| Product | Dub.co |
| Website | dub.co |
| Category | Marketing / Link Management |
| Key Feature | Branded short links with analytics and conversion tracking |
| Pricing | Free tier (25 links/month), Pro from $24/month |
| Open Source | Yes (AGPL-3.0) |
What Is Dub.co?
Dub.co is a link management platform that creates branded short links, tracks clicks and conversions, and generates QR codes. It replaces Bitly for teams that want custom domains, detailed analytics, and an API for programmatic link creation.
Link management might sound trivial, but for marketing teams running campaigns across multiple channels, it’s essential infrastructure. Every link in an email, social post, QR code, or partnership needs to be trackable, brandable, and manageable. Dub.co provides this as a service with a modern developer experience.
Key Features
Custom Branded Domains
Use your own domain for short links. Instead of bit.ly/abc123, share yourbrand.link/promo. Custom domains increase click-through rates because they carry your brand’s trust. Dub.co handles the DNS configuration and SSL certificates.
Advanced Analytics
See clicks by country, device, browser, referrer, and time. Track conversion events after the click to measure which links drive signups, purchases, or other goals. The analytics dashboard shows link performance over time, so you can compare campaigns and channels.
QR Code Generation
Generate customizable QR codes for any link. Set colors, add logos, choose corner styles. QR codes are important for offline-to-online flows: print ads, packaging, event materials, business cards. Dub.co’s QR codes maintain tracking and analytics through the same link infrastructure.
API and Integrations
Create and manage links programmatically through a REST API. This enables automated workflows: create a unique tracked link for every email recipient, generate links from a CMS, or build link management into your application. SDK support for common languages reduces integration time.
Who Is This For?
- Marketing teams that need branded, tracked links across campaigns
- E-commerce companies tracking affiliate and partnership links
- SaaS companies that need programmatic link creation via API
- Agencies managing links for multiple brands with custom domains
Pros
- Custom branded domains for short links
- Conversion tracking beyond just clicks
- Customizable QR codes
- Open source (self-hostable)
- Clean, modern developer API
- Free tier for getting started
Cons
- Free tier is limited (25 links/month)
- Younger than Bitly (smaller network effect)
- Advanced analytics require paid plan
- Self-hosting is more complex than using the managed service
- No built-in A/B testing for link destinations
Verdict
Dub.co is what Bitly should have evolved into. The branded domain support, conversion tracking, and developer API address the real needs of modern marketing teams. The open-source model means you’re not locked in, and the managed service is affordable enough that self-hosting is a choice, not a necessity.
The conversion tracking feature is what makes Dub.co more than a URL shortener. Knowing that a link was clicked is useful; knowing that the click led to a signup or purchase is actionable. For marketing teams that need to attribute conversions to specific links and campaigns, Dub.co provides the data.
Build a marketing or analytics tool?
Get reviewed and linked from our 27-site network. Placements live in 48 hours.
See Packages