Comparison
Short.io Alternative for Mobile App Deep Links
Short.io and Codelloy both give you branded short links, QR codes and click analytics, and both can open your mobile app. They differ in how each one opens your app, and in which plan you need for it.
Our Verdict
If you mostly shorten links in bulk, Short.io's Pro plan gives you unlimited dashboard links for less. If your links need to open your app, compare the setup: Short.io makes links on your short domain Universal Links and App Links from its Team plan, after you configure your apps for that domain. Codelloy opens your app through a deep link URL you set on each link, with no SDK, and falls back to the store, a custom URL or the web. Codelloy doesn't offer Universal Links on its short domain or deferred deep linking yet.
Choose Codelloy if you need:
App teams that want links to open their app without configuring a domain in the app, with a per-link choice of store, custom URL or web fallback. Also teams that want to publish a single HTML page behind a branded short link with Codelloy Pages.
Stick with Short.io if you need:
Teams that create large volumes of links, since Short.io's Pro plan doesn't cap links made in its dashboard, and teams that want Universal Links and App Links on their own short domain.
What Short.io does well
- Unlimited links created in the dashboard on the Pro plan at $18 a month, with API and bulk creation capped at 10,000 a year Source
- A free plan with 1,000 branded links in total, 5 custom domains and 50,000 tracked clicks a month Source
- Makes links on your short domain Universal Links and App Links on the Team plan Source
- Sends each mobile operating system to its own URL with mobile targeting Source
- QR codes with custom colours and logos on every plan Source
Where Short.io falls short
- Deep links start on the Team plan, at $48 a month Source
- Your iOS app needs the short domain added to its Associated Domains Source
- Your Android app needs intent filters for the short domain, and its signing fingerprint entered in Short.io Source
- Link export has to be switched on by Short.io support first Source
Codelloy vs Short.io: Feature Comparison
| Feature | Codelloy | Short.io |
|---|---|---|
| Branded short links and QR codes | Source | |
| Opens your mobile app from a link | Team plan and upSource | |
| How the app opens | Custom URL scheme or Android intent | Universal Links and App Links on your short domainSource |
| Setup in your iOS app | A custom URL scheme | Associated Domains for your short domainSource |
| When the app isn't installed | Store, custom URL or web, per link | Opens the link in the browserSource |
| Deferred deep links | Not documentedSource | |
| Routing by device or OS | Source | |
| Link cloaking | Pro plan and upSource | |
| REST API | Source |
Pricing and features verified September 2026. Short.io facts link to Short.io's own docs and pricing page.
| Plan | Price (monthly) | Links / month | Clicks / month | Retention | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Codelloy Free | €0 | 20 / month | 5,000 / month | 7 days | Deep linking · QR codes included · API access |
| Codelloy Pro | €49 | 10,000 / month | 50,000 / month | 3 months | Deep linking · Custom domain · Metadata preview · 3 seats |
| Codelloy Business | €199 | 100,000 / month | 250,000 / month | 1 year | 10 seats · 3 custom domains · Analytics export |
| Codelloy Enterprise | Contact sales | Custom | Custom | Custom | Custom volume · SSO · MCP server · Priority support |
| Short.io Pro | $18 | Unlimited | Unlimited | 2 years | API and bulk: 10K links / year · Link cloaking |
| Short.io Team | $48 | Unlimited | Unlimited | 2 years | Mobile deep links · Unlimited users |
Pricing verified 2026-09-19. See Short.io's pricing page for the source of truth.
How to migrate from Short.io
- 1
Ask Short.io support to switch on link export, then export your links as a CSV file from Branded links or your domain settings. Source
- 2
Sign up for Codelloy and register your iOS and Android apps with their store listings.
- 3
Re-create your links in the Codelloy dashboard, or send them to the External API's bulkSave endpoint, up to 30 per request.
- 4
On each link that should open your app, set the deep link URL to your app's custom URL scheme, such as myapp://product/123, and choose where people without the app go. There's no SDK to install.
- 5
If your short domain is your own, re-create its links with their old slugs as custom short codes, then point the domain at Codelloy with a CNAME record. A short code that is already taken on Codelloy needs a new link.
- 6
Update the links in your email campaigns, ads and social profiles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Short.io support deep linking?
Yes. From the Team plan, Short.io makes links on your short domain Universal Links and Android App Links, once you add the domain to your app's configuration. Visitors without the app get the link in their browser.Source
How does Codelloy open my app?
On iOS and Android, a Codelloy link tries to open your app through the deep link URL you set on it: your app's custom URL scheme on iOS, or an Android intent URL built from it. If the app doesn't open, the link falls back to your App Store or Google Play listing, a custom fallback URL, or its web destination, depending on how you set it up. On desktop, it goes to the web destination. There's no SDK to add to your app.
What happens when someone without my app clicks a Codelloy link?
They go to the fallback you set on the link: your App Store or Play Store listing, or a web page of your choice. A cloaked link shows its own destination instead. Taking them straight to the screen they clicked after they install (deferred deep linking) is on our roadmap but not yet available.
What doesn't Codelloy do that Short.io does?
Codelloy links are not Universal Links or Android App Links, and Codelloy doesn't host the site-association files those need, so every tap opens Codelloy's redirect page before it hands off to your app. Apple recommends Universal Links over custom URL schemes for new work, and any app can register the same scheme, so pick the route that suits your app.
Do I need to change my mobile app to use Codelloy?
Not if your app already has a custom URL scheme. Codelloy opens the app through that scheme, so there's no SDK to add and no Associated Domains or App Links setup. If your app has no scheme yet, register one first.
My app is built with React Native or Flutter. Will Codelloy work with it?
Yes, as long as the app registers a custom URL scheme, which React Native, Flutter and native apps can all do. Codelloy hands your app that URL, and you route it the way you already handle your scheme.
Is Codelloy more expensive than Short.io?
For high-volume shortening, Short.io costs less: its Pro plan is $18 a month with no cap on links made in its dashboard. The table above lists both companies' plans from their pricing pages.Source
Ready to switch to Codelloy?
Get started free. No credit card required. Migration support available.