QR code on a business card — Your contact in one scan
A QR code on a business card makes sense when it leads through a redirectable link. See how to create one, attach a vCard, and track scans without profiling.
Essays + analysis
Blog
Essays on building cutty.dev and what separates indie SaaS from the corporates.
QR code menu in a restaurant — create it once and never reprint it
A restaurant QR code menu based on a short, changeable link: one permanent code, menu updates without reprinting, and scan statistics without guest profiling.
URL shortener and GDPR — what you need to know before adding a link to your newsletter
URL shorteners collect click data — and that is already a GDPR issue. We explain what the shortener sees, where this data ends up, and why server location matters when you operate in the EU.
Expiring links — expiration date and click limit in practice
Sometimes you want a link to stop working—after a certain date or after a specific number of visits. We show you what expiring links and click limits are for, and when it is truly worth using them.
Click statistics — what they really say about your link (and what you can't read from them)
The shortened link counts every click. We show you how to read this data, the difference between a click and a unique click, and why you won't find link statistics in regular website analytics.
One link in bio — how to fit everything when the platform gives you only one field
Instagram and TikTok give you one link in your bio. We show you how to make the most of it — with a short, branded address that you can swap out without changing your profile — without paying for a separate 'link in bio' tool.
How to make a QR code with a company logo — and is it safe for scanning
A QR code with a logo in the center looks professional and builds trust. We show you how to create one, how much space the logo can take up while ensuring the code remains scannable, and how to do it without uploading your file to a third-party server.
Link shortener without an account and without investors — does it make sense?
cutty.dev is being built without VC funding, without a sales team, and without forced accounts. An essay on why a trimmer can be simple, free, and private — and for whom it is not.
How to check where a shortened link leads (before you click)
A shortened link hides the true destination address. We show you how to safely check where it leads before you click on it, and how to recognize a scam attempt.
Best link shorteners in 2026 — review and ranking
Review of the best link shorteners in 2026 — bit.ly, Dub, Rebrandly, Short.io, open source options and cutty.dev. What to choose depending on what you need.
UTM links — what they are and how to create them without errors
What are UTM parameters, what are they used for, and how to build tagged links to know where traffic is coming from. Plus, why it is worth shortening such a long link at the end.
How to make a QR code for free (and why it is worth connecting it with a short link)
How to generate a QR code for free in a few seconds. We also show why a QR code based on a short link is better than a QR code pointing directly to a long address.
Bit.ly vs cutty.dev — an honest comparison
Bit.ly is the most well-known link shortener. We compare it fairly with cutty.dev — price, privacy, limits, link longevity — and we also say when bit.ly will be better.
How to shorten a link — step by step, for free
How to shorten a long link in a few seconds, without creating an account and without paying. We show the entire process step by step, as well as what you can do with such a link next.
cutty.dev technology stack — conscious choices
What is under the hood of cutty.dev and why. No evangelism — the philosophy: a boring, stable stack, EU-based hosting, and privacy built into the architecture, which a single person is able to maintain.
Auto-prefix URL — a small detail that saves minutes
cutty.dev recognizes when you paste an address without https:// and adds it automatically. It sounds trivial. In practice, it's the difference between two seconds and clicking 'try again'.
Branded endings — your link, your brand
Choosing the end of a short link is a small detail that matters more than it seems. I am showing why cutty.dev/your-brand works differently than random 8 characters.
Password link security — what happens when you click
You can add a password to your short link. We show you what's happening under the hood — without getting into jargon — and why it's even worth it.
25 languages LIVE — a milestone
cutty.dev now speaks twenty-five languages. A short story about what that means, why these specific languages, and how it was done without sending data externally.
Why hosting in the European Union
The decision about where the server is located seems technical. For you as a user, it specifically means who can read your data and under what law the tool you are using operates.
Why short links in 2026
A short link is not a gadget from 2010. In 2026, it is still the fastest way to fit anything into an SMS, a printed flyer, or an Instagram bio.
Welcome to the cutty.dev blog
First post. What we'll write here and how often — and where to find us outside the blog.