Bitly vs PIMMS 2026: complete comparison for marketers who track revenue

Bitly is the most recognized link shortener on the planet. It has been around since 2008, powers billions of redirects, and it's the default choice for many teams.

But if you're a founder, freelancer, or growth marketer trying to tie every click to actual revenue — Bitly might be leaving money on the table. PIMMS is an open-source alternative (GitHub) that includes conversion tracking, Stripe integration, and social-media deep linking from the free plan. Here's why, and when each tool makes more sense.

Three things PIMMS does that Bitly cannot

Before diving into pricing and feature tables, understand the core gap:

1. Opt-in form and conversion tracking ecosystem — PIMMS has dedicated setup guides for 11+ platforms (Stripe, Tally, Cal.com, Calendly, Brevo, Webflow, Framer, Elementor, Systeme.io, Podia, iClosed — plus 100+ more via Zapier and Make). Bitly has zero conversion tracking on any plan. You can track clicks; you cannot track which click became a sale or a lead.

2. Professional UTM management — PIMMS offers UTM templates, saved parameter values, filter/sort/group by UTM, and (on Pro+) naming convention enforcement. This replaces the Google Sheets tracking plan many teams still rely on. Bitly has a basic UTM builder from Core ($10/mo) but no templates, no saved parameters, and no convention rules.

3. Most features are free — Conversion tracking, Stripe integration, server-side tracking, social-media deep linking (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Amazon, etc.), UTM builder, opt-in form tracking, API access, and 100+ integrations (Zapier, Make) are all included on PIMMS Free. On Bitly, deep linking alone costs $199/mo (Premium), and conversion tracking does not exist at any price. PIMMS is also fully open-source (GitHub).

Pricing side by side (verified February 2026)

Prices below come straight from each product's pricing page.

Bitly plans

PIMMS plans

What jumps out immediately:

• Bitly charges $199/mo (Premium) to unlock deep linking. PIMMS includes it on every plan — even Free.
• Bitly's free plan stores no data history at all. PIMMS Free gives you 30 days.
• PIMMS offers lifetime pricing on Tiny (€79) and Solo (€129). Bitly is subscription-only.
• Custom domains start at $29/mo on Bitly (Growth). On PIMMS, it's €9/mo (Tiny).

Feature comparison: what matters for revenue tracking

Where Bitly wins

• Landing page builder — Bitly includes landing pages on every plan (2 on Free, up to 20 on Premium). PIMMS does not have this.
• Enterprise admin features — SSO, group permissions, activity logs, dedicated CSM. If you're a 100+ person team with compliance needs, Bitly has the enterprise infrastructure.
• Brand recognition — "bit.ly" links are universally recognized. Some audiences trust them more.
• QR code focus — Bitly has invested heavily in QR customization (logos, patterns, frames, colors).

Where PIMMS wins

• Revenue and conversion tracking — The biggest gap. Bitly tells you how many people clicked. PIMMS tells you which click turned into a Stripe payment or a form submission. No Bitly plan — not even Enterprise — offers native conversion or revenue attribution.
• Opt-in form integration ecosystem — Dedicated guides for 11+ platforms; Bitly has none.
• Professional UTM campaign management — UTM link builder, templates, saved parameters, filter/sort/group by UTM, bulk generation, and (on Pro+) naming conventions and rules. Replaces UTM.io and Google Sheets tracking. Bitly has a basic UTM builder from Core ($10/mo) but no templates, no saved parameters, no conventions, and no filter/sort/group by UTM.
• Social-media deep linking on every plan — Open links directly in Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Amazon, and more. This is social-media deep linking (opening links inside the native social app), not app deep linking (redirecting to your own iOS/Android app). Bitly's deep linking ($199/mo Premium) handles app redirects; PIMMS handles social-platform native opening — a different, complementary concept.
• Lifetime pricing — Pay once, use forever. Tiny at €79 or Solo at €129. There is no Bitly equivalent.
• Server-side tracking — PIMMS tracks through server-side events, which means ad blockers do not break your analytics.
• Most features free — Conversion tracking, Stripe, server-side tracking, deep linking, UTM builder, opt-in forms, API, and 100+ integrations are all on PIMMS Free.

Opt-in form integration ecosystem

PIMMS includes a tracking opt-in form and dedicated setup guides for connecting your forms and booking tools to conversion tracking. Bitly has no equivalent.

Platforms with dedicated PIMMS guides:

• Stripe — Track payments and revenue from Stripe Checkout and Payment Links
• Tally — Native integration and webhook setup for Tally forms
• Cal.com — Direct webhook and Zapier integration for bookings
• Calendly — Meeting and booking conversion tracking
• Brevo — Forms and meeting conversions
• Webflow — Form submissions and lead capture
• Framer — Form tracking on Framer sites
• Elementor — WordPress/Elementor form leads
• Systeme.io — Sales and lead attribution
• Podia — Stripe payments via Podia
• iClosed — CRM and Zapier integration

Plus 100+ more via Zapier and Make — including Typeform, Google Forms, HubSpot, Notion, Airtable, and most no-code tools.

If you run opt-in forms, demos, or booking flows, PIMMS can attribute each conversion back to the link that drove it. Bitly cannot.

Professional UTM campaign management

Most link tools offer a basic UTM builder at best. PIMMS treats UTM management as a first-class feature — the kind of thing teams usually pay $19–$159/month for on UTM.io or manage manually in Google Sheets.

What PIMMS includes on all plans (including Free):

• UTM link builder — Visual editor to build UTM-tagged links without manual URL crafting
• UTM templates — Save reusable UTM parameter sets and apply them to new links in one click (3 on Free, unlimited on paid plans)
• Saved UTM parameters — Pre-fill values from saved lists so your team always uses the correct sources, mediums, and campaigns (10 on Free, unlimited on paid plans)
• Filter, sort & group by UTM — Slice your analytics by any UTM parameter: source, medium, campaign, term, content. See which combinations drive the most clicks, conversions, and revenue
• Bulk UTM builder — Paste multiple URLs or import CSV, apply one or multiple templates, and generate dozens of tracked links in seconds
• CSV export — Export all links and UTM data for reporting or backup

On Pro+ (€39/mo):

• UTM conventions — Require, lock, hide, and validate UTM parameters. Enforce consistent naming taxonomy across your entire team. No more "facebook" vs "Facebook" vs "fb" in your reports
• UTM rules — Define which parameter values are allowed, required, or locked per campaign type

This replaces both UTM.io ($19–$159/mo for similar features) and the Google Sheets tracking plans many teams still rely on. If you run more than a handful of campaigns, proper UTM management saves hours per week and eliminates reporting inconsistencies.

Bitly has a basic UTM builder from Core ($10/mo) but no templates, no saved parameters, no conventions, and no filter/sort/group by UTM in analytics.

Real cost comparison for a growing business

Let's compare the annual cost to get branded links, deep linking, and conversion data:

To match PIMMS Free features (conversion tracking, Stripe, deep linking, server-side tracking, UTM builder, opt-in forms, API, 100+ integrations), Bitly would require Premium ($2,388/yr) — and still would not offer conversion tracking or revenue attribution.

With PIMMS Solo, you add A/B testing, webhooks, export, and 5 team members for €129 once (lifetime) or €19/month.

When to choose Bitly

Bitly is the right choice if:

1. You're an enterprise team (50+ people) that needs SSO, group permissions, audit logs, and a dedicated CSM.
2. You need landing pages — Bitly's built-in page builder is useful if you do not have a website yet.
3. Your focus is engagement, not revenue — If click counts and geographic heatmaps are your primary KPIs, Bitly's analytics are solid.
4. You're already deeply integrated — If your team has built workflows around Bitly's ecosystem, switching cost matters.
5. Brand recognition matters — In some contexts, a bit.ly link is more trusted than an unknown domain.

When to choose PIMMS

PIMMS is the right choice if:

1. You sell online and want to know which link, campaign, or post drove each Stripe sale or form submission.
2. You use opt-in forms, demos, or booking tools — PIMMS has guides for Stripe, Tally, Cal.com, Calendly, Brevo, Webflow, Framer, Elementor, Systeme.io, Podia, iClosed, and 100+ more.
3. You share links on social media and want them to open directly in native social apps (Instagram, YouTube, TikTok) instead of in-app browsers. PIMMS's social-media deep linking is different from Bitly's app deep linking (iOS/Android redirect).
4. You're budget-conscious — Lifetime deals and a powerful Free plan mean you're not locked into monthly billing.
5. You need professional UTM management — Templates, saved parameters, and naming conventions replace spreadsheets.
6. You care about tracking accuracy — Server-side tracking means ad blockers do not create blind spots in your data.

Migrating from Bitly to PIMMS

If you're currently on Bitly and want to try PIMMS:

1. Export your Bitly data — Download your link history and analytics before making any changes.
2. Sign up for PIMMS Free — Create your account and test with 5 links. No credit card needed.
3. Recreate your top links — Start with your highest-traffic links and set up UTM templates.
4. Connect your payment platform — Link Stripe to start seeing revenue attribution.
5. Set up opt-in form tracking — Use the guides for Tally, Cal.com, Webflow, or your platform.
6. Run both in parallel — Keep Bitly active for a month while you validate PIMMS data.
7. Upgrade when ready — Move to Tiny (€9/mo) or Solo (€19/mo) based on your volume needs.

The transition is typically done in under a week for most small teams.

FAQ