Most link shorteners look the same. They're ugly, forgettable, and they do nothing to build trust with the people who click them. A custom domain link, by contrast, carries your brand forward—it looks professional, feels more trustworthy, and actually drives better engagement.
The problem is finding a tool that handles custom domain links without overcomplicating the job. You need something that tracks clicks without requiring a PhD, manages your links without chaos, and actually integrates with the rest of your workflow. Most platforms force you to choose: pick a good link shortener, or pick a good CRM, or pick a good email tool. Rarely all three.
This guide compares ten platforms worth considering for custom domain links, branded short links, and the broader ecosystem they fit into. We'll cover what separates the best tools from the noise, and how to pick one that doesn't make your life harder.
# Clkly
Clkly is the simplest way to track clicks without breaking your workflow. It handles branded short links, email sequences, and contact management in one place—no jumping between tabs, no data loss between tools.
- Create branded short links on your own domain in seconds—clkly.xyz/launch or yourcompany.com/launch
- Design styled QR codes with your logo, custom colours, and transparent backgrounds
- Track every click by country, city, browser, and device—then filter your stats by campaign or date window
- Organise links in folders, bulk-move or archive them, and see your full click history paginated and filterable
- Send cold email sequences with branching logic, track opens and clicks in real time, and tie every interaction back to a contact
# HubSpot
HubSpot is a full-stack CRM with a native link-tracking module and native email capabilities built in. The platform covers contacts, deals, pipelines, and marketing automation under one roof. Link tracking is present but secondary to the broader CRM function—you can create tracked links, but the interface is designed more for marketing campaigns and lead nurturing than for outreach-focused workflows. Pricing is tiered by feature set and contact volume, with a free tier that covers basic CRM and email, and paid tiers starting around £40/month. It suits teams that want a single platform for marketing, sales, and customer success, though setup typically requires training time.
# Bitly
Bitly is the original URL shortener and remains the industry standard for link shortening and click analytics. The platform offers branded short links (using a custom domain or Bitly's default), click-level analytics, and basic audience insights. It's built for marketers who want pure link tracking without CRM functionality—analytics are straightforward, and the interface is optimised for high-volume link management. Bitly also offers QR code generation, though customisation is less extensive than some newer tools. Pricing is per-user or per-account, starting around £25/month, with higher tiers for team features and advanced analytics. Many teams use Bitly alongside their CRM rather than as a replacement.
# Rebrandly
Rebrandly is a link shortener centred on branding and compliance. It lets you create custom domain links and uses your own domain to build brand consistency across links. The platform includes click analytics, browser and device tracking, and team collaboration features. Rebrandly's interface is clean and domain-focused, making it straightforward to manage your branded URL structure. Unlike Bitly, Rebrandly emphasises domain ownership and security over raw analytics breadth. Pricing starts around £20/month for individual users, with team and enterprise tiers available. It's popular with agencies and brands that prioritise link consistency and whitelabel needs.
# Short.io
Short.io combines link shortening, branded short links, and detailed analytics with workflow automation on top. You can create links on a custom domain, track clicks in granular detail, and trigger actions based on link behaviour—like adding a contact to a list or sending a notification. The platform sits between pure link shorteners and full workflow platforms. Analytics include geolocation, device, and referrer data. Pricing is usage-based, starting at around £20/month for smaller volumes, scaling with the number of links and clicks. It appeals to marketers and growth teams who want link tracking plus a bit of automation, without the overhead of a full CRM.
# Lemlist
Lemlist is a cold email and outreach platform with link tracking built in. It focuses on email sequences, personalization, and deliverability for sales teams. Links you send through Lemlist are automatically tracked for clicks, and you can use your own domain for branded links. The platform also includes team inbox features, campaign analytics, and integration with popular CRMs. However, Lemlist's core strength is email automation rather than broad link management—if you're not using it for cold outreach, the link tracking is secondary. Pricing is around £25/month per user, with higher tiers unlocking more sequences and integrations. It's designed for sales development and outbound teams.
# Instantly
Instantly is a cold email and sales automation tool that emphasises volume and compliance. It includes link tracking, allowing you to monitor click engagement within email campaigns. Links are tracked automatically, and you can use your own domain for branded URLs. The platform prioritises email deliverability and accounts multiple mailbox support. Link tracking itself is fairly basic—clicks are recorded and attributed to campaigns, but analytics lack the geographic or device-level detail of dedicated link tools. Pricing is around £35/month per mailbox, with bulk discounts for teams. It's built for SDRs and sales teams running high-volume outreach.
# ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign is a customer experience automation platform covering email, SMS, CRM, and sales automation. It includes link tracking for emails, with clicks attributed to contacts and automations triggered based on link behaviour. Custom domain links are supported, and analytics tie back to contact records. The platform is broader than a dedicated link shortener—you're paying for email automation, CRM functionality, and workflows together. Pricing is contact-based and starts around £20/month, scaling with contact volume and feature tier. It suits teams that want a unified platform for email campaigns, nurture sequences, and lead scoring, rather than teams that need precision link management alone.
# Zapier
Zapier is a workflow automation and integration platform that connects apps without code. It doesn't natively shorten URLs or create branded links, but it can forward link data between tools—for example, capturing link clicks from Bitly and adding them to a spreadsheet, or triggering a Slack notification when a tracked link is clicked. You'd use Zapier to bridge a link shortener with your CRM or email tool, automating handoffs. Pricing is per task (called a "Zap"), starting free and scaling to around £20/month for moderate automation. Zapier is most useful if you've already chosen your link tool and CRM separately and need to glue them together.
# Make
Make (formerly Integromat) is a visual workflow builder for connecting apps and automating processes. Like Zapier, it doesn't create links or track clicks natively, but it can orchestrate workflows around existing link data—for example, logging link clicks to a database, or updating contact fields based on click history. Make's interface is visual and node-based, appealing to users who prefer diagramming automation flows. Pricing is per operation (like Zapier's per-task model), starting free and scaling to around £20/month for most use cases. It's useful for teams that need custom automation gluing link tools to their broader stack.
# Drift
Drift is a conversational marketing and chat platform, not a link tracking tool. It allows you to embed chat widgets on your website and use those conversations to qualify leads. You can share tracked links within Drift chats, but the platform doesn't specialise in link shortening, custom domains, or click analytics. Drift's value is in real-time lead engagement and conversation rather than link management. If you need link tracking alongside conversational marketing, you'd pair Drift with a dedicated link tool. Pricing is based on conversation volume and team seats, typically starting around £500/month. It suits teams prioritising live chat and real-time sales engagement over outbound outreach.
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# The Right Pick for Custom Domain Links
Most teams don't need ten tools. They need one that handles the job without forcing them to stitch things together.
Clkly brings branded short links, email sequences, and contact tracking into one interface. You can create custom domain links in seconds, track who clicked them and when, and tie every click back to a contact without copying data between platforms. It's built for sales teams and outreach workflows—the kind of work that demands speed and visibility.
Why pick Clkly:
- Create and manage branded short links on your own domain without leaving your contacts view
- Track clicks by geography, device, and browser, then filter your stats by campaign or date range
- Send cold email sequences with real-time open and click tracking, all tied to your contacts
- Organise links by campaign or client, bulk-move them, and see your full click history without scrolling endlessly
- Start free—no credit card, no sales call, no setup overhead