Do short links expire?
Usually not on a timer. Bitly, TinyURL and Cutt.ly each say that a free short link does not expire by itself, and ktzr.io links never expire either. A short link stops working for other reasons: someone deletes it, the account behind it is closed, or the service disables or retires it.
What each service says about its free links
These are the services' own statements, read on their own pages. "States no expiry" means the service describes no time limit. It is not a promise that a link will work forever.
| Service | What the service states | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Bitly | Says its links never expire. A link that was deleted answers with a 404 error. Setting an expiry date yourself is a paid feature. | support.bitly.com |
| TinyURL | Says its links never expire, as long as they follow its terms of use. | tinyurl.com |
| Dub | States no expiry by time or by inactivity. Setting an expiry date yourself is a paid feature. A link can be disabled for use that breaks its fair use policy. | dub.co |
| Short.io | States no expiry by time or by inactivity. Links keep working after the free plan reaches its statistics limit. | short.io |
| T.LY | Says links made without an account do not expire, as long as they follow its terms. Links that belong to an account need a valid subscription to stay active. | t.ly |
| Cutt.ly | No automatic expiry. Links stay active while the account is active. An account that stays suspended for more than 30 days may be deleted together with its links. | cutt.ly |
| Rebrandly | States no expiry by time. Links keep redirecting while the account is active, also after a downgrade to the free plan. | support.rebrandly.com |
| Google URL Shortener (goo.gl) | The service is closed to new links. Google said links that showed no activity in late 2024 would not work after August 25, 2025, and that all other goo.gl links keep working. | developers.googleblog.com |
| ktzr.io | Links never expire by themselves. A link stops working only when it is deleted, when the account that owns it is deleted, or when it is disabled for abuse. In each case it answers 410 Gone. | ktzr.io FAQ |
Last verified: September 29, 2026. Each row links to the page it was read on. Services change their plans, so follow the link before you rely on a row.
Four ways a short link stops working
- It was deleted. The owner removed the link, on purpose or while cleaning up an account. Nobody can undo that for the people who already hold the link.
- The account behind it is gone. Some services tie a link's life to the account: a closed, suspended or expired account takes its links with it. The table above shows which services say so.
- The service disabled it or retired it. A shortener can disable a link that leads to phishing or malware. A service can also retire links of its own, as Google announced for the goo.gl links that showed no activity in late 2024.
- The destination moved. The short link still redirects, but the page it points to was renamed or taken offline. The visitor sees an error from the destination site, and the short link gets the blame.
If the link is printed, check one more thing
A link on a poster, a package or a wedding invitation cannot be replaced once it is printed. The same is true of a QR code made from it. What protects you from the fourth reason above is being able to change where the link points, without changing the link.
| Service | What the service states | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Bitly | Not on the free plan. | bitly.com |
| TinyURL | Not on the free plan. | tinyurl.com |
| Dub | Yes, on the free plan. | dub.co |
| Short.io | Yes, on every plan. | short.io |
| T.LY | Not for links made without an account. Editing needs an account, and an account needs a paid subscription after its trial. | t.ly |
| Cutt.ly | Not on the free plan. | cutt.ly |
| Rebrandly | Not on the free plan. | rebrandly.com |
| ktzr.io | Yes, on the free plan. Every destination edit is kept in the link's history. | ktzr.io API docs |
Last verified: September 29, 2026. Each row links to the page it was read on. Services change their plans, so follow the link before you rely on a row.
What happens to a deleted ktzr.io link
A deleted link answers 410 Gone, the web's way of saying "this was here and was removed on purpose". Its code is never given to anyone else. A QR code that was printed from a deleted link can stop working, but it can never start leading to a stranger's page.
Deleting a link frees its place in the free plan's 100 active links. It does not free the code.
Short links that stay
ktzr.io links never expire, show no ads, and can be pointed somewhere new after they are printed. The free plan holds up to 100 active links and needs a free account.
More guides: URL shorteners without ads, Bitly free plan limits, Are short links safe?