Short.io is one of the better-known subscription tools in its space — and at $18/mo (Personal: unlimited branded links, 10 domains), one of the recurring line items people most often look to replace. If you're searching for a Short.io alternative you pay for once and own forever, Trimly is the OneTimeSuite answer: $29, one time.
Why people go looking for an alternative
Short.io runs $18/mo (Personal: unlimited branded links, 10 domains), and like most SaaS the bill never stops — cancel and you typically lose access to your own history. That's roughly $648 over three years. Trimly flips that model: Branded short links, QR codes and click analytics — on your domain, in your SQLite file.
What Trimly covers
- Branded short links — Auto-generated or custom slugs on your own domain.
- Click analytics — Total + unique clicks, clicks-over-time chart, top referrers, devices, browsers, countries.
- QR code for every link — Downloadable PNG and SVG.
- 301 / 302 per link — SEO-permanent or trackable-temporary — your call, editable any time.
- UTM builder — Built into the create form — tag campaigns without a spreadsheet.
The honest trade-off
Short.io will keep shipping features, integrations and managed infrastructure that a pay-once tool won't chase — if that ecosystem is genuinely load-bearing for your workflow, staying is a fair call. For the core job, the math favors owning the tool: $29 once against $18/mo (Personal: unlimited branded links, 10 domains) forever. One month of Bitly's custom-domain plan costs the same as Trimly does once.
Also worth reading
Trimly's main head-to-head is with Bitly — see the detailed comparison or the product page for the full feature list, FAQ and demo video.
Try Trimly — $29, once
Branded short links, QR codes and click analytics — on your domain, in your SQLite file.