To shorten a link for free, paste the long URL into a URL shortener, pick a short name for it, and copy the new link. To track the clicks, use a shortener with a free account and built-in statistics, so you can come back to a dashboard and see how often each link was opened. On BioLink.page's free plan you can create up to 100 short links in total and see their click statistics for the last 30 days, with no ads on your links.
Here's how it works on BioLink.page, what the click numbers do and don't tell you, and a simple way to compare where your clicks come from. We checked the plan limits and how our statistics are recorded on October 19, 2026.
How to shorten a link on BioLink.page
- Create a free account and open Links.
- Choose to create a short link and paste the long URL, for example a product page on your Shopify store.
- Pick a domain. Free accounts can use biolink.page or the shorter biolink.love.
- Type a short name, the part after the slash, or leave it blank for a random one. Names can be 3 to 32 characters.
- Save, then open the new link once to make sure it lands on the right page.
A readable name helps. biolink.love/fall-candles tells people what they'll get, while a random string tells them nothing. Use lowercase letters and hyphens, and avoid names that only make sense to you, like /fc26.
What click statistics can you see for a short link?
Every time someone opens your short link, BioLink.page records the visit before sending them on. The link's Statistics page shows the following.
- pageviews and visitors, so you can tell repeat opens from first opens;
- countries and cities;
- devices, operating systems, browsers and browser languages;
- referrers, which can be filtered into social media, search engines, AI tools and other websites;
- visits by hour, which show when in the day people tap;
- UTM sources, mediums and campaigns, when the short link itself is shared with UTM tags, such as biolink.love/fall-candles?utm_source=newsletter.
On the free plan, statistics cover the last 30 days. The link itself keeps working after that. Only the older click history is no longer kept.
What does a click actually count?
A click is an open of your short link. It isn't a sale, a sign-up or proof that someone read the page. Messaging apps and social platforms also fetch links to build previews. BioLink.page leaves known crawlers out of your statistics by default, and you can choose to track them separately in your account preferences. Not every automated request identifies itself, so treat a sudden jump right after you post a link with some caution.
Your own test clicks count too. To leave them out, add your IP address under Excluded IPs in your account preferences.
"Visitors" is an estimate based on the browser, not a verified count of people. The same person on two phones counts twice, and someone who clears their cookies can count again. That's enough to compare one post with another. It isn't a count of customers.
If you want to know what happened after the click, add UTM tags to the destination URL and look in Google Analytics, as long as it's set up on your site, or check your store's reports. Shopify's marketing reports can show sales by UTM campaign, while Etsy's shop stats show visits, orders and revenue but won't tie each short link click to a sale. The short link tells you about interest, the store tells you about sales.
How to compare where your clicks come from
A practical way to compare channels is one short link per place. Say you run a food truck and want to know whether Instagram or the flyer brings more people to your weekly menu.
| Where it's shared | Short link | Destination |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram bio | biolink.love/tacos-ig | Your menu page |
| Flyer QR code | biolink.love/tacos-flyer | The same menu page |
| Text message to regulars | biolink.love/tacos-sms | The same menu page |
After a couple of weeks, the three links' statistics show which placement gets the most opens. The referrer chart helps too, but it can't always tell where a visit came from. QR code scans, text messages and some apps don't pass a referrer, so those visits can show up as Direct. Separate links avoid that guesswork, although people can still forward a link, so treat the numbers as a comparison rather than proof.
Can a short link open the app instead of the browser?
Yes, for supported apps. BioLink.page's free plan includes app linking, which recognizes links to 27 services, including YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Spotify and Amazon. It tries to open the app on iPhone and Android and then sends visitors to the normal web page if the app doesn't open. Whether the app opens also depends on the phone and on the app the link is tapped in. Test it before you share it widely.
Short link mistakes that cost you clicks
- Sharing the long link in one place and the short link in another, which splits your numbers.
- Renaming a short link after it's printed. The old name no longer leads to your link.
- Deleting a link that's still on a flyer or a sign. Point it at a new page instead.
- Comparing a Friday Instagram post with a Monday email and calling it a test. Timing changes results as much as the channel does.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to shorten a link?
Yes. BioLink.page's free plan includes up to 100 short links in total with click statistics for 30 days.
Can I change where a short link goes?
Yes. Edit the link and change the destination URL. The short address stays the same, so anything you've already shared keeps working.
Do short links expire?
Links on BioLink.page don't have an automatic expiry date. They keep working until you pause or delete them.
Do my own clicks count?
Yes, unless you add your IP address under Excluded IPs in your account preferences.
Can I shorten several links at once?
Yes. The free plan lets you create up to 10 short links in one go with bulk creation.
Can I see who clicked my link?
No. Statistics show totals by country, device, referrer and so on, not names or personal details of the people who clicked.
Can I use my own domain for short links?
Yes, on paid plans. Starter costs $1 a month or $10 a year and includes one custom domain. Pro includes five.
Can I turn a short link into a QR code?
Yes. Create a QR code of the URL type and pick your short link with Select from existing links, so scans show up in the same statistics.
Want short links with click statistics, free? Create a free BioLink.page account.
