URL shortener vs link shortener
The two terms describe the same tool. Here is where the wording differs, why both persist, and the distinctions that actually matter when choosing one.
Short answer: they are the same thing. "URL shortener" and "link shortener" describe an identical tool, and no service meaningfully distinguishes between them. If you are comparing options, the wording is not a differentiator.
Why both terms exist
A URL is the technical name for a web address. A link is what most people call it. The two phrases reflect two audiences rather than two products.
"URL shortener" tends to appear in technical and documentation contexts. "Link shortener" is more common in marketing and everyday conversation. Both return the same kind of tool in a search, and most services — Zurl included — use both words, because people genuinely search for both.
There is a pedantic distinction available: a link is strictly the clickable element and a URL is the address it points to. No one applies this consistently, and it has no bearing on choosing a tool.
Terms that do mean something different
Several nearby phrases are genuinely distinct, and these are worth knowing.
Branded or custom domain links
These use your own domain — go.yourcompany.com/sale instead of a shared shortener domain. The mechanism is identical; the difference is who owns the domain. This matters for recognisability and means your links are not affected if a shared domain gets a poor reputation elsewhere. It usually requires a paid plan and DNS configuration.
Custom alias or custom back-half
Choosing the part after the slash — zurl.world/spring-sale instead of a random code — while still using the shared domain. Often confused with branded domains, but it is a different and much simpler feature. See how to create a custom short URL.
Vanity URL
Used loosely for either of the above. Ambiguous enough that it is worth asking what someone means.
Permalink
Genuinely different. A permalink is a stable address for a piece of content on its own site — not a redirect, and not shortened.
Deep link
Also different. A deep link opens a specific screen inside a mobile app rather than a web page. Some shorteners can produce them; it is a separate capability.
What to compare instead
Since the name tells you nothing, compare the things that vary:
- Do links expire on the free tier? Some services delete inactive links. Zurl links last until you delete them or set an expiry yourself.
- Is an account required? Zurl shortens links and generates QR codes with no sign-up.
- What is recorded about visitors? This varies enormously. Zurl records coarse country, device category and referring host, and does not store IP addresses or raw user-agent strings.
- Can you edit the destination later? Essential if links go on printed material.
- Is there an API? Necessary for anything automated.
- What happens to your links if you stop paying? Ask before committing to a paid plan.
Both of Zurl’s pages — URL shortener and link shortener — describe the same tool. Use whichever term you prefer.