Free URL Shortener
za.gl is a free URL shortener that turns long links into clean, trackable short URLs. No account needed to get started.
Every za.gl link includes click analytics, a custom alias option, password protection, QR code export, a wait timer, GTM tracking, and an optional expiration date. All free. Your short link is a plain HTTPS URL. It works in social posts, emails, spreadsheets, chatbots, automation tools, and printed QR codes. No platform-specific setup needed.
No Sign-up, No Friction
Paste a URL, get a short link in under a second. Your first link creates an account automatically.
Custom Aliases
Pick your own slug instead of a random code. za.gl/your-campaign reads better everywhere it lands.
Password & Preview
Gate any link with a password, or show a preview page before the redirect. 301 redirects only, no tracking loops.
Click Analytics
See total clicks, countries, and devices for every link you create. Data stays in your dashboard, not sold to anyone.
Wait Timer
Add a countdown before the redirect fires. Useful for announcements, terms acknowledgment, or slowing down bots.
API Access
POST to /api/shorten with a bearer token and get a short URL back. No SDK required, works from any language.
Read the API docsWhy za.gl?
Free with no registration barrier. Custom aliases so your links look intentional, not random. Per-link analytics with country and device breakdowns. Password protection and wait timers for links that need more control. GTM integration for conversion tracking. Expiration dates for time-limited campaigns. A REST API for when you need links at scale. Available in 29 languages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Getting started
A URL shortener converts a long web address into a short, shareable link. When someone clicks it, they're sent to the original destination. za.gl short links look like za.gl/abc123 and redirect instantly.
You paste a long URL, za.gl stores it and generates a short code, then issues a 301 redirect. Anyone who clicks the short link is sent directly to your destination. The whole process takes under a second.
Short links fit inside character-limited posts, look cleaner in printed materials and emails, are easier to dictate or remember, and let you see exactly how many people clicked and where they came from.
Yes. You can create short links for free with no registration required. Your first link automatically creates an account so you can manage everything from the dashboard.
Features
Yes. In the advanced options you can type any slug you want, for example za.gl/summer-sale. If the alias is already taken, you'll be prompted to pick another.
The Wait Timer holds the visitor on an intermediate page for a set number of seconds before the redirect fires. It's useful for showing an announcement, getting confirmation of terms, or simply slowing down automated crawlers.
When you enable password protection, anyone who clicks the link sees a password prompt first. They won't reach your destination URL until they enter the correct password.
Yes. You can set a custom title, description, and logo for the preview page shown before the redirect. Useful when you want to give visitors context about where they're heading.
Open the advanced options when creating a link and pick a date and time. After that moment, the link stops redirecting and shows an expiration notice to anyone who tries to visit it.
Yes. Enter your GTM container ID in the advanced options and za.gl will fire your GTM container on the preview page. This lets you track clicks as conversion events inside your existing GTM setup.
Analytics & tracking
Yes. Every za.gl link gets its own analytics page showing total clicks, the countries requests came from, and the device types. Data is available from the moment the first click lands.
Security & reliability
By default, your links stay active indefinitely. If you want a link to stop working after a specific date, you can set an expiration in the advanced options when creating it.
All links are served over HTTPS and use 301 redirects. You can add a password so only people with the right password get through, and you can enable a preview page so visitors see where they're going before they arrive.