Bitly alternative for QR codes you can style and check before printing

Bitly is built for short links first, with QR codes as an add-on. Its free plan gives you two QR codes a month with limited styling and no custom logo. Cheetags is built for QR codes that get printed: full styling, logo upload on paid plans, and a scan check before you download.

At a glance

	Cheetags	Bitly
Free plan	1 code, full colours and shapes	2 QR codes a month, "With Ads"
Free styling	Colours, gradients, dot and corner styles	Colours and frames "Limited", no custom logos
Entry paid plan	€4 or $4 a month, 5 codes, logo upload	Core: $10 a month, billed annually ($120)
Scans	Unlimited redirects on every plan	Unlimited clicks and scans
Scan check before download	Yes	Not advertised

Bitly details checked on 13 October 2026 on its pricing page.

When Bitly is the better choice

• You mainly need short links for social media, email and ads, and QR codes are a small part of it.
• You want link analytics and QR codes in one dashboard for a marketing team.

When Cheetags is the better choice

• QR codes are the main thing you need, and they will be printed.
• You want your logo and brand colours in the code without an annual plan.
• You want each design checked for scannability before you download.

Create a free QR code or read why QR codes stop working.