Side by side
Current vs Zly
Both stand on url shorteners. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Paid APISelf-hostedWeb
Current combines branded short links, analytics, QR codes, and team controls in a self-hosted platform. Check the license restrictions and gated SSO before adopting it for commercial use.
Visit Current Paid APILinuxSelf-hosted+1
Zly combines URL shortening with analytics, campaigns, link-in-bio pages, and team workspaces. Its open-source license and deployment choices suit operators who want control over hosting and integrations.
Visit ZlyThe facts
| Current | Zly | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Not published | Not published |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Self-hosted, Web | API, Linux, Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Not published |
| Plans published | 1 | None |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | currenturl.app | github.com |
| On url shorteners | #152 of 156 | #148 of 156 |
Current: what it does well
- Free and open source.
- Per-link analytics include geography and referrers.
- Every shortened URL gets a QR code.
- Supports four database options.
- Docker Compose and Kubernetes deployment options are documented.
What to know first
- OIDC single sign-on is license-gated.
- Limited AGPL-3.0 license restricts commercial use.
- Requires self-hosted deployment.
Zly: what it does well
- Free, open-source, MIT-licensed project
- Custom slugs and scheduled links
- Color-customizable QR code downloads
- A/B testing with variant analytics
- Workspace roles and invitations
What to know first
- Vercel requires PostgreSQL instead of SQLite
- Self-hosting requires deployment setup
- Redis is optional with fallback