Why it's an alternative to Bitly: Branded short links with analytics and call-to-action overlays on shared content.
made by
Simon Høiberg
Simon Høiberg3 indie alternatives · Marketing & SEO Tools
Indie alternatives to Bitly (2026)
Bitly is the default link shortener, with tight free-plan limits and paid tiers for custom domains and QR codes. Marketers look for cheaper or more specialized tools. Below are 3 alternatives built by independent makers — LinkDrip, Hovercode and Shorty — with what each does differently, who makes it and any revenue they have shared publicly.
Bitly alternatives at a glance
Jump to any product for the full write-up.
The 3 best indie alternatives to Bitly
Each product is made and run by an independent maker or a small, self-directed team.
Why it's an alternative to Bitly: Dynamic QR codes with tracking and analytics, and destinations you can change after printing.
made by
Ramy Khuffash
Ramy Khuffash
Why it's an alternative to Bitly: Simple self-hosted URL shortener written in PHP, by the creator of Umami.
made by
Mike Cao
Mike CaoWhy choose an indie-made tool?
You talk to the maker
With a small product, support requests and feature ideas usually reach the person who wrote the code, and many makers build in public and reply to users directly.
Focused and fairly priced
Small teams tend to do one job well instead of bundling every feature into enterprise tiers, and many indie tools offer one-time licenses, open-source editions or free plans.
Built by real people
These 3 alternatives come from 3 makers in Switzerland United Kingdom United States. Paying them funds a sustainable, independent business.
Meet the makers: Simon Høiberg, Ramy Khuffash, Mike Cao.
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Bitly alternatives FAQ
What are the best indie alternatives to Bitly?
IndieMakerList lists 3 indie-made alternatives to Bitly: LinkDrip (by Simon Høiberg), Hovercode (by Ramy Khuffash) and Shorty (by Mike Cao).
Why do people look for alternatives to Bitly?
Bitly is the default link shortener, with tight free-plan limits and paid tiers for custom domains and QR codes. Marketers look for cheaper or more specialized tools.
Who builds these Bitly alternatives?
They are built by 3 independent makers from 3 countries, including Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States, rather than a large company. Each maker has a profile on IndieMakerList with their other products and links.
Are these Bitly alternatives still maintained?
Yes. As far as IndieMakerList knows, all 3 are active and still run by the makers who built them.
Built an indie alternative to Bitly? Submit a maker to IndieMakerList →