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URL Shortener Free

A free URL shortener that turns a long address into a short link in one click.

Visitors must type a password before the link will open. Good for sharing private links.
Show a branded page with your own title and text before the link redirects. Needs the waiting timer turned on first.
Sends visitors straight to the destination, skipping the preview page. Note: this also skips the waiting timer.

Visitors are redirected instantly, skipping the preview page.

The link stops working once it has been opened this many times. Leave empty for unlimited.
Adds tracking tags to the destination link so analytics tools (like Google Analytics) can tell where your traffic came from.
Allow or block visitors by country. Allowed = only those countries get through; Blocked = those countries are turned away. Use ISO codes like RO, US, DE.

ISO codes, comma-separated (e.g. RO, US, DE)

Only let the link open from certain device types. Check Mobile to allow phones only, for example. Leave all unchecked for no restriction.

Leave all unchecked for no restriction

Style the preview page with your own CSS. Example: .preview { background:#000 } makes the background black. Cosmetic only, it does not change where the link goes.

Styles the preview page

Click analytics, a custom alias, password protection, QR export, a redirect delay, GTM tracking and an optional expiry date come with every link, free. Every link is a plain HTTPS address. It works in social posts, emails, spreadsheets, chatbots, automation tools and printed QR codes, with no platform-specific setup.

No Sign-up, No Friction

No registration. Paste an address, get a short link in under a second, and your first one creates the account for you.

Custom Aliases

Pick your own slug instead of a random code. Something like /your-campaign reads better everywhere it lands.

Password & Preview

Gate any link with a password, or show an interstitial before the redirect. 301 redirects only, no tracking loops.

Click Analytics

See total clicks, countries and devices for every link you create. Data stays in your dashboard, not in an ad network.

Waiting Timer

Add a countdown before the redirect fires, useful for announcements, terms acknowledgements and sponsored placements.

API Access

POST to /api/shorten with a bearer token and get the short link back. No SDK required, works from any language.

Read the API docs

Why Choose Our URL Shortener?

A free URL shortener with click tracking, custom aliases, password protection, QR codes, a waiting timer, UTM parameters, Google Tag Manager and expiry dates, all on the free plan. The links work anywhere you paste them: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, WhatsApp, Discord, Telegram, Google Sheets, HubSpot, Zapier, Amazon, Shopify. Whether it goes in a social post or on a printed flyer, every link behaves the same.

More tools, same short link

Beyond shortening, za.gl shares code and hosts full pages. All free, all on one link.

Pastebin

Share code, logs, or notes with syntax highlighting. Add a password or expiry, no account needed.

Open Pastebin

Landing Pages

Publish a custom page on a za.gl link with a rich editor or AI. Works as a link in bio page or for campaigns.

Build a Landing Page

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting started

A URL shortener, also called a link shortener, converts a long web address into a short one. When someone clicks it, they are sent to the original destination. The result looks like za.gl/abc123 and redirects instantly.

You paste the long address, we store it and generate a unique code, then serve a 301 redirect. Anyone who clicks is sent straight to your destination, and the whole thing takes under a second.

It fits inside character-limited posts, looks cleaner in printed materials and emails, and is easier to dictate or remember. You also get to see how many people clicked and where they came from.

Yes, free with no registration required, and links are created instantly. Your first link automatically creates an account so you can manage everything from the dashboard.

Features

Yes. You can type any slug you want, for example /summer-sale, so your short URL stays on brand. If the alias is already taken, you will be prompted to pick another.

It holds the visitor on an intermediate page for a set number of seconds before the redirect fires. It is useful for showing an announcement, getting confirmation of terms, or simply slowing down automated crawlers.

When you turn it on, anyone who clicks the link sees a password prompt first. They will not reach your destination URL until they enter the correct password.

Yes. You can set a custom title, description, and logo for the page shown before the redirect. Useful when you want to give visitors context about where they are heading.

When creating a short link, open the settings and pick a date and time. After that moment, the short URL stops redirecting and shows an expiration notice to anyone who tries to visit it.

Yes. Enter your GTM container ID in the link settings and it fires your GTM container before the redirect. This lets you track clicks as conversion events inside your existing GTM setup.

Analytics & tracking

Yes. Every link gets its own analytics page showing total clicks, the countries requests came from and the device types. Data appears from the moment the first click lands.

Security & reliability

By default, links from this URL shortener stay active indefinitely. If you want a link to stop working after a specific date, you can set an expiration date when you create the link.

Every link is served over HTTPS and uses a 301 redirect. You can add a password so only the people you choose can open it, and set an expiry date so it stops resolving on its own.