ing and Alternatives for Bitly API

The Bitly API allows developers to interact programmatically with the Bitly platform for URL shortening, link management and other services.

Bitly is a recognized service for URL shortening, link management and brand recognition. Both platforms provide a suite of services that are aimed at meeting the same basic needs, but with some key differences.

Bitly and Rebrandly offer APIs to developers that enable them to integrate features for link management into their applications. These APIs provide users with powerful analytics, dynamic link generation and link customization. Bitly is a good option if you are looking for a simple link shortener. Rebrandly’s API, on the other hand, offers more advanced capabilities like the ability of altering destination URLs after creation. This may be better suited to your needs if you are looking for branded links.

This article will give an overview of Bitly, its API and compare them to other options on the market.

Best Bitly Alternate

The best Bitly alternative is determined by a comparison of the features and pricing. We explore the best contenders that offer exceptional value and functionality.

Rebranding

Rebrandly’s API is a great alternative to Bitly API, offering features to meet both basic and advanced link management requirements.

Rebrandly is unique in its versatility. It can power complex SMS campaigns, such as those for major industries such as telecommunications or airlines, and ensure compliance with data privacy standards like CCPA and SOC2.

The API has been designed to be user-friendly and easy to implement. This makes it accessible to businesses of any size who want to enhance their brand by using smart link management.

Features Main:

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  Branded short domains: Customize links with brand names to ensure that every URL has your unique signature.
  
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  Comprehensive link analytics: Measure the performance of shared links, analyze audience interaction and adjust your outreach strategies using real-time data.
  
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  API for developers: Integrate shortening and link management functionalities into your existing workflows or applications. This flexible API allows for custom integration to meet a variety of business requirements.
  
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  Multidomain Hosting: Manage and secure custom domains to your brand links all from one platform.
  
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  Collaboration tools: Share access and manage roles to ensure everyone is on the same page.
  

Bitly Features

We compare Bitly’s features with Rebrandly.

URL Shortening

Bitly’s URL Shortening feature lets users transform long URLs to concise and more manageable links. This is done by sending a request POST to the Bitly API. Rebrandly also offers this feature, but with a more intuitive interface. Some users may find it to be a better option.

Sending a POST to the API using the URL as the parameter is the process. The API will then return a link that can be embedded or shared. This not only helps save space, but also improves the user experience because it makes links easier to manage and more appealing.

Custom Link

Bitly’s API allows users to create custom links by specifying keywords or aliases as part of a POST. Rebrandly API offers the same capability of creating custom, branded URLs. Rebrandly is unique in that it offers a wide range of customizations and flexibility programmatically. This makes it easier for developers align URLs with brand identity.

Link Analytics

The API allows users to collect metrics about link performance. By sending a GET Request to the Bitly API, users can get insights into metrics such as click-through rates and geographic locations.

Rebrandly provides similar analytical capabilities, but with a dashboard some users find easier to understand and more visually appealing.

These analytics provide valuable information to assess the success of campaigns, understand audience engagement and make informed decisions about optimizing link-sharing strategies.

Link preview and information

The Bitly API provides preview functionality for links, which allows developers to create previews of shortened URLs. This feature is accessed by sending a GET Request to the API, with the short URL as a parameter. The API will return information about the linked page, including its title description and thumbnail image.

Although useful, this type functionality has become standard across most link-management tools.

Link management

Bitly offers a way to manage your collection of shortened URLs. You can interact with the Bitly API to pull information about existing links, change their properties and remove them if necessary.

Rebrandly also offers a comprehensive set of tools for managing links. Rebrandly’s intuitive interface is what sets it apart. It allows users to manage multiple links at once with ease.

Integration Potentials

The API is compatible with a wide range of platforms and applications, including social media management services as well as email marketing. The API is versatile, allowing developers to take advantage of features such as URL shortening and custom short links.

Rebrandly offers a similar range of integration options. Rebrandly’s main advantage is its ease of implementation. Even those without a tech background report that Rebrandly integration is incredibly easy. This ease of use allows for a quicker and smoother transition to new or existing workflows.

Data Export and Import

Bitly’s API allows users to import and export data. This allows them to integrate URLs and campaigns from other systems into Bitly while exporting useful metrics for analysis.

Rebrandly, on the other hand, excels in this field by providing a frictionless experience for data transfer. Users praise the platform for its ability to sync data quickly and easily across multiple tools, allowing them to centralize link data and analyze it.

Documentation for APIs

Bitly offers extensive documentation to help users get up to speed quickly with API integration. The guides are comprehensive, covering everything from authentication to endpoints. They aim to provide developers with the information they need to integrate successfully. Rebrandly’s documentation is also praised for its user-friendliness. It offers real-world examples, step-by-step guides and goes beyond technical jargon.

How To Integrate Link Management Tool

Integration of link management tools such as Bitly and Rebrandly in your workflow can streamline your branding efforts and track your progress. Here’s a guide to leveraging their respective APIs.

How To Leverage Bitly’s API

You’ll need to create a Bitly Account and then generate an API Access Token from the Bitly Dashboard. This generic token is required to authenticate your requests. The API offers features such as link shortening and preview, detailed analytics, etc. Interact with the API using simple HTTP methods such as GET, DELETE, and POST. Bitly offers extensive documentation that will help you seamlessly integrate its features in your application.

How To Leverage Rebrandly’s API

Rebrandly is a similar API, but the integration process is even easier. It’s often cited for its friendly documentation span size=”font weight: 400 ;”>.

You’ll receive an API key after registering for Rebrandly. This will be used to authorize your application. Rebrandly API allows you to create custom links, get analytics and change destination URLs after creation. This feature is not found in many other tools. Rebrandly’s various functionalities can be achieved using HTTP methods such as GET, POST and PATCH. This makes it a flexible and compelling option for advanced link management.

Payment Plans

Bitly has a number of different pricing plans to meet the needs of individuals and large businesses. API access is different across plans. We will explain this below.

Free Plan

This plan is designed for new users who are not familiar with URL shortener and link management tools. This package is free and allows you to familiarize yourself with Bitly’s core features. It allows:

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  2 QR codes per month
  
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  10 links/month
  
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  1 Link-in-bio page
  

Additional Features

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  5 Custom Back-Hallves
  
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  Download PNG and JPEG QR codes
  
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  UTM Build
  

API Access: Limitation of 1,000 API Requests per Month.

Rebrandly offers a free plan that includes 25 branded links each month, a custom domain and essential link analytics. It also has a built-in UTM generator. QR codes round out the feature-rich, free offering.

Rebrandly is a good option if you want more flexibility without any costs.

Core

The Core plan is $8 per month and $96 annually. This plan is for users looking for more features. It includes everything in the Free Plan plus:

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  5 QR codes per month
  
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  100 links/month
  

Additional Features

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  QR code customizations
  
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  30 Days of Click & Scan Data
  
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  QR Code & Link Redirects
  

API Access: Limited API Requests per Month to 5,000.

Growth

The GROWTH package is priced at $29 per monthly with an annual fee of $348. It caters to businesses and individuals that are growing or who require more advanced features. Package includes:

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  10 QR Codes/month
  
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  500 links/month
  

Additional Features

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  Custom domain
  
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  Download additional QR code formats
  
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  Click & Scan data for 4 months
  
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  Bulk Link Shortening
  

API Access : Limited API Requests per Month to 25,001 API Requests.

Premium

The PREMIUM plan costs $199 per month and $2,388 annually for users who need a full set of features. This plan is designed for professionals or businesses with high-level requirements. It includes:

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  200 QR codes/month
  
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  3,000 links/month
  

Additional Features

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  One year of Click & Scan Data
  
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  Custom campaign-level tracking
  
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  City-level & device type click & scan data
  
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  Mobile deep linking
  

API Access: Limited API Requests per Month to 50,000.

Enterprise

Bitly provides a high-end enterprise solution for businesses and organizations that have substantial requirements. This plan can be customized to your needs. You can “Get A Quote” and get a price for it. This plan builds on the PREMIUM by providing:

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  Multiple user seats
  
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  Group Permissions
  
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  At scale link generation
  
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  Uptime SLA of 99.9%
  
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  Account manager support
  

Additional Features

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  Custom pricing
  
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  QR Codes 10k+ per month
  
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  10k+ links/month
  
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  1 Link-in-bio page per group
  

API access: Customizable up to 150,000 API requests per month.

Rebrandly’s scalable API solutions can be easily integrated with your existing tech stack even if your company is not tech-savvy. Rebrandly is not only a strong competitor but also an alternative for businesses and organizations that have more demanding needs in terms of link management.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked Bitly API questions and their alternatives.

Does Bitly offer an API?

Bitly does offer an API to developers that allows them to integrate Bitly’s features for managing and shortening custom domain links into their services and applications. The API allows Bitly to provide personalized custom domains with tracking and link shortening.

Bitly offers a robust link shortening service and is great for general purpose use. However, for enterprise-level needs such as hosting several domains and compliance with regulations, like GDPR, SOC2, CCPA and CCPA, Rebrandly may be the better option.

What is Bitly API used for?

The Bitly API allows external applications to integrate Bitly’s tracking, analytics, and link shortening capabilities. It allows developers automate link management and retrieve click metrics. They can also create shortened URLs programmatically.

Is Bitly API Free?

Bitly has both free and paid plans to use their API. The plan you select can affect the features available and the usage allowed. For the latest information about API pricing and usage, it’s best to contact Bitly support or visit their website.

What are the limitations of Bitly API?

API restrictions can include rate limitations on API requests, usage limits for short links and data retrieval based on subscription levels, as well as possible restrictions on click data or URL blacklisting. Bitly’s documentation and support resources are the best sources for current information.

What is the function of link shorteners?

Link shorteners such as Rebrandly or Bitly convert a long URL into a more manageable, shorter URL. These short URLs redirect back to the original URL making it easy to share cumbersome and long links. These shortened URLs allow you to track click-through rates and geographic data.

Can I bulk-shorten URLs?

Yes, APIs allow you to shorten several URLs with a single request. This feature is especially useful for developers or businesses who need to manage large numbers of links efficiently.

Author: Josh Fechter