Paste
Drop in any link, any length. It is checked as you type.
The no-nonsense URL shortener
Free URL Shortener
Paste any link, get a clean cuq.in address that never expires. No account, no tracking, ever.
No signup No tracking No ads Free forever
Recent
How it works
Copy
One tap sends the short link straight to your clipboard.
Share
A clean, permanent redirect. No dashboard to babysit.
For developers
Shorten from your code.
One free API key, one endpoint, five actions, and a live playground. No rate cards, no dashboards to babysit.
Read the API docs →$ curl -s cuq.in/api \
-d key=$CUQ_KEY \
-d action=shorten \
-d url=https://example.com
{ "short": "cuq.in/ab12cd" }Use cases
URL shortener use cases.
URL shortener for developers
A URL shortener for developers should stay out of the way. One API key, one endpoint, five actions, 10,000 links a day. No signup for the public form, no dashboard to babysit for the API.
Common jobs it handles:
- A GitHub README link that has to fit before a terminal wraps it.
- A fresh deploy URL dropped into a CI/CD pipeline log.
- A clean cuq.in address in an Instagram bio pointing at your repo.
- A UTM-heavy campaign URL, trimmed before it hits a Slack thread.
The API returns JSON. Links never expire on you. That is the whole product, and it is enough.
Read the API docs →URL shortener for marketing
A URL shortener for marketing has to move fast and stay out of the copy. Paste the long link, grab the short one, ship the post. No account, no tracking pixels bolted on, no ads on the redirect.
Where it earns its keep:
- A clean cuq.in link tucked into a newsletter that would otherwise wrap the layout.
- A launch URL that fits inside a tweet with room left for copy.
- An event QR code printed from a short link, still scanning on paper.
- Podcast show notes without a wall of query strings behind every reference.
Links never expire by default, so an evergreen show note stays live years later. A short link that respects your reader.
Shorten a link →Privacy
The no-tracking URL shortener.
CUQ.IN is a no-tracking URL shortener. No cookies, no fingerprinting, no third-party analytics, no referrer logging. We removed Google Analytics too. A short link is a redirect, nothing more.
Here is what actually happens on a click. Your browser hits cuq.in, we look up the code, we return a 302 to the destination. We increment a click count. That is the whole log. No IP stored against your click, no user-agent profile, no device graph.
The destination sees what any 302 shows: the origin, cuq.in. No path, no query, no personal referrer from us. If you want a private URL shortener without cookies, this is it.
We ship a URL shortener with no fingerprinting because the alternative is selling the click. We would rather not. Sponsors keep the lights on, so the redirect stays clean.
Read exactly what we collect, what we drop, and how long anything lives. No legalese, no dark patterns.
Read the privacy details →FAQ
Good to know.
What is CUQ.IN?
A free URL shortening service. Paste a long link, get a short cuq.in address. It also comes with a free developer API.
Is it really free?
Yes, free forever. No plans, no upgrades, no ad screens on the redirect. Sponsors keep the lights on.
Are there any limits?
Each API key can create up to 10,000 shortened links per day. Fair, but plenty for most projects. For request/response details, see the API reference.
How do I use it?
Paste your long URL into the input above and hit shorten. For developers, grab an API key and use it in your code.
How do I get an API key?
Enter your email, confirm the 6-digit code you receive, and your key arrives by mail. Get a key →
Do you track clicks?
No tracking, no referrer logging, no fingerprints. A short link is just a redirect.
How long are links stored?
No expiry by default. Links unused for 2 years may be removed to keep the system tidy.
What can I not shorten?
No fraud, illegal content, or anything that violates the law. Such links are monitored and blocked. Spotted one? Let us know.
Is there a rate limit?
Yes. Each API key can create up to 10,000 links a day. The public shortener on the homepage has a lighter per-IP limit to keep abuse out.
Can I pick my own short code?
Not yet. Every link gets a short auto-generated code, usually 4 to 5 characters. Custom slugs are on the wishlist, not in the product.
Can I edit or delete a link after I create it?
With an API key, yes. Use the update action to change the target URL, or delete to remove it. Links shortened anonymously from the homepage stay as they are.
Can I create many links at once?
There is no bulk endpoint. Loop the shorten action from your code, one link per request. The 10,000/day limit gives you plenty of room.
Is CUQ.IN GDPR compliant?
Yes. No cookies, no third-party analytics, no fingerprinting. The only personal data we hold is the email tied to your API key. We use it to send the key and to reach you if something breaks.
Are the short URLs safe? Do you block malicious links?
We keep a block list of known bad domains, and links that hit it are refused at creation. If you spot a link being misused, mail [email protected] and we take it down.
Do you show ads or a countdown before the redirect?
No. Click a cuq.in link and you go straight to the destination. No 3-second countdown, no skip button, no ad screen. Just the redirect.
Sponsors
Keeping CUQ.IN free.
No ads, no upsells, no data for sale. CUQ.IN stays free thanks to a small group of sponsors who care about a clean, private web.
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