What is urlshort and URLShort?

URLShort is the free URL shortener at urlshort.at. People often search "urlshort" to find this site. Your short links use the domain urlshort.at (for example urlshort.at/abc) and redirect to your long destination. "URL short" and "link shortener" describe the same kind of tool—we help you shorten URLs free without an account.

How do I shorten URLs for free?

Paste any long URL into the box on urlshort.at and click Shorten. You can shorten URLs free with no sign-up. You get a short URL on urlshort.at that you can copy, share, and track. Optional custom aliases and expiration are available under Advanced options.

What is the difference between a short URL and a URL shortener?

A short URL is the compact link you share—for example urlshort.at/sale. A URL shortener (also called a url short tool or link shortener) is the service that creates that short URL from a long address. People search "short url" or "url short" for the result; URLShort at urlshort.at gives you both: paste any long link, get a short URL instantly, free and without an account.

What is a URL shortener?

A URL shortener is a tool that converts long web addresses into compact, easy-to-share short links. URLShort is a free URL shortener that creates short URLs like urlshort.at/abc from any long URL. Short links are easier to share on social media, emails, SMS, and print materials.

Is URLShort completely free?

Yes, URLShort is 100% free to use. You can shorten unlimited URLs, create custom short link aliases, and access full click analytics — all without signing up or paying anything. URLShort runs on Cloudflare's free tier infrastructure.

Can I create custom short URLs with my own alias?

Yes! URLShort lets you create custom short URLs with your own alias. Instead of a random code, you can choose a memorable name like urlshort.at/my-brand. Custom aliases make your short links recognizable and trustworthy.

Does URLShort provide link click analytics and tracking?

Yes, URLShort provides comprehensive click analytics for every shortened URL. You can track total clicks, unique visitors, geographic location (country and city), device type, operating system, browser, and referrer sources — all in real time and completely free.

How fast are URLShort redirects?

URLShort delivers sub-10ms redirects globally. Short URLs are served from Cloudflare's edge network with 300+ data centers worldwide. URL lookups use Cloudflare KV, a globally distributed key-value store, ensuring the fastest possible redirect speed regardless of where your users are located.

Can I use URLShort to shorten links for Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook?

Absolutely. URLShort short links work perfectly on all social media platforms including Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and WhatsApp. Short URLs are ideal for social media bios, posts, and direct messages where character count matters.

Can I set an expiration time on shortened links?

Yes, URLShort supports link expiration. When creating a short URL, you can set it to expire after a certain number of hours. This is useful for time-limited promotions, event links, or temporary access URLs.

Does URLShort support branded short links and custom domains?

Yes, URLShort supports custom short URL aliases for branded links. You can create recognizable short URLs like urlshort.at/your-brand. The platform is also built to support custom domain configuration for full white-label branded short links.

Which does URLShort use?

Human clicks get 301 redirects; crawlers may receive an HTML landing page first.

Keep UTMs on the destination URL; shortening does not strip them.

Use separate short codes per variant for cleaner measurement.

Migration from another shortener?

See /alternatives for vendor-specific tips.

301 vs 302 Redirects for Short Links

301 permanent

Search engines treat 301s as strong signals that the short URL's ranking signals should consolidate to the destination. URLShort uses 301 for standard user redirects.

302 temporary

Temporary redirects make sense for time-boxed promos when you want crawlers to keep checking the short URL. URLShort's optional expiration aligns with marketing windows.

Changing destinations

Updating the target behind a short code is powerful for ops teams. Document changes so analytics teams know when click trends shift because of a new landing page, not audience fatigue.

FAQ

Which does URLShort use?: Human clicks get 301 redirects; crawlers may receive an HTML landing page first.
UTM parameters?: Keep UTMs on the destination URL; shortening does not strip them.
A/B tests?: Use separate short codes per variant for cleaner measurement.
Migration from another shortener?: See /alternatives for vendor-specific tips.

Ready to try it? Use our free short URL tool.

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More free utilities on URLShort — all work alongside your shortened links.

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301 vs 302 Redirects for Short Links

301 permanent

302 temporary

Changing destinations

FAQ

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