Quick takeaways
- Short.io has the largest free allowance (1,000 branded links, 5 custom domains) if you own a domain.
- Bitly Free includes 5 links and 2 QR codes a month without link analytics; custom domains start on Growth ($29/month billed annually).
- Rabetly Free includes 30 links and 5 dynamic QR codes a month with 30 days of click analytics; Standard ($10/month) adds 2 custom domains and 365 days of analytics.
- Only Rabetly offers a full Arabic interface and RTL link-in-bio pages among the three.
- Prices were checked on 11 October 2026; always confirm on each vendor's pricing page.
Short answer: all three tools shorten links, make QR codes and offer branded domains, but they suit different people. Short.io has the most generous free plan if you already own a domain (1,000 branded links and up to 5 custom domains). Bitly is the best-known brand, with plans that scale to large teams, but custom domains start on its Growth plan. Rabetly is built Arabic-first, with a full Arabic interface, RTL link-in-bio pages and WhatsApp tools, it includes 30 days of click analytics on its free plan, and two custom domains from its $10 Standard plan. Details below; all prices were checked on 11 October 2026 on each company's own pages.
How do Rabetly, Bitly and Short.io compare at a glance?
| Rabetly | Bitly | Short.io | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan: links | 30 per month | 5 per month | 1,000 branded links in total |
| Free plan: QR codes | 5 dynamic per month (static codes in the free tool are unlimited) | 2 per month | QR codes for your branded links |
| Free plan: analytics | Click analytics, 30 days of history | No click or scan analytics for links and QR codes | Statistics up to 50,000 tracked clicks per month |
| Free plan: domain | rabet.li short domain | Bitly short domain | Your own domain or a free short.gy subdomain |
| Entry paid plan | Standard: $10/month or $100/year | Core: $10/month, billed annually | Hobby: $5/month |
| Links on entry paid plan | 500 per month | 100 per month | 2,500 branded links in total |
| First plan with a custom domain | Standard ($10/month): 2 domains | Growth ($29/month, billed annually) | Free: 5 domains |
| Analytics history | 30 days (Free), 365 days (Standard), 2 years (Premium) | 30 days (Core), 4 months (Growth), 1 year (Premium) | Limited by tracked clicks on Free/Hobby, unlimited from Pro |
| Link-in-bio pages | Yes, profiles with RTL support | Yes, landing pages (2 on Free) | Yes, "Posts" and link bundles |
| Arabic interface | Yes, full Arabic and English | Not among the 9 app languages Bitly lists | Website available in Arabic |
| Higher plans | Premium: $18/month or $180/year, 2,000 links and 500 dynamic QR codes per month, 5 custom domains | Growth $29, Premium $199 per month (billed annually) | Pro $18, Team $48, Enterprise $148 per month |
Sources: Bitly pricing, Bitly language settings, Short.io pricing, Short.io free subdomain and Rabetly pricing. Vendors change plans often, so check their pages before deciding.
Which free plan gives you the most?
It depends on what you count. Short.io's free plan lets you create far more links than the others, allows commercial use and includes custom domains, but you need a domain of your own (or a short.gy subdomain), and its statistics stop updating in your view after 50,000 tracked clicks. Bitly's free plan is designed as a trial of the product: 5 links and 2 QR codes a month, with no click or scan analytics on links. Rabetly's free plan gives 30 short links and 5 dynamic QR codes a month on the rabet.li domain, one link-in-bio profile, 10 product links, one PDF a month and click analytics with 30 days of history.
Rabetly's 270+ free browser tools are separate from the plan limits. You can generate unlimited static QR codes, WhatsApp links and UTM campaign URLs without an account. See them all in the tools directory.
What do the entry paid plans include?
Rabetly Standard, $10/month
500 links and 100 dynamic QR codes a month, 2 custom domains, 365 days of analytics, 3 link-in-bio profiles, 100 product links and 10 PDF files a month. Premium ($18/month) raises this to 2,000 links and 500 dynamic QR codes a month, 5 custom domains, 10 profiles, 500 product links, 50 PDFs a month and two years of analytics.
Bitly Core, $10/month billed annually
100 links and 5 QR codes a month with 30 days of click and scan data. A custom domain and branded links start with Growth at $29/month billed annually.
Short.io Hobby, $5/month
2,500 branded links, 7 domains, 100,000 tracked clicks a month, plus country targeting and referrer hiding. Pro ($18/month) adds unlimited links and clicks, password protection and link expiration.
What the prices do not show
Bitly lists Core at the annual-billing price; Short.io shows monthly prices with about 17% off annually; Rabetly lists monthly and yearly prices on its pricing page. Compare the same billing period.
Which is best for Arabic content and RTL?
This is where the tools differ most. Rabetly's whole interface, help content and free tools are available in Arabic, link-in-bio profiles render right-to-left, and its WhatsApp and UTM tools handle Arabic text. Bitly's support centre lists nine app languages (Brazilian Portuguese, English, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Spanish, Tamil and Thai), and Arabic is not one of them. Short.io's public website can be switched to Arabic; we did not verify an Arabic dashboard. For a deeper look at what Arabic users need, read our guide to the best Arabic URL shortener.
Which one should you choose?
Choose Short.io if…
you already own a domain, want many branded links for free, or need features such as targeting, deep links or link cloaking.
Choose Bitly if…
you want the most widely recognised shortener and a vendor with large-team plans, and a custom domain at $29/month fits your budget.
Choose Rabetly if…
your audience reads Arabic, you sell through WhatsApp and Instagram, or you want short links, dynamic QR codes, link-in-bio and product links with two custom domains from $10/month.
Mixing is fine
Many teams use free tools from one service and links from another. What matters is that printed QR codes point to links you control for the long term.
How do you test a URL shortener before committing?
- Create the same link in each tool, with a custom ending you would really use.
- Make a QR code from it and print a test sheet. Scan it with Android and iPhone. If you plan to print, use a dynamic code; see static vs dynamic QR codes.
- Check where analytics live and how long they are kept on the plan you are considering.
- Try the interface in your team's language, including an Arabic link-in-bio page if you need one.
- Read the domain rules. Which plan includes a custom domain, and what happens to links if you downgrade?
- Plan for the long term. Printed codes keep pointing to the provider that created them, so do not cancel the account behind codes that are still in use.
Frequently asked questions
Is Rabetly a good Bitly alternative?
For Arabic-speaking teams and small businesses, often yes: it includes click analytics on the free plan, two custom domains from $10/month, an Arabic interface and RTL link-in-bio pages. If you need enterprise features or very large link volumes, compare Bitly's and Short.io's higher plans.
Which URL shortener has the best free plan?
By link count, Short.io: 1,000 branded links and up to 5 custom domains, but you need your own domain or a short.gy subdomain. Rabetly's free plan gives 30 links and 5 dynamic QR codes a month with 30 days of analytics; Bitly's gives 5 links and 2 QR codes without link analytics.
Which is cheapest for a custom domain?
Short.io includes custom domains on its free plan. Rabetly includes two on Standard at $10/month. Bitly includes a complimentary custom domain from Growth at $29/month billed annually.
Do these services support Arabic?
Rabetly has a full Arabic interface and RTL profiles. Bitly's listed app languages do not include Arabic. Short.io's website is available in Arabic; check its dashboard yourself.
Will my links stop working if I cancel?
Policies differ, so read each vendor's terms. Rabetly short links are permanent by default. Whatever you choose, keep the account behind printed QR codes active.
Sources
Try Rabetly free
Create short links, QR codes and an Arabic or English link-in-bio page, Paid plans with a custom domain are listed on the pricing page.
Start with Rabetly