Chhoto URL 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?
Chhoto URL
Fast, lightweight and FOSS URL shortener in Rust
VS
YOURLS
Your own URL shortener with stats and plugins
| Feature | Chhoto URL | YOURLS |
|---|---|---|
| Category | URL Shorteners | URL Shorteners |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | Rust | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 929 | ★ 12,146 |
| First released | 2023 | 2009 |
| Replaces | TinyURL, Bitly | Bitly |
Why pick each one
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 Chhoto URL 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 Chhoto URL and YOURLS free and open-source?
Yes. Chhoto URL is licensed under MIT and YOURLS under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Chhoto URL and YOURLS with Docker?
Chhoto URL: yes. YOURLS: yes.