Bitly vs Uniqode (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Uniqode grades higher than Bitly: 2.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 23, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 23, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Uniqode grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Bitly
Link shortener and QR code platform with click and scan analytics
Uniqode
Dynamic QR codes and digital business cards for marketing teams
Which one is for you
Pick Bitly if
- Fits if you want links and QR codes counted in one dashboard
- Works for a marketer who needs short links next to the codes
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you are staying free: 2 QR codes and 5 links a month, with ads
- Watch out: Core is annual only, and Premium is $300 a month if billed monthly
- Pricey if you want branded links, which start on Growth at $29
- Watch out: only Premium keeps a year of data and city and device-level detail
Pick Uniqode if
- Fits if you print codes on packaging or signs and need to change where they lead later
- Works for companies that want QR codes and staff business cards in the same account
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: every plan is billed yearly, and going past your yearly scan allowance means moving up a plan
- Skip it if you might stop paying, since dynamic codes stop redirecting when the plan or the trial ends
- Pricey if you need integrations or the API, which start on Core at $49 a month, or retargeting, which needs Business+ at $399
- Tight if more than one person makes codes: Essential and Core have one user, and Plus is $99 a month for three
- Watch out: a custom domain is a $500-a-year Plus add-on in the plan table but $2,000 a domain in the pricing FAQ
How we grade them
| 2.2GPABitlyFair | 2.4GPAUniqodeFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | DCore is $10 a month billed annually for 5 QR codes, Growth $29 for 10, Premium $199. Branded links and the included custom domain start on Growth, well above the $10 category middle. | CEssential is $9 a month billed yearly, the middle of what QR code tools charge, for 15 dynamic codes and 50,000 scans a year. There's no monthly option, and integrations, the API and routing rules need Core at $49 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree for 2 QR codes and 5 links a month, 2 landing pages and unlimited clicks and scans, with ads. | CStatic codes are free with no cap, and so is one digital business card, but static codes can't be edited or tracked. Dynamic codes need a plan, and the ones made in the 14-day trial stop working if you don't upgrade. |
| Features | BDynamic QR codes, short and branded links, click and scan analytics, landing pages and 2D barcodes. The limits are monthly caps rather than missing parts. | BDynamic codes in more than 15 types, scan analytics, Linkpages, forms, bulk creation, an API, roles and SSO, plus business cards for Apple and Google Wallet. Nothing in the core job is missing; the limits are in which plan you're on. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. A web app with links, codes, pages and domains to set up. | CNo rating on record. It's an account with codes, landing pages and forms to build, and a scan allowance to watch, since it only resets once a year. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with Shopify, Canva and HubSpot integrations and an API. | BWeb and iPhone apps for cards and codes, with Zapier, Make, Workato, Google Sheets, Slack and Canva, and an API from Core. No Android or desktop app. |
| Best for | short links and QR codes with click counts | dynamic codes and digital business cards in one account |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Bitly and Uniqode. How we grade
Price against what you get
Bitly starts at $10 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Uniqode starts at $9 a month and scores 2.7.
They score the same, and Uniqode starts $1 a month lower. Of the other QR code generators on the chart, 1 scores higher than Bitly for less, and 1 scores higher than Uniqode for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Bitly also covers reports.
- Uniqode also covers forms.
At a glance
| Bitly | Uniqode | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $10 per month, billed annually ($120 a year; Core is annual only) | $9 per month, billed annually (Essential) |
| Free plan | 2 QR codes and 5 links a month, 2 custom landing pages, unlimited clicks and scans, with ads. | Static QR codes are free with no limit on how many you make, and one digital business card is free. Editable, trackable dynamic codes need a paid plan. |
| Free trial | None listed | 14-day free trial; dynamic codes made during it stop working unless you upgrade |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Bitly | Uniqode Phygital, Inc. |
| Price read from | bitly.com | uniqode.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Bitly
- Monthly caps bind quickly: Free allows 2 QR codes a month, Core 5 and Growth 10.
- Core is sold with annual billing only, and Premium costs $300 a month if billed monthly.
- Branded links and the complimentary custom domain start at Growth; long data history needs Premium.
- The free plan shows ads.
Uniqode
- Plans are billed yearly only. Scan allowances reset once a year, and going over means moving to a higher plan.
- Dynamic codes stop redirecting if the subscription or the free trial ends without an upgrade.
- Essential and Core have one user. Integrations and the API start on Core; Meta Pixel and Google Ads retargeting need Business+.
- A custom domain is a Plus add-on at $500 a year in the plan table, while the pricing FAQ gives $2,000 per domain a year.
Key features
Bitly
- Dynamic QR codes
- QR codes can be redirected after printing and are customizable, with advanced customization from the Core plan.
- Short and branded links
- Links can be shortened, given custom back-halves, and branded with your own domain from the Growth plan.
- Click and scan analytics
- Clicks and scans are tracked with data history that grows from 30 days on Core to a year on Premium, with city and device detail on Premium.
- Landing pages and cards
- Link-in-bio style custom landing pages and digital business cards sit alongside the links and QR codes.
- Bitly Assist and AI connectors
- Bitly Assist creates links and analyzes performance with AI on Core and above; the site also lists an MCP server for AI agents.
- 2D barcodes
- A GTIN can be added to QR codes made for product packaging.
Uniqode
- Dynamic QR codes
- Change where a code leads after it is printed. More than 15 code types cover websites, PDFs, locations, menus, app downloads and contact cards.
- Smart Rules and location routing
- From Core, one code can send people to different content by device, language, day or time, or location, and codes can be password-protected or age-gated.
- Scan analytics
- Every plan counts scans. Core adds time of day, device, city and GPS location, plus CSV export. Scan history runs from 60 days on Essential to lifetime on Business+.
- Linkpages and forms
- Mobile landing pages with several links, and a form builder for leads and surveys. Each plan includes 100 form responses a year; more are a paid add-on.
- Bulk creation and API
- Create dynamic codes in batches on every plan. The API starts on Core with 250,000 requests a month and rises to 2 million on Business+.
- Digital business cards
- Cards shared by QR code, link, or Apple and Google Wallet, with an iPhone app. The first card is free; the Team plan is $6 per user a month, billed yearly.
Plans
Bitly
Free$0
2 QR codes and 5 links per month, 2 landing pages, 3 custom back-halves per month and QR code customization. Shown with ads.
Core$10
per month, billed annually ($120 a year)
5 QR codes and 100 links per month, 5 landing pages, 30 days of click and scan data, UTM builder and Bitly Assist. Annual billing only.
Growth$29
per month, billed annually ($35 billed monthly)
10 QR codes and 500 links per month, 10 landing pages, branded links, a complimentary custom domain, bulk creation and 4 months of data.
Premium$199
per month, billed annually ($300 billed monthly)
200 QR codes and 3,000 links per month, 20 landing pages, 1 year of data, city and device-level data, mobile deep linking and campaign tracking.
EnterpriseCustom
Custom volumes, multiple users and group permissions, SSO, webhooks, a dedicated customer success manager and priority support.
Uniqode
Free$0
Unlimited static QR codes, which cannot be edited or tracked once printed.
Essential$9
per month, billed annually (no monthly plan)
One user, 15 dynamic codes, 50,000 scans a year, 5 Linkpages, forms, bulk creation and 60 days of scan data.
Core$49
per month, billed annually (no monthly plan)
One user, 250 dynamic codes, 1 million scans a year, Smart Rules, GPS and device analytics, integrations and the API.
Plus$99
per month for up to 3 users, billed annually
500 dynamic codes, 2 million scans a year, 25 Linkpages, user roles and 180 days of scan data.
Business+$399
per month for up to 5 users, billed annually
2,000 dynamic codes, 8 million scans a year, SSO, a custom domain, retargeting and lifetime scan data. Sold through sales.
EnterpriseCustom
Custom limits, security and dedicated support, priced by sales.
Ways to pay less
Bitly
- Annual discount
Save up to 34% with annual plans
The pricing page states annual billing saves up to 34%; Growth is $29 a month annually against $35 monthly, and Premium $199 against $300.
Uniqode
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Bitly or Uniqode?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Uniqode is cheaper to start with: $9 a month, against $10 a month for Bitly. Bitly starts at $10 per month, billed annually ($120 a year; Core is annual only), and Uniqode starts at $9 per month, billed annually (Essential).
Which has a free plan, Bitly or Uniqode?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Bitly and Uniqode have a free plan.
Which platforms do Bitly and Uniqode run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Uniqode lists an iOS app. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.