9 Best Link Trackers (2024) – What I Recommend (Some Free)

Link tracking has been around since the beginning of the web. After all, links are the lifeblood of the Google search algorithm. So it’s no surprise that e-commerce businesses need to track links effectively.

One of the ways they do that is by using link shorteners, which convert long URLs into something more manageable and unique.

How you use a link shortener can vary depending on your role in digital marketing. In my experience, there are four groups of people who use link-tracking tools:

• Affiliate Marketers
• Influencers
• Ad Buyers
• Social Media Managers

Each has a somewhat different need and use for a link shortener.

Affiliate marketers want a service that can be used with WordPress to manage the hundreds (sometimes thousands) of affiliate links in one location. They don’t want to worry about changing affiliate links. Optionally, an affiliate wants analytic tracking for clicks and (if they are advanced) conversions.

On the other hand, ad buyers care about tracking clicks and conversions and sending that data back to the ad networks. Most want support for the big three ad networks: Google, Facebook, and Microsoft. TikTok is an up-and-coming ad network. Attribution is key for an ad buyer and ensuring ad money has a positive ROI.

Influencers want to insert a cloaked and shortened affiliate link in their social media network. They are looking for a brandable domain name that is ideally unique for them. They need to track sources of clicks and whether the links are shortened enough to appear in a post.

A social media manager’s main need is to insert UTM codes to track the effectiveness of media campaigns. They want to report to their client how many clicks came from their social media channels.

Understanding these differences, I have broken down the best link-tracking tools into my recommendations.

My Recommendations

Not all link-tracking tools are the right fit for the task at hand. Here are my recommendations on which link-tracking tool is right for your specific needs:

• Best Overall Link Tracker – LinkClicky
• Best Amazon Affiliate Link Tracker – Geniuslink
• Best Free Link Tracking – Rebrandly
• Best WordPress Link Tracking – Pretty Links

Link Tracking Tools Summary

Here’s a list of all of the link trackers available. Some are summarized below in more detail.

Best Overall Link Tracker

LinkClicky

Of course, I’m somewhat biased since I created it.

LinkClicky – Has features that are missing from all other link-tracking tools.

LinkClicky supercharges any ad buyer or affiliate marketer’s brand.

LinkClicky has these features:

• There is no need to go to each affiliate network to track revenue; LinkClicky tracks it all in one place.
• To track any affiliate link, just add and go! No need to worry about setting up postback and confusing subid variables. It automatically detects what affiliate link source and adds the correct subid for that system.
• Get analytics like no other service. Currently supports Google Analytics 4 and Woopra.
• Use the same affiliate link, no matter the source. Track affiliate clicks AND conversions from your blog, social media, YouTube, and email. Know exactly how much revenue came from what sources and web pages.
• Get the exact ROI for any paid ad campaign. No more guessing how much revenue an affiliate ad campaign generates.
• And much more!

LinkClicky is for the professional affiliate marketer or influencer who wants to make more money online.

Best For Amazon Links

Geniuslink

The Genius link is perfect for online influencers who stick to social media accounts or use the Amazon Associates program. If an Amazon product is out of stock, Geniuslink will alert you.

They work with online storefronts like Target, Amazon, Best Buy, Bloomingdale’s, Chewy, DICK’s Sporting Goods, eBay, Home Depot, Walmart, and many more.

They also have automatic product localization with Amazon, iTunes, and Microsoft Store links. So you are monetizing for every click, no matter the country.

Lastly, they have an option named ‘Choice Pages’ that allows visitors to pick which merchant to buy from. No need to host a webpage, and all are done with their service.

Best Ad Link Tracker

ClickMagick

ClickMagick has recently shifted its marketing focus beyond targeting affiliate marketing and influencers. It now focuses on tracking banner ads for any product, including affiliate products.

ClickMagick can send ad conversion data to the following systems:

• Facebook
• Google Ads
• YouTube
• Microsoft Ads (formally Bing Ads)
• TikTok

With ClickMagick, it doesn’t matter if you promote your own products or affiliate links; you can send attribution information to the major ad services.

Best Free Link Tracker

Rebrandly

If you are looking for free click tracking, Rebrandly is the tool you want.

I prefer Rebrandly over Bitly because of the simple fact you can have your own custom domain with Rebrandly on the free plan.

I personally keep my short domain, lud.live, with Rebrandly for tracking various links on social media.

Though its analytics are simplistic and lacks tracking conversions for affiliate links.

Best WordPress-Based Link Tracker

Pretty Links

Pretty Links is the go-to link-tracking tool on this list if you are a blogger. Pretty Links has a free version, though if you need reporting in Google Analytics, Pretty Links Pro is what you want.

I’m personally not a fan because of the limited functionality – instead, I recommend these Pretty Links alternatives.

If you are considering ThirstyAffiliates keep in mind, it is also owned by the same company that owns Pretty Links – MemberPress, LLC. More importantly, Pretty Links and ThistyAffiliates have the same pricing structure and features.

Other Link Tracking Tools

Lasso

Lasso is much more than just a click-tracking service. It’s made specifically for WordPress blogs, allowing you to manage your links in one central place. But it can do much more than this. Lasso allows you to create visually appealing summary call-to-action boxes.

If you have Amazon’s Associate program, you’ll also like Lasso. It allows you to pull product images and pricing data automatically from Amazon.

Bitly

Bitly came out of the need to shorten links with Twitter. Founded in 2008, Bitly was an important part of adding links to Tweets with Twitter until Twitter created its own link shortener.

Today, Bitly is one of the more popular free link shorters available. On the positive, many tools allow you to create Bitly links with their service. When looking at the paid Bitly plans, which start at $8/month, there are better and cheaper services. I recommend Rebrandly over Bitly since Rebrandly’s free account allows for a custom domain.

Improvely

Improvely allows you to track your visitor’s journey from UTM source to click to conversion. The traffic reporting is limited compared to my favorite tool, Woopra, but it is more powerful than the competing link trackers on this list.

LinkTrackr

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