A free Bitly alternative with no ads
Kort makes free short links with no ads, and a random link needs no account. A working link sends visitors straight to the address you gave.
Kort has no QR codes, no detailed analytics and no editing, so it suits people who only need a short link that works. Facts about Bitly are as of 12 Oct 2026.
What free Bitly links include today
Bitly's pricing page lists the Free plan at $0 a month and labels it "With Ads". Bitly's help center says free accounts show a page with a preview of the destination and an ad. Paid plans remove it. So with Bitly, a link with no ad page means a paid plan (as of 12 Oct 2026).
The Free plan also has limits: 5 new links a month, 3 custom back-halves a month and 2 QR codes a month (as of 12 Oct 2026). Bitly's help center also says it now requires an account to make a link. Its no-account link tool was discontinued.
Bitly's cheapest paid plan, Core, costs $10 a month and is billed yearly only, at $120 a year (as of 12 Oct 2026).
Last checked: 12 Oct 2026. We read Bitly's own pricing and help pages. Plans change, so check Bitly before you decide.
What you get with Kort
- No ads and no preview page. A working Kort link goes straight to the address you gave.
- No account for a random link. Paste a long link and get a 5-character link like kort.my/k7m2q. It has no end date.
- More links. You can make 20 new links a day without logging in, and 100 a day when you log in with Google.
- Your own link text, free. Log in with Google and pick 6 to 20 letters and numbers, like kort.my/myshop2026. It has no end date.
- Very short codes. A 2-character code is free for 1 hour, a 3-character code for 1 day up to 3 days, and a 4-character code for 30 days. They are free during launch, and they end on that schedule.
- Codes that forgive wrong capitals and lookalike characters. kort.my/SALE and kort.my/sa1e open the same link.
- No tracking cookies. For what Kort stores about you, see Related pages below.
What you give up
Kort is a simple tool. It has no QR codes, no analytics beyond a click count, no editing of where a link points, no custom domains, no API and no bulk shortening.
Kort can't take over a bit.ly link. A new Kort link has a new address, and links you already shared keep pointing to bit.ly.
Its 2-, 3- and 4-character codes end on a schedule, and then anyone can claim them again after a rest. Don't print one on anything that must last.
Kort is also new. Bitly is established, and its Free plan includes QR codes and API access, which Kort does not have.
Kort and the Bitly Free plan, as of 12 Oct 2026
| Feature | Kort | Bitly Free plan |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free. Short rented codes are free during launch. | $0 a month |
| Ads on your links | None | Labelled "With Ads". Free accounts show a preview page with an ad. |
| Account needed | Not for a random link. A Google login for your own or short codes. | Yes. Bitly requires an account to make a link. |
| New links | 20 a day without login, 100 a day logged in | 5 a month |
| Your own link text | Free: 6 to 20 letters and numbers, no end date | 3 custom back-halves a month |
| Do links end? | Random and own codes: no. 2- to 4-character codes: yes, on a schedule. | No. Free links do not expire. |
| QR codes | No | 2 a month |
| Click data | A click count for links made while logged in | Bitly's own post says the Free plan has no click or scan analytics |
| Change where a link points | No | No. It needs a paid plan. |
| Custom domain | No | Not on the Free plan |
| API | No | 1,000 requests a month |
| Cheapest paid plan | None today | Core: $10 a month, billed yearly only |
| Track record | New | Established |
Kort is our product, so weigh what we say. Every Bitly cell comes from Bitly's pricing page, its help center or its own blog, read on 12 Oct 2026.
When to stay with Bitly
Stay with Bitly, or pick another tool, if you need QR codes, click analytics, links you can edit, a custom domain, an API or bulk shortening. Kort has none of them.
Kort fits when you share a link in a chat, on a poster, in a post or in a class, and you want it short, free and without an ad in the way.
Paste a link in the box above and compare the result with the short link you use today.
Common questions
Does Kort show ads before a link opens?
No. Kort has no ads, and a working link sends visitors straight to the address you gave. A short rented code that has ended shows a "this link has ended" page instead.
Does Bitly show ads on free links?
Bitly says so. Its pricing page labels the Free plan "With Ads", and its help center says free accounts show a preview page with an ad. Paid plans remove it (as of 12 Oct 2026). Plans change, so check Bitly's own pages.
Is Kort really free?
Yes. Random links and codes you choose yourself (6 to 20 characters) are free and have no end date. The 2-, 3- and 4-character codes are free during launch. There are no paid plans on Kort today.
Does Kort have QR codes or analytics?
No. Kort has no QR codes and no detailed analytics. When you make a link while logged in, you see a click count for it on your links page.
Can I move my bit.ly links to Kort?
No. Kort can't take over a bit.ly link. Make a new Kort link and share that one. Links you already shared keep pointing to bit.ly.
What are the Bitly Free plan limits?
As of 12 Oct 2026, Bitly's pricing page lists 5 new links, 3 custom back-halves and 2 QR codes a month, with ads. Plans change, so check Bitly before you decide.