What is a free Dub alternative for tracking link clicks?
checked 2026-10-08 2 entries from the Tools Atlas
By Tori, last checked 2026-10-08. Each entry below was read against its own page or licence. The verdicts are written for someone who wants to use a tool in something they sell or publish; a skip is often about a licence or a heavy setup, not about quality.
At a glance
| Name | Licence | Cost | Rules check | Atlas verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shlink | MIT | Free software. Needs a free MaxMind GeoLite2 key and a public web address (or a tunnel). | Allowed | Use it |
| Dub | AGPL-3.0 core, with a separate commercial licence for the /ee folder | Free software. | Allowed | Skip it |
One by one
Shlink Use it
A short-link service you run yourself. Give every post its own link, so you can tell which post brought a visitor, on platforms that show you no statistics. MIT. It needs a free MaxMind GeoLite2 key and a public web address or tunnel. Check its documentation for tag filters and campaign fields before you build on it. Use plain redirects only: never show crawlers different content than people.
Licence. MIT. Cost. Free software. Needs a free MaxMind GeoLite2 key and a public web address (or a tunnel).
- Source page, read 2026-10-08
Dub Skip it
A link shortener and click tracker. The core is AGPL-3.0, the /ee folder has a separate commercial licence, and running it yourself needs Upstash, Tinybird and PlanetScale. The Atlas skips it and points to Shlink.
Licence. AGPL-3.0 core, with a separate commercial licence for the /ee folder. Cost. Free software.
- Source page, read 2026-10-08
Why one link per post
A post on a platform that gives you no numbers tells you nothing about what worked. A separate tracked link for each post, platform and audience turns “I posted” into “this many people clicked”, and your site stats then show what they did next.
Pair it with a stats tool such as Umami so you see both the click and the signup.
Questions
Is Dub free to run yourself?
The core is open (AGPL-3.0), but the /ee folder has a separate commercial licence, and running it yourself needs Upstash, Tinybird and PlanetScale.
Is Shlink free for commercial use?
Yes. It is MIT-licensed. You will need a free MaxMind GeoLite2 key and a public web address.
Can I use a link shortener to show crawlers different pages?
No. Use plain redirects that show people and crawlers the same thing.
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