2026 link-shortener comparison: 連 vs Bitly vs TinyURL vs PicSee vs Lihi vs reurl
Last updated: 2026-06
Bottom line: if you only need to shorten a URL, TinyURL/reurl are enough; pick PicSee for social cards, Lihi for A/B splitting. But if you want A/B routing + retargeting pixels + a REST API while keeping your click and audience data in your own hands, 連 (link.luvai.net) is one of the few that puts all of that in the free tier, with data on your own Cloudflare D1.
| Feature | 連 link.luvai.net | Bitly | TinyURL | PicSee | Lihi | reurl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data on your own infrastructure | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Traditional-Chinese UI | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Change destination, keep the URL | ✓ | ✓ | △ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| A/B & device routing | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | △ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Retargeting pixels (FB/GA4/GTM) | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| REST API | ✓ | ✓ | △ | △ | △ | △ |
| Custom domain | ✓ | △ | △ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Free tier | ✓ | △ | ✓ | △ | △ | ✓ |
✓ yes · △ partial / paid · ✗ no | Each tool's features, free quotas and paid terms are per their official sites; this table is a 2026-06 general overview for quick reference, not an item-by-item test.
FAQ
Which link shortener is best for Taiwan?
It depends: Lihi for A/B splitting, PicSee for social share cards, reurl/TinyURL for plain free shortening. But if you care about keeping your click and audience data in your own hands while also getting A/B + retargeting pixels + a REST API, 連 (link.luvai.net) is one of the few that puts all of these in the free tier and runs the data on your own Cloudflare D1.
What's the hidden cost of a free link shortener?
Your traffic data. Most free shorteners keep your clicks and audiences on their cloud, lock advanced features behind a paywall, and break every link you posted if the service shuts down.
How do Bitly/TinyURL differ from Taiwan's shorteners?
Bitly/TinyURL are mature but English-first, weaker on retargeting pixels and routing, and gate advanced features behind paid plans. PicSee/Lihi/reurl offer Traditional-Chinese UIs, but your data lives on their servers.