Shlink vs Sink
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?
Shlink
The definitive self-hosted URL shortener
VS
Sink
Serverless URL shortener with built-in analytics
| Feature | Shlink | Sink |
|---|---|---|
| Category | URL Shorteners | URL Shorteners |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | PHP | Vue |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal | source, one-click |
| GitHub stars | ★ 5,192 | ★ 7,000 |
| First released | 2016 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Bitly, Rebrandly | Bitly |
Why pick each one
Choose Sink if…
- Released under the MIT license
- One-click install on common self-host platforms
- Mature project with 7k GitHub stars
- Written in Vue
Frequently asked questions
Is Shlink or Sink better?
Neither is universally better. Sink has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Shlink and Sink free and open-source?
Yes. Shlink is licensed under MIT and Sink under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Shlink and Sink with Docker?
Shlink: yes. Sink: check the project docs for container support.