Polr 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.
Not the right match-up?
Polr
Quick, modern and open-source link shortener
VS
Shlink Web Client
Web dashboard for managing Shlink instances
| Feature | Polr | Shlink Web Client |
|---|---|---|
| Category | URL Shorteners | URL Shorteners |
| License | GPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | PHP | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 5,097 | ★ 391 |
| First released | 2014 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Bitly | Bitly |
Why pick each one
Choose Polr if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 5.1k GitHub stars
- Written in PHP
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 Polr or Shlink Web Client better?
Neither is universally better. Polr 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 Polr and Shlink Web Client free and open-source?
Yes. Polr is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Shlink Web Client under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Polr and Shlink Web Client with Docker?
Polr: yes. Shlink Web Client: yes.