If you help run a modern software application with growth and engagement goals, chances are you're already sharing external links with users, via email, push, SMS, or right in-app.
Tracking clicks on those links helps you understand your ability to influence desired actions.
In this post, we’ll break down five of the best link tracking tools in 2025, with a focus on support for developers. These solutions provide the analytics, flexibility, and integrations you need to build smarter campaigns and better product experiences.
TLDR: The 5 best link tracking tools for developers
- Dub: Best for developers. Modern, fast, open-source, and self-hostable.
- Bitly: Very reliable and well-known, but not developer-centric.
- Rebrandly: Great for brand-focused teams managing custom domains.
- UTM.io: Ideal for teams who just need to manage UTM governance.
- ClickMagick: Best for teams tracking paid traffic and affiliate funnels.
Why you should trust us
Knock is infrastructure for sending product and customer messaging, enabling developers and marketers alike to ship cross-channel product notifications and lifecycle messaging that drive engagement, growth, and retention.
At Knock, we’ve built end-to-end observability and analytics for messages sent across email, in-app, push, SMS, Slack, and more, so we know how hard it can be to get tracking right. Pairing Knock with a link tracking tool ensures you know who’s clicking on what and what engagement strategies are paying off.
Today, Knock powers notifications for Vercel, Webflow, Zapier, and many more organizations of all sizes.
Learn more about Knock for cross-channel messaging.
What makes a great link tracking tool?
- Click attribution. Understand which messages, channels, or campaigns drive action.
- Analytics. Capture real-time data on device, referrer, geography, and more.
- Redirect logic. Route users based on device, geography, or any rule you define.
- UTM tagging. Ensure consistent source tracking across your tools.
- APIs and integrations. Automate your link generation and sync click data into your stack.
- Link shortening and custom domains. Shorten and brand your links to improve click-throughs.
Dub
The open-source link management platform
Dub is the best option if you're a developer who wants complete control over your links without giving up usability. It’s fast, open-source, and packed with modern tooling for link tracking, shortening, and analytics. Whether you self-host or use the managed version, you’re getting a clean experience optimized for performance and flexibility.
Dub features
- Open-source with a modern stack (Next.js, Tailwind, Prisma)
- First-class API support and webhooks
- RESTful API with rate limiting tiers for link creation and stats
- Support for custom, branded links
- Built-in analytics dashboard with real-time data
- QR code generation and tracking
- Built-in integrations with Vercel, Supabase, Notion, and more
Pros
- Fully self-hostable or use managed version
- Clean, developer-friendly UI
- Excellent performance and extensibility
Cons
- Requires setup if self-hosted
- Lacks non-technical onboarding tools
Dub pricing:
- Generous free plan with 25 links/mo + real-time analytics
- Pro ($25/mo): 1k links per month
- Business ($75/mo): 10k links per month
- Advanced ($250/mo): 50k links per month
- Enterprise (Custom): Unlimited links
See Dub's pricing and plans page for more details.
Bitly
The OG of link shorteners
Bitly has been around since 2008, and it's still going strong. It’s known for its stability and ease of use, with basic link tracking and branded domain support. Bitly is less focused on developer experience, but it’s solid for teams that want a plug-and-play solution.
Bitly features
- Support for custom, branded links
- RESTful API with rate limiting tiers for link creation and stats
- Built-in analytics + campaign tracking
- QR code generation and tracking
Pros
- Easy to use for non-technical teams
- Long-standing reputation for reliability
Cons
- Limited customization of the tracking log
- API can feel dated compared to modern developer tools
Bitly pricing
- Free (with ads): 5 links per month
- Core ($10/mo): 100 links per month
- Growth ($29/mo): 500 links per month
- Premium ($300/mo): 3,000 links per month
See Bitly's pricing and plans page for more details.
Rebrandly
Link management with branding in mind
Rebrandly focuses on giving users fine-grained control over branded short links, particularly for teams who want every shared link to match their domain and look professional. It also includes analytics, UTM tools, and direct API access with support for up to 10 API calls per second or 10k API calls per hour.
Rebrandly features
- A focus on custom, branded domains
- Rich analytics dashboard
- Supports QR codes and link retargeting
- Robust API for custom domain management, link creation, and tracking
- Chrome extension for quick shortening
- Native integrations with Zapier, Google Analytics, and more
Pros
- Has developer hub with API docs, coding examples, and an API Explorer
- Strong focus on security
Cons
- API not ideal for heavy automation
- Limited SDK options
Rebrandly pricing
- Free: 10 links per month
- Essentials ($13/mo): 250 links per month
- Professional ($32/mo): 1,500 links per month
- Growth ($99/mo): 3,500 links per month
See Rebrandly's pricing and plans page for more details.
UTM.io
Purpose-built for UTM tracking
UTM.io is designed specifically for creating and managing UTM-tagged URLs across marketing teams. It helps enforce consistent tagging and offers collaboration features for teams managing lots of links across campaigns.
UTM.io features
- UTM builder with templates and presets
- API and Chrome extension for fast link creation
- CRM and analytics integrations
Pros
- Great for enforcing consistent UTM tags
- Designed for team collaboration
Cons
- Limited focus on redirect logic or developer-first workflows
- Doesn’t shorten links
UTM.io pricing
- Starter (free): 3 templates
- Plus ($19/mo): 5 templates, 1 branded shortener
- Professional ($69/mo): 10 templates, 1 branded shortener
- Business ($159/mo): 30 templates, 2 branded shorteners, 2 workspaces
- Enterprise (Custom): Unlimited templates, 3 branded shorteners, 3 workspaces
See UTM.io's pricing and plans page for more details.
ClickMagick
Powerful tracking for performance marketers
ClickMagick is a popular tool for affiliate and performance marketers, and it offers some good features for developers, too. It provides detailed tracking, split testing, and conversion attribution features that go well beyond just shortening a link.
ClickMagick features
- A/B testing, geo-targeting, and device-based redirects
- Bot filtering and fraud detection
- API for automation and data export
Pros
- Heavy tracking logic customization
- Rich link-level analytics
Cons
- UI feels outdated
- Not open-source or self-hostable
ClickMagick pricing
- No free plan
- Starter ($79/mo): Up to 10k clicks/mo
- Standard ($169/mo): Up to 100k clicks/mo
- Pro ($299/mo): Up to 1m clicks/mo
See ClickMagick's pricing and plans page for more details.
Tracking engagement across multiple channels
No matter which solution you choose, tracking links in your engagement campaigns is smart if you need to know what’s working across each channel. But link tracking alone is just one part of the story.
When you pair link analytics with full-stack messaging observability, you unlock a unified view of every message sent and every user interaction across every channel including email, in-app, push, SMS, or chat. This gives you a clearer picture of how your messages are performing, which users are engaging, and where things might be falling short.
If you’re serious about improving engagement across channels, combine link tracking with end-to-end observability to optimize every message you send. That’s how you go from guessing to knowing what actually works.