Free Branded Aliases

Custom URL Shortener.

Q: How many custom slugs can I create for free?

Unlike competitors that limit free accounts to 3–5 custom back-halves per month, Shortnow lets you create custom aliases for free without registration.

Q: What characters are allowed in a custom alias?

You can use English letters (`a-z`, `A-Z`), numbers (`0-9`), hyphens (`-`), and underscores (`_`) up to 20 characters.

Q: What happens if my chosen custom slug is already taken?

Our API checks uniqueness in real time and will notify you immediately so you can add a suffix or pick another variation.

Create memorable, human-readable short links with your own custom back-half slug (shortnow.site/your-brand) for free.

Engine: checking...

✓ 100% Free — No Login

✓ Redis <15ms Redirects

✓ Dynamic QR & Live Click Counter

Simple 3-Step Workflow

How to Claim Your Custom Short Link

1. Paste Your Destination URL

Enter any valid webpage, document, social profile, or app store link you want to shorten.

2. Choose Your Custom Alias

Type your desired slug using letters, numbers, hyphens, or underscores in the Custom Alias field.

3. Instant Availability Check & Lock

If the alias is available, it is immediately reserved in our database along with its matching QR code and analytics page.

Overview & Architecture

Boost Click-Through Rates with Human-Readable Slugs

Randomly generated strings like `bit.ly/3x9Kp2Q` look indistinguishable from phishing links and are impossible to say out loud on a podcast, webinar, or stage presentation.

Shortnow lets you choose your own custom back-half slug (`shortnow.site/pitch-deck`, `shortnow.site/join-us`, `shortnow.site/menu`) completely free—giving your audience immediate context before they click.

Why Custom Short Links Outperform Random Hashes

1. Up to 34% Higher Click Trust

User Hesitation on Random Slugs: Security-conscious users hesitate to click opaque URLs when they cannot tell what awaits on the other side.
Descriptive Slug Clarity: A clear slug like `shortnow.site/roadmap-2026` communicates destination intent right inside the link text.

2. Verbal & Offline Memorability

Slide Decks & Podcasts: Listeners and conference attendees cannot memorize case-sensitive random hashes shown on a slide for 5 seconds.
Effortless Recall: A clean hyphenated word slug can be spoken aloud once and typed directly into any mobile browser.

Feature Comparison

Why Creators & Marketers Choose Shortnow

Capability	Shortnow (Free)	Legacy Shorteners (Free Tier)
Mandatory Account / Login	No — Instant 1-Click Use	Required before shortening
Custom Alias Slugs	Unlimited Free Custom Slugs	Capped at 3–5/month or Paid only
Dynamic QR Code Download	Included on Every Link	Limited to 2/month
Real-Time Click Counter	Included (via /stats or + trick)	Paywalled ($29+/month)
Redirect Latency	<15ms Redis In-Memory Cache	Standard DB lookup

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything You Need to Know

How many custom slugs can I create for free?

Unlike competitors that limit free accounts to 3–5 custom back-halves per month, Shortnow lets you create custom aliases for free without registration.

What characters are allowed in a custom alias?

You can use English letters (`a-z`, `A-Z`), numbers (`0-9`), hyphens (`-`), and underscores (`_`) up to 20 characters.

What happens if my chosen custom slug is already taken?

Our API checks uniqueness in real time and will notify you immediately so you can add a suffix or pick another variation.

Free Link & Marketing Suite

Explore Specialized URL & QR Tools

Purpose-built utilities powered by the Shortnow high-speed redirect engine.

QR Code Generator

Turn any URL into a high-contrast, scannable QR code backed by a short link so you can track every scan in real time.

UTM Builder & Shortener

Build Google Analytics UTM campaign parameters and compress the messy tracking URL into a clean short link in one click.

Link Click Tracker

Check how many clicks any Shortnow link has received or create a new trackable short link with live click analytics.

Custom URL Shortener

Create memorable, human-readable short links with your own custom back-half slug (shortnow.site/your-brand) for free.

Amazon Link Shortener

Turn massive Amazon product and affiliate URLs (`?tag=...&keywords=...`) into clean, high-converting short links with click tracking.

Discord Link Shortener

Create custom branded invite links (`shortnow.site/my-server`) and track how many members click your Discord links across social channels.

Instagram Bio Shortener

Make your Instagram, TikTok, and Threads bio links clean, branded, and fully trackable with real-time click analytics.

Google Drive Shortener

Convert long Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides sharing URLs into clean, memorable links with QR codes and download tracking.

YouTube Link Shortener

Create branded short links and trackable QR codes for YouTube videos, Shorts, playlists, and channel subscribe links.

Free Bitly Alternative

Why pay $35/month or fight mandatory sign-up walls just to create a custom short link and QR code? Shorten, customize, and track for free.