Pipeline planLink Console vs Short.io: a governed UTM builder or a low-cost link shortener
By Hojabr Sattari. Updated .
Short.io is a low-cost branded link shortener with a UTM builder, an API and Zapier, Segment and Slack integrations on every plan, and a generous free plan (1,000 links, 5 custom domains), and its Team plan adds unlimited users for $48 a month. Link Console is a UTM builder with naming rules, approved values and approvals on every plan, short links and QR codes included, and on Pro ($49 per workspace a month, 10 users) checks of live Google Ads and Microsoft Ads URLs. Pick Short.io for cheap short links at volume; pick Link Console for consistent attribution.
Link Console at a glance
- What it is
- A UTM link builder from PlanConversion that applies naming rules as people type, with short links, QR codes and a shared link history
- Checks
- Live Google Ads and Microsoft Ads URLs (hourly, read only, Pro); GA4 exports; HubSpot, Salesforce and Pipedrive (Pro)
- Free plan
- Free forever for up to 3 users: naming rules, approved values, approvals, 5 templates, 100 short links a month
- Pro
- $49 USD per workspace a month, or $490 a year (2 months free); 10 users included, then $5 per extra user
- Enterprise
- $12 USD per user a month, billed annually, from 25 users
- With Pacing Console
- Pro $79 per workspace a month; Enterprise $28 per user a month
- Trial
- 30-day Pro trial on every new workspace, no credit card
- Sign-in and extension
- Google or Microsoft sign-in; Chrome extension coming soon to the Chrome Web Store
At a glance
| Criterion | Link Console | Short.io |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | UTM governance, with short links and QR codes included | Branded short links on your own domains |
| Free plan | Free forever: builder, naming rules, approved values, approvals, unlimited links, 100 short links a month, 5 templates, up to 3 users | Free: 1,000 branded links, 5 custom domains, 50,000 tracked clicks a month, 1 user |
| Paid plans (USD a month) | Pro $49 per workspace a month or $490 a year, 10 users included, then $5 per extra user; Enterprise $12 per user a month, billed annually, from 25 users | Hobby $5, Pro $18, Team $48, Enterprise $148; annual billing saves 17% |
| Trial | 30-day Pro trial, no credit card | 7-day free trial on every paid plan |
| Users | Free: up to 3; Pro: 10 included, then $5 per extra user | 1 on Free, Hobby and Pro; unlimited on Team and Enterprise |
| Short links | 100 a month free; unlimited on Pro | 1,000 on Free, 2,500 on Hobby, unlimited from Pro |
| Custom domains | Branded short domain on Pro | Free 5, Hobby 7, Pro 10, Team 50, Enterprise unlimited |
| UTM builder | Naming rules, approved values, locked and required parameters and approvals on every plan | UTM builder on every plan; no naming rules or templates mentioned on the pricing page |
| API and integrations | REST API and webhooks for Zapier and Make (Pro) | API on every plan; Zapier, Segment and Slack on every plan |
| Live ad URL audit | Google Ads and Microsoft Ads, hourly, read only (Pro) | Not listed |
| Single sign-on | Google or Microsoft sign-in | SSO on Enterprise |
Where Link Console wins
- Naming rules, approved values and an approval flow on every plan; Short.io’s pricing page lists a UTM builder but no rules
- Up to 3 users free and 10 on Pro; Short.io allows 1 user until the $48 Team plan
- An hourly, read-only audit of live Google Ads and Microsoft Ads URLs
- A daily link health monitor and GA4 or CRM checks that show the traffic and pipeline on off-convention values
- Same login and workspace as Pacing Console
Where Short.io wins
- A much larger free plan for short links: 1,000 branded links and 5 custom domains, against 100 short links a month on Link Console Free
- Low prices for one person: unlimited links from $18 a month on Pro
- Unlimited users on Team ($48 a month) and Enterprise; Link Console charges $5 per user beyond 10
- An API on every plan, including Free, plus Zapier, Segment and Slack integrations
- Up to 50 custom domains on Team, and SSO on Enterprise
What a team of 10 pays
On Short.io’s published prices, more than one user means the Team plan at $48 a month, with unlimited users, unlimited links and 50 custom domains. Link Console Pro is $49 per workspace a month with 10 users included, or $490 a year. The prices are close; the difference is what you get. Short.io gives more domains and unlimited seats. Link Console gives naming rules, approvals, an audit of live ad URLs and GA4 or CRM checks. A team that mostly needs short links should take Short.io; a team whose reports are full of mismatched UTMs should take Link Console.
How to switch from Short.io
- Create a free Link Console workspace (Google or Microsoft sign-in) and set your separator, lowercase and required parameters; the workspace starts with a 30-day Pro trial.
- Export your Short.io links and their destination URLs as a CSV.
- Upload the destinations to the spreadsheet import and check to find UTM values that break your convention.
- Turn the cleaned lists into approved values, recreate common links as templates and invite the team.
- Keep Short.io running while its short links are in use, because they redirect through Short.io.
How we checked
Every fact about Short.io on this page comes from Short.io’s own public pricing, product and help pages, checked on November 3, 2026, and listed under Sources. Prices are in USD as published that day and change over time, so confirm them with Short.io before you buy. Where a feature is described as not listed, we did not find it on those pages; it may exist elsewhere.
Which one fits your team
Choose Link Console when
- Several people and agencies build links and must follow the same rules
- Your GA4 or CRM reports show several spellings of one source
- You run Google Ads or Microsoft Ads and want live URLs checked
Choose Short.io when
- You mainly need branded short links, at low cost
- You need many custom domains or unlimited seats
- You want Segment or Slack integrations or API access on a free plan
Frequently asked questions
Is Link Console a Short.io alternative?
If you need UTM rules, approvals and ad URL checks along with short links, yes. If you mainly need cheap branded short links on many domains, Short.io is the better fit.
Does Short.io have a UTM builder?
Yes. Short.io’s pricing page lists a UTM builder on every plan. It does not mention naming rules, approved values or templates.
Which is cheaper for a team?
Short.io Team is $48 a month with unlimited users. Link Console Pro is $49 per workspace a month with 10 users, then $5 per extra user. Both have free plans.
