance marketing efforts by reaching a broader audience more effectively.

Recommended for

  • Digital marketers
  • Advertisers
  • Social media managers
  • Content creators
  • Affiliate marketers
  • Businesses aiming for enhanced retargeting capabilities

YOURLS videos

+ Add

How to make a URL Shorter with YOURLS

PixelMe videos

+ Add

PixelMe Review, Demo, and Retargeting Pixels

More videos:

  • Review - How does PixelMe work?

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to YOURLS and PixelMe)

YOURLS

PixelMe

Link Management
77 77%
Link Management
23% 23
URL Shortener
80 80%
URL Shortener
20% 20
Branded URLs
78 78%
Branded URLs
22% 22
Online Services
100 100%
Online Services
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 YOURLS and PixelMe

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

PixelMe Reviews

Top 10 Bitly alternatives and competitors in 2025
PixelMe stands out for its integration with Amazon attribution, making it particularly valuable for e-commerce marketers and Amazon sellers who want to track the performance of their links and ads on the platform.
Source: blog.replug.io

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.

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
View more

PixelMe mentions (0)

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

What are some alternatives?

When comparing YOURLS and PixelMe, 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.

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

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

Shorten.REST - A URL shortener API you can depend on

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