Cutt.ly Free Plan in 2026: 30 Links a Month, 30-Day Analytics, and What Happens at Each Limit
Cutt.ly (Cuttly) is free for 30 short links a month, with 1 branded domain, unlimited clicks and 30 days of click history, but no destination edits. Here is every limit, what happens when you hit it, and what paid plans cost.
Yes, Cutt.ly (also written Cuttly) has a free plan that costs $0. It gives you 30 short links and 3 custom endings a month, 1 branded domain, unlimited clicks and 30 days of click history. The link limit resets on the 1st of each month.
The quieter catches matter more: you cannot change where a free link points, and clicks older than 30 days are not kept. Below is every Free plan limit from Cutt.ly's own pages, what happens at each one, and when to pay or switch.
Short answer: Cutt.ly's Free plan gives you 30 short links and 3 custom endings a month, plus 1 branded domain and unlimited clicks. It keeps 30 days of analytics and makes basic QR codes, but you cannot edit a link's destination. Once you use all 30, new links can be blocked until the 1st; paid plans start at $12 a month.
What does Cutt.ly's free plan include in 2026?
Cutt.ly's Free plan includes 30 short links a month, 3 custom endings a month, 1 branded domain and unlimited clicks. You also get 30 days of click charts, one style of QR code, one link-in-bio page, one small survey and API access. Destination edits, link expiry, passwords and CSV export are paid.
Checked 28 October 2026 on Cutt.ly's pricing and plan comparison pages.
| Feature | Free plan |
|---|---|
| Short links | 30 a month, reset on the 1st |
| Custom endings (back-halves) | 3 a month |
| Link clicks | Unlimited |
| Branded domains | 1, without automatic HTTPS |
| Click history | Last 30 days |
| Click charts | Country, device, OS, browser, language, referrer |
| Unique clicks and bot chart | Not included (Single and up) |
| Edit a link's destination | Not included |
| QR codes | One style, no logo; PNG, JPG or WEBP |
| Link-in-bio | 1 page, up to 5 links, on cutt.ly |
| Surveys | 1 survey, 10 responses, open up to 7 days |
| API | 3 calls a minute, 30 cutt.ly links a month |
| Expiry, passwords, mobile redirects, pixels | Not included (Single and up) |
| CSV export of your links | Not included (Single and up) |
What happens when you hit Cutt.ly's free limits?
Cutt.ly's Terms say that when a plan limit is exceeded, "access to the relevant functionality may be blocked." Your existing links keep redirecting, because clicks are unlimited on every plan. The monthly link limit resets on the 1st calendar day, and an upgrade takes effect as soon as payment is credited.
Checked 28 October 2026 on Cutt.ly's pricing page, Terms of Service and API documentation.
| Free limit | Allowance | What happens at the limit |
|---|---|---|
| Short links | 30 a month | New links can be blocked until the 1st of next month |
| Custom endings | 3 a month | Custom endings can be blocked for the rest of the month |
| Click history | 30 days | Older clicks are not saved, and upgrading later does not restore them |
| API speed | 3 calls a minute | Extra calls fail with a too-many-requests error |
| API links | 30 cutt.ly links a month | The API returns status 8, monthly limit reached |
| Branded domains | 1 | A second domain needs Single (up to 5) |
| Link-in-bio | 1 page, 5 links | More needs Single (3 pages, 20 links each) |
| Survey | 10 responses, 7 days | Not stated; Starter allows 3 surveys and 30 responses |
At the API's monthly cap, Cutt.ly's documentation shows the message "You have reached your monthly link limit." Cutt.ly does not say whether deleting a link gives a slot back, so treat each of the 30 as spent once used.
What are the catches on Cutt.ly's free plan?
The biggest catch is that you cannot change where a free link points. Click history also stops at 30 days and is not restored when you upgrade. The free branded domain lacks automatic HTTPS, and custom endings, QR codes and link controls are basic.
1. You cannot change where a free link points
Cutt.ly's plan table marks destination editing as unavailable on Free. Starter and Single allow edits only to a URL on the same domain. Editing to any URL starts on Team, at $99 a month.
This hurts most with QR codes. Cutt.ly's help center says a QR code keeps working when you change its short link's target, but Free cannot change it. A printed free QR code stays tied to its first destination.
2. Click history stops at 30 days, and upgrading does not bring it back
Free and Starter keep only the last 30 days of clicks. Cutt.ly's pricing page says "only the last 30 days are saved" until you subscribe, and longer history starts the day you pay.
Free accounts cannot export links or download PDF click reports, so note any numbers you need each month.
3. The free branded domain has no automatic HTTPS
Free includes 1 branded domain, but one-click HTTPS through Let's Encrypt needs at least the Single plan. On Free, the domain runs on plain HTTP or on a certificate you set up elsewhere, such as Cloudflare. Root and 404 redirects and branded links through the API also need a paid plan.
4. Three custom endings a month go fast
A custom ending is the part after the slash, as in cutt.ly/spring-sale. Free allows 3 a month and Starter 30, while Single and above are unlimited. On the shared cutt.ly domain, an ending must not already be taken by another user.
5. Basic QR codes, and two quieter rules
Free QR codes come in one style, with no custom colors, logo or SVG download. Links shortened while logged out cannot be deleted later. Cutt.ly's Terms also let it disable links that redirect more than once, except affiliate tracking links.
How much does Cutt.ly cost in 2026?
Cutt.ly's paid plans cost $12 a month for Starter, $25 for Single, $99 for Team and $149 for Team Enterprise. Paying yearly saves one month, so Starter is $132 a year. Cutt.ly's Terms say prices are in US dollars and already include 23% VAT.
Checked 28 October 2026 on cutt.ly/pro-pricing.
| Plan | Price a month (yearly) | Short links a month |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 30 |
| Starter | $12 ($132 a year) | 300 |
| Single | $25 ($275 a year) | 5,000 |
| Team | $99 ($1,089 a year) | 20,000 |
| Team Enterprise | $149 ($1,639 a year) | 50,000 |
| Custom | Contact sales, billed annually | Custom |
Click history is 30 days on Free and Starter, 1 year on Single, and 2 years on both Team plans. You can cancel any time and keep paid features until the period ends, and downgrades also wait for the period to end.
What each paid step adds:
- Starter ($12): 300 links and 30 custom endings a month, same-domain destination edits and 6 API calls a minute. Still 1 domain.
- Single ($25): 5 domains with Let's Encrypt HTTPS, unlimited custom endings and a year of history. It adds expiry, passwords, mobile redirects, pixels, SVG QR codes and CSV export.
- Team ($99): 10 domains, edits to any URL, deep links, campaign analytics, and 3 teams of up to 5 members.
- Team Enterprise ($149): 99 domains, 10 teams of up to 20 members, and single sign-on (SSO).
What does Cutt.ly do well?
Cutt.ly's strength is breadth on a free account. One login gives you short links, a branded domain, QR codes, a link-in-bio page, a survey, a UTM builder and API access. Clicks are unlimited, links do not expire, and Cutt.ly says it does not show ads on redirects.
- Clean redirects. Its help center says it "does not display any advertisements and does not slow down redirections."
- Links that last. Cutt.ly says short links do not expire and stay active until you delete them.
- More than links. Link-in-bio pages, surveys and a UTM generator come with every plan.
- Automation. All plans include API access, and its integrations page lists Zapier, Make, Zoho Flow, Pabbly Connect and Pipedream.
- Safety tools. Cutt.ly says it blocks phishing and spam links. Visitors can turn on a preview mode that shows a link's destination first.
- Security and SMS compliance. Two-step login works on every plan. From Single, Cutt.ly offers TRAI headers for SMS links sent in India.
How does Cutt.ly's free link limit compare with other free plans?
Cutt.ly's 30 links a month is more than Dub's 25 or Rebrandly's 10. Short.io gives 1,000 branded links up front, but that is a lifetime total, not a monthly one. FattyURL sets no monthly or total cap and limits only how fast you create links.
Checked 28 October 2026 on each provider's own pricing page.
| Free plan | Link limit | Links in a year |
|---|---|---|
| Cutt.ly | 30 a month | 360 |
| Dub | 25 new links a month | 300 |
| Rebrandly | 10 a month | 120 |
| Short.io | 1,000 branded links in total | 1,000 for the life of the account |
| FattyURL | No monthly or total cap | Rate-limited: up to 1,000 a day with a verified account |
This table leaves out Bitly and TinyURL, which have their own guides: what Bitly's free plan allows and whether TinyURL is really free. For the wider field, see our comparison of the best free URL shorteners.
What are the best free Cutt.ly alternatives?
The best alternative depends on which Cutt.ly limit you hit. FattyURL suits high volume and editable links, while Short.io and Dub give you more free branded domains. If you also need free link-in-bio pages and surveys, Cutt.ly is still the better fit.
Checked 28 October 2026. FattyURL is our own product.
| If you need | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| More than 30 free links a month | FattyURL | No monthly or total cap; a verified account can create 1,000 links a day |
| To change a link after printing its QR code | FattyURL | Free accounts can edit destinations, and each scan counts as a click |
| More than 30 days of free click history | FattyURL | Free accounts chart clicks over 7, 30, 90 or 365 days |
| Several free branded domains | Short.io or Dub | Short.io: 5 domains, 1,000 links in total. Dub: 3 domains, 25 new links a month |
| Links, link-in-bio and a survey in one free account | Stay on Cutt.ly | All three are on its Free plan |
| No account at all | FattyURL | Shorten a link or make a QR code without signing up; those links expire after 30 days with no click |
Be clear about the trade-offs. Free FattyURL links may show ads; links on a paid plan never do. FattyURL's custom domains and API start on Pro at $9 a month, and it has no link-in-bio pages, surveys, team workspaces or integrations.
Full limits and prices are in our guides to Short.io's free plan, Dub's free plan and Rebrandly's free plan.
Should you stay on Cutt.ly, upgrade or switch?
Stay on Free if you create 30 or fewer links a month and never need to change a destination. Upgrade to Single when you need automatic HTTPS on your own domain or a year of history. Switch when the monthly cap or the edit lock is the limit that hurts.
- Stay on Free if 30 links and 30 days of data are enough, and you want link-in-bio and a survey in the same account.
- Pick Starter ($12) if you need up to 300 links a month and only change destinations within the same website.
- Pick Single ($25) for automatic HTTPS on your domain, a year of history, expiring or password links, or SVG QR codes.
- Switch if you need more than 30 free links a month, free edits for printed QR codes, or longer free click history.
To try the switch, you can shorten a link or make a QR code on FattyURL without an account. Create a free account first if you want to edit links later and see their clicks.
FAQ
Is Cutt.ly free?
Yes. The Free plan costs $0 and includes 30 short links a month, 1 branded domain, unlimited clicks and 30 days of analytics. Paid plans start at $12 a month.
How many links can I shorten on Cutt.ly for free?
Thirty a month, reset on the 1st calendar day of each month. Only 3 can have a custom ending, and the API allows 30 cutt.ly links a month.
Do Cutt.ly links expire?
No. Cutt.ly says short links stay active until deleted, though its Terms let it disable links that break its rules. Links on your own domain also need that domain to stay registered and connected.
Can I use my own domain on Cutt.ly's free plan?
Yes, one domain. Automatic HTTPS through Let's Encrypt needs the Single plan, so on Free you use plain HTTP or your own certificate.
Can I change where a Cutt.ly link points?
Not on Free. Starter and Single allow same-domain changes only, and Team plans allow any URL. QR codes keep working after a change, as long as the short link's ending stays the same.
What is the best free alternative to Cutt.ly?
It depends on the limit you hit. FattyURL suits high volume and editable links, though its free links may show ads. Short.io and Dub suit several free branded domains.
Sources
- Cutt.ly pricing and plan limits, read 28 October 2026
- Cutt.ly plan feature comparison, read 28 October 2026
- Cutt.ly Terms of Service (updated 19 May 2026), read 28 October 2026
- Cutt.ly support center and FAQ, read 28 October 2026
- Cutt.ly homepage FAQ, read 28 October 2026
- Cutt.ly: SSL and HTTPS for a custom domain, read 28 October 2026
- Cutt.ly: QR code and changing the target link, read 28 October 2026
- Cutt.ly Regular API documentation, read 28 October 2026
- Cutt.ly integrations, read 28 October 2026
- Cutt.ly: Is Cuttly safe?, read 28 October 2026
- Cutt.ly preview mode, read 28 October 2026
- Dub pricing for links, read 28 October 2026
- Short.io pricing, read 28 October 2026
- Rebrandly pricing, read 28 October 2026
- FattyURL pricing, read 28 October 2026
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not legal or security advice. It was researched and drafted with the help of AI, and its facts were checked against the sources linked above, mostly each provider's own pricing, help and policy pages. URL shorteners, QR code tools and social platforms change their plans, prices and rules often, so confirm the details on the provider's website before you choose a plan, move your links or print a QR code. FattyURL is our own product. Spotted something out of date, or a FattyURL link being misused? Tell us and we will act on it.
