PeakURL
PeakURL is a self-hosted URL shortener that gives each installation one branded public short domain.
What PeakURL is
PeakURL is a self-hosted URL shortener that gives each installation one branded public short domain. You run it on your own infrastructure and retain ownership of links, telemetry, and visitor data. Links can use custom aliases, expiry dates, passwords, social previews, and generated QR codes. Its dashboard tracks clicks, unique visitors, referrers, browsers, devices, date ranges, and click history. Country and city reporting uses a local MaxMind GeoLite2 City database. PeakURL provides a REST API, bearer tokens, webhooks, a WordPress plugin, and Chrome and Firefox extensions. Security features include TOTP two-factor authentication, backup codes, session revocation, and reCAPTCHA v3 or Turnstile protection. Administrative logs record actors, timestamps, IPs, and change snapshots, while trashed links can be restored. Redis, APCu, and filesystem caching are supported. The free plan is free; Backer sponsorship is $5 a month.
Good
- Self-hosted ownership of links and visitor data
- Unlimited analytics retention
- REST API, webhooks, and bulk creation
- Custom aliases, passwords, expiry, and QR codes
- Free plan includes all features
Watch out
- One public short domain per install
- Requires PHP 8.0 or newer
- Requires MySQL or MariaDB
- Separate domains require separate installs
Who it suits
PeakURL suits people and organisations that want to host link shortening themselves and keep control of link and visitor data. It also fits users needing APIs, analytics, branded domains, or browser and WordPress integrations.
Verdict
PeakURL combines self-hosting, detailed analytics, link controls, and integration options in one free plan. Its one-domain-per-install limit and server requirements matter when planning deployment.
Plans and prices
From PeakURL's own pricing page, checked 12 Oct 2001.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| PeakURL | Free | All features included · one public short domain per install |
| Backer (sponsorship) | $5 a month | Name listed on sponsor page · early access to release notes · supports ongoing maintenance |
The facts
Each one read from PeakURL's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Account security
- The security documentation describes TOTP two-factor authentication, backup codes, and controls to revoke individual or other active sessions.checked 12 Oct 2001
- Analytics
- The dashboard reports clicks, unique visitors, referrers, browsers, devices, date ranges, and click history.checked 12 Oct 2001
- Analytics retention
- unlimitedchecked 20 Sep 2001
- API access
- Yeschecked 20 Sep 2001
- Audit and recovery
- Administrative activity logs include actor attribution, timestamps, IP tracking, and change snapshots; trashed links can be restored.checked 12 Oct 2001
- Bulk link creation
- Yeschecked 20 Sep 2001
- Caching
- PeakURL supports Redis, APCu, and filesystem caching, with negative 404 caching and on-demand cache purging.checked 12 Oct 2001
- Custom domains
- Yeschecked 20 Sep 2001
- Deployment requirements
- The download page lists PHP 8.0 or newer, MySQL 5.7+ or MariaDB 10.4+, and Apache or Nginx with URL rewriting.checked 12 Oct 2001
- Integrations
- PeakURL provides a REST API with dashboard-managed bearer tokens, webhook registrations, a WordPress plugin, and Chrome and Firefox extensions.checked 12 Oct 2001
- Link tools
- Features include custom aliases, expiring and password-protected links, social previews, and automatically generated QR codes.checked 12 Oct 2001
- Location analytics
- Country and city reporting uses a local MaxMind GeoLite2 City database, keeping location lookups within the user's environment.checked 12 Oct 2001
- Notable limit
- Each install serves one public short domain; separate short domains require separate installs.checked 12 Oct 2001
- Product
- PeakURL is a self-hosted URL shortener for one branded public short domain per install.checked 12 Oct 2001
- Redirect protection
- Public redirects can be protected with Google reCAPTCHA v3 or Cloudflare Turnstile.checked 12 Oct 2001
- Support
- The maker offers documentation for setup, features, API use, GeoLite2 onboarding, and updates; the project also accepts sponsorships.checked 12 Oct 2001
Money
- Free plan
- Yeschecked 20 Sep 2001
The company
- Maker
- The homepage identifies Abd Ur Rehman as PeakURL's founder and maintainer.checked 12 Oct 2001
- Ownership
- The maker says users host PeakURL on their own infrastructure and retain ownership of links, telemetry, and visitor data.checked 12 Oct 2001
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