Is Dub really open-source?

Yes, Dub is fully open-source on GitHub. You can self-host it or use the managed cloud version. Most teams use the cloud version for convenience.

How does Dub compare to Bitly?

Dub offers conversion tracking, A/B testing, and affiliate management that Bitly lacks, at a lower price point ($25/mo vs $35/mo for comparable tiers). Bitly has stronger brand recognition and a simpler interface.

Can Dub replace my affiliate management tool?

For basic affiliate programs, yes. The Business plan supports partner dashboards, custom commissions, and up to $2,500/month in payouts. For complex multi-tier affiliate programs, dedicated tools like PartnerStack may still be needed.

How much does Dub cost?

Dub pricing starts at $25/mo. A free plan is available.

Dub is the best link management platform for startups who care about attribution. The combination of branded links, conversion tracking, and affiliate management in one open-source tool is genuinely differentiated. Cheaper and more capable than Bitly for most use cases. We rate it 8.3/10.

Dub Review 2026: 8.3/10, from $25/mo

Q: What is Dub?

Open-source link management platform with branded short links, conversion tracking, and built-in affiliate program management.

TLDR

Dub is an open-source link management and attribution platform with branded short links, conversion tracking, and built-in affiliate program management. Best for: marketing teams and SaaS companies tracking link performance. Price: Free, $25/mo Pro, $75/mo Business. Rating: 8.3/10

What is Dub?

Dub is a link management platform that goes well beyond URL shortening. It handles branded short links, real-time analytics, conversion attribution, and affiliate program management in a single tool. Think Bitly but open-source, with deeper analytics and native partner program support built in.

The product earned #1 Product of the Month on Product Hunt in March 2024. It was built by Steven Tey, previously at Vercel, and has quickly become the go-to link infrastructure for startups who want more than basic URL shortening. The open-source foundation means you can self-host if you prefer, though the managed cloud version is what most teams use.

What sets Dub apart from competitors like Bitly is the conversion tracking and attribution layer. You do not just see clicks. You see which links actually drove signups, purchases, and revenue. For SaaS companies running content marketing or affiliate programs, that attribution data is what turns link management from a nice-to-have into a core marketing tool.

Key Features

Branded Short Links

Create short links on your own custom domain with QR codes, device targeting, geo-targeting, A/B testing, and deep linking. The link builder supports UTM templates for consistent tracking across campaigns. You can set expiration dates, password protection, and link cloaking. The QR code generator produces customizable codes that match your brand.

Conversion Tracking and Attribution

Track the full customer journey from first click to final sale. Dub shows you which links, channels, and campaigns actually drive revenue, not just traffic. The analytics dashboard breaks down clicks by device, browser, location, and referrer. This is the feature that justifies upgrading from the free tier, especially for teams running paid campaigns.

Affiliate and Partner Programs

Build and manage referral programs directly in Dub. Partners get embedded dashboards showing their performance, and you can configure custom commission structures per partner. The Business plan supports up to $2,500/month in partner payouts. This eliminates the need for a separate tool like Rewardful or FirstPromoter for basic affiliate programs.

Developer-First API

Full REST API with SDKs for TypeScript, Python, Go, PHP, and Ruby. Webhooks for real-time event notifications. The API supports everything from link creation to analytics retrieval, making it easy to integrate Dub into existing marketing stacks or build custom dashboards. Rate limits scale with your plan from 600/min to 3,000/min.

Pricing and Plans

The free plan includes 25 new links per month, 1,000 tracked events, 30-day analytics retention, 3 custom domains, and basic API access. It is generous enough for personal projects and early-stage testing.

The Pro plan at $25/month (billed yearly) bumps you to 1,000 links, 50,000 tracked events, 1-year analytics retention, 10 custom domains, 3 users, and advanced features like A/B testing and conversion tracking. This is the sweet spot for growing startups.

The Business plan at $75/month adds 10,000 links, 250,000 tracked events, 3-year retention, 100 custom domains, 10 users, role-based access, and $2,500/month in partner payouts. The Advanced plan at $250/month scales everything further with 1M tracked events and 5-year retention.

Compared to Bitly ($35/month for Core), Dub offers more features at a lower price point, plus the affiliate management that Bitly does not provide at all.

Plan	Price	Plan Features	Best For
Free	Free	25 links/mo, 1K tracked events, 30-day analytics, 3 custom domains	Personal projects
Pro	$25/mo	1K links/mo, 50K events, 1-year analytics, 10 domains, A/B testing	Growing startups
Business	$75/mo	10K links/mo, 250K events, 3-year analytics, affiliate payouts	Marketing teams with affiliate programs
Advanced	$250/mo	50K links/mo, 1M events, 5-year analytics, priority support	High-volume operations

Who Should Use Dub

Dub is ideal for SaaS marketing teams, content creators with affiliate programs, and startups that want link attribution without enterprise pricing. If you are running content marketing campaigns and need to know which links actually drive conversions (not just clicks), Dub delivers that insight at a fraction of what enterprise tools charge.

The affiliate management feature makes it particularly attractive for SaaS companies launching referral programs. Instead of paying for Bitly plus Rewardful, you get both in one platform.

It is less suitable for enterprise teams requiring SSO and audit logs on the standard plans (those require Enterprise pricing), or for teams that need Instagram or TikTok bio link pages (Dub focuses on link infrastructure, not social bio tools).

Alternatives

Bitly

Bitly is the most recognized URL shortener with a massive user base and enterprise features. It starts at $35/month for Core and goes up to custom enterprise pricing. Bitly has stronger brand recognition and a simpler interface, but lacks conversion tracking and affiliate management. Choose Bitly for simple link shortening at scale, Dub for attribution and partner programs.

Short.io

Short.io focuses on branded short links with team collaboration features. Starting at $19/month, it is cheaper than Dub for basic link management. Short.io is a solid choice for teams that only need link shortening and basic analytics. Dub is better if you need conversion tracking, A/B testing, or affiliate programs.

Rebrandly

Rebrandly specializes in custom branded links with strong API support. Plans start at $13/month. Rebrandly offers more customization options for link appearance but lacks the conversion attribution and affiliate features that make Dub unique. Choose Rebrandly for branding-focused link management, Dub for performance marketing.

Bottom Line

Dub is the best link management platform for startups and SaaS teams who care about attribution, not just vanity click metrics. The combination of branded short links, conversion tracking, and affiliate program management in one open-source tool is genuinely differentiated. The free tier is generous, the $25/month Pro plan covers most growing companies, and the developer API is excellent. The main gaps are the lack of social bio link pages and SSO on non-enterprise plans. For marketing teams that want to know which links actually drive revenue, Dub is a clear upgrade over Bitly.