YOURLS VS T.LY

Compare YOURLS VS T.LY and see what are their differences

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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.

T.LY

The best link management service to track, brand, and share short URLs in one simple click

Landing page //
2023-03-18

Landing page //
2022-08-23

T.LY is the best link management service to track, brand, and share short URLs. We support custom domains, API Access, QR Codes, and more. Install our free Browser Extension with over 450,000 users from the extension store to automatically shorten links in one easy click! We support Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera.

YOURLS

Website: yourls.org
$ Details
Platforms: -
Release Date: -

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T.LY

Website: t.ly
$ Details: -
Platforms: Google Chrome Firefox Opera Edge
Release Date: 2019 June

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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.

T.LY features and specs

URL Shortening
T.LY provides an efficient service to shorten long URLs, making them easier to share and manage.
Analytics Tracking
The platform offers analytics tracking for shortened URLs, providing insights such as number of clicks and geographical locations of visitors.
Custom Short Links
Users can create custom short links, allowing them to personalize URLs for branding or easy recall.
Ease of Use
The service is user-friendly with a straightforward interface, making it accessible for both technical and non-technical users.
Browser Extension
T.LY offers a browser extension that integrates with web browsers for quick and easy URL shortening without needing to visit the website.

Possible disadvantages of T.LY

Limited Free Features
Some features, such as advanced analytics and custom URL options, may be limited to paid tiers.
Dependency on External Service
Using a third-party URL shortener like T.LY introduces a dependency on their service for URL uptime and performance.
Privacy Concerns
Shortened URLs could potentially be used maliciously to obfuscate true destinations, posing a risk if the service does not have strong security measures.
Short Link Expiry
Shortened URLs might expire if not managed properly, especially if tied to inactive accounts or if service terms change.

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 T.LY

Overall verdict

T.LY is generally considered a good URL shortening service.

Why this product is good

User-Friendly: T.LY provides a simple and intuitive interface for shortening URLs quickly.
Analytics: It offers comprehensive analytics to track clicks, sources, and other engagement metrics.
Security: The platform includes security features such as SSL for shortened links.
Integration: T.LY offers integrations with various applications and services, enhancing its utility.
Customization: Users can customize shortened URLs to make them more recognizable or brand-specific.

Recommended for

Digital marketers looking to track the performance of their campaigns.
Businesses that need to manage numerous links efficiently.
Content creators who share links on social media and want them to look clean and professional.
Anyone in need of a reliable and secure URL shortening service.

YOURLS videos

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How to make a URL Shorter with YOURLS

T.LY videos

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to YOURLS and T.LY)

YOURLS

T.LY

Link Management

87 87%

Link Management

13% 13

URL Shortener

86 86%

URL Shortener

14% 14

Branded URLs

86 86%

Branded URLs

14% 14

Online Services

63 63%

Online Services

37% 37

User comments

Share your experience with using YOURLS and T.LY. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare YOURLS and T.LY

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

T.LY Reviews

10 Excellent Google URL Shortener Alternatives

T.LY also offers smart URLs that allow you to redirect customers to specific landing pages based on their location, device, and other parameters. This is especially useful for businesses with global audiences that want to personalize their marketing efforts.

Source: bitly.com

07 Best Bitly Alternative You Will Only Need (FREE)

The T.ly URL shortener service is a great way to condense long, complicated URLs into something much shorter and easier to remember. This can be especially helpful when sharing links via social media or other online platforms. In addition to making links more manageable, the t.ly service also allows users to track how many people have clicked on their shortened URLs. This...

Source: contentastro.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, YOURLS seems to be a lot more popular than T.LY. While we know about 21 links to YOURLS, we've tracked only 2 mentions of T.LY. 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

T.LY mentions (2)

L(O*62).ONG: Make your URL longer
What about making your URLs super short?? https://t.ly/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
What’s the shortest URL for which content is served on the internet?
Check out the URL Shortener T.LY. It's one of the shortest domain that allows you to create short links that I know of. >> https://t.ly/. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing YOURLS and T.LY, 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.

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

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

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

T2M - T2M URL Shortener is an all-in-one link management platform which focuses on quality of service with easy-to-use interface at affordable price, backed by exceptional customer support.