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Bitly description
Bitly is a well-known platform used by individuals and companies to shorten lengthy website addresses, create QR codes, and build simple landing pages. This can be useful for sharing links on social media or in print materials, as well as tracking how many people click on them. Bitly also offers analytics so you can see how your links are performing. They are a large company with millions of users and a focus on helping businesses connect with their audiences online.
Who is Bitly best for
Bitly is a popular link shortening and QR code platform ideal for marketing and social media professionals. Users praise its ease of integration with existing workflows and appreciate the analytics for tracking link performance. However, some users have criticized Bitly's billing practices and customer support. Consider Bitly if you need a comprehensive solution for managing, tracking, and optimizing your links, but be aware of potential billing issues.
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Ideal for small, medium, and large businesses needing robust link management.
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Strong fit for e-commerce, retail, and media; beneficial for marketing & social media pros.
Bitly features
| Supported Bitly supports customizable landing pages and their association with QR codes. |
| Supported Bitly supports dynamic QR codes, allowing changes to destination URLs without recreating the code. |
| Supported Bitly provides analytics for clicks, audience insights, and campaign tracking. Deeper ROI analysis requires other tools. |
| Supported Bitly allows creating and customizing QR codes that link to website URLs. |
| Supported Bitly allows creating custom short links with custom domains and back-halves. |
We evaluate the sentiment that users express about non-functional aspects of the software
Value and Pricing Transparency
Customer Service
Ease of Use
Reliability and Performance
Ease of Implementation
Bitly reviews
We've summarised 748 Bitly reviews (Bitly TrustPilot reviews and Bitly G2 reviews) and summarised the main points below.
- Easy integration with existing automation workflows for emails and SMS.
- Simple and efficient URL shortening for social media and print materials.
- Useful analytics for tracking link performance and click-through rates.
- Customization options for branded short links and QR codes.
- QR code generation capability for various marketing purposes.
- Predatory and deceptive billing practices, often resulting in unwanted annual subscriptions.
- Lack of adequate customer support, especially regarding billing issues.
- QR codes generated during trials often expire unexpectedly after the trial ends.
- Limited customization options available for free users.
- Advanced features, including custom domains, require expensive subscriptions.
Bitly pricing
The commentary is based on 92 reviews from Bitly G2 reviews and Bitly TrustPilot reviews.
Bitly's free link shortening and QR code features are appreciated, but many reviewers find paid plans expensive. Upgrading unlocks branding and analytics features, but the pricing structure is often cited as confusing and potentially deceptive regarding subscriptions. Some users find the free tier sufficient for basic needs.
Users sentiment
See the Bitly pricing page.
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Bitly has a free plan.
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Bitly has a free trial.
Free
This plan offers basic features like limited links and QR Codes, custom landing page, and unlimited clicks. Ideal for individuals or businesses looking for a free link shortening solution.
Core
This plan offers more features and higher usage limits compared to the Free plan. It includes 100 links, 5 QR Codes, 3 custom landing pages, and 30 days of data history. This plan is suitable for users who need more capacity and basic analytics.
Growth
This plan offers a significant increase in features and usage limits, including branded links, a custom domain, bulk link shortening, and 4 months of data history. Suitable for businesses or individuals with growing needs for branded links and more advanced analytics.
Premium
This plan provides a comprehensive set of features, including higher usage limits for links, QR Codes, custom landing pages, and a year of data history. It also includes advanced analytics, campaign-level tracking, and mobile deep linking. Ideal for larger businesses or those with high-volume link management needs.
Enterprise
This plan offers customizable pricing and features to meet the specific needs of large organizations. It includes all features of the Premium plan, plus advanced features such as SSO logins, dedicated customer success manager, high-volume API access, and a 99.9% SLA uptime.
Bitly alternatives
bitly vs RebrandlyBetter for brand building with custom short links. Has grown faster in terms of employee growth. More suitable for manufacturing and consumer goods. Fewer features overall. Lacks landing page creation and UTM link builder.Read more
QR TIGERMore focused on QR code features, including bulk creation and templates. Has greater momentum based on employee growth. Users highlight excellent customer support. Offers a free plan and lower-cost premium plans than Bitly. A strong Bitly competitor and alternative.Read more
PressboardBetter for content marketing analytics and reporting. A Bitly alternative geared towards larger publishers needing campaign performance analysis.Read more
SmallpdfBetter for PDF management, editing, and conversion. A Bitly alternative focused on document workflows. Has significantly more website traffic momentum.Read more
PixelBetter for real estate, media, marketing, professional services, software, and non-profits. Offers A/B testing and geotargeting. Negative reviews highlight unreliable customer support and billing issues.Read more
Bitly FAQ
What is Bitly and what does Bitly do?
Bitly is a link management platform that shortens URLs, creates custom branded links, generates QR codes, and provides analytics. It helps businesses, marketers, and individuals share links easily, track engagement, and manage their online presence effectively.
How does Bitly integrate with other tools?
Bitly integrates with various platforms through its API and webhooks, enabling seamless connection with social media management tools, marketing automation platforms, and analytics dashboards. This streamlines workflows for efficient link management and data analysis.
What the main competitors of Bitly?
Top alternatives to Bitly include BL.INK, Pixel, and ElkQR. These platforms offer similar features such as custom short links, QR code generation, and link tracking analytics. They are suitable for individuals and businesses looking for link management solutions.
Is Bitly legit?
Bitly is a legitimate link shortening and QR code service. It's widely used and offers helpful analytics. However, be aware of potential billing issues and limited free features. Consider exploring alternatives if these are concerns for your is Bitly safe needs.
How much does Bitly cost?
Bitly's pricing ranges from free to $2,388/year. The free plan offers basic link shortening and QR codes. Paid plans, Core, Growth, and Premium, offer increased features and usage limits. Enterprise plans offer custom pricing for large organizations. Is Bitly worth it? It depends on your link management and analytics needs.
Is Bitly customer service good?
Bitly's customer service receives negative feedback. Users report difficulty contacting support, especially with billing and refund issues. Some find the support team unresponsive and unhelpful in resolving their problems. While some users have positive experiences, negative reviews are prevalent.
Reviewed by
Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.
Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.