URL Shorteners · head-to-head
Bitly vs CleanURI
Bitly is one of the oldest and most widely used link-management platforms, shortening URLs to bit.ly links and tracking clicks, geography, referrers, and campaigns. Its v4 REST API authenticates with an OAuth 2.0 access token and covers link creation, custom back-halves, QR codes, and analytics, returning JSON. A limited free tier exists, with paid Core and Enterprise plans unlocking higher volumes, branded domains, and deeper metrics.
CleanURI is a minimal, free URL shortener with a single documented endpoint: POST /api/v1/shorten takes a (URL-encoded) long URL and returns a short cleanuri.com link as JSON. It needs no account or API key, making it one of the simplest shorteners to call programmatically, though it offers no analytics, custom aliases, or link management beyond creation.
| Bitly | CleanURI | |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication | OAuth | None |
| Pricing | freemium | free |
| Formats | JSON | JSON |
| CORS | yes | yes |
| HTTPS | Yes | Yes |
CleanURI needs no API key, while Bitly requires OAuth — pick CleanURI to start without signup.