Reduced.to vs Slash
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted url shorteners options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Slash
Open-source, self-hosted bookmarks and link shortener
| Feature | Reduced.to | Slash |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 69 · Good |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | URL Shorteners | URL Shorteners |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 705 | ★ 3,181 |
| First released | 2022 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Bitly, Rebrandly | Bitly, go links |
What are Reduced.to and Slash?
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
Slash
Slash is an open-source, self-hosted platform for sharable links and bookmarks. It lets teams create short, memorable links and organize collections of resources.
- Shareable short links
- Bookmark collections
- Team workspaces
- Browser extension
Reduced.to vs Slash: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Reduced.to's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Slash is actively maintained. Both projects are written in TypeScript. Slash is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Reduced.to. Slash has the considerably larger community, at 3,181 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 Slash if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3.2k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is Reduced.to or Slash better?
Slash is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Reduced.to if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Reduced.to and Slash free and open-source?
Yes. Reduced.to is licensed under MIT and Slash under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Reduced.to and Slash with Docker?
Reduced.to: yes. Slash: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Reduced.to or Slash?
Slash 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.