Simply Shorten 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?
Simply Shorten
Slimline self-hosted URL shortener with no bloat
VS
Sink
Serverless URL shortener with built-in analytics
| Feature | Simply Shorten | Sink |
|---|---|---|
| Category | URL Shorteners | URL Shorteners |
| License | MPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | Java | Vue |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker | source, one-click |
| GitHub stars | ★ 100 | ★ 7,000 |
| First released | 2020 | 2024 |
| Replaces | TinyURL | Bitly |
Why pick each one
Choose Simply Shorten if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Java
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 Simply Shorten or Sink better?
Neither is universally better. Sink has the larger community, while Simply Shorten is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Simply Shorten and Sink free and open-source?
Yes. Simply Shorten is licensed under MPL-2.0 and Sink under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Simply Shorten and Sink with Docker?
Simply Shorten: yes. Sink: check the project docs for container support.