Head-to-head · October 2026
anyLink vs URL Shortener
anyLink comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against URL Shortener.
URL Shortener
Notice: I’ve have since stopped development of this plugin as I feel that the state of URL Shortening…
| Metric | anyLink | URL Shortener |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 100+ | 80+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 71 | 81 |
| Download trend | +16.4% | +3.8% |
| Rating | 4.2/5 | 5/5 |
| Reviews | 5 | 2 |
| Health score | 34/100 | 32/100 |
| Last updated | 10 years ago | 12 years ago |
| Tested up to | WP 4.5.33 | WP 3.1.4 |
| Support resolved | — | — |
| Requires PHP | Any | Any |
| First released | Sep 2013 | Oct 2009 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
anyLinkURL Shortener
Choose anyLink if…
You care most about active installs, download trend and reviews.
- Small user base (100+ active installs)
- No update in 10 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 4.5 (latest is 7.1)
Choose URL Shortener if…
You care most about downloads (30 days).
- Small user base (80+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 11 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 3.1 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: short url
FAQ
anyLink vs URL Shortener: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 1, 2026
Which is better, anyLink or URL Shortener?
anyLink comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against URL Shortener. Choose anyLink if you care most about active installs, download trend and reviews. Choose URL Shortener if you care most about downloads (30 days).
Is anyLink more popular than URL Shortener?
anyLink is the more popular of the two with 100+ active installs, compared with 80+ for URL Shortener.
Can I use anyLink and URL Shortener together?
Both plugins cover short url, so most sites only need one. Running two plugins that do the same job can cause conflicts and slow your site down — pick the one that fits best and remove the other.
Are anyLink and URL Shortener free?
Yes. Both are free to download from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Either may also offer paid upgrades from its developer.
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