Best URL Shortener to Make Money: Boost Your Earnings with the Right Link Shortening Tools

Mar 10, 2025 - 17:35

n today’s digital world, finding new ways to monetize your online presence is more important than ever. One of the easiest yet most overlooked methods is using a URL shortener to make money. Whether you're an affiliate marketer, blogger, influencer, or content creator, shortening your links can help you earn passive income while making your URLs more appealing and user-friendly.

In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the best URL shorteners that can help you make money online, such as Bitly URL shortener, free URL shorteners, and others. By the end, you’ll have the knowledge you need to pick the right tool to boost your income and improve your online marketing efforts.

What is a URL Shortener and How Can It Help You Make Money?

A URL shortener is a tool that converts long, complex URLs into shorter, easier-to-share versions. This not only makes your links more user-friendly but also provides opportunities for tracking and monetizing them.

A good URL shortener can help you with several aspects of online business, including:

Link Management: Keep track of all the links you share and optimize your strategies.
Monetization: Some URL shorteners allow you to earn money for every click on your shortened links.
Affiliate Marketing: If you’re into affiliate marketing, shortening your affiliate links can increase their appeal and click-through rate (CTR), leading to higher commissions.
Analytics: Most URL shorteners provide data on how well your links are performing, allowing you to improve your marketing efforts.

Now let’s take a look at some of the top URL shorteners that can help you make money.

Best URL Shorteners to Make Money

There are several tools available that help you monetize your links while keeping them short and easy to share. Here’s a look at some of the best URL shorteners to make money:

1. Bitly URL Shortener

Bitly is one of the most popular URL shorteners and is used by a range of professionals, from businesses to content creators. Here’s why it’s one of the best URL shorteners to make money:

Advanced Analytics: Bitly provides in-depth analytics, such as the number of clicks, location of your audience, device used, and more. This data allows you to fine-tune your marketing strategy for higher engagement and conversions.
Monetization Options: Bitly offers options to shorten affiliate links and track their performance. You can also customize the link with your own branded domain, increasing the trust and recognition of your links.
Link Customization: One of the standout features of Bitly is the ability to create branded short links. This increases your link's credibility and enhances the chance of your audience clicking through.
Pro and Enterprise Features: While Bitly offers a free plan, the paid plans provide more robust features like link management, team collaboration, and enhanced analytics.

For professionals and businesses looking to make money with URL links, Bitly is a powerful tool that combines ease of use with in-depth features.

2. Adf.ly - The Paid URL Shortener

Adf.ly is one of the few URL shorteners that allows you to directly earn money from clicks. Here's how it works:

Earn Per Click: With Adf.ly, every time someone clicks on your shortened link, they are shown an advertisement before they are redirected to the original link. This ad display generates revenue, which is then shared with you.
Simple Setup: You don’t need a complex setup to start earning money. Simply shorten your links and share them on social media, blogs, or websites. The more clicks, the more money you make.
Minimum Payout: Adf.ly has a low payout threshold, which makes it easy for you to cash out your earnings once you've reached the minimum amount.

Although the revenue per click is relatively low, Adf.ly can still be a viable way to make money with URL shorteners by generating consistent traffic.

3. TinyURL

TinyURL is a classic URL shortener that has been around for many years. While it doesn’t directly offer monetization features like Adf.ly, it’s still a fantastic tool for affiliate marketers:

Quick and Easy: TinyURL allows you to quickly shorten your links, and it doesn’t require an account to get started. This makes it an ideal choice for anyone looking to shorten affiliate links for quick sharing.
Free to Use: TinyURL is completely free, so if you’re just getting started and need a reliable tool for shortening links, it’s a great choice.
Use for Affiliate Marketing: While you won’t make money directly from the TinyURL platform, shortening your affiliate links with TinyURL and sharing them on social media or email campaigns can still increase your conversion rate, helping you earn more commissions.

If you want a free URL shortener that’s easy to use and perfect for affiliate links, TinyURL is a solid choice.

4. Rebrandly - Branded Link Shortener for Marketers

Rebrandly is a premium URL shortener designed with marketers in mind. Here’s why it’s one of the best URL shorteners to make money:

Custom Domains: Rebrandly allows you to create branded short links using your own custom domain. This gives your links a professional look and increases the trust factor for your audience.
Analytics and Link Management: Rebrandly provides advanced tracking features, so you can analyze how your links are performing and optimize your campaigns for better results.
Link Monetization: While Rebrandly doesn’t offer the same type of direct monetization as Adf.ly, you can use it to shorten affiliate links or promote digital products. The customization and professional look of your links can increase engagement, leading to higher commissions or sales.

Rebrandly is one of the best URL shorteners to make money for marketers who want to improve their branding and track their link performance with advanced features.

5. BL.INK - Link Management for Business Growth

BL.INK is a professional URL shortener that offers a comprehensive suite of tools for businesses and marketers. Here’s why it’s great for monetizing your links:

Branded Links: Like Rebrandly, BL.INK allows you to create custom-branded links that align with your business, helping to increase trust and improve your branding.
Detailed Analytics: BL.INK offers powerful analytics that show you detailed information about the performance of your links, including geographic location, device used, and more. This allows you to tailor your marketing efforts for better conversion.
Integrations: BL.INK integrates with many marketing and analytics platforms, so you can manage your links in one place and sync data with your other tools.

For businesses that want to manage large-scale campaigns and monetize URL shorteners, BL.INK is a top-tier option.

How to Make Money Using URL Shorteners

Now that you know which URL shorteners can help you make money, let’s explore a few strategies to maximize your earnings:

1. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketers can benefit greatly from URL shorteners. By shortening affiliate links, you create cleaner, more appealing links that are easier to share across platforms. Custom short links increase trust and conversions, leading to higher commissions on sales.

2. Paid-to-Click (PTC) Networks

Platforms like Adf.ly allow you to earn money from clicks on your shortened links. When users click on your link, they are shown an ad before reaching their destination, and you earn money each time the ad is viewed. This is a great way to generate passive income with minimal effort.

3. Social Media Promotion

Social media is an excellent platform for URL shorteners. Share your shortened links in your posts, stories, or ads to track clicks and improve conversions. Using custom links helps build brand credibility and trust, encouraging more clicks.

4. Sell Digital Products

If you sell digital products such as e-books, online courses, or software, URL shorteners can help you promote your products effectively. Share shortened links to product pages or landing pages and track how well they perform.

5. Content Marketing

If you run a blog or website, use shortened links to drive traffic to affiliate products, sponsored content, or other monetized pages. Shortened links are cleaner and more user-friendly, which can increase your CTR and generate more revenue.

Best Practices for Using URL Shorteners to Make Money

To get the most out of your URL shorteners, follow these best practices:

Track Performance: Always monitor how your links are performing with the analytics tools offered by your URL shortener. This will help you refine your strategy and optimize your campaigns.
Avoid Overuse: Don’t overwhelm your audience with too many shortened links. Use them strategically in contexts where they add value to your content.
Be Transparent: If you’re using affiliate links, always disclose that to your audience. Transparency helps build trust and ensures compliance with legal requirements.
Share Across Multiple Platforms: Share your shortened links across different platforms, such as social media, blogs, and email marketing campaigns. The more places you share, the more likely you are to drive traffic and generate revenue.

Conclusion

The best URL shortener to make money isn’t just about shortening links – it’s about using the right tool to increase engagement, track performance, and monetize your links. Whether you choose Bitly, Adf.ly, Rebrandly, or