URL Shortener
Paste a long link and get a short, shareable one in a click. Free, no sign-up, links don't expire.
Why shorten a URL?
Long URLs — especially ones full of tracking parameters — break awkwardly in emails, look untrustworthy in messages, and are impossible to read aloud or print. A short link fixes all three: it's compact enough for an SMS or a slide, easy to dictate over the phone, and doesn't wrap across lines in a document.
| Where short links help most | Why |
|---|---|
| SMS / messaging apps | Character limits and clean previews |
| Printed materials & slides | Someone has to type it by hand |
| Social media bios | Limited space, tidy appearance |
| Email newsletters | Long URLs often break when lines wrap |
| Spoken sharing (podcasts, video) | A six-character code is sayable; a 200-character URL isn't |
How it works
You get a calcperch.com/s/… link: the destination is stored securely on our edge network and the short link redirects straight to your original URL. Links don't expire, the same URL always gets the same short code, and the tool adds no tracking of its own. (If our storage is ever unreachable, the tool automatically falls back to established services like is.gd or TinyURL so you still get a working link.)
Frequently asked questions
Do the short links expire?
No. Short links stay active indefinitely at no cost — there is no account to lapse or renewal to remember.
Is it really free? Any limits?
Completely free, no sign-up. The underlying service applies fair-use rate limits, so shortening a handful of links is fine; bulk automated shortening is not.
Can I choose a custom ending (vanity URL)?
Not in this tool — it generates the shortest available code automatically. For custom-branded links you'd need a paid service with your own domain.
Is my URL private?
The destination URL is stored so the redirect can work — that's inherent to how shortening works — but it isn't published anywhere and the short code is random. Still, don't shorten links containing passwords or one-time secrets.
Why did my URL get rejected?
Only regular http/https web addresses are accepted, and already-shortened calcperch.com links can't be shortened again. If a legitimate link is rejected, try the original source URL without redirect wrappers.