Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

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.

YOURLS

YOURLS Reviews and Details

This page is designed to help you find out whether YOURLS is good and if it is the right choice for you.

Screenshots and images

  • YOURLS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-18

Features & Specs

  1. 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.

  2. Customization

    Since YOURLS is an open-source platform, you can customize it according to your needs, adding personalized branding and functionalities.

  3. Analytics

    It offers detailed analytics for each shortened URL, including click counts, referrers, and geographical data, helping you understand your audience better.

  4. Plugin Support

    YOURLS supports plugins, allowing you to extend its functionality with additional features like spam filtering, link previews, and more.

  5. 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.

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Videos

How to make a URL Shorter with YOURLS

Social recommendations and mentions

We have tracked the following product recommendations or mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you see what people think about YOURLS and what they use it for.
  • Raindrop.io: cross-platform, collaborative bookmark manager
    This is what I use and like: https://yourls.org. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years 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 / over 3 years ago
  • self-hosted url shorter with device targeting
    YOURLS has a "detect-mobile-device" plugin. Is that what you were looking for? Source: over 3 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 3 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 3 years ago
  • Dub.sh An Open Source Bit.ly alternative
    Other alternative which is very easy: Https://yourls.org/. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • URL Shortening
    Combine a self-hosted service like https://yourls.org/ with a short subdomain name at one of your domains. Then you can map something like go to that IP address. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • A SaaS to protect any web page with a password?
    There are many services that offer such a functionality. Just search for "password protected link shortener". One example would be https://maglit.me/ by u/NayamAmarshe (I haven't tried it, I only read this post). However if you care for privacy (kind of the point of the whole post) and you have a web server you might want to selfhost the service (has a lot of other advantages as well, link all the easy to remember... Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Compatibility with Short.io
    It's always possible to self-host a url shortener like yourls (https://yourls.org/) or whatever the cool kids use these days and make it available on a handshake name. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Self-hosted alternative to Redirection.io and Redirect.pizza
    Https://yourls.org/ might work - iirc there's a 404 page plugin you could edit to just redirect to the homepage of your second domain. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Looking to set up a URL shortener
    If you plan on going the domain.com/three route, I've used yourls which has been working great for me for years. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Git.io: GitHub will maintain active links in a read-only state
    I've been using a personal link shortening service (https://m8.fyi) for a few years now... e.g. https://m8.fyi/gitio. I use http://yourls.org if anyone's interested. - Source: Hacker News / about 4 years ago
  • QR-Code URL Manager
    You could potentially use https://yourls.org/. Source: over 4 years ago
  • Privacy-Centric Alternatives To Bit.ly
    If you're technically inclined I'd recommend self hosting yourls. https://yourls.org/ https://github.com/YOURLS/YOURLS. Source: over 4 years ago
  • I made yet another self-hosted URL shortener! [Blink] [no but really, there's reasons for there to be yet another URL shortener, hear me out]
    How does blink compare to other free software URL shorteners such as YOURLS? Source: almost 5 years ago
  • it is time to confess, brothers
    Your get https://yourls.org and selfhost. Source: about 5 years ago
  • Does anything exist to track sidebar click/engagement details?
    The only way I have been able to track these sorts of things is using something like yourls. It is an open source (free) URL shortner that will track clicks and a few other items. Source: about 5 years ago
  • Link shorteners: why you shouldn't use them
    I run my own using [YOURLS](https://yourls.org). It addresses the issues brought up in the article: - Control your links. - Source: Hacker News / about 5 years ago
  • Question: What is the recommended URL-Shortener selfhosted software?
    Iโ€™ve been using https://yourls.org/ for years and works pretty well. Source: about 5 years ago
  • YOURLS 1.8.1 Released
    Download source code below and upload to your server. Detailed instructions on https://yourls.org/#Install. Source: over 5 years ago
  • Link shortener with Open Graph / oEmbed meta tags?
    We use https://yourls.org/ which is quite nice. Source: over 5 years ago

Summary of the public mentions of YOURLS

YOURLS, standing for "Your Own URL Shortener," is a versatile and customizable open-source URL shortening tool renowned for its self-hosted capabilities. It stands out as a favorable option for businesses and individuals requiring tailored URL management solutions without relying on third-party services. Within the domain of URL shortening and link management, YOURLS competes alongside popular platforms such as Bitly, TinyURL, and Rebrandly.

Key Features and Benefits

  1. Self-Hosting Capabilities: As highlighted in various discussions, the primary appeal of YOURLS lies in its self-hosting potential. Users have the ability to install YOURLS on their own servers easily using PHP scripts and pluginsโ€”offering granular control over their URL redirection and tracking operations. This differentiates YOURLS from many other commercially dependent platforms, leading to less dependency on external services.

  2. Customization and Flexibility: YOURLS provides extensive customization options. Users have the freedom to create custom-branded short links and determine whether their links will be public or private. Additional flexibility includes the choice for sequential or random URL strings, supported through user-friendly bookmarklets for quick URL shortening directly from web browsers.

  3. Plugin Support: With a comprehensive plugin architecture, YOURLS extends its functionality through community-developed plugins. This includes features such as mobile device identification and password-protection plugins, allowing for dynamic link management capabilities.

Public Opinion and Community Insights

The general sentiment towards YOURLS within the technical community is largely positive, particularly among users valuing privacy and control. Many users express satisfaction with YOURLS' robust feature set combined with the freedom of self-hosting. Various technical users have praised YOURLS for being lightweight, which makes it an excellent starting point for those new to self-hosted URL shortening services. It has been noted that YOURLS is preferred over competitors by those seeking greater data privacy and control over their shortened links.

However, YOURLS does necessitate certain technical skills to install and maintain, which may deter some potential users seeking a more straightforward, out-of-the-box solution. For the technically inclined, the open-source nature and the ability to extend and customize the service prove beneficial and are often cited as compelling reasons for adoption.

Position in the Market

Within the broader ecosystem of URL management solutions, YOURLS is notably a strong contender for users who prioritize full control and the ability to expand functionality through self-hosted solutions. When compared with closed-source commercial offerings like Bitly, YOURLS offers a level of customization and privacy assurance that is highly valued in specific use cases.

Overall, YOURLS presents itself as a powerful, adaptable alternative in the competitive landscape of URL shorteners. Its emphasis on self-hosting and customization continues to resonate well with a segment of users who prioritize control and privacy over convenience, reinforcing its position as a trusted tool in the open-source community.

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YOURLS discussion

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  1. User avatar
    CanopyCoder
    ยท 3 months ago
    ยท Reply

    YOURLS is a solid, lightweight option if you want full control over your own URL shortener without relying on third-party services. Itโ€™s especially appealing for developers or organizations that care about privacy, branding, and customization. That said, it does require some setup and maintenance, so itโ€™s not as plug-and-play as hosted alternatives, but it is free and open source.

  2. User avatar
    Cassandra
    ยท over 1 year ago
    ยท Reply

    YOURLS is a lightweight, self-hosted URL shortener that gives you full control over your links, branding, and dataโ€”perfect for businesses, developers, and anyone who wants a custom short link solution without relying on third-party services.

Is YOURLS good? This is an informative page that will help you find out. Moreover, you can review and discuss YOURLS here. The primary details have not been verified within the last quarter, and they might be outdated. If you think we are missing something, please use the means on this page to comment or suggest changes. All reviews and comments are highly encouranged and appreciated as they help everyone in the community to make an informed choice. Please always be kind and objective when evaluating a product and sharing your opinion.