Gull vs Simple-URL-Shortener
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted url shorteners options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Gull
Simple, modern URL shortener
VS
Simple-URL-Shortener
KISS URL shortener, public or private (with account)
| Feature | Gull | Simple-URL-Shortener |
|---|---|---|
| Category | URL Shorteners | URL Shorteners |
| License | MPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | Go | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 50 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 37 | ★ 59 |
| First released | 2025 | 2015 |
| Replaces | bitly | — |
Why pick each one
Choose Gull if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- Written in Go
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Choose Simple-URL-Shortener if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Written in PHP
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Gull or Simple-URL-Shortener better?
Neither is universally better. Simple-URL-Shortener has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Gull and Simple-URL-Shortener free and open-source?
Yes. Gull is licensed under MPL-2.0 and Simple-URL-Shortener under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Gull and Simple-URL-Shortener with Docker?
Gull: check the project docs for container support. Simple-URL-Shortener: check the project docs for container support.