Chhoto URL
Simple, lightning-fast URL shortener with no bloat (fork of simply-shorten).
Chhoto URL vs Shlink
Two self-hosted URL Shorteners apps, compared on the facts we track: GitHub popularity and activity, license, language, Docker images and a rough hosting estimate.
Side by side
| Chhoto URL | Shlink | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Simple, lightning-fast URL shortener with no bloat (fork of simply-shorten). | URL shortener with REST API and command line interface. Includes official progressive web application and docker images. |
| GitHub stars | 1,002 | 5,401 |
| Forks | – | – |
| Open issues | – | – |
| Commits (12 months) | 421 | 229 |
| Last activity | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Latest release | 7.10.7 (2026-11-02) | v5.1.8 (2026-10-21) |
| Maintenance health | Active | Active |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language / platform | Rust, Docker | PHP, Docker |
| Docker Hub image | – | – |
| Docker pulls | – | – |
| Est. server size | ~512 MB, 1 vCPU | ~1 GB, 1 vCPU |
| Est. hosting from | $3.5/mo | $5/mo |
| Categories | URL Shorteners | URL Shorteners |
| Links | Website · Source | Website · Source |
What the numbers say
- Shlink is more popular on GitHub: 5.4k stars vs 1k for Chhoto URL.
- Chhoto URL had more commits in the last 12 months (421 vs 229).
- Chhoto URL published a release more recently (7.10.7 on 2026-11-02; Shlink's latest is v5.1.8 on 2026-10-21).
- Both are licensed under MIT.
- Chhoto URL is written in Rust; Shlink in PHP.
- Deployment options listed upstream: Chhoto URL: Docker; Shlink: Docker.
- Our rough hardware estimate is lighter for Chhoto URL (~512 MB server) than Shlink (~1 GB); this is an estimate from the stack and category, not a benchmark.
Summary: Chhoto URL leads on commit activity; Shlink leads on GitHub popularity. The right choice depends on the features you need — read both project descriptions and docs.
This summary is generated from GitHub, Docker Hub and awesome-selfhosted data as of 2026-11-05. It does not rate features or quality.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chhoto URL or Shlink more popular?
Shlink has more GitHub stars (5,401 vs 1,002 for Chhoto URL, as of 2026-11-05). Stars measure interest, not quality.
Which is more actively maintained, Chhoto URL or Shlink?
Chhoto URL had more commits over the last 12 months (421 vs 229). Both had repository activity on 2026-11-02. Our health labels: Chhoto URL is “Active”, Shlink is “Active”.
What licenses do Chhoto URL and Shlink use?
Both use MIT.
Can I run Chhoto URL and Shlink with Docker?
We did not detect a Docker Hub image for either app. The upstream listing mentions Docker as a deployment option for Chhoto URL and Shlink. Check each project's documentation for install options.
Read more
Shlink
URL shortener with REST API and command line interface. Includes official progressive web application and docker images.
Browse all self-hosted URL Shorteners apps.