URL SHORTENER

Shorten, brand and track every link you share

Paste a long URL below. On signup we carry it into the dashboard so you can create a branded short link on qstak.co or your own domain — with click analytics kept forever, next to your QR codes.

See link limits on every plan, compare us against Bitly, or read how scan and click analytics work together. Last updated: 10 November 2026.

Routing example

One short link, different destinations. Rules run in order; first match wins; everyone else gets the default URL.

go.yourbrand.com/app

If device = iOS → App Store listing
If device = Android → Play Store listing
If country = IN → India landing page
Default → Global product page

Routing rules ship on Pro and Business. Mobile deep links (open the installed app, else store) are on Business.

Routing rules: send each click where it should go

Every short link has a Dynamic routing switch under Advanced settings. Add a rule, pick its conditions and give it a destination. One rule can combine device (mobile, tablet or desktop), operating system (iOS, Android, Windows or macOS), country, region, city and browser language in a single row. A link holds up to 10 rules. They run top to bottom and the first match wins, so put the narrowest rule first. Anyone who matches nothing goes to the main destination URL.

A/B testing sits on the same panel. Add up to 3 extra destinations and give each a weight between 5% and 90%; the main destination keeps the remainder. Routing always beats the split: a visitor who matches a rule goes there and never enters the test. There is no automatic winner, so give each variant its own UTM values and compare them in your analytics.

Routing rules need a Pro or Business plan. A/B testing is on Business, and the free trial includes it so you can try a split before you subscribe. Setup steps and the plan table are in routing rules, A/B tests and link previews. Printed codes carry the same feature on the code itself: see routing rules for QR codes.

Branded domains for your short links

New links use qstak.co by default. On Pro and Business you can add a subdomain you own, such as go.yourbrand.com or link.yourbrand.com, and pick it from the Short link domain dropdown whenever you create a link. Use a subdomain, not the bare domain: the setup needs a CNAME record, and most DNS providers only allow one on a subdomain.

Open Custom Domains in the dashboard, enter the hostname and add the two DNS records it shows: a CNAME pointing at links.qrcodestack.com and a TXT record for verification. If we recognise your DNS host, a one-click setup writes them for you. Click Verify DNS and the status moves from Waiting for DNS to Issuing certificate to Active. HTTPS is issued and renewed for you, so there is no certificate to buy.

Pro includes one branded domain and Business five, so an agency can run a separate domain per client. Back-halves are unique per domain, which means /spring can exist on qstak.co and on your domain at the same time. A link's domain is fixed when it is created: links you have already shared keep working where they are, and new links go on the branded domain. Branded domains are part of the plan price, which is one reason teams pick QRCodeStack as a Bitly alternative. Full setup guide: use your own domain for short links.

Moving from Bitly (or another shortener)

Agencies running links for several clients usually want the domain and the branding to be theirs end to end — that is white label.

Export your existing links (CSV) from your current provider.
Start a QRCodeStack trial and create equivalent short links (custom back-halves on every plan).
On Pro+, connect go.yourbrand.com and point DNS as shown in the dashboard.
Update campaigns and QR codes to the new short URLs; keep click history going forward (we retain analytics for the life of the account).

Full feature/pricing comparison: QRCodeStack vs Bitly.

Everything your links should do

Every link is trackable, editable and yours — from quick shares to full campaigns.

Branded custom domains

Connect go.yourbrand.com and every short link builds your brand instead of someone else's. One domain on Pro, five on Business.

Dynamic routing

Send iOS users one place, Android users another, and route by country — ordered rules, first match wins.

Mobile deep links

Open your app directly when it's installed, with automatic App Store and Play Store fallbacks.

Click analytics, kept forever

Device, location, referrer and time-of-day for every click — retained for the life of your account, not 30 days.

UTM builder & campaigns

Tag any URL with the free UTM builder, then group links into campaigns with shared UTM defaults on Pro+.

Password & expiry controls

Protect links with a password, schedule activation windows, or cap total clicks.

Click analytics for every link

Every short link is tracked from the moment you create it. Open Analytics, set the source filter to Links, and the page breaks clicks down by location, device type, operating system, browser, referrer, campaign and busiest times, a day-by-hour grid in the visitor's own time zone. Date ranges run from the last 7 days to a custom range of up to 365 days, and the summary cards show a trend against the previous period. Click data is kept for the life of your account.

The number beside each link is engaged clicks: people, not requests. Link previews in chat apps, security scanners and repeat fires from the same browser are separated out, and requests we identify as bots are discarded. Click the number to open that link in Analytics.

To see the same clicks in Google Analytics 4, tag the destination. Build the tagged URL with the free UTM builder, or on Pro and Business switch on UTM parameters on the link form. Campaigns group links and QR codes together with shared UTM defaults on every plan. For how scan and click data fit together, read the QR code analytics page and tracking in Google Analytics 4. Links, codes and pages share one dashboard, the same management platform your QR codes live in.

Frequently asked questions

Is the QRCodeStack URL shortener free to try?

Yes — every account starts with a 7-day free trial including 25 short links, with no credit card required. Paid plans start at $9/month with 100 active links.

Can I use my own domain for short links?

Yes. Pro plans include one custom branded domain and Business includes five — your links appear as go.yourbrand.com/offer instead of a generic domain.

How long is click data kept?

Forever, on every paid plan. Many link shorteners retain analytics for only 30 days to a year; QRCodeStack keeps your complete click history for as long as your account exists.

What is dynamic routing?

Routing rules send visitors to different destinations based on their device, operating system, or country — for example, iOS visitors to the App Store and everyone else to your website. Rules apply in order and the first match wins.

Can short links open my mobile app?

Yes. On the Business plan you can configure mobile deep links: iOS and Android visitors are sent into your app when it's installed, with an automatic fallback to the app store.

Start shortening smarter links today

Free 7-day trial. No credit card required.

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