Simply Shorten vs YOURLS
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
YOURLS
Your own URL shortener with stats and plugins
| Feature | Simply Shorten | YOURLS |
|---|---|---|
| Category | URL Shorteners | URL Shorteners |
| License | MPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | Java | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 100 | ★ 12,146 |
| First released | 2020 | 2009 |
| 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
Frequently asked questions
Is Simply Shorten or YOURLS better?
Neither is universally better. YOURLS has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Simply Shorten and YOURLS free and open-source?
Yes. Simply Shorten is licensed under MPL-2.0 and YOURLS under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Simply Shorten and YOURLS with Docker?
Simply Shorten: yes. YOURLS: yes.