---
title: Dub (open source)
description: Open-source link management for short links, QR codes, and real-time click analytics, with conversion and affiliate tracking layered on top.
canonical: "https://10xgtm.ai/oss/dub"
type: open-source-review
license: AGPL-3.0 (ee files commercial)
repo: "https://github.com/dubinc/dub"
language: TypeScript
---

# Dub

Open-source link management for short links, QR codes, and real-time click analytics, with conversion and affiliate tracking layered on top.

The **best-looking open-source link platform** in the category, built by an ex-Vercel team and run in production by Framer, Perplexity, and Twilio. The catch for self-hosters: the free build leans on **hosted services like Tinybird and Upstash**, so running it yourself is real infrastructure work, and the r/selfhosted crowd still reaches for lighter tools.

## Project facts

- **License:** AGPL-3.0 (ee files commercial)
- **Repo:** https://github.com/dubinc/dub
- **Stars:** 24.6k
- **Language:** TypeScript

## What it does

- Create branded short links on your own custom domains, in bulk or one at a time, from a fast keyboard-driven dashboard
- Track clicks in real time with event-level analytics down to country, city, device, browser, and referrer
- Generate free QR codes for any short link, styled and downloadable for print and campaigns
- Attribute conversions from click to signup to sale, so you see which links drive revenue and not only traffic
- Run affiliate and partner programs, recruiting partners and handling payouts inside the same platform
- Expose everything through a REST API with official SDKs in TypeScript, Python, Go, Ruby, and PHP, plus webhooks

## What it can't do

- Self-host as a single Docker container; the free build expects Tinybird, Upstash, PlanetScale, and Resend to be set up first
- Give you SSO and SAML on the open build; single sign-on is reserved for the commercial Enterprise edition
- Match lightweight self-host shorteners on ops simplicity, which is why r/selfhosted threads still name Yourls, Shlink, and Kutt
- Stay cheap at the top; cloud business plans now start at 90 dollars a month as the platform chases affiliate and partner payouts
- Run fully offline or air-gapped, since the reference self-host setup leans on third-party hosted services

---
Full review: https://10xgtm.ai/oss/dub