Shlink 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.
Shlink
The definitive self-hosted URL shortener
VS
Shlink Web Client
Web dashboard for managing Shlink instances
| Feature | Shlink | Shlink Web Client |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 90 · Excellent | 78 · Good |
| Category | URL Shorteners | URL Shorteners |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | PHP | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 5,303 | ★ 398 |
| First released | 2016 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Bitly, Rebrandly | Bitly |
What are Shlink and Shlink Web Client?
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
Shlink Web Client
Shlink Web Client is the official browser-based interface for managing one or more Shlink servers. It provides link creation, analytics dashboards, and tag management.
- Manage multiple Shlink servers
- Visual analytics dashboards
- Tag and domain management
- No backend of its own
Shlink vs Shlink Web Client: key differences
Shlink is written in PHP, while Shlink Web Client is built with TypeScript. Shlink Web Client is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Shlink. Shlink is the more established project (first released 2016), while Shlink Web Client arrived in 2018. Shlink has the considerably larger community, at 5,303 GitHub stars versus 398.
Why pick each one
Choose Shlink if…
- Excellent API
- Geolocation analytics
Watch out for
- Web UI is a separate component
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 Shlink or Shlink Web Client better?
Neither is universally better. Shlink 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 Shlink and Shlink Web Client free and open-source?
Yes. Shlink is licensed under MIT and Shlink Web Client under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Shlink and Shlink Web Client with Docker?
Shlink: yes. Shlink Web Client: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Shlink or Shlink Web Client?
Shlink Web Client has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Shlink. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.