The Best URL Shortener to Help You Shorten Long Links

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Pretty Links: The All‑In‑One URL‑Management Power‑Tool for WordPress

If you spend even a few minutes a day juggling affiliate links, social‑media URLs, QR codes, and internal redirects, you already know how chaotic link management can become. One misplaced typo can break a referral, a long, ugly URL can reduce click‑through rates, and manually updating every single link after a campaign change is a nightmare that leaves money on the table.

Pretty Links – a WordPress plugin that turns your site into a self‑hosted, brand‑centric link shortener, cloaker, tracker, and QR‑code generator—all from the comfort of your dashboard. In this deep‑dive we’ll explore what Pretty Links does, why it matters for affiliate marketers, bloggers, and small businesses, and how it stacks up against alternatives. By the end you’ll have a clear roadmap for deciding whether Pretty Links (or its Pro version) belongs in your URL‑toolkit.

Discover the Best URL Shortener

#	Section
1	What is Pretty Links?
2	Core Features (Free vs. Pro)
3	How Pretty Links Solves Real‑World Problems
4	Step‑by‑Step Setup – From Installation to First Link
5	Use‑Case Gallery: Affiliate, Podcast, Email, QR, & More
6	Analytics Deep Dive – Understanding Click Data
7	Comparison Table: Pretty Links vs. Popular Alternatives
8	Best Practices & Tips for Maximum ROI
9	Pricing, Support, and Upgrade Path
10	Final Verdict – Should You Adopt Pretty Links?
11	Frequently‑Asked Questions

1. What Is Pretty Links?

Pretty Links is a custom URL shortener, redirection, and link‑management plugin built specifically for WordPress. While services like Bitly, TinyURL, or Rebrandly let you shrink links, they do so on a third‑party domain you don’t control. Pretty Links, by contrast, lets you create “pretty” URLs on your own domain (e.g., yoursite.com/awesome‑deal) and dictate exactly how they redirect (301, 302, or 307).

Beyond simple shortening, the plugin adds three equally important layers:

Layer	What It Does	Why It Matters
Cloaking	Hides long affiliate URLs behind a clean, brand‑centric slug.	Protects commissions, improves click‑through rates, and looks professional.
Tracking	Records every click, including IP, browser, OS, referrer, and more.	Gives you data to optimise placement, test creatives, and prove ROI.
Management	Central dashboard for creating, grouping, tagging, and editing links.	Saves hours of manual copy‑pasting and eliminates broken links.

Because it lives inside WordPress, Pretty Links integrates with posts, pages, widgets, Gutenberg blocks, and even custom fields – giving you the flexibility to embed a link wherever you need it, without ever leaving the WP admin.

Find the Best Tool for Shortening Links

2. Core Features (Free vs. Pro)

Below is a concise rundown of what you get out‑of‑the‑box with the free version, and which capabilities require an upgrade to Pretty Links Pro.

Feature	Free (Core)	Pro (Paid Upgrade)
Custom slugs (manual or random)	✅	✅
Redirect types (301, 302, 307)	✅	✅
Basic click tracking (total clicks)	✅	✅
Link groups & tags	✅	✅
Bulk import/export	❌	✅
Automatic keyword linking	❌	✅
Link cloaking (nofollow/noindex)	✅	✅
PrettyBar (brand bar on outbound links)	❌	✅
Tracking pixel integration	❌	✅
QR code generation	✅	✅
Advanced reporting (unique clicks, geo‑stats, CSV export)	✅ (limited)	✅ (full suite)
Scheduled redirects (auto‑expire)	❌	✅
Link rotation / A/B testing	❌	✅
Affiliate‑link auto‑replace (keyword‑based)	❌	✅
Multi‑user role permissions	❌	✅
Priority support & updates	Community	Dedicated

Even the free edition is powerful enough for most solo bloggers and small affiliates. The Pro plan, however, unlocks automation and scaling tools that turn Pretty Links from a “nice‑to‑have” utility into a full‑featured revenue‑generation engine.

3. How Pretty Links Solves Real‑World Problems

Below are the most common pain points in affiliate and content marketing, paired with the exact Pretty Links feature that eliminates the hassle.

Pain Point	Pretty Links Solution
Ugly, untrackable affiliate URLs	Cloak them behind a short, branded slug (`yoursite.com/product‑x`).
Manually inserting the same affiliate link on dozens of pages	Use the automatic keyword linking (Pro) to replace every occurrence of “product X” with your pretty link.
Broken links after a product is discontinued	Update the target URL in one place; all redirects instantly point to the new destination.
No insight into which channels drive conversions	Detailed click logs show referrer, device, and location per click.
Affiliate links break in email clients	Short, clean URLs rarely get truncated or mangled.
Can’t promote affiliate offers on audio‑only platforms	Generate a speakable link (`yoursite.com/awesome‑deal`) that’s easy to say on podcasts.
Need QR codes for offline marketing	One‑click QR generation from each pretty link.
Fear of losing data if a third‑party shortener shuts down	Your own domain means you retain full ownership of every link forever.
Time spent copying and pasting URLs	Bookmarklet lets you create a pretty link on the fly while browsing any site.

These benefits compound: by reducing manual labor you get more time to create content, and by improving click‑through rates you capture more revenue from the same traffic.

4. Step‑by‑Step Setup – From Installation to First Link

Even a WordPress novice can have a functional Pretty Links environment in under 10 minutes. Follow the workflow below.

Install the Plugin
- In your WP dashboard go to Plugins > Add New.
- Search “Pretty Links”, click Install Now, then Activate.
Configure Basic Settings
- Navigate to Pretty Links > Settings.
- Choose your base URL (normally yourdomain.com/).
- Pick a default redirect type – most affiliates use 302 (Temporary) to keep SEO neutral.
Create Your First Pretty Link
- Click Add New Link.
- Target URL: Paste the long affiliate URL.
- Pretty Link: Enter a slug (e.g., best‑camera‑deal).
- Redirect Type: 302 or 301 (per your strategy).
- Optionally enable no‑follow or no‑index.
- Click Create.
Insert the Link Anywhere
- In the Classic editor or Gutenberg, use the Pretty Links button to search your list and insert the link.
- For widgets, paste the URL directly (e.g., yourdomain.com/best‑camera‑deal).
Activate Tracking
- By default, each click is logged. To view stats, go to Pretty Links > Clicks.
Optional: Generate a QR Code
- In the link’s edit screen, click Generate QR Code. Download PNG or SVG for print, flyers, or product packaging.
(Pro) Set Up Automatic Keyword Linking
- In Pretty Links > Auto‑Links, add a keyword (e.g., “Sony A7III”) and assign the corresponding pretty link.
- The plugin will replace each instance of the keyword across posts/pages on publish.

That’s it—you now own a clean, trackable, brandable URL that can be shared everywhere.

5. Use‑Case Gallery

5.1 Affiliate Marketing

Problem: Affiliate IDs are long and look untrustworthy.
Solution: Cloak each product’s affiliate URL with a short, branded slug (yourdomain.com/plus‑10). Use the click‑tracking reports to identify top‑performing products and pivot quickly.

5.2 Podcasts & Audio Content

Problem: Listeners can’t click a link; they need something easy to remember.
Solution: Create memorable, speakable links (yourdomain.com/raise‑your‑game) that you announce on-air. The QR code can be shown on the episode’s artwork for quick scanning.

5.3 Email Campaigns

Problem: Many email clients truncate long URLs, resulting in broken links.
Solution: Use Pretty Links to generate concise URLs that fit comfortably in a single line, reducing the risk of truncation. Because the link is on your domain, email filters are less likely to flag it as spam.

5.4 Social Media & Short‑Form Video

Problem: Platforms have character limits (Twitter, TikTok).
Solution: Replace a 120‑character affiliate URL with a 20‑character pretty link, freeing up space for copy and hashtags.

5.5 Offline Marketing (Print, Merchandise)

Problem: You want a scannable link that leads to a specific landing page.
Solution: Generate a QR code directly from the Pretty Links UI; the QR points to your short, branded URL that can be printed on business cards, flyers, or even product packaging.

5.6 Internal Navigation & SEO

Problem: You need to move a page but keep the old URL ranking.
Solution: Set up a 301 permanent redirect from the old slug to the new one, preserving link equity while still tracking clicks.

6. Analytics Deep Dive – Understanding Click Data

Data is only valuable when you can act on it. Pretty Links supplies both high‑level dashboards and granular logs.

6.1 Dashboard Overview

Total Clicks: Aggregate across all links.
Unique Clicks: Counts each visitor once, helping you gauge audience size.
Clicks by Date: Line chart that can be filtered by custom date range.

6.2 Click‑Level Details (per link)

Field	Insight
IP Address	Identify internal traffic you may want to exclude.
Remote Host	Reverse‑lookup domain for corporate traffic.
Browser & Version	Optimize landing‑page scripts for dominant browsers.
Operating System	Adjust mobile vs. desktop UI.
Referring Site	See which blog, forum, or social channel is driving clicks.
UTM Parameters (if present)	Correlate with Google Analytics for multi‑channel attribution.

You can export any report to CSV, making it easy to import into Google Sheets, Excel, or a BI tool for deeper analysis.

6.3 Advanced Pro Reporting (Optional)

Geolocation heatmaps (clicks by country/city).
Device breakdown (mobile, tablet, desktop).
Conversion tracking via a hidden tracking pixel attached to any link.

These insights enable A/B testing (e.g., “Which slug – sale‑now vs. grab‑deal – yields higher CTR?”) and budget reallocation (e.g., “Stop promoting on Platform X where referral rate is <0.2%”).

7. Comparison Table: Pretty Links vs. Popular Alternatives

Feature	Pretty Links (Free)	Pretty Links Pro	Bitly	Rebrandly	TinyURL	Custom .htaccess Redirect
Domain Branding	✅ (your own domain)	✅	❌ (bit.ly)	✅ (custom domain)	❌	✅ (requires server access)
Redirect Types	301, 302, 307	+ 308, meta refresh	301, 302	301, 302	301 only	Any via server config
Click Tracking	Total clicks, basic chart	Unique clicks, geo, device, CSV export	Clicks, location (paid)	Clicks, referrer (paid)	None	None
QR Code Generator	✅	✅	❌	✅ (paid)	❌	❌
Affiliate Cloaking	✅ (no‑follow/no‑index)	✅ + advanced cloaking	❌	✅ (paid)	❌	❌
Keyword Auto‑Linking	❌	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Bulk Import/Export	❌	✅	✅ (paid)	✅ (paid)	❌	❌
**PrettyBar (brand banner on outbound)	❌	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Multi‑User Roles & Permissions	❌	✅	✅ (paid)	✅ (paid)	❌	❌
Cost	Free	$99.60‑$199.60/yr (depending on license)	Free tier; $29‑$199/yr for premium	Free tier; $8‑$299/yr	Free	Free (but requires dev time)
Ease of Use	WordPress UI, no code	Same + Pro UI enhancements	Web UI, browser extension	Web UI, WordPress plugin available	Web UI	Manual editing, error‑prone
Support	Community forums	Dedicated ticket support	Email (paid)	Email (paid)	Community	Community/hosting support

Bottom line: If you already run WordPress and need a self‑hosted, brand‑centric solution with tracking and automation, Pretty Links is the most feature‑rich, cost‑effective choice.

8. Best Practices & Tips for Maximum ROI

Practice	Why It Helps	How to Implement
Use Consistent Naming Conventions	Easier to locate links later and improves SEO (readable URLs).	Adopt a pattern like `product‑category‑offer` (e.g., `camera‑deals‑june`).
Group Links by Campaign	Enables bulk actions (pause, edit, export) for a specific promotion.	Create groups in Pretty Links > Groups (e.g., “Summer‑Sale‑2025”).
Set Expiration Dates for Time‑Sensitive Offers	Prevents outdated URLs from harming user experience and click‑through rates.	In Pro, enable Scheduled Redirects or set a 301 to a “Deal Expired” page.
Leverage the PrettyBar for Brand Recall	Keeps your brand visible even after users leave your site.	Enable PrettyBar (Pro) and customise the colour and logo.
Activate No‑Follow on Affiliate Links	Avoids passing PageRank to commercial pages, protecting SEO.	Turn on No‑Follow in each link’s settings or set it default in the plugin options.
Add UTM Parameters When Needed	Allows you to cross‑track Pretty Links data with Google Analytics.	Append `?utm_source=prettylinks&utm_medium=referral` to the target URL; Pretty Links will preserve them.
Export Click Data Monthly	Provides a backup and lets you analyse trends over time.	Use Export CSV from the Clicks screen.
Combine with a Link Rotator	Test multiple offers on the same slug to see which performs best.	In Pro, set up Link Rotation with equal weighting or a performance‑based rule.
Use the Bookmarklet for On‑the‑Fly Creation	Capture competitor backlinks or reference URLs while browsing.	Drag the Pretty Links bookmarklet to your toolbar; click it to generate a short link instantly.
Regularly Audit for Broken Links	Maintains a flawless user experience and protects referral income.	Use the Link Health report (Pro) or a third‑party crawler.

By turning these tactics into a routine, you can increase average click‑through rates by 15‑30 % and reduce the time spent on link management by up to 80 % (according to internal case studies).

9. Pricing, Support, and Upgrade Path

Below is a concise comparison chart that highlights the key differentiators between the three annual subscriptions. All prices are listed in USD and reflect the “per‑year” billing cycle (monthly payments are not currently offered).

Feature	Beginner $99.60/yr	Marketer $149.60/yr	Super Affiliate $199.60/yr
Sites Allowed	1	Up to 2	Up to 5
All Beginner Features	✅	✅	✅
Auto‑Link Keywords	—	✅	✅
Split‑Test Links	—	✅	✅
Advanced Conversion Reports	—	✅	✅
Automatic Link Disclosures	—	✅	✅
Product Displays	—	—	✅
QR‑Code Generation	—	—	✅
Public Link Generator	—	—	✅
Developer Tools (API, Webhooks)	—	—	✅
Support Tier	Standard #1 Top‑Rated	Priority #1 Top‑Rated	Premium #1 Top‑Rated
PrettyPay™ Transaction Fees	None	None	None

Note: “—” indicates the feature is not available in that tier. The #1 Top‑Rated badge refers to Pretty Links’ internal customer‑satisfaction ranking, which is refreshed quarterly based on NPS scores.

1. Beginner Plan – Detailed Feature Walk‑through

1.1 Who Is This Plan For?

Solo bloggers who monetize with affiliate links.
Small‑business owners managing a single storefront website.
New entrants to affiliate marketing who need a reliable, low‑maintenance link manager.

1.2 What You Get

Feature	Benefit	Practical Example
No Transaction Fees with PrettyPay™	Keep 100 % of any direct sales.	A fitness coach selling an e‑book through a Pretty Link receives the full $19.99 without Stripe fees.
Use on 1 Site	One‑site license, no hidden site‑limits.	Your personal blog, `myfitnessjourney.com`.
Advanced Redirect Types	Choose 301, 302, 307, or 404 per link.	SEO‑savvy marketers can use 301 for permanent affiliate offers and 302 for time‑limited promotions.
Auto‑Create Pretty Links	Bulk‑import from CSV, auto‑generation from existing URLs.	Upload a spreadsheet of 200 product URLs and instantly get 200 cloaked links.
Import & Export Links	Backup or migrate your link library.	Move your link database when you upgrade to a new host.
Standard #1 Top‑Rated Support	Email response within 24 hrs, access to knowledge base.	Get help troubleshooting a broken redirect quickly.
Link Cloaking & Tracking	Basic click analytics (total clicks, referrers).	See that a Facebook post generated 450 clicks to your Amazon affiliate link.

1.3 Limitations to Keep in Mind

Only one site – if you later add a second blog, you’ll need to upgrade.
No keyword auto‑linking – you’ll have to manually insert links or use a separate plugin.
No split‑testing – you cannot experiment with multiple offers under one URL.

1.4 ROI Snapshot

Assume a solo blogger earns $2,500 per month in affiliate commissions. With the Beginner plan’s $99.60 annual fee, the cost is ≈ 0.33 % of monthly revenue—an almost negligible expense for a tool that can improve CTR by 15‑20 % simply by cleaning up URLs.

2. Marketer Plan – What the Upgrade Gives You

2.1 Ideal Audience

Multi‑site operators who run two distinct domains (e.g., a blog and a niche store).
Content marketers who produce high‑volume posts and need automated link insertion.
Conversion‑focused affiliates who want to test offers and analyze deeper metrics.

2.2 New Features Over Beginner

New Feature	Why It Matters	Real‑World Use
Use on up to 2 Sites	Flexibility for brand extensions or separate client projects.	Manage `healthblog.com` and `supplementstore.com` under one license.
Auto‑Link Keywords	Scans posts for pre‑defined keywords and auto‑inserts the appropriate Pretty Link.	Every time you write “best protein powder,” the plugin adds a cloaked affiliate link automatically.
Split‑Test Links	Run A/B tests on URLs without external tools.	Compare two competing weight‑loss programs and see which yields a higher conversion rate.
Advanced Conversion Reports	Drill‑down by device, geographic region, and time of day.	Discover that mobile users in Germany are 30 % more likely to convert on a specific health product.
Automatic Link Disclosures	Auto‑adds FTC‑compliant disclosure text to each link.	Stay compliant without manual copy‑pasting.
Priority #1 Top‑Rated Support	Faster response times (average 6 hrs) and access to a dedicated support queue.	Resolve urgent redirect issues during a flash sale.

2.3 How These Features Translate to Money

Keyword auto‑linking alone can increase affiliate clicks by 10‑15 % because it removes the human bottleneck of manual insertion.
Split‑testing can boost conversion rates by 5‑12 % when you discover higher‑performing offers.
Advanced conversion reports let you re‑allocate ad spend toward the most profitable traffic sources, potentially increasing overall revenue by 8‑20 %.

If a marketer typically makes $6,000/month, the Marketer plan’s $149.60 yearly cost is ≈ 0.21 % of monthly revenue—well worth the upside.

3. Super Affiliate Plan – Enterprise‑Grade Capabilities

3.1 Who Should Consider This Tier?

Affiliate agencies managing multiple client accounts.
Super‑affiliates who run five or more niche sites and need centralized link management.
Developers / SaaS platforms that want to embed Pretty Links functionality via API.

3.2 Feature Set (All Beginner + Marketer + Extras)

Feature	Benefit	Sample Implementation
Use on up to 5 Sites	Consolidate licenses, reduce admin overhead.	One dashboard to manage `techgadgets.com`, `gaminghub.com`, `homebrew.com`, etc.
Product Displays	Create visually appealing product boxes that auto‑populate with affiliate data (price, image, rating).	Embed a sleek “Best‑Of” widget in blog posts that updates automatically when product details change.
Generate QR Codes	One‑click QR for every pretty link, downloadable in high‑resolution formats.	Print QR codes on flyers for a local event; users scan and land on an affiliate landing page.
Public Link Generator	Front‑end form that lets anyone (e.g., clients) create a pretty link without logging in.	Offer a “Create Your Own Referral Link” page for a loyalty program.
Developer Tools	RESTful API, webhook callbacks, custom shortcodes, multi‑site sync.	Build a custom dashboard that pulls click data into a BI tool like Tableau.
Premium #1 Top‑Rated Support	24/7 live chat, dedicated account manager, SLA‑backed response times (< 2 hrs).	Immediate assistance during high‑traffic product launches.
All Marketer Features	Auto‑link keywords, split‑testing, advanced reports, disclosures.	The full toolbox for data‑driven affiliate scaling.

3.3 The “Super” Value Proposition

Scalability: Managing five sites under a single license eliminates the need to purchase multiple single‑site plans, saving ≈ $300 / yr compared to buying five Beginner plans.
Brand Consistency: Product displays and public link generators ensure that every site you own or manage presents the same professional look and compliance messaging.
Automation: QR code generation and API access enable you to integrate link creation into automated workflows (e.g., when new products are added to an inventory system).

3.4 Revenue Impact Example

Imagine an affiliate network that runs five niche sites, each pulling an average of $4,000 per month in commissions. That’s $20,000 total monthly revenue. The Super Affiliate plan costs $199.60 per year, or ≈ 0.083 % of monthly revenue—a minuscule expense for the ability to:

Increase click‑throughs via product displays (+ 12 %).
Accelerate offline conversions with QR codes (+ 5 %).
Reduce manual labor with API‑driven link creation (saves ~10 hrs per month).

Overall, the plan can easily generate $2,500–$4,000 extra revenue per month—a 12‑20× ROI.

Pricing Breakdown & ROI Calculations

Below is a simple spreadsheet‑style illustration that compares the three plans across three hypothetical business sizes: Solo Blogger, Mid‑Size Marketer, and Agency/Network.

Business Type	Annual Revenue	Plan	Annual Cost	Cost % of Revenue	Expected Revenue Uplift*	Net ROI**
Solo Blogger	$30,000	Beginner	$99.60	0.33 %	+15 % (↑$4,500)	≈ 44×
Mid‑Size Marketer	$72,000	Marketer	$149.60	0.21 %	+12 % (↑$8,640)	≈ 57×
Agency/Network (5 sites)	$120,000	Super Affiliate	$199.60	0.17 %	+18 % (↑$21,600)	≈ 108×

*Uplift percentages are based on industry benchmarks for each feature set (auto‑linking, split‑testing, QR codes, etc.).
**Net ROI = (Revenue Uplift – Annual Cost) ÷ Annual Cost.

Even the most conservative assumptions demonstrate that the value delivered far exceeds the price tag. The return becomes especially pronounced when you factor in time saved—each hour of manual link creation is worth roughly $50 – $100 in opportunity cost, depending on your hourly rate.

All plans include regular updates to stay compatible with the latest WordPress releases. Support for the free version is community‑driven (forums, documentation). Pro customers get a ticket‑based help desk with a typical response time under 4 hours.

10. Final Verdict – Should You Adopt Pretty Links?

Short answer: If you already use WordPress and rely on affiliate, promotional, or QR‑code links, Pretty Links is a must‑have.

Why it shines:

Brand Authority – Your own domain builds trust; users are more likely to click a yourbrand.com link than a random bit.ly string.
Full Control – No third‑party dependency; you own every URL forever.
Automation – Auto‑keyword linking, scheduled redirects, and link rotation eliminate repetitive tasks.
Actionable Data – Click‑by‑click analytics let you fine‑tune campaigns in real time.
Scalability – Free version works for a few dozen links; Pro scales to thousands with bulk tools.

When you might look elsewhere:

You don’t run WordPress (or you’re on a platform that doesn’t allow plugins).
You need advanced enterprise‑level API access not offered in the current Pro plan.

Overall, the ROI on a $99.60 Pro license is typically realized within the first month for an active affiliate marketer, thanks to higher conversion rates and saved