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.
Shlink
The definitive self-hosted URL shortener
VS
Sink
Serverless URL shortener with built-in analytics
| Feature | Shlink | Sink |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | ≈5-minute setup |
| Health score | 90 · Excellent | 91 · Excellent |
| 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 | ★ 5,303 | ★ 7,155 |
| First released | 2016 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Bitly, Rebrandly | Bitly |
What are Shlink and Sink?
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
Sink
Sink is a fast and minimal URL shortener built to run on Cloudflare Workers and KV but also self-hostable. It includes link analytics powered by an analytics engine.
- Built-in link analytics
- Minimal fast redirects
- Edge deployment
- Clean dashboard
Shlink vs Sink: key differences
Shlink is written in PHP, while Sink is built with Vue. Sink 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 Sink arrived in 2024. Shlink lists first-class Docker deployment; Sink does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Shlink if…
- Excellent API
- Geolocation analytics
Watch out for
- Web UI is a separate component
Choose Sink if…
- Released under the MIT license
- One-click install on common self-host platforms
- Mature project with 7.2k 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.
Which is lighter on resources, Shlink or Sink?
Sink 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.