Kutt is a self-hosted, open-source URL shortener that creates branded short links, protects them with passwords and expiry dates, and keeps click statistics in the operator's own database. It suits indie makers and small teams who want Bitly-style shortening on their own domain without per-seat SaaS billing.[1][2]
Quick verdict
Small teams that want branded short links on their own domain without per-seat SaaS fees will get the most from Kutt. Its self-hosted MIT-licensed app covers custom domains, per-link passwords and expiry, private click statistics, and a REST API in one small Node.js service. The price is operational ownership: you run the Node process, the database, and custom-domain SSL yourself, so teams wanting zero-ops shortening should choose a managed service instead. If you have a server or Docker host and value keeping click data in-house, choose Kutt; if nobody owns infrastructure, choose hosted shortening.[1][2][3]
Key features
Point the app at your own domains so every short link carries your brand instead of a shared public shortener domain.[1]
Set a custom alias, password, description, and expiration time on each link, so campaign URLs stay readable, gated, documented, and time-boxed.[1]
View, edit, delete, and manage all shortened links from the web dashboard instead of spreading them across spreadsheets or chat logs.[1]
Track visits per link with private statistics that live in your own database rather than on a third-party analytics platform.[1]
Create and manage links programmatically through the RESTful API, with published documentation for integrations and automation.[1]
Administer users and links from the admin page, and harden the instance by disabling public registration and anonymous link creation.[1]
Sign in through OpenID Connect in addition to email and password, with email flows for signup, verification, and password resets when mail is enabled.[1]
Run it with one Docker Compose command or plain Node.js 20, starting on zero-configuration SQLite and scaling to Postgres or MySQL with optional Redis caching, then rebrand it with custom CSS, images, and views.[1][2]
Who will love it
Indie makers and small teams who want branded short links on their own domain will love it, because custom domains plus per-link controls cover the whole campaign-link workflow in one small app.[1]
Developers who automate link creation will love it, because the RESTful API, published docs, and browser extensions make Kutt programmable from day one.[1][2]
Privacy-minded operators will love it, because click statistics and link data stay in a database they control, with registration switches to keep the instance closed.[1]
Who should avoid it
Non-technical users with nobody to run a server should avoid it, because installation, database care, and custom-domain SSL remain operator responsibilities.[1]
Teams expecting managed uptime, vendor support, or an SLA should avoid it, because no support plan is documented and the status page covers only the project's own hosted instance.[1]
Marketers needing advanced campaign analytics, QR management, or deep integrations out of the box should avoid it, because Kutt documents private per-link statistics rather than a full marketing suite.[1]
Alternatives and compatibility
Kutt replaces a hosted shortener subscription wherever a team can self-host: the MIT licence removes per-seat fees and the custom-domain support preserves branding, at the price of operating the service.[1]
It complements an existing website or app stack rather than competing with it, since short links point at content elsewhere and the API embeds shortening into publishing workflows.[1]
No catalogue alternative relationship is claimed yet: none of the known shortener products exist in this catalogue, so Shlink, YOURLS, or a hosted service remain future relationship candidates pending their own intake and evidence, not links asserted here.[1]
Questions worth asking
What is the best Kutt alternative for non-technical users?
A managed hosted shortener fits better, because Kutt assumes you can run a Node.js or Docker service, manage a database, and arrange SSL for custom domains. Choose Kutt only if someone on the team owns that server work or the hosted instance at kutt.to meets the need.[1]
Is Kutt really no-code?
Mostly yes for daily use: creating, editing, deleting, and measuring links happens through the web interface and admin page. The exception is setup and operation, which need Node.js 20 or Docker, database setup, and environment configuration rather than clicking through a signup form.[1]
How much does Kutt cost per month?
The software itself costs nothing: it is MIT-licensed Kutt 3.2.6 with no paid edition, and the only money path documented is voluntary donations and sponsorship. What you pay is your own hosting, whatever your server, database, and domain cost, plus your time operating it. Prices checked October 11, 2026.[1][2][3]
Can you self-host Kutt?
Yes, self-hosting is the whole model: it runs from a single Node.js 20 service or one Docker Compose command, stores data in SQLite by default with Postgres and MySQL options, and requires a JWT secret in production. Custom domains are supported, although generating their SSL certificates is currently left to the operator.[1]
Sources and editorial review
Source research. Reviewed on October 11, 2026. Written by Sanjib Sah. AI assisted; reviewed by a human editor.
We have not run or tested this product.
- Kutt README (official repository)
official · Observed October 11, 2026
Official repository README: modern URL shortener with custom domains; self-host-first setup (Node.js 20, SQLite default, Postgres/MySQL/Redis options, Docker Compose variants); custom URLs with password/description/expiry; link management; private statistics; admin page; themes; REST API; OIDC login; registration controls; mail and reporting; browser extensions; crowdfund link; kutt.it ownership warning pointing to kutt.to.
- thedevs-network/kutt repository
official · Observed October 11, 2026
Repository overview: Free Modern URL Shortener tagline, link-shortener topics, MIT marker, 11.1k stars, 892 commits, Docker and compose files.
- Kutt LICENSE
official · Observed October 11, 2026
Verbatim MIT licence, copyright 2020 Kutt.
- Kutt package.json
official · Observed October 11, 2026
package.json: kutt 3.2.6, Modern URL shortener, MIT, author Pouria Ezzati, url-shortener keyword, Express/Knex/Handlebars server with better-sqlite3, pg, mysql2, ioredis, nodemailer, openid-client.
Compared with these products
No explicit proprietary baseline is recorded.