Reduced.to vs Shlink
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted url shorteners options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Shlink
The definitive self-hosted URL shortener
| Feature | Reduced.to | Shlink |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 90 · Excellent |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | URL Shorteners | URL Shorteners |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 705 | ★ 5,303 |
| First released | 2022 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Bitly, Rebrandly | Bitly, Rebrandly |
What are Reduced.to and Shlink?
Reduced.to
Reduced.to is an open-source URL shortener and link management platform with real-time analytics, QR codes, and password-protected links. It can be fully self-hosted.
- Real-time link analytics
- QR code generation
- Password-protected links
- Modern web UI
Shlink
Shlink is a self-hosted URL shortener with a powerful REST API, detailed visit analytics, QR codes, and a separate web client. It supports custom domains and tags for organizing links.
- Powerful REST API
- Detailed visit analytics
- QR code generation
- Multi-domain support
Reduced.to vs Shlink: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Reduced.to's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Shlink is actively maintained. Reduced.to is written in TypeScript, while Shlink is built with PHP. Shlink is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Reduced.to. Shlink is the more established project (first released 2016), while Reduced.to arrived in 2022. Shlink has the considerably larger community, at 5,303 GitHub stars versus 705.
Why pick each one
Choose Reduced.to if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in TypeScript
Choose Shlink if…
- Excellent API
- Geolocation analytics
Watch out for
- Web UI is a separate component
Frequently asked questions
Is Reduced.to or Shlink better?
Neither is universally better. Shlink has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Reduced.to and Shlink free and open-source?
Yes. Reduced.to is licensed under MIT and Shlink under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Reduced.to and Shlink with Docker?
Reduced.to: yes. Shlink: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Reduced.to or Shlink?
Shlink has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Reduced.to. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.