Privacy Policy
Last updated: November 11, 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how Freeshortlink (“we”, “us”) collects, uses and protects information when you use freeshortlink.com (the “Service”).
Information we collect
- Links you shorten: the destination URL, the short code and the time it was created. To enforce the free limits and prevent abuse we store a one-way hash of the creator’s IP address (not the IP address itself) and a small cookie that counts today’s free links.
- Abuse reports: if you report a link we store the report, the reason you give and a one-way hash of your IP address so each person is only counted once.
- Account information: if you sign up, your email address and a securely hashed password (we never store your password in plain text).
- Click analytics: when someone opens a short link we record the time, approximate country (derived from the network, not stored as an IP address), referring website domain, device type, browser and operating system. We do not store the IP addresses of visitors who click links.
- Payment information: Premium subscriptions are processed by Stripe. We do not store card numbers; we receive a customer and subscription identifier from Stripe.
- Messages: if you contact us, we keep your message and email address to reply.
Cookies
We use a strictly necessary session cookie to keep you logged in and a strictly necessary counter cookie for the daily free link limit. We do not use our own advertising or tracking cookies. Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this website or other websites (see below).
Advertising – Google AdSense
We use Google AdSense to show advertisements to users on the Free plan. Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user’s prior visits to this website or other websites. Google’s use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visit to this site and/or other sites on the Internet.
You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings. You can also opt out of a third-party vendor’s use of cookies for personalized advertising by visiting www.aboutads.info. Learn more about how Google uses information from sites that use its services and about Google’s advertising policies and cookies. Where required by law (for example in the EEA, UK and Switzerland) we ask for your consent before personalized ads are shown, using a Google-certified consent management platform.
How we use information
- To provide the Service: create and redirect short links, show statistics and manage your account.
- To prevent spam, phishing, malware and other abuse.
- To process payments and provide customer support.
- To send essential account emails such as password reset links.
Legal basis (GDPR)
We process data to perform our contract with you (providing the Service), for our legitimate interests (security, abuse prevention, aggregated analytics) and, for personalized advertising, based on your consent.
Sharing
We do not sell your personal data. We share data only with service providers needed to run the Service: Cloudflare (hosting and network), Stripe (payments) and Google (advertising), or when required by law.
Data retention
Links and analytics are kept for as long as the link exists or your account is active. You can delete links at any time. You can ask us to delete your account and associated data by contacting us.
Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, delete or export your personal data, and to object to or restrict processing. Contact us to exercise these rights. EU users can also lodge a complaint with their local data protection authority.
Children
The Service is not directed to children under 13 (or 16 in the EEA).
Contact
Questions about this policy? Email us at support@freeshortlink.com or use the contact page.