Polr
What Polr is
Polr is a free, open-source URL shortener for people who want to host and customize their own service. It provides link management through a web interface, with custom domains, bulk link creation, and controls for shortening permissions, redirects, and themes. A REST API creates links, looks up existing links, and returns analytics by day, country, and referrer; the default analytics range is 365 days. Administrators can set API request quotas per minute, including unlimited requests with a negative quota. Polr is self-hosted and lets users retain control of their data. The project is written in PHP using Lumen, Blade templates, and Eloquent ORM. MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite are listed as database options, although the installation guide does not recommend SQLite. Deployment requires a web server, PHP 5.5.9 or later, Composer, a supported database, and specified PHP extensions. Polr is licensed under GPLv2 or later and lists a Python library and Safari extension.
Who it suits
Polr suits people who want to operate and customize their own link-shortening service. It is aimed at users comfortable managing web-server and application requirements.
What it does well
- Self-hosted control over link data
- Custom domains and bulk link creation
- REST API with analytics
- Configurable API quotas
- GPLv2-or-later open-source license
What to know first
- Requires web server and PHP setup
- SQLite is not recommended by installation guide
- Polr 1.x is unsupported
- Public sites should use HTTPS
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Polr | Self-hosted open-source URL shortener · GPLv2+ | Free |
As github.com lists them, read 12 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
Polr gives self-hosting users link shortening, branding, management, and API analytics without a paid plan. Its deployment requirements and maintenance responsibilities matter before choosing it.
Facts from Polr's own pages
- Analytics retention
- 1 year · github.com, 21 Sept 2026
- API
- Polr includes a REST API for creating links and looking up existing links. · polrproject.org, 12 Oct 2026
- API access
- Yes · github.com, 21 Sept 2026
- API analytics
- The API can return link analytics by day, country, and referrer, with a default maximum range of 365 days. · docs.polrproject.org, 12 Oct 2026
- API quotas
- Administrators can set API quotas in requests per minute, and a negative quota allows unlimited requests. · docs.polrproject.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Audience
- Polr is designed for people who want to host and customize their own link-shortening service. · polrproject.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Bulk link creation
- Yes · github.com, 21 Sept 2026
- Custom domains
- Yes · github.com, 21 Sept 2026
- Customization
- Users can customize shortening permissions, redirects, themes, and run Polr on their own domain. · polrproject.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Databases
- The project lists MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite as supported database options; its installation guide says SQLite is not recommended. · polrproject.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Deployment requirements
- The installation guide requires a web server, PHP 5.5.9 or later, MariaDB or MySQL 5.5 or later or SQLite, Composer, and specified PHP extensions. · docs.polrproject.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The project lists a Python library called mypolr and a Safari browser extension. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Legacy version
- The installation guide says Polr 1.x is unsupported and points users unable to meet Polr 2.0 requirements to that legacy release. · docs.polrproject.org, 12 Oct 2026
- License
- Polr is licensed under GPLv2 or later. · polrproject.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Link management
- It provides an interface to manage links and control a Polr instance. · polrproject.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Security setup
- The installation guide recommends HTTPS for public internet-facing sites because it protects login credentials in transit. · docs.polrproject.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Support and community
- The project directs users to its GitHub issue tracker and IRC channel for issues, feature requests, and discussion. · polrproject.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Technology
- Polr is written in PHP, powered by Lumen, and uses Blade templates and Eloquent ORM. · polrproject.org, 12 Oct 2026
- What it does
- Polr is an open-source link shortener that lets users host their own URL shortener, brand URLs, and control their data. · polrproject.org, 12 Oct 2026
Where Polr stands on Freedom251
- URL shorteners#71 of 156