Bitly Alternative: A QR Code Platform, Not a Link Shortener That Added QR
Changing where a code points is capped at 5 edits a month on Bitly's $10 Core plan, 20 on Growth, and 110 on Premium at $199. That is the one operation a dynamic code exists to perform. Pageloot does not count it.
Code creation is metered the same way, 2 a month on Free, 5 on Core, 10 on Growth, 200 on Premium. A print run of 30 codes takes 6 months on Core, or $2,388 a year on Premium. Pageloot Starter is a 15-code library for $84 a year, with no monthly creation quota.
The Bitly QR code story
Sources: G2 · Trustpilot · Capterra · QR Code Generator Pro Trustpilot. Review counts checked August 2026.
Bitly is one of the most recognized brands on the internet. Since 2008 it has been the default link shortener for millions of marketers. The QR code feature came later, and the packaging shows it. QR creation is metered by the month at every tier: 2 on Free (with ads), 5 on Core ($10/mo), 10 on Growth ($29/mo), and 200 per month on Premium at $199/mo, which is $2,388 a year (all prices verified August 2026). Even Premium's 200 is a monthly creation quota, not a total library.
Bitly also owns QR Code Generator Pro (Egoditor GmbH, Germany), the platform at qr-code-generator.com. Its Trustpilot page showed 9,220 reviews averaging 1.5 stars as of the original audit, and its Starter plan includes just 2 dynamic codes at $9.99/mo (verified August 2026), the lowest entry allowance in the field. The relationship matters because it shows Bitly's approach to QR: acquire an existing QR tool rather than build QR-first capabilities into the platform.
The #1 issue: destination edits are metered, even on paid plans
Editing where a QR code points is the defining feature of a dynamic QR code. Bitly calls this "Link and QR Code redirects" and meters it by plan: 5 per month on Core, 20 on Growth, 110 on Premium (verified August 2026). Run a campaign where one client changes a landing page a few times, and you can hit the ceiling on a $10 or even $29 plan mid-month. On Pageloot, destination edits are unmetered on every plan. That is the whole point of dynamic codes, so we do not charge per change.
Bitly's free tier also serves ads on QR scans. The pricing page labels the free plan "With ads" (verified August 2026). Someone scanning your free code may see a Bitly-served ad before reaching your destination. For anything client-facing or printed, that is a dealbreaker.
If you only need static QR codes, Pageloot's free QR code generator creates unlimited static codes without an account. For dynamic codes, Pageloot Starter is $7/mo billed annually with 15 dynamic QR codes, unlimited scans, and a 30-day money-back guarantee, or there is a lifetime deal from $197: pay once and there is no subscription to lapse, so your dynamic codes stay live.
The #2 issue: QR codes are a secondary feature
Bitly's dashboard, pricing, and roadmap are organized around link shortening. QR codes are packaged alongside links, landing pages, and link-in-bio, not treated as a primary product. Pageloot's QR-specific tooling (multi-PDF codes, audio QR, print templates) exists because QR is the entire product. With Bitly you are paying for a link platform and getting QR as a side benefit.
The #3 issue: scan history is short at every price
Bitly retains scan and click data for 30 days on Core, 120 days on Growth, and 1 year on Premium at $199/mo. Two years is the maximum anywhere, and it is Enterprise-only (verified August 2026). There is no unlimited history at any published price. For agencies running year-over-year campaign comparisons, the data you need either ages out or sits behind an Enterprise contract. Pageloot keeps scan history forever on every paid plan: unlimited scan history, verified August 2026.
Why teams look beyond Bitly for QR codes
Bitly vs Pageloot: full comparison
All Bitly figures verified August 2026. Pageloot plans billed annually.
| Feature | Bitly | Pageloot |
|---|---|---|
| Destination edits (dynamic QR) | Metered: 5 (Core) / 20 (Growth) / 110 (Premium) per month | ✓ Unmetered on every plan |
| Ads on free QR codes | ✕ Free tier labelled "With ads" | ✓ No ads on any plan |
| QR codes | Monthly quota: 2 (Free) / 5 (Core) / 10 (Growth) / 200 (Premium) | Total library: 15 (Starter) / 60 (Premium) / 300 (Pro) |
| Scans | ✓ Unlimited on all tiers | ✓ Unlimited on all plans |
| Starting price for editable QR | $10/mo Core | $7/mo Starter, billed annually ($84/yr) |
| Premium tier | $199/mo ($2,388/yr) for 200 codes/month | $12/mo billed annually for 60 codes, 2 seats |
| Seats | Not published on self-serve tiers; user management is Enterprise | 1 (Starter) / 2 (Premium) / 3 (Pro) / 5 (from $99 tier) |
| Lifetime deal | ✕ Not offered | ✓ From $197 one-time, no subscription to lapse |
| Refund policy | ✕ Fees non-refundable under Bitly's terms of service; access runs to the end of the billing period | ✓ 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Primary product focus | Link shortening (QR is secondary) | QR codes (purpose-built) |
| Shareable stats page | Not offered on self-serve tiers | ✓ Included from Premium ($12/mo billed annually) |
| Your logo on dashboard and reports | ✕ Not offered on self-serve tiers | ✓ Included on Pro ($36/mo billed annually) |
| Client workspaces and client-branded no-login reports | ✕ Not offered | Planned direction of the from $99 tier |
| Custom domain | ✓ Growth+ (branded short links) | ✓ 1 custom domain included on Pro |
| Smart routing and geofencing | Not offered on self-serve tiers | ✓ Included on Pro |
| API | ✓ On every tier, metered by requests: 1,000/mo Free to 50,000/mo Premium | ✓ Included on Pro |
| Scan history | 30d (Core) / 120d (Growth) / 1yr (Premium); 2yr Enterprise-only maximum | ✓ Unlimited (every paid plan) |
| Free static QR codes | 2/month, with ads | ✓ Unlimited, no account needed |
| Print templates | ✕ Not offered | ✓ Flyers, table stands, cards |
| Multi-PDF QR codes | ✕ Not offered | ✓ Multiple PDFs per code |
| Audio QR codes (MP3) | ✕ Not offered | ✓ Multi-MP3 support |
| Link shortening | ✓ Core product, industry leader | ✕ Not a link shortener |
| Link-in-bio pages | ✓ Built-in | ✓ Multi-link landing pages |
| SOC 2 / GDPR / CCPA | ✓ SOC 2 Type 2, GDPR, CCPA | ⚠In progress |
| Reviews | G2 4.5 (916, as of the original audit) | G2 4.9 (62) · Capterra 4.9 (21) |
| Market presence | ✓ Est. 2008, household brand name | ⚠Est. 2019, 20,000+ brands |
When Bitly is the better choice
Your team's primary need is branded link shortening
Bitly is the industry leader in link management. Custom domains, branded short links, and link analytics are where Bitly genuinely excels. If your marketing stack revolves around shortened URLs with QR codes as an occasional addition, staying in one platform has real workflow value.
You need SOC 2 Type 2 compliance for link management
Bitly holds SOC 2 Type 2, GDPR, and CCPA compliance certifications. For organizations where the link management platform must meet enterprise security requirements, Bitly's compliance stack is established.
You're already deep in the Bitly ecosystem
If your organization manages thousands of Bitly links across marketing channels and needs QR codes that integrate with the same analytics dashboard, keeping everything in one platform reduces tool sprawl.
Pricing comparison
All prices verified August 2026. Pageloot billed annually, exactly as on the pricing page.
| Plan | Price | QR codes | Destination edits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitly Free | $0 | 2/month, with ads | Paid plans only |
| Bitly Core | $10/mo | 5/month | 5/month |
| Bitly Growth | $29/mo | 10/month | 20/month |
| Bitly Premium | $199/mo ($2,388/yr) | 200/month | 110/month |
| Pageloot Starter | $7/mo billed annually ($84/yr) | 15 total | Unmetered |
| Pageloot Premium | $12/mo billed annually ($144/yr) | 60 total | Unmetered |
| Pageloot Pro | $36/mo billed annually ($432/yr) | 300 total | Unmetered |
| Pageloot Lifetime Deal | $197 once | 15 total | Unmetered |
The math: Bitly Premium costs $2,388 a year and still meters you at 200 new codes and 110 destination edits per month. Pageloot Pro costs $432 a year for a 300-code library, 3 seats, your logo on the dashboard and reports, a custom domain, smart routing, geofencing, and API access, with no meter on edits. And the lifetime deal from $197 means there is no subscription to lapse at all: pay once and your dynamic codes stay live, with Starter-level limits (15 codes, unlimited scans, unlimited history).
QR features Pageloot has that Bitly doesn't
Bitly is a link management platform. Pageloot is a QR code platform. The feature gap reflects that difference in product focus.
Shareable stats page
A live stats page you can share, included from the Premium plan ($12/mo billed annually). No screenshots, no exports.
Your logo on the dashboard and reports
On Pro, your branding replaces ours. Bitly's self-serve tiers show Bitly.
Client workspaces and client-branded reports
The direction of the from $99 tier: dedicated client workspaces and client-branded no-login reports.
Print templates
Flyer, table stand, card. The last mile of the QR workflow that link shorteners don't cover.
Multi-PDF & audio QR
Multiple PDFs and MP3s in one QR code.
Unmetered destination edits
Change where any code points as often as you like, on every plan.
Smart routing and geofencing
Route scanners by location or conditions, included on Pro.
Lifetime deal from $197
One payment, no subscription to lapse: your dynamic codes stay live. Bitly is subscriptions only. See the deal →
30-day money-back guarantee
QR.io, for comparison, gives 7 days.
How to switch from Bitly to Pageloot
Export your Bitly link data. Bitly allows link export. Download your URL list to map which links need QR codes in Pageloot.
Try Pageloot free for 14 days. Create client QR codes and test the workflow.
Create Pageloot QR codes. Point them at the same destination URLs, with your branding and customization.
Choose your plan. Starter $7/mo, Premium $12/mo, or Pro $36/mo, all billed annually, all covered by the 30-day money-back guarantee. Or take the lifetime deal from $197 and pay once.
Keep Bitly for links if needed. Bitly excels at link shortening. You can use both platforms for their strengths.
Who is Bitly?
Bitly (bitly.com) is a link management platform founded in 2008 in New York. Originally a URL shortener, the company expanded into QR codes, landing pages, and link-in-bio features. Bitly owns QR Code Generator Pro (Egoditor GmbH, Germany), operating at qr-code-generator.com, whose Starter plan includes 2 dynamic codes at $9.99/mo (verified August 2026) and whose Trustpilot page showed 1.5 stars across 9,220 reviews as of the original audit. Bitly holds SOC 2 Type 2, GDPR, and CCPA compliance certifications.
Frequently asked questions
No. Destination edits (“redirects”) require a paid plan, and even paid plans meter them: 5 per month on Core, 20 on Growth, 110 on Premium (verified August 2026). Pageloot includes unmetered destination edits on every plan.
The free tier is labelled “With ads” on Bitly’s pricing page (verified August 2026), so scanners of free codes can see Bitly-served ads. Pageloot serves no ads on any plan.
Core is $10/mo for 5 new codes per month, Growth $29/mo for 10, and Premium $199/mo ($2,388/yr) for 200 per month (verified August 2026). These are monthly creation quotas, not totals. Pageloot Starter is $7/mo billed annually for a 15-code library with unlimited scans.
30 days on Core, 120 days on Growth, 1 year on Premium. The maximum anywhere is 2 years, Enterprise-only. Pageloot keeps unlimited scan history on every paid plan, verified August 2026.
Yes, from $197 one-time. The lifetime deal means there is no subscription to lapse: pay once and your dynamic codes stay live, with Starter-level limits (15 codes, unlimited scans, unlimited scan history). <a href=”/lifetime-deal/” class=”ext”>See the lifetime deal
No. There is a 14-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Yes. Many teams use Bitly for link shortening and Pageloot for QR codes — each platform for what it does best. Bitly excels at branded short links. Pageloot excels at QR code creation, management, and client reporting.
QR codes deserve a QR platform.
Not a link shortener add-on. Agency features from $7/mo. Lifetime deal from $197.
See plans → Lifetime deal from $197 →Pageloot is a QR code platform used by 20,000+ brands across 110 countries. We researched Bitly using publicly available data from G2, Capterra, and their public pricing page. All review quotes are paraphrased. This page includes sections where Bitly is the better choice. This is not legal or purchasing advice.
