These get compared because they all produce a short URL. That is where the overlap ends.
Three different jobs
Bitly — URL shortener and QR toolkit. Great at tidy links, click counts, and polished offline codes. Everyone who clicks usually goes to the same destination.
Dub — modern link platform plus Dub Partners: recruit affiliates, track leads/sales, reward structures, and pay partners globally (tax, ACH, etc.). Built for digital SaaS and influencer programs.
Bridgly — app install smart links and physical-world attribution. Device routing (iOS / Android / web), install survival, branded QR, locations, and print kits that connect a package or shelf scan to a sale and a commission ledger. Pay via CSV export in your own system first — not Dub-style treasury.
The tests
App install test: What should happen when an Android user opens a link meant for an iOS app? If the answer is “something different,” you need routing — shorteners alone do not provide it.
Physical partner test: Can a QR on a shelf prove which ambassador or store drove the purchase, and accrue what you owe them? That is Bridgly’s lane. Bitly measures the scan; Dub pays digital affiliates; Bridgly ties offline scan → checkout → ledger.
Where the custom domain matters
For a shortener, a custom domain is branding. For app links it is structural: verified deep linking requires files on a domain you control.
The honest recommendation
| If you need… | Prefer |
|---|---|
| Short links + click counts | Bitly or Dub |
| Global affiliate payouts + tax | Dub Partners |
| App store routing + install attribution | Bridgly |
| Package/shelf QR → sale → who to pay | Bridgly |
Plenty of teams need more than one tool. Use Bridgly where routing and physical→sale proof matter; use Dub when the product is primarily “pay affiliates worldwide.”
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between a URL shortener and an app link platform?
- A shortener makes a link shorter and counts clicks. An app link platform decides where a visitor should go based on their device and can carry a destination through an app install. Shorteners send everyone to the same place.
- How is Bridgly different from Dub?
- Dub is strongest as a SaaS partner growth OS with global payouts. Bridgly is strongest on device routing, install attribution, and physical QR → sale → commission ledger (locations, print kits, POS bridges). Bridgly accrues commissions and supports CSV export; it is not a full tax-compliant payout network.
- Can I use Bitly for app download links?
- You can, and the link will work, but everyone who clicks lands in the same place. An iPhone user sent to a Google Play URL hits a dead end. Handling that split is the job a shortener does not do.
- Do I need a custom domain?
- For app links, yes, and not for looks. Verified deep linking through App Links and Universal Links requires a domain you control. Shared shortener domains cannot verify.
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