Feature Comparison at a Glance
Bitly is the name most people know, and for good reason. They pioneered the link shortening category over a decade ago. But the market has evolved, and newer platforms like Lynkd have been built from the ground up to address the gaps that marketers actually care about.
Here is how the two platforms compare across the features that matter most:
| Feature | Lynkd | Bitly |
|---|---|---|
| Free link limit | 10 links/month | 5 links/month |
| Click analytics | Full geo, device, referrer, UTM | Basic click counts |
| QR code generation | Included on all plans | Paid plans only |
| Custom branded domains | All plans (including free) | Paid plans only |
| UTM builder | Built-in with templates | Manual only |
| A/B testing | Native split testing | Not available |
| Link expiration | Date, click limit, or both | Date only (paid) |
| API access | All plans | Paid plans only |
| Team collaboration | Included on Pro plan | Enterprise only |
Pricing Breakdown
Lynkd offers a generous free tier with 10 links per month, custom domains, and full analytics. The Pro plan starts at $19 per month and unlocks unlimited links, A/B testing, team seats, and priority support.
Bitly's free plan limits you to 5 links per month with basic analytics and no QR codes. Their paid plans start at $35 per month for the Core tier, which adds QR codes and custom domains. Advanced analytics and team features require their Growth plan at $149 per month.
For solo marketers and small teams, Lynkd delivers more functionality at a significantly lower price point. Enterprise teams may find Bitly's brand recognition valuable, but the feature gap is closing fast.
Best for Different Use Cases
Choose Lynkd if you are a marketer who needs deep attribution data, built-in UTM management, A/B testing, and QR codes without paying enterprise prices. Lynkd is ideal for small to mid-size marketing teams, agencies managing multiple clients, and solo founders who need to stretch every dollar.
Choose Bitly if your primary need is simple link shortening with widespread brand recognition. Bitly works well for large enterprises that have already invested in their ecosystem and need the integrations that come with a decade of partnerships.
For most growing businesses, Lynkd offers a better value proposition: more features, better analytics, and a lower price. The trade-off is that Bitly has a longer track record and more third-party integrations, though Lynkd's API makes custom integrations straightforward.
How to Migrate from Bitly to Lynkd
Switching link shorteners sounds daunting, but it does not have to be. Here is a simple process to migrate your existing Bitly links to Lynkd without losing any traffic:
- Export your Bitly link data: Go to your Bitly dashboard, select all links, and export as CSV. This gives you every destination URL, click count, and creation date.
- Import into Lynkd: Use the Lynkd bulk import tool to upload your CSV. Destination URLs and tags are mapped automatically.
- Set up redirects: For high-traffic Bitly links you have already shared publicly, keep them active. Create matching Lynkd links for all new campaigns going forward.
- Update your integrations: Swap your Bitly API key for your Lynkd API key in any tools or automations. The REST API follows similar conventions, so most integrations require minimal changes.
- Monitor both dashboards: Run both platforms in parallel for 30 days. Once all new links are going through Lynkd and old Bitly links have tapered off, you can safely let your Bitly subscription lapse.