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Head-to-head · Affiliate Link Management Software

ShortlyLink vs Pointerly

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score ShortlyLink #1 in Affiliate Link Management Software 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 5 features Visit ShortlyLink
Pointerly #5 in Affiliate Link Management Software 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 5 features Visit Pointerly

ShortlyLink leads on 0 checks, Pointerly on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreShortlyLink · 9.4/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresPointerly · 4 of 5

ShortlyLink scores higher on our rubric for affiliate link management software: 9.4 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #5.

ShortlyLink is the better fit for teams wanting a capable free link platform. Pointerly is the better fit for creator teams combining links and social workflows.

  • ShortlyLink fits best

    Teams wanting a capable free link platform

  • Pointerly fits best

    Creator teams combining links and social workflows

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature ShortlyLink 9.4/10 Visit ↗ Pointerly 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 8.6
Ranking #1 in Affiliate Link Management Software #5 in Affiliate Link Management Software
Best for Teams wanting a capable free link platform Creator teams combining links and social workflows
Pricing model Free Free plan + paid
Starting price Free plan $24/mo
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud Cloud, Browser extension
Platforms Web Web, Chrome extension
Integrations 6 integrations 27+ integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features ShortlyLink 1/5 · Pointerly 4/5
Link cloaking Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Geo-targeting ✓ ✓
Link localization Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Link rotation Not checked yet Not checked yet
Conversion tracking Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Specs
Sites included Not checked yet Not checked yet
Team seats Not checked yet 3 seats
Our review
Pros
  • Free beta plan includes targeting, testing, analytics, and attribution
  • Bulk import supports up to 500 links with custom domains
  • REST API, HMAC-signed webhooks, and major tracking integrations
  • Routes links by device, geography, and marketplace
  • Combines analytics, campaigns, content, and team workflows
  • Connects with major social, storage, calendar, and collaboration tools
Cons
  • Beta access is limited
  • Custom domains require DNS TXT verification
  • The listed platforms are web and API
  • Free plan limits usage to 2,500 clicks and 50 links monthly
  • A/B testing starts on the $104-per-month Team plan
  • Enterprise pricing is not shown as a monthly amount
Our verdict

ShortlyLink is a web-based URL shortener and link-management platform for performance marketers, media buyers, agencies, creators, and developers. It turns long campaign URLs into branded, trackable links with automatically generated or…

Read the review →

Pointerly is a link operations platform for creators, creator teams, media organizations, agencies, and brands. It combines smart deep links, tag management, link-in-bio pages, click and conversion analytics, marketplace report imports,…

Read the review →
  1. ShortlyLinkAffiliate Link Management Software 9.4Free plan
  2. PointerlyAffiliate Link Management Software 8.6Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • ShortlyLink — where it wins

    • Free beta plan includes targeting, testing, analytics, and attribution
    • Bulk import supports up to 500 links with custom domains
    • REST API, HMAC-signed webhooks, and major tracking integrations

    Where it doesn't

    • Beta access is limited
    • Custom domains require DNS TXT verification
    • The listed platforms are web and API
  • Pointerly — where it wins

    • Routes links by device, geography, and marketplace
    • Combines analytics, campaigns, content, and team workflows
    • Connects with major social, storage, calendar, and collaboration tools

    Where it doesn't

    • Free plan limits usage to 2,500 clicks and 50 links monthly
    • A/B testing starts on the $104-per-month Team plan
    • Enterprise pricing is not shown as a monthly amount

More comparisons

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update