Kutt vs Simply Shorten
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
Simply Shorten
Slimline self-hosted URL shortener with no bloat
| Feature | Kutt | Simply Shorten |
|---|---|---|
| Category | URL Shorteners | URL Shorteners |
| License | MIT | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 11,015 | ★ 100 |
| First released | 2017 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Bitly, TinyURL | TinyURL |
Why pick each one
Choose Simply Shorten if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Java
Frequently asked questions
Is Kutt or Simply Shorten better?
Neither is universally better. Kutt has the larger community, while Simply Shorten is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Kutt and Simply Shorten free and open-source?
Yes. Kutt is licensed under MIT and Simply Shorten under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Kutt and Simply Shorten with Docker?
Kutt: yes. Simply Shorten: yes.