Shlink vs Chhoto URL
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
Chhoto URL
Fast, lightweight and FOSS URL shortener in Rust
| Feature | Shlink | Chhoto URL |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 90 · Excellent | 82 · Excellent |
| Category | URL Shorteners | URL Shorteners |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | PHP | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 5,303 | ★ 978 |
| First released | 2016 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Bitly, Rebrandly | TinyURL, Bitly |
What are Shlink and Chhoto URL?
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
Chhoto URL
Chhoto URL is a simple, fast, and lightweight self-hosted URL shortener written in Rust, forked from Simply Shorten. It uses minimal resources and offers an optional public mode.
- Tiny Rust binary
- SQLite storage
- Optional public mode
- Simple REST API
Shlink vs Chhoto URL: key differences
Shlink is written in PHP, while Chhoto URL is built with Rust. Chhoto URL is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Shlink. Shlink is the more established project (first released 2016), while Chhoto URL arrived in 2023. Shlink has the considerably larger community, at 5,303 GitHub stars versus 978.
Why pick each one
Choose Shlink if…
- Excellent API
- Geolocation analytics
Watch out for
- Web UI is a separate component
Choose Chhoto URL if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Rust
Frequently asked questions
Is Shlink or Chhoto URL better?
Neither is universally better. Shlink has the larger community, while Chhoto URL is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Shlink and Chhoto URL free and open-source?
Yes. Shlink is licensed under MIT and Chhoto URL under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Shlink and Chhoto URL with Docker?
Shlink: yes. Chhoto URL: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Shlink or Chhoto URL?
Chhoto URL has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Shlink. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.