About linkpado

What makes it different

Many shorteners will shorten any URL, which can also make them a convenient channel for spam and phishing. linkpado aims for the opposite: we are preparing a domain-approval system that will limit shortening to approved domains, and once it goes live, anyone will be able to request approval for a new domain. The goal is for a linkpado link to mean a link to a reviewed destination.

Short codes are generated as hard-to-guess 7-character random strings, and Pro users can choose a memorable custom path instead.

How it works

Clicking a short link takes you straight to the original address, with no interstitial ads or waiting screens. Along the way, visit time, referrer, device, and region information is aggregated and shown to the link owner as statistics.

Statistics are shown to each owner only for their own links, in aggregate, and linkpado's visit analytics are not used to identify visitors individually. How we handle data overall, including cookies and third-party services, is documented in our privacy policy.

How we run the service

First, clicks should be fast and transparent. Redirects work the standard way, and we never tamper with your links.

Second, getting started should be free. Creating and managing links costs nothing; only features with real operating costs, like in-depth analytics, are part of the Pro subscription.

Third, we answer. Questions and concerns go through the inquiry board, and public inquiries stay visible so other users can learn from them.

Who uses it

Marketers and creators promoting a product or a post make a separate short link for each post or campaign, then compare which channel and which message actually drove a response. Adding campaign parameters (UTM) lets external analytics tools tell the traffic apart too.

Shops and event organizers working offline put QR codes on posters, menus, and flyers to see whether interest on paper turns into real visits. And anyone who simply wants to tidy up a long address can start right away, without signing in.

Working toward safer links

A short link hides its destination, which makes it as easy to abuse as it is convenient. linkpado is preparing a domain-approval system that limits shortening to reviewed domains, and a click goes straight to the destination with no in-between page. We do not hide where a link leads.

Short codes are hard-to-guess 7-character random strings, so the next link cannot be predicted. The destination of a link, once shared, cannot be changed, and the person who created it can delete their own links at any time.