TrimLink vs Short.io
TrimLink vs Short.io — both ship branded links and click analytics. TrimLink wins on free-tier custom domain access, visitor privacy, and Pro-tier pricing.
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Where TrimLink wins over Short.io
The numbers that change your buy decision. All values verified against Short.io's own pricing page.
$72
less per year on Pro plan ($12 vs $18)
0
tracking cookies on visitors
+30
bonus links per paid referral
Pricing
Pro plan price
Save $72/yr
Entry paid tier
Free custom domains
Free links
Features
QR codes
API access
Privacy
Analytics
Visitor cookies
Growth
Referral rewards
Why TrimLink over Short.io
The specific differences that change the buy decision.
Custom domain on the free tier
Short.io's free plan ships with 0 custom domains — you need their $5/mo Hobby plan to brand any link. TrimLink includes 1 custom domain on free.
No analytics cookies on visitors
Short.io uses standard tracking cookies on the people clicking your links. TrimLink doesn't drop cookies, doesn't fingerprint, doesn't store raw IPs.
Cheaper Pro tier
Short.io Pro is $18/mo. TrimLink Pro is $12/mo with 1,500 links and the same analytics depth (clicks, countries, devices, referrers).
Stackable referral rewards
Every TrimLink user earns extra link capacity by referring friends — +10 per signup, +20 more per paid upgrade. Short.io has no referral mechanic.
The fuller story
Short.io targets marketing teams that want branded short links + click analytics at scale. The product works well and their free tier is generous on raw link volume — but it ships without any custom domain (you need their $5/mo Hobby plan for that), and their analytics posture relies on standard tracking cookies. TrimLink covers the same use case while including a custom domain on free, going cookie-free on visitor analytics, and charging $12/mo at Pro instead of $18.
Coming soon
One-click migration from Short.io is on the way
We're building a bulk-import tool so you can move your existing Short.io links into TrimLink in one upload. Until it ships, your Short.io URLs keep redirecting from Short.io — nothing breaks. Reply to any TrimLink email if you'd like help moving a specific batch in the meantime.
The verdict
Short.io is a fair pick for established marketing teams that want a single dedicated shortener with broad integrations. TrimLink is the better fit when you want a custom domain on the free tier, care about audience privacy (no tracking cookies), or are weighing Pro plans where $12/mo beats $18/mo for the same feature scope.
Common questions
Real questions we get about the Short.io switch.
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Ready to try TrimLink?
Free account, no credit card. Custom domain on the free tier.