Free Dub.co Alternative
Dub.co has moved upmarket — it now sells link attribution & partner management from $90/mo. If you just need to shorten links for free, Sinkto.Link is built for exactly that: unlimited links, free team collaboration, no event caps.
What Changed at Dub.co
Dub.co has repositioned itself as a link attribution & partner management platform — its homepage now leads with affiliate and referral programs, and its pricing page opens on partner plans at $90/mo (Business) and $300/mo (Advanced), each with a 14-day trial.
Its shortening product (“Dub Links”) still exists, with a free tier (25 links/mo, 1K events, 3 custom domains, 1 user) and paid tiers from $30/mo — but free shortening is no longer what Dub leads with. If you’re searching for a free Dub.co alternative, you’re the buyer Dub has deprioritized.
Sinkto.Link didn’t move upmarket. Free still means unlimited links, unlimited team members, full analytics, and no event caps.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Dub.co Free | Pro $30/mo | Sinkto.Link Free |
|---|---|---|---|
| Links Created | 25/mo | 1K/mo | ✅ Unlimited |
| Tracked Events | 1K/mo | 50K/mo | ✅ Unlimited |
| Custom Domains | 3 | 10 | ✅ Pro (up to 3) |
| Link Analytics | Real-time | Real-time | ✅ Real-time |
| QR Codes | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ + Logo Upload |
| Password Protection | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Custom Social Previews | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ Pro |
| Team Members | 1 | 3 | ✅ Unlimited |
| API Access | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ MCP (AI agents) |
| UTM Templates | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| A/B Testing | ❌ | ❌ (Business $90+) | Coming Soon |
| Data Retention | 30 days | 1 year | ✅ Unlimited |
| Monthly Cost | $0 | $30 | $0 |
| Annual Cost | $0 | $324 | $0 |
Feature-by-Feature Breakdown
💰 Pricing
Dub.co Free
25 new links/mo, 1K tracked events, 3 custom domains, real-time analytics, QR codes, API access, UTM templates, 30-day retention. Single user only. Still exists, but it’s no longer what Dub’s pricing page leads with.
Dub.co Pro ($30/mo)
1K new links/mo, 50K tracked events, 10 custom domains, 3 users, 1-year retention. $324/year ($27/mo billed yearly). A/B testing and conversion tracking require Business ($90/mo) or above.
Dub Partners — Business $90/mo / Advanced $300/mo
The plans Dub now leads with: affiliate and referral programs with automated partner payouts, 14-day trial. Powerful if you’re running a partner program — overkill if you just need short links.
Sinkto.Link (Free)
Everything unlimited: links, events, team members, advanced analytics, QR codes with logo, password protection — all free forever. No event caps, no 30-day data expiration.
🌐 Custom Domains
Dub.co
Free plan: 3 custom domains — genuinely generous for a free tier, and more than Sinkto.Link offers for free. Pro ($30/mo) unlocks 10.
Sinkto.Link
Custom domains on the Pro plan, up to 3 per team, live today — add the domain, add a TXT and CNAME record, verify. Your links keep working on sinkto.link too. If branded domains on a free tier are your priority, Dub.co has the edge; what Sinkto.Link gives away free is unlimited links, unlimited team members, advanced analytics, password protection, and QR codes.
👥 Team Collaboration
Dub.co Free
Single user only. No sharing, no collaboration, no role permissions. Team features require upgrading to paid plans.
Sinkto.Link (Free)
Unlimited team members with role-based permissions (Owner, Admin, Member). Shared workspaces, collaborative link management, shared analytics — all free. No paid tier required.
📊 Analytics
Dub.co
Real-time analytics on free plan — genuinely strong. But capped at 1K tracked events/mo on free (a single viral post blows through this fast), and 30-day data retention. Pro ($30/mo) unlocks 50K events and 1-year retention; conversion tracking starts at Business ($90/mo).
Sinkto.Link (Free)
Full analytics including country/city, device types, browser data, referrer sources, UTM tracking, and real-time updates — all for free with no event volume limits and no 30-day expiration.
📱 QR Codes
Dub.co
Offers QR codes on both free and Pro plans. A solid feature included from day one.
Sinkto.Link
QR codes with logo upload for branded QR codes — at $0. Put your brand inside the QR code for professional marketing materials.
🖼️ Custom Social Previews
Dub.co
Supports custom link previews — you can override the title, description, and image a link shows when shared.
Sinkto.Link (Pro)
Set a custom title, description, and image per link, and WhatsApp, X, Facebook, Slack, Discord, Telegram, and LinkedIn render that card instead of the destination page's. Skip the image and Sinkto.Link generates a branded card for you.
How to Switch from Dub.co
Export from Dub.co
Download your Dub.co links from your dashboard using their API or export tool.
Sign Up Free
Create your Sinkto.Link account — no credit card required.
Add Your Domains
On the Pro plan you can add up to 3 custom domains: add the domain, add the TXT and CNAME records at your DNS provider, then verify.
Import Links
Upload your links or recreate important ones with the same aliases.
Invite Your Team
Add unlimited team members with role permissions — free, unlike Dub.co's paid-only team features.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Dub.co pivot away from URL shortening?
Dub.co repositioned itself as a link attribution and partner management platform — its homepage now reads "the modern link attribution platform" and its headline product is Dub Partners (affiliate and referral programs). Its pricing page leads with partner plans at $90/month (Business) and $300/month (Advanced) with a 14-day trial. A free tier still exists — 25 links/mo, 1K tracked events, 3 custom domains, 1 user — but it's no longer what Dub leads with. If you're shopping for a free link shortener, Dub is now aimed at a different buyer.
Is Sinkto.Link a good free alternative to Dub.co?
Yes. Dub.co's free tier caps you at 25 links/mo, 1K tracked events, and a single user with 30-day analytics retention. Sinkto.Link goes further with unlimited links, no event tracking limits, unlimited team members, password-protected links, and QR codes with logo upload — all completely free.
How does Sinkto.Link's free plan compare to Dub.co's pricing?
Dub.co's pricing page now leads with its partner-management plans: Business at $90/mo and Advanced at $300/mo (14-day trial). Its link-product paid tiers run Pro $30/mo, Business $90/mo, and Advanced $300/mo, with a limited free tier (25 links/mo, 1K events, 3 custom domains, 1 user). Sinkto.Link gives you unlimited links, no event caps, free team collaboration, QR codes, and password-protected links — all at $0.
Does Sinkto.Link have team features that Dub.co charges for?
Yes, and they're free. Dub.co's free plan is single-user only, and team collaboration requires upgrading to paid plans. Sinkto.Link offers unlimited team members with role-based permissions (Owner, Admin, Member) at $0. Same feature, very different price.
How does API access compare between Sinkto.Link and Dub.co?
Dub.co is API-first with REST and GraphQL endpoints on its free plan — one of its genuine strengths, and still the better choice if you are writing code against an API. Sinkto.Link took a different route: a hosted MCP server, free on every plan, so Claude Code, Claude.ai, Cursor and other AI tools can create links, generate QR codes and read analytics on your behalf. Both products ship an MCP server; Sinkto.Link has no REST API. If you need REST or GraphQL, choose Dub.co. If you want an AI assistant managing links, Sinkto.Link gives you that plus unlimited links and free team collaboration.
Can I use custom domains on Sinkto.Link like Dub.co?
Yes. Dub.co offers 3 custom domains on its free plan, which is genuinely generous. Sinkto.Link supports custom domains on the Pro plan, with up to 3 domains per team, and your links keep working on sinkto.link as well. What Sinkto.Link gives you for free instead is unlimited links, unlimited team members, advanced analytics, password protection, and QR codes. To move an existing domain over, add it in Sinkto.Link, add the TXT and CNAME records at your DNS provider, then verify.
Can I migrate my links from Dub.co to Sinkto.Link?
Yes. Export your links from your Dub.co dashboard, then import them into Sinkto.Link or manually recreate important links with the same aliases. Your custom domains can be transferred by updating DNS records to point to Sinkto.Link.
Further Reading
URL Shortener MCP Server Guide →
The 11 tools, and setup for Claude Code, Claude.ai and Cursor
AI Link Management & Attribution →
Tracking ChatGPT and Perplexity referrals properly
Sinkto.Link MCP Server →
Manage links from your AI assistant, free on every plan
Best Free URL Shortener in 2026 →
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Just Need Free Short Links?
Dub.co is chasing partner programs at $90/mo and up. Sinkto.Link kept shortening free: unlimited links, unlimited team members, password-protected links, QR codes with logo upload — $0.
Custom domains available on the Pro plan (up to 3)
✓ No credit card required • ✓ Unlimited links & team members on the free plan • Cancel anytime (it's free!)