# URL Helper vs Shortly

The clearest difference is update cadence: Shortly at every 5 months against URL Helper's every 19 months. Shortly also leads on price ($0.99 vs $4.99). URL Helper's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.6). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

URL Helper costs $4.99 and Shortly $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

URL Helper ships an update every 19 months, Shortly every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | URL Helper | Shortly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **$0.99** |
| Positive reviews | — | 10.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 19 months | **Every 5 months** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 3 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Piet Jonas](https://appshunter.io/developer/288060167) | [Chris Dressler](https://appshunter.io/developer/327199357) |

## What reviewers say

### URL Helper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/url-helper/id295678536)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Shortly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortly/id337764686)

This utility allows you to create and manage short URLs using the Bitly service directly from your iPhone or iPad. Easily copy shortened links for use in other apps and track their click statistics with helpful charts. It also includes a tool to look up existing Bitlinks and their performance.

**Highlights:** Create short URLs (Bitlinks), Copy links to clipboard, Track click statistics, View charts and metadata, Bitlink lookup tool, Auto Shorten feature

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Safari Extension, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is URL Helper free?

URL Helper costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Shortly free?

Shortly costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do URL Helper or Shortly have ads?

Neither URL Helper nor Shortly shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, URL Helper or Shortly?

URL Helper ships an update every 19 months, and Shortly every 5 months. Most recently, URL Helper was updated on October 3, 2026 and Shortly on October 16, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*