Dub vs Shlink Web Client
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted url shorteners options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Dub
Open-source link management platform
VS
Shlink Web Client
Web dashboard for managing Shlink instances
| Feature | Dub | Shlink Web Client |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 96 · Excellent | 78 · Good |
| Category | URL Shorteners | URL Shorteners |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 24,809 | ★ 398 |
| First released | 2022 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Bitly, Rebrandly | Bitly |
What are Dub and Shlink Web Client?
Dub
Dub is a modern, open-source link management platform for creating branded short links with advanced analytics, QR codes, and team collaboration. It can be self-hosted with Docker.
- Branded short links
- Advanced click analytics
- QR code generation
- Team workspaces
Shlink Web Client
Shlink Web Client is the official browser-based interface for managing one or more Shlink servers. It provides link creation, analytics dashboards, and tag management.
- Manage multiple Shlink servers
- Visual analytics dashboards
- Tag and domain management
- No backend of its own
Dub vs Shlink Web Client: key differences
Both projects are written in TypeScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Dub versus MIT for Shlink Web Client. Shlink Web Client is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Dub. Shlink Web Client is the more established project (first released 2018), while Dub arrived in 2022. Dub has the considerably larger community, at 24,809 GitHub stars versus 398.
Why pick each one
Choose Dub if…
- Polished modern UI
- Powerful analytics
Watch out for
- Complex self-hosting setup
Choose Shlink Web Client if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in TypeScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Dub or Shlink Web Client better?
Neither is universally better. Dub has the larger community, while Shlink Web Client is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Dub and Shlink Web Client free and open-source?
Yes. Dub is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Shlink Web Client under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Dub and Shlink Web Client with Docker?
Dub: yes. Shlink Web Client: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Dub or Shlink Web Client?
Shlink Web Client has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Dub. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.