How to Shorten a URL for Free
Long URLs are hard to share, hard to remember, and often broken when pasted into emails or messages. A short link solves all of that. Here is everything you need to know about shortening a URL, what the options are, and how to do it in seconds without signing up for anything.
What is a short URL
A short URL is a condensed version of a longer web address. Instead of sharing something like https://example.com/products/category/item-name?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email, you share something like ekly.app/abc123. Both links go to the same destination, but the short version is easier to copy, paste, type, and remember.
Short links are commonly used in social media posts, email campaigns, printed materials, presentations, and anywhere character limits or readability matter. They also make it easier to track how many people clicked a link and where they came from.
Why URL length matters
Most platforms have character limits. Twitter and X limit posts to 280 characters. SMS messages become fragmented beyond 160 characters. Email subject lines get truncated. A long URL can eat up most of your available space before you have even written the actual message.
Long URLs also break easily. When a link wraps across two lines in an email or document, the second line often does not get included when someone clicks or copies it. Short links avoid this entirely because they are compact enough to stay on one line in almost any context.
There is also the matter of trust. A long URL full of tracking parameters and encoded characters can look suspicious. A clean short link looks intentional and professional.
How to shorten a URL for free
Shortening a URL takes less than ten seconds. Here is how to do it using Ekly.
Step 1: Open the URL shortener
Go to ekly.app/shortener. No account is needed to create a short link. The tool works immediately in your browser.
Step 2: Paste your long URL
Copy the URL you want to shorten and paste it into the input field. This can be any valid web address, including pages with long query strings, UTM parameters, or deep links inside apps.
Step 3: Customise your short link (optional)
By default, Ekly generates a short random code for your link. If you want something more memorable, you can type a custom slug instead. For example, instead of ekly.app/x7k2m, you could create ekly.app/summer-sale. Custom slugs are available on the free plan and do not require an account.
Step 4: Copy and share
Click the shorten button and your short link appears instantly. Copy it and use it wherever you need it. The link is live immediately and will redirect anyone who clicks it to the original destination.
What you can do with a free Ekly account
Shortening a link without an account works fine for one-off use. If you need to manage multiple links, track clicks, or set up advanced options, creating a free Ekly account takes about thirty seconds and unlocks the following.
Real time click analytics
Every time someone clicks your short link, Ekly records the event. You can see the total number of clicks, when they happened, what country the visitor was in, what device and browser they used, and where the traffic came from. This information updates in real time, so you can see results as soon as you share a link.
Custom slugs saved to your account
Without an account, custom slugs are generated for your session but not stored anywhere. With an account, every link you create is saved to your dashboard and accessible any time.
Password protection
You can add a password to any short link. Anyone who clicks it will be asked to enter the password before being redirected. This is useful for sharing links with a specific group of people without making the destination publicly accessible.
Link expiry
You can set a date and time for a link to stop working. After the expiry, anyone who clicks the link will see a page indicating it has expired. This is useful for time-limited offers, event registrations, or any link that should not remain active indefinitely.
QR codes for every link
Every short link you create comes with a QR code that you can download and use on printed materials, presentations, or anywhere you want someone to scan rather than type a URL.
Team workspaces
If you work with others, you can invite team members to a shared workspace. Everyone on the team can create and manage links, and all analytics are visible to the whole team. Roles and permissions control who can do what.
Common questions about URL shortening
Are short links permanent
Short links created with Ekly remain active as long as your account is active. Links created without an account are also stored, but managing or editing them requires creating an account. If you set an expiry date, the link stops working at that time.
Can I change where a short link points
Yes. If you have an account, you can edit the destination URL of any link you have created at any time. The short link address stays the same, but clicking it will take people to the new destination. This is useful when a page moves or a campaign changes direction.
Do short links affect search engine rankings
Short links redirect to the original URL using a standard redirect. Search engines follow the redirect and attribute the traffic to the destination page. Using a short link does not negatively affect how a page ranks in search results.
Is there a limit to how many links I can create
On the free plan, there is no hard limit on the number of short links you can create. All the core features are available without paying anything.
When to use a URL shortener
URL shorteners are useful in a wide range of situations. Social media posts benefit from short links because they save space and look cleaner. Email campaigns use them to track how many recipients clicked through. Printed materials like flyers, business cards, and posters use short links or QR codes because long URLs cannot be typed reliably from a printed page. Presentations use them so the audience can actually visit the link without copying a wall of text.
Short links are also useful for internal purposes, such as sharing a document link in a team message or creating a memorable link to a frequently visited internal tool.
Get started
Shortening a URL takes seconds and costs nothing. You do not need to create an account to get started. Go to ekly.app/shortener, paste your URL, and your short link is ready to share.
If you want click tracking, custom slugs saved to your account, password protection, and link expiry, create a free Ekly account. There is no credit card required and no time limit on the free plan.