# Shlink vs sink

> Two self-hosted [URL Shortener projects](https://selfhost.directory/url-shortener), compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | Shlink | sink |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 70/100 ✓ | 68/100 |
| Rank in category | #3 of 23 in URL Shortener | #5 of 23 in URL Shortener |
| GitHub stars | 5 380 | 7 241 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +77 | +86 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 13 | 13 |
| Latest release | v5.1.8 · 21 Oct 2026 ✓ | v0.3.1 · 27 Sept 2026 |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes ✓ | No |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | PHP | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

Shlink scores 70/100 against 68/100 for sink, so it is the safer default.

If you want the quickest setup, Shlink is easier to run; sink needs more configuration.

## Details

- [Shlink](https://selfhost.directory/project/shlink) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/shlink.md)
- [sink](https://selfhost.directory/project/sink) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/sink.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/shlink-vs-sink