Bitly Alternative for App Links: Store Routing and Deep Links Without the $199 Plan
Bitly is a great web shortener and an expensive app tool: ads on free links, no Huawei, and deep links only from $199 a month. Appy is built for apps from the free plan up: one link for the App Store, Google Play and AppGallery, no ads ever, and deep links from $9.99.
Bitly was built for links, not for apps
Most teams already have a Bitly account. It shortens a campaign URL, makes a QR code and counts clicks, and for web pages that is all you need. The trouble starts when the link has to lead to an app: an iPhone should land on the App Store, an Android phone on Google Play, and someone who already has the app should open it instead of the store.
Bitly can do parts of that, but the parts are spread across its price list. We read Bitly’s pricing page and help center on October 9, 2026. Everything below about Bitly comes from those pages.
Bitly for app teams in four numbers
- a month, billed yearly, before a Bitly link can open your app (Premium)
- $199
- stores beyond iOS and Android; Huawei AppGallery isn’t supported
- 0
- redirects on the free plan: a free link can’t be pointed somewhere else later
- 0
- up front for the cheapest paid plan, which is sold yearly only
- $120
a month, billed yearly, before a Bitly link can open your app (Premium)
stores beyond iOS and Android; Huawei AppGallery isn’t supported
redirects on the free plan: a free link can’t be pointed somewhere else later
up front for the cheapest paid plan, which is sold yearly only
What you pay at each step
Appy · Free
$0
4 links and QR codes, no ads, store routing by device
Bitly · Free
$0
5 links and 2 QR codes a month, an ad page before every free link
Appy · Pro
$9.99/mo
Monthly. Opens the installed app on the right screen
Bitly · Core
$10/mo
Yearly only ($120). No deep links
Appy · Business
$39.99/mo
One custom domain, 500 links, REST API and MCP server
Bitly · Growth
$29/mo
Yearly, or $35 month to month. One complimentary domain
Appy · Pro
$9.99/mo
Tries your app, falls back to the store. No SDK
Bitly · Premium
$199/mo
Yearly, or $300 monthly. Needs a custom domain and the Bitly SDK
The questions an app team actually asks
Why app teams pick Appy
Built for app links
- Every phone to its own store on the free plan, AppGallery included
- Deep links on Pro for $9.99 a month, no SDK in your app
- Dynamic QR codes with your logo, editable after printing
- No ads on any plan, and links keep working if you cancel
Grows with your app
- Your own link domain, REST API and MCP server on Business
- Install attribution and deferred deep linking with the SDK on Enterprise
- A dashboard in seven languages
- Free tools: Universal Link validator, AASA generator, UTM builder
Where it gets expensive for an app
The first cost is the ad page. Bitly’s help center says free accounts get an interstitial with a preview of the destination and an ad, and that upgrading is the only way to remove it. On a QR code on your packaging, that is one more screen between a customer and your App Store page.
The second is deep links. Bitly sells them on Premium and Enterprise, they need a deep-link-enabled custom domain, and the Bitly SDK has to be inside your app to create Universal Links and App Links. That is $2,388 a year before the first link opens your app.
The third is everything outside iOS and Android. Bitly’s app setup asks for an iTunes ID or a Google Play ID and says it supports only those two. If part of your audience uses Huawei phones without Google services, they get the default destination, not your AppGallery page.
One Appy link, every phone
appy.to/yourapp
one link or QR code
- iPhoneApp Store, or your app if installed
- AndroidGoogle Play, or your app if installed
- HuaweiAppGallery, when you add it
- ComputerYour website
Moving app links off Bitly
Keep the old links alive
Bitly says bit.ly links keep working after a downgrade. Don’t delete the account until printed codes have run their course; deletion removes editing and stats.
Create the app link once
In Appy, add your App Store, Google Play and AppGallery addresses and a website for computers. If you want the installed app to open, add its URL scheme on Pro.
Point the old Bitly link at the new one
On a paid Bitly plan you can change a link’s destination. Send it to your Appy link and every printed code starts routing by device without a reprint. Bitly counts each change against the plan’s monthly redirects.
Use the Appy link for everything new
Packaging, posters, bios and emails. Appy keeps the links working even if you later cancel.
Read next
- App Store QR code generatorOne code that sends every phone to the right store.
- Deep link generatorBuild the link that opens your app, or the store when it is missing.
- The best deep linking tools in 2026How the main deep linking tools compare on price, stores and SDKs.
- onelink.to alternativeThe other store-link tool app teams outgrow.
Bitly alternative questions
Does Bitly put ads on free links?
Yes. Bitly’s help center says free accounts get an interstitial page with a preview of the destination and an ad, and that upgrading to a paid plan removes it. Appy shows no ads on any plan.
Can Bitly send iPhones and Android phones to different stores?
Since July 2026, Bitly’s Dynamic Routing has a platform rule for iOS or Android, available on some paid plans. It doesn’t cover Huawei AppGallery or other stores. Appy routes to the App Store, Google Play and AppGallery on every plan, including Free.
How much do Bitly deep links cost?
Bitly lists mobile deep links on Premium, $199 a month billed yearly or $300 month to month, and Enterprise. They need a custom domain and the Bitly SDK. Appy deep links start on Pro at $9.99 a month without an SDK.
What happens to my Bitly links if I leave?
Bitly says bit.ly links keep working after a downgrade or account deletion, but you lose editing and stats. Links on a complimentary Bitly domain stop working when that domain’s registration lapses.
Why is Appy better than Bitly for app links?
Appy sends iPhones, Android phones and Huawei phones to their own stores on every plan, shows no ads, lets you edit free links later and opens your app on Pro for $9.99 a month. With Bitly, deep links need Premium at $199 a month and AppGallery isn’t supported.
Can I keep my printed Bitly QR codes?
Yes. On a paid Bitly plan, point the existing Bitly link at your Appy link. The printed code keeps working and starts routing by device.
Continue exploring
onelink.to Alternative: Why a Store-Only Link Isn’t Enough for Apps in 2026
onelink.to sends people to a store page, and opening your app starts at its $40 Team Plus plan. Appy opens the installed app from $9.99, routes Huawei phones to AppGallery on every plan and keeps stats without a time limit. A plan-by-plan comparison.
Dub.co Alternative for Mobile Apps: App Links Without the $30 Paywall
Dub is a web link shortener that has turned into an affiliate platform. Mobile comes second: deep links need the $30 plan, attribution the $90 plan, Android attribution still isn’t out and Huawei isn’t supported at all. Here’s how Appy compares for app teams.
Best Deep Linking Tools in 2026: An Honest Comparison
Branch, AppsFlyer OneLink, Adjust, Airbridge, Kochava, Singular, Bitly, Dub, onelink.to and Appy, checked against their own pricing pages and docs: deep links, deferred deep linking, attribution, QR codes, AI assistants, price and setup.
Looking for something else? Browse all topics on the blog.
Switch to the link tool built for apps
One link for the App Store, Google Play and AppGallery, no ads on any plan, and deep links for $9.99 instead of $199. Your Bitly codes can keep working while you move.