Lstu 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.
| Feature | Lstu | Simply Shorten |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | URL Shorteners | URL Shorteners |
| License | WTFPL | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Perl | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 200 | ★ 100 |
| First released | 2014 | 2020 |
| Replaces | TinyURL, Bitly | TinyURL |
What are Lstu and Simply Shorten?
Lstu
Lstu is a free, lightweight URL shortener written in Perl that focuses on simplicity and privacy. It can shorten links and optionally make them expire after a set time.
- Simple ephemeral links
- Privacy-focused
- Lightweight Perl app
- API support
Simply Shorten
Simply Shorten is a minimal, no-frills self-hosted URL shortener designed to be easy to deploy and use. It provides a clean single-page interface and a small API.
- Minimalist interface
- Single-container deployment
- Small REST API
- No tracking
Lstu vs Simply Shorten: key differences
Lstu is written in Perl, while Simply Shorten is built with Java. Licensing differs — WTFPL for Lstu versus MPL-2.0 for Simply Shorten. Lstu is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Simply Shorten. Lstu is the more established project (first released 2014), while Simply Shorten arrived in 2020. Lstu has the considerably larger community, at 200 GitHub stars versus 100.
Why pick each one
Choose Lstu if…
- Released under the WTFPL license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Perl
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 Lstu or Simply Shorten better?
Neither is universally better. Lstu has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Lstu and Simply Shorten free and open-source?
Yes. Lstu is licensed under WTFPL and Simply Shorten under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Lstu and Simply Shorten with Docker?
Lstu: yes. Simply Shorten: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Lstu or Simply Shorten?
Lstu has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Simply Shorten. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.