Kutt 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

KuttShlink
DescriptionModern URL shortener with support for custom domains and custom URLs.URL shortener with REST API and command line interface. Includes official progressive web application and docker images.
GitHub stars11,1915,401
Forks––
Open issues––
Commits (12 months)20229
Last activity2026-10-192026-11-02
Latest releasev3.2.6 (2026-07-05)v5.1.8 (2026-10-21)
Maintenance healthActiveActive
LicenseMITMIT
Language / platformNodejs, DockerPHP, Docker
Docker Hub image––
Docker pulls––
Est. server size~1 GB, 1 vCPU~1 GB, 1 vCPU
Est. hosting from$5/mo$5/mo
CategoriesURL ShortenersURL Shorteners
LinksWebsite · SourceWebsite · Source

What the numbers say

Summary: Kutt leads on GitHub popularity; Shlink leads on commit activity and recent activity. 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 Kutt or Shlink more popular?

Kutt has more GitHub stars (11,191 vs 5,401 for Shlink, as of 2026-11-05). Stars measure interest, not quality.

Which is more actively maintained, Kutt or Shlink?

Shlink had more commits over the last 12 months (229 vs 20). The last recorded activity was 2026-10-19 for Kutt and 2026-11-02 for Shlink. Our health labels: Kutt is “Active”, Shlink is “Active”.

What licenses do Kutt and Shlink use?

Both use MIT.

Can I run Kutt 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 Kutt and Shlink. Check each project's documentation for install options.

Read more

Kutt

Modern URL shortener with support for custom domains and custom URLs.

Active ★ 11.2k MIT 🐳 Docker~$5/mo

Shlink

URL shortener with REST API and command line interface. Includes official progressive web application and docker images.

Active ★ 5.4k MIT 🐳 Docker~$5/mo

Browse all self-hosted URL Shorteners apps.

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