TinyURL has been around since 2002, which makes it one of the oldest surviving names in the URL-shortener space. Its calling card has always been zero friction — paste a long URL, click a button, copy the short link, done, no sign-up required. That single-purpose design is its strength and its limit. If you want more than a throwaway link, TinyURL asks you to open an account and walk into an interface that still feels like it was last redesigned years ago, at the 24 August 2026 source check. 1URL.at sits on the other end of the trade-off: anonymous shortening on the homepage for casual uses, and a full account-backed product behind it with custom slugs, link-in-bio pages, and cookieless analytics.
The comparison usually comes down to what you actually plan to do with the link. If you need one disposable URL to paste into a text message, TinyURL is fine and so is 1URL.at's anonymous homepage shortener. If you plan to share that link more than once and want to know how many clicks it got, TinyURL's free tier still keeps basic analytics behind a login and dashboards that feel dated, while 1URL.at exposes a clean click chart, country breakdown, and 14 days of retention on the free plan.
Both tools are cheap and cheerful for casual use. The difference is what you get when you decide the link matters — a branded slug, a link-in-bio page that matches your profile, or an analytics view you would actually share in a report.
Side by side across the details people check first. This comparison was verified on 2026-08-24; competitor pricing and limits can change, so confirm them before switching.
| Feature | 1URL.at | TinyURL | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anonymous shortening (no account) | Yes, on homepage | Yes, on homepage | Tie |
| Account required for analytics | Yes — signup is free | Yes — signup required for history | Tie |
| Random short links (signed in) | Unlimited | Unlimited | Tie |
| Custom branded slugs (free) | 5 slots | Limited on free tier | 1URL |
| Link-in-bio page builder | 3 pages free | Not offered | 1URL |
| Click analytics granularity | Per-day and per-country | Basic click counter, limited geo on free | 1URL |
| Geo breakdown | Country-level | Limited / paid | 1URL |
| Device breakdown | Roadmap | Paid tiers | Them |
| Analytics retention (free) | 14 days | Limited window on free | 1URL |
| UTM parameter support | Pass-through supported | Pass-through supported | Tie |
| API access | Roadmap | Paid tiers | Them |
| Link expiration | Supported | Not publicly documented on free tier | 1URL |
| Password-protected links | Not offered today | Not offered at free tier | Tie |
| QR codes | Basic QR generation | QR generation available | Tie |
| Bulk link creation | CSV import (roadmap) | Paid tiers | Tie |
| Cookieless analytics | Yes, by design | Cookie-based by default | 1URL |
| GDPR posture (no analytics cookies) | No analytics cookies | Check the current site configuration in EU | 1URL |
| Forced ad / promo pages on redirect | Never | Not on direct redirects, but homepage carries ads | 1URL |
| Visual polish / modern UI | Modern React app | Longstanding UI, not recently redesigned | 1URL |
| Custom domains | Roadmap | Paid-only | Them |
| Mobile app | Mobile web first | Mobile web only | Tie |
| Uptime track record | Cloudflare-backed | Long-running, stable history | Them |
| Free-plan price | $0 forever | $0 (ad-supported) | 1URL |
| Premium access | Included during launch; no permanent price published | Paid tier for analytics and branding | Tie |
A qualitative snapshot. Prices change, so the rows focus on plan structure and included features. Registered users currently receive Premium features during launch.
| Plan | 1URL.at | TinyURL |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0, unlimited short links, 5 custom slugs, 3 link pages, 14-day analytics | $0, anonymous shortening, basic dashboard for signed-in users |
| Premium / launch | Launch access includes unlimited slugs, 90-day analytics, and link pages; API is roadmap | Paid tier for branded domains, richer analytics, ad removal |
| Team / Enterprise | Not targeted today | Higher paid tiers for bulk, team access, API quotas |
TinyURL's homepage has historically carried third-party advertising; 1URL.at does not.
1URL.at is cookieless by design — no tracking cookies are set on visitors of your short links.
Raw IP addresses and User-Agent strings are never persisted by 1URL.at; only the hashed visitor token reaches storage.
TinyURL's redirect pages themselves are generally clean, but the account dashboard and homepage are ad-supported, which typically means cookies and third-party trackers.
1URL.at's redirect analytics set no analytics cookies and retain no raw IP addresses or user-agent strings.
Not a scorecard — both tools are legitimate in their own space. These are the places each one genuinely shines.
Open your TinyURL dashboard and note the destination URLs for any links you still actively share.
Create a free 1URL.at account at /auth/register and verify your email.
On the Dashboard, create a custom slug for each link you care about (free plan allows 5) and point it at the original destination.
If you have more than 5 branded links to preserve, upgrade to Premium for unlimited custom slugs or use random short links for the lower-priority ones.
Update your social bios, documents, and scheduled posts to use the new 1URL.at short links.
Leave the existing TinyURL links active for a grace period so downstream referrers do not break, then retire the ones you no longer need.
Unlimited short links, 5 custom slugs, 3 link-in-bio pages, 14 days of cookieless analytics. No credit card to start.
Last checked August 24, 2026.
Competitor names and logos are trademarks of their respective owners. This comparison reflects the official sources above as of its last checked date and does not constitute legal or financial advice. For the most current limits, features, and pricing, consult TinyURL's official site at https://tinyurl.com.