“I built a Bitly alternative as a solo dev, why wouldn’t you switch...?”
Hey Indie Hackers..!
I’m a solo developer building LinkMaster a URL shortener + QR codes + real-time analytics.
Why I built it:
Bitly is powerful, but pricing + limits push out indie devs and small teams. I wanted a clean, affordable alternative with the features people actually use.
What’s working so far:
• Custom branded short links
• Dynamic QR codes
• Real-time clicks + geo/device analytics
• Clean, dark UI (recently redesigned)
What I’m struggling with:
• Messaging :what single reason would make someone switch from Bitly?
• Onboarding : what should users see first after signup?
• Distribution :where would you expect to discover a tool like this?
I’d love brutally honest feedback, especially from:
• Indie hackers
• Developers
• Marketers who use short links daily
Live / site: https://lkmr.in
Thanks and happy to return feedback on your projects too.
Aditya
The Bitly switch usually comes down to pricing fatigue versus workflow inertia—it's hard to get someone to move their entire history of links unless the savings are massive or the "dark UI" experience is significantly faster. For a solo dev, focusing on the "small team/indie" niche is smart, as Bitly has clearly moved upmarket to enterprise.
Since you're looking for honest feedback and a way to get LinkMaster in front of more developers, there’s a competition where you can submit it—entry is $19 and the winner gets a Tokyo trip.
Also, the prize pool just opened at $0. Your odds are the best right now.
What’s the one feature Bitly currently paywalls that you're offering for free (or much cheaper) to get those early switchers?
How should we proceed?
The first $500 MRR is the hardest milestone because everything is manual and nothing compounds yet. The founders who get through it are usually the ones with conviction about a specific problem rather than a general vision.
What's the specific problem you're most confident about solving?