Bitly Alternatives for Affiliate Marketers: Link Shortener or Deal Link Tool?
If you search for a Bitly alternative as an affiliate marketer, the real question is usually "which tool is best for sharing offers?" The answer depends on what you need, because there are three different kinds of tools and they do different jobs.
The three kinds of tools
- General-purpose link shorteners (such as Bitly or TinyURL) make long links short and count clicks. Many also offer QR codes, branded domains, team accounts and an API.
- Link-in-bio tools (such as Linktree) give you one page that holds many links, which suits profiles on apps that allow only one link.
- Deal link tools (such as a2z.deals) add a small card between the click and the store that shows the price, the coupon and the end time, and then report what happened.
Features and prices of other products change often, so check each product's own site before you decide.
Which fits what you need
| You need | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Links on your own branded domain | A general shortener. a2z.deals does not offer custom domains yet. |
| An API, team accounts, or styled QR codes with your colours or logo | A general shortener. a2z.deals has none of these yet. |
| A plain QR code for each link, for print or a screen | Either. a2z.deals makes a simple black-and-white QR code for every link, and counts scans as their own source. |
| One page with many links for your profile | A link-in-bio tool. |
| Show price, coupon and deadline before the click | A deal link tool such as a2z.deals. |
| Real end times, and something useful for visitors who arrive after a deal ends | A deal link tool such as a2z.deals. |
| Cards in Arabic or Kurdish (Sorani), right to left | a2z.deals. |
| Ready-made WhatsApp and Telegram share messages | a2z.deals. |
Check your affiliate program first
Whatever you pick, affiliate programs set their own rules about redirects, link shorteners and how links may be shown. Some restrict them. Read your program's terms before you publish a shortened or redirected link, because a rule breach can cost you your account. A deal card never changes or hides your affiliate tag, but the program's rules still apply.
When a2z.deals is the right choice
- You share individual product offers with a price, a coupon or a deadline.
- Your audience is on Instagram, TikTok, Telegram or WhatsApp, and especially if it reads Arabic or Kurdish.
- You want to know how many people arrive after a deal has ended, and give them somewhere to go.
When it is not
- You need your own domain on every link, an API, styled QR codes (colours or a logo) or a team workspace.
- You only need a plain short link with no card.
- Your program does not allow redirected or shortened links.
Using more than one
These tools combine well. A link-in-bio page can hold your best deal links, and each deal link can carry its own card and deadline. Start with the free plan of any tool and test it on one real post before you commit. To try a2z.deals, read how to create a deal link, then see our About page for what it does and does not do.