Kutt vs Shlink
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?
Kutt
Modern open-source URL shortener with analytics
VS
Shlink
The definitive self-hosted URL shortener
| Feature | Kutt | Shlink |
|---|---|---|
| Category | URL Shorteners | URL Shorteners |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 11,015 | ★ 5,192 |
| First released | 2017 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Bitly, TinyURL | Bitly, Rebrandly |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Kutt or Shlink better?
Neither is universally better. Kutt has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Kutt and Shlink free and open-source?
Yes. Kutt is licensed under MIT and Shlink under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Kutt and Shlink with Docker?
Kutt: yes. Shlink: yes.