Google Link Shortener | URL Grátis

Google link shortener: what happened to goo.gl and what’s the best alternative

If you’ve come here looking for Google’s link shortener, you’ve probably noticed that something has changed. The famous goo.gl, which for years was one of the most popular tools for shortening URLs, has not been available to new users since 2018 and has been completely discontinued.

But don’t worry, because this doesn’t have to be a problem. In fact, there are even better alternatives than Google’s old service. In this complete guide, you’ll understand exactly what happened to Google’s link shortener and discover the best free solution available today.

What was Google’s link shortener (goo.gl)?

For those who didn’t know it, goo.gl was Google’s official URL shortening service, launched in December 2009. At the time, it emerged as a simple and reliable solution to transform long links into short and easy-to-share addresses.

The service quickly gained popularity because it offered something that few competitors had: the trust of the Google brand. Additionally, goo.gl came with integrated analytics features, allowing users to track how many times their links were clicked, where the traffic came from, and other useful data.

For years, goo.gl was widely used on social media, especially on Twitter, where the character limit made the use of short links essential. Companies, marketing professionals, and regular users trusted the tool to share content in a practical and professional way.

Why did Google discontinue goo.gl?

In March 2018, Google officially announced that it was shutting down the goo.gl service. Starting April 13 of that year, new users could no longer create shortened links, and on March 30, 2019, even existing users lost that capability.

The Google URL Shortener was launched in December 2009 and the service has not been accepting new users since April 13, 2018, with Google discontinuing the service for existing users on March 30, 2019.

But why did Google make this decision? There are some main reasons:

Change in user behavior: When goo.gl was created, most people accessed the internet mainly through desktop computers. With the growth of smartphones and mobile apps, the way people share and access content has changed drastically.

Focus on Firebase Dynamic Links: Google decided to concentrate its efforts on a more modern technology called Firebase Dynamic Links, aimed primarily at mobile app developers. This tool offers more advanced functionalities, such as directing users to specific content within apps.

Security issues: Shortened links have always been used by malicious actors to disguise phishing and malware links. Maintaining the service required constant investment in security and monitoring.

Low usage: More than 99% of goo.gl links had no activity in the last month before the discontinuation announcement. With so little active use, it no longer made sense for Google to maintain the infrastructure.

What happened to existing goo.gl links?

Initially, Google announced that all goo.gl links would stop working on August 25, 2025. This generated quite a bit of concern, considering that billions of links were scattered across the internet in documents, videos, posts, and other content.

Fortunately, after hearing user feedback, Google partially reversed this decision. In August 2025, Google adjusted its approach to preserve actively used links, deactivating only those that showed no activity at the end of 2024.

This means that most goo.gl links continue to work normally. Only links that were completely inactive were deactivated. If you have a goo.gl link and it still works today, it will probably continue to work indefinitely.

However, even with this change, it’s not possible to create new goo.gl links. If you need a link shortener today, you need to look for alternatives.

What’s the best alternative to Google’s link shortener?

With the end of goo.gl, many people have been looking for a reliable alternative. The good news is that there are even better options available, and the best one is URL Grátis.

URL Grátis was developed precisely to fill the void left by Google’s shortener, offering everything that goo.gl had that was good and adding modern features that today’s users really need.

Let’s look at the main characteristics:

Ease of use: Just like goo.gl was simple, URL Grátis is too. You don’t need to create an account, go through complicated registrations, or provide a credit card. Just paste your long link, click shorten, and you’re done.

Reliability: While goo.gl depended on Google’s decision to maintain the service (and we saw how that turned out), URL Grátis is specifically focused on link shortening. That’s what we do best, and we’re not going to simply shut down the service overnight.

Professional domain: Shortened links use the shre.ink domain, which is short, memorable, and conveys professionalism. For example, instead of a link like goo.gl/abc123, you have shre.ink/your-campaign.

No limitations: URL Grátis is truly free and without restrictions. You can create as many links as you need, without worrying about monthly limits.

Completely free: There are no mandatory paid plans, trial periods, or features hidden behind a paywall. Everything you need is available for free.

How to use URL Grátis as a substitute for goo.gl

Making the transition from goo.gl to URL Grátis is extremely simple. Here’s how it works:

Access the website: Go to url.gratis in your browser. The interface is clean and straightforward, without distractions or invasive ads.

Paste your link: In the main field, paste the long URL you want to shorten. It can be any valid internet link.

Click shorten: Press the button or hit Enter. In less than a second, your short link will be ready.

Customize if you want: You can customize the final part of the link to something that makes sense to you, like shre.ink/christmas-promo or shre.ink/free-webinar.

Copy and share: Your link is ready to be used anywhere: social media, emails, printed materials, presentations, or wherever else you need it.

If you’re looking to better understand what a link shortener does , we have a complete guide on the subject. And if you want an even more detailed step-by-step, check out our tutorial on how to shorten a URL for free .

Comparison: goo.gl vs URL Grátis

Let’s make a direct comparison between what goo.gl offered and what you get with URL Grátis:

Creating new links: goo.gl no longer allows creating new links since 2019. URL Grátis is fully operational and allows you to create as many links as you need, without limits.

Cost: Both were free, but goo.gl simply ceased to exist for new users. URL Grátis remains 100% free and always will be.

Long-term reliability: goo.gl proved that even Google services can be discontinued. URL Grátis is specialized in shortening and won’t abandon its users.

Customization: goo.gl offered random links most of the time. URL Grátis allows you to create customized links that reflect your brand or campaign.

Ease: Both were simple to use. The experience on URL Grátis is equally intuitive and fast.

Extra features: In addition to basic shortening, you can also create free QR codes on URL Grátis, further expanding sharing possibilities.

Why you still need a link shortener in 2026

You might be wondering: if Google itself gave up on goo.gl, are link shorteners still relevant? The answer is a definitive yes.

Social media continues to limit characters: Platforms like Twitter (now X) still have character limits. Instagram allows only one link in bio. TikTok has similar restrictions. Short links continue to be essential on these platforms. Learn more about Instagram link shortener .

Professional appearance: A clean and short link conveys much more trust than a gigantic URL full of strange parameters. Compare shre.ink/offer with https://www.mywebsite.com/products/category/subcategory/item?utm_source=email&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=january2026 .

Easy memorization: If you need to mention a link verbally in a presentation, podcast, or video, it’s much easier to say “shre dot ink slash promo” than a long and complicated URL.

Simplified tracking: Shortened links make it easier to track campaigns and analyze results, helping you understand what works and what doesn’t in your marketing strategies.

Printed materials: On business cards, flyers, billboards, and other physical materials, space is limited. A short link makes all the difference in readability and visual appeal.

Tips for using link shorteners efficiently

Now that you know URL Grátis is the best alternative to goo.gl, let’s share some tips to make the most of any link shortener:

Customize whenever possible: Instead of accepting a random link like shre.ink/x7k9m2, create something memorable like shre.ink/free-ebook. This increases trust and makes it easier to remember.

Test before sharing: Always click on your shortened link before distributing it widely. Check if it’s directing to the right place and if the landing page is working correctly.

Use descriptive names: If you’re creating multiple links for different campaigns, use names that help you identify them later, like shre.ink/blackfriday2026 or shre.ink/february-webinar.

Keep your links organized: If you use shortened links frequently, create a system to document which links were used in which campaigns. This makes it much easier when analyzing results.

Consider durability: Make sure you’re using a reliable service that won’t simply disappear like goo.gl. URL Grátis is built to last, but it’s always good to think long-term.

Combine with QR codes: For printed materials or situations where people need to access the link via mobile, consider creating a QR code too. You can do this for free on URL Grátis. Learn how to read a QR code to make it even easier.

The future of link shorteners

The story of goo.gl teaches us an important lesson: even technology giants can discontinue popular services. This raises the question: what is the future of link shorteners?

The truth is that as long as the internet exists, there will be a need to share URLs in a practical and efficient way. Link shorteners have evolved far beyond simply making links smaller. Today, they are essential tools for marketing, analytics, and content management.

What differentiates modern services like URL Grátis from corporate attempts like goo.gl is focus. While Google had dozens of other products and priorities, a specialized shortener exists solely and exclusively to solve this specific problem.

The trend is that link shorteners will become increasingly integrated with other digital marketing tools, offering deeper analytics, advanced customization, and automation features. But the basics will always remain important: transforming long links into short ones quickly, free, and reliably.

Conclusion: life after goo.gl

Google’s link shortener (goo.gl) was an important tool in its time, but its discontinuation doesn’t have to be a problem. In fact, it opened space for even better solutions more focused on users’ real needs.

URL Grátis emerges as the perfect alternative, offering everything that goo.gl had that was good and eliminating its main limitations. It’s free, unlimited, easy to use, and above all, built by those who really understand and care about link shortening.

If you were used to goo.gl and miss it, URL Grátis will pleasantly surprise you. The transition is simple, the features are superior, and you never have to worry about your shortening service being suddenly discontinued.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a marketing professional, content creator, entrepreneur, or just someone who needs to share links practically in everyday life. URL Grátis is here to meet your needs professionally, reliably, and of course, completely free.

Also discover which is the best free URL shortener and all the advantages that URL Grátis offers.

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Access url.gratis now and create your first shortened link for free. It’s fast, simple, and you’ll understand why URL Grátis is the best alternative to Google’s old link shortener.