Questions and answers
How Kort works, what it costs and what we keep.
What is Kort?
Kort is a free URL shortener. Paste a long link and get a short one that opens the same page. Random 5-character links need no account. Log in with Google to pick your own code.
Is Kort free?
Yes. Every link is free. Random 5-character links and codes you choose yourself (6 to 20 characters) have no end date. The shortest codes (2, 3 or 4 characters) are free for a while at a time, so everyone gets a turn.
Why are some codes short and time-limited?
Each extra character makes 33 times more codes. There are only 1,089 codes with 2 characters, 35,937 with 3 and 1,185,921 with 4, so nobody can keep one forever. A 2-character code lasts 1 hour. A 3-character code lasts up to 3 days. A 4-character code lasts 30 days, and you can renew it for up to 1 year in all.
What happens when a short code ends?
The link stops working. Anyone who opens it sees a page saying it has ended, and when the code is free again. The code then rests for a while. After that, anyone can claim it.
What does "resting" mean?
Resting is a waiting time after a short code ends. Nobody can claim the code while it rests, and that includes the person who had it. It lasts 1 day for a 2-character code, 7 days for a 3-character code and 30 days for a 4-character code. This way, people with the old link don't end up on someone else's page, and nobody can hold a code forever by claiming it again straight away.
Why are 5-character links random?
Codes with 5 characters are for everyone, with no account, so we pick them for you. We choose each character at random from 33 letters and numbers, so every code is as likely as any other and nobody can grab the good ones. To choose the code yourself, use 6 to 20 characters.
How do I get my own short code?
Log in with Google, then open Find a short code. Type the code you want to see if it's free, then claim it. Codes of 2, 3 or 4 characters are free for a while. Codes of 6 to 20 characters have no end date. Codes use 33 letters and numbers. We leave out o, i and l because they look like 0 and 1, so a typed o counts as 0, and i or l counts as 1.
What are one-letter links, and what is the waitlist?
A one-letter link has just one character after the slash, so it is as short as a link gets. There are only 33 of them, one for each of our 33 letters and numbers, and they are not open yet. Join the waitlist with your email and the character you want. We use your email to tell you when one-letter links open. Joining does not hold a character for you.
How do you deal with scam links?
We check new links against Google Web Risk, which lists unsafe sites, and we refuse links on that list. Bot checks and rate limits slow down people who flood the service. If a short link sends people to a scam, malware or spam, use Report a link in the footer. We review reports and switch off links that break our terms. A switched-off link shows a warning instead of the page.
What data do you keep?
We keep the links you make: the long link, the short code, how many times it was opened and, if you were logged in, your account. We never store IP addresses as they are. We keep a hash instead, a scrambled version we can't turn back into your address, to apply limits and spot abuse. Google sign-in shares your name and email with us, and we keep both. We use cookies only to keep you logged in and to carry the Google sign-in step, and no tracking or advertising cookies. The privacy page has the full list.