Kutt vs TinyURL

Kutt is a free, open-source, self-hostable URL shortener supporting custom domains, link expiration, password protection, and per-link statistics. The public instance and REST API live at kutt.to (authenticated with an X-API-Key header), and the AGPL-licensed codebase can be self-hosted for full control. Note that the old kutt.it domain is no longer operated by the project — its maintainers warn it may now be a phishing site — so integrations should target kutt.to.

TinyURL is a long-running shortener that now pairs its classic keyless web form with a modern REST API. The API authenticates with a Bearer API token from a TinyURL account and supports creating short links with custom aliases and expiration, updating destinations, and listing links, returning JSON. A free plan covers basic API shortening, while paid Pro and Bulk plans add branded domains, higher limits, and analytics.