How to Migrate from Bitly to LynURL in 5 Minutes

Why Teams Are Switching

Bitly has been the default URL shortener for years, but rising prices and feature-gating have pushed many teams to look for alternatives. If you've been hit by Bitly's recent pricing changes — or you're simply looking for more analytics depth, better team features, or a more transparent pricing model — LynURL is built for exactly this move.

The good news: migrating doesn't mean starting from scratch. LynURL's built-in Bitly import tool preserves your links, tags, and metadata so you can switch without breaking a single redirect.

Before You Start

You'll need two things:

1. A LynURL account — Sign up for free if you haven't already.
2. Your Bitly API access token — You can find this in your Bitly account under Settings > API. If you're on Bitly's free plan, you can generate a generic access token. Enterprise users may need to use an OAuth token.

That's it. No CSV exports, no manual copy-pasting.

Step-by-Step Migration

Step 1: Open the Import Tool

Log in to your LynURL dashboard and navigate to Settings > Import. Select Bitly as the source platform.

Step 2: Connect Your Bitly Account

Paste your Bitly API access token into the provided field and click Connect. LynURL will verify the token and fetch a summary of your Bitly account — including the total number of links, groups, and custom domains.

Step 3: Choose What to Import

You can import everything at once or select specific groups and tags. The import tool shows you a preview of the links that will be transferred, including:

• Short link slugs
• Original destination URLs
• Tags and metadata
• Creation dates

Review the preview to make sure everything looks correct.

Step 4: Start the Import

Click Import Links to begin the migration. LynURL processes links in batches, so even large accounts with thousands of links will complete quickly. You'll see a progress bar and a summary when it's done.

Step 5: Verify Your Links

Once the import is complete, check your LynURL link library. All your imported links will be tagged with a bitly-import label so you can easily identify them. Click through a few to confirm the destinations are correct and analytics are being tracked.

If you use a custom domain with Bitly, you can point that same domain to LynURL by updating your DNS records. Our custom domain setup guide walks you through the process.

What Gets Imported

| Data | Imported? | |-------------------|-----------| | Short link slugs | Yes | | Destination URLs | Yes | | Tags | Yes | | Creation dates | Yes | | Click history | No* | | Custom back-halves| Yes |

*Bitly's API does not expose historical click data for export. Your LynURL analytics will begin tracking from the moment of import. If you need historical data for reporting, we recommend exporting a Bitly analytics report before migrating.

LynURL vs. Bitly: Key Differences

Here's what you gain by making the switch:

• Transparent pricing — LynURL's Pro plan is $9/month with unlimited links and clicks. No surprise overages or feature-gated upsells.
• Deeper analytics — Geographic, device, browser, and referrer breakdowns on every plan. Real-time data with no 24-hour delay.
• Built-in QR codes — Every link gets a customizable QR code at no extra cost. Bitly charges extra for QR code customization.
• Team features — Role-based access, shared link libraries, and team analytics are included in the Premium plan, not locked behind an enterprise paywall.
• API-first design — Our REST API covers every feature in the dashboard. SDKs for TypeScript, Python, and Go are available out of the box.
• No link limits on Pro — Bitly's paid plans still cap your monthly link creation. LynURL Pro doesn't.

Common Questions

Will my existing Bitly links still work? Yes. Bitly links will continue to redirect as long as your Bitly account remains active. The import creates new LynURL short links pointing to the same destinations — it doesn't modify your Bitly links.

Can I use the same custom domain? Yes. You can point your custom domain's DNS to LynURL instead of Bitly. Keep in mind that updating DNS will affect all links on that domain, so plan the switchover accordingly.

What if I have thousands of links? No problem. The import tool handles accounts of any size. Large imports are processed in the background, and you'll receive a notification when it's complete.

Ready to Switch?

The migration takes less than five minutes and you won't lose a single link. Create your free LynURL account and start the import today.

If you run into any issues, our support team is here to help. Reach out through the dashboard or email us at support@lynurl.com.