Smart Link Management with Dub
Modern Link Attribution & Analytics for Growth Teams
Affiliate Disclosure:
This Quick Reference Card contains affiliate links. If you sign up through these links, AltNexus may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. I use Dub to manage all short links, QR codes, and affiliate attribution across my consulting practice and AI Toolkit.
Practitioner Verification
3
Custom Domains
Real-Time
Click Analytics
SOC 2
Type II Certified
✔
Verified User
"Dub has replaced my entire link management stack. The real-time analytics, built-in conversion tracking, and native affiliate programme management give me attribution visibility I never had with Bitly. Every QRC, every LinkedIn post, every email—I know exactly what converts."
— Patrick van Abbema, MBA, CMC, PMP, CBAP | Founder, AltNexus AI Core
✔ FREE PLAN • 1,000 CLICKS/MONTH
Ready to see which links actually drive revenue?
Start with Dub Free →The Challenge: Link Blindness
| Pain Point | Impact | Business Cost |
|---|---|---|
| No attribution on shared links | Cannot tell which channel, campaign, or content drives conversions | Marketing spend allocated blindly |
| Generic short links lack trust | bit.ly and tinyurl links signal spam; reduce click-through rates | 15–30% lower CTR vs. branded domains |
| Manual UTM parameter management | Inconsistent tagging, typos, and broken analytics | 2–5 hours/week on link administration |
| No conversion tracking on links | Clicks measured but sales and signups invisible | Cannot calculate true ROI per channel |
Attribution Value Calculator: Your Monthly ROI
Based on 50 links/month across 3 channels with conversion tracking enabled:
5 hrs
Monthly Time Saved
(vs. Manual UTM Tracking)
(vs. Manual UTM Tracking)
+25%
CTR Lift
(Branded Short Links)
(Branded Short Links)
100%
Attribution Visibility
(Click → Conversion)
(Click → Conversion)
At executive rates ($150–$300/hour) + attribution-informed decisions:
$750 – $1,500/month
in recovered time + measurably better marketing allocation
How Dub Works
Create Smart Links
Paste any URL to generate a branded short link with automatic UTM parameters, OG image previews, and expiration controls.
Track Everything
Real-time analytics show clicks, devices, locations, referrers, and—with conversion tracking—actual sales and signups.
Optimise & Scale
A/B test destinations, manage affiliate programmes, generate QR codes, and use the API to automate link creation.
Why Dub? Platform Comparison
| Capability | Manual / Spreadsheet | Bitly | Dub |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conversion Tracking | None | Clicks only | Click → Sale ✔ |
| Custom Domains | N/A | 1 (paid) | 3 free; unlimited paid ✔ |
| QR Code Generation | Separate tool | Paid add-on | Built-in, all plans ✔ |
| A/B Testing | Manual | Not available | Native split testing ✔ |
| Affiliate Programme | Separate platform | Not available | Built-in management ✔ |
| Open Source | N/A | Proprietary | Yes — AGPL-3.0 ✔ |
| API Access | None | Paid plans | All plans ✔ |
| SOC 2 Compliance | N/A | Type II | Type II ✔ |
5-Step Setup Guide
| Step | Action | Details | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Create Account | Visit dub.co and sign up with email, Google, or GitHub | 1 minute |
| 2 | Connect Custom Domain | Add your branded domain (e.g., link.yourdomain.com) via DNS CNAME record; or use default dub.sh | 3 minutes |
| 3 | Create First Short Link | Paste a destination URL; customise the slug, add tags, set UTM parameters, and configure expiration | 2 minutes |
| 4 | Enable Conversion Tracking | Add the Dub pixel to your site or configure server-side events for sale/signup attribution | 3 minutes |
| 5 | Review Analytics | Open the dashboard to see real-time clicks, geographic breakdown, device data, and referrer sources | 1 minute |
Total Setup Time: Under 10 Minutes
🎯 Quick Win Challenge 2 MINUTES
Try this right now:
Sign up at refer.dub.co/patrick-van-abbema → Paste any URL you share regularly (blog post, booking page, LinkedIn profile) → Customise the short link slug → Share it once → Watch the real-time analytics populate within seconds.
⏱ Within 24 hours, you will see exactly where your clicks come from—geography, device, referrer—data you have never had before.
Executive Use Cases
| Scenario | Dub Configuration | Business Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Affiliate Revenue Tracking | Built-in affiliate programme; per-partner attribution; commission dashboards | Know exactly which partners drive revenue; automate payouts |
| QRC Marketing Pages | Branded short links for each QRC with UTM tags; conversion pixel on signup pages | Measure click-to-conversion for every Quick Reference Card |
| LinkedIn Content Attribution | Unique short link per post; tag by content type, topic, and campaign | Identify which LinkedIn posts drive traffic and actual business |
| Workshop & Event Promotion | QR codes for printed materials; expiring links for time-limited offers | Bridge offline marketing to digital attribution |
| A/B Testing Landing Pages | Split-test destination URLs; real-time conversion comparison | Data-driven decisions on which pages convert best |
Security & Compliance
| Feature | Details | Status |
|---|---|---|
| SOC 2 Type II | Independently audited security controls and data handling | Certified |
| GDPR Compliance | EU-compliant data processing; DPA available | All Plans |
| Open Source | AGPL-3.0 licensed; full code transparency and self-hosting option | Public Repo |
| Custom Domains | Links served from your domain; no third-party branding exposure | All Plans |
| Link Expiration | Set automatic expiry dates on sensitive or time-limited links | All Plans |
| SAML SSO | Enterprise identity management | Enterprise Only |
🍁
Government of Canada Note: SOC 2 Type II certification and GDPR compliance align with federal procurement requirements. Open-source codebase supports GC transparency mandates. Custom domains keep link branding under departmental control.
Pricing Plans
| Plan | Price | Key Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/month | 1K clicks/mo, 25 links, 30-day analytics, 3 custom domains, QR codes, API access | Testing & personal use |
| Pro RECOMMENDED | $25/month | 50K clicks/mo, 1K links, 1-year analytics, custom QR branding, advanced rules, A/B testing | Solo consultants & creators |
| Business | $75/month | 150K clicks/mo, 5K links, 2-year analytics, conversion tracking, affiliate management | Growth teams & agencies |
| Advanced | $250/month | 500K clicks/mo, unlimited links, 4-year analytics, data export, custom roles | Enterprise marketing |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited everything, SAML SSO, SLA, dedicated support, custom integrations | Large organisations |
🔗 FREE PLAN • 1,000 CLICKS/MONTH • 3 CUSTOM DOMAINS
Start Tracking What Converts
Stop guessing which links drive revenue. Start knowing.
Join thousands of teams using Dub for link attribution and analytics.
Get Started Free →
Join thousands of teams using Dub for link attribution and analytics.
Free plan includes 1K clicks/month. Pro plan: $25/month for 50K clicks.
Important Considerations
- Free plan limited to 1,000 tracked clicks/month and 25 links; upgrade needed for higher-volume use
- Analytics retention scales by plan: 30 days (Free), 1 year (Pro), 2 years (Business), 4 years (Advanced)
- Conversion tracking requires adding a pixel or server-side integration to your website
- SAML SSO only available on Enterprise plan; other plans use email/Google/GitHub auth
- While open source (AGPL-3.0), self-hosting requires significant DevOps capability
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Affiliate Disclosure: This Quick Reference Card contains affiliate links. If you sign up through these links, AltNexus may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. I use Dub to manage all short links, QR codes, and affiliate attribution across my consulting practice and AI Toolkit.