# MultiSite URL Shortener Generator (`parseforge/multisite-url-shortener`) Actor

Generate short links from multiple providers (Bitly, Rebrandly, TinyURL, Short.io, L8.nu) in one run. Provide URLs and API keys, get short links with optional custom slugs.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/parseforge/multisite-url-shortener.md
- **Developed by:** [ParseForge](https://apify.com/parseforge) (community)
- **Categories:** Automation, Developer tools, Integrations
- **Features:** Limited permissions
- **Stats:** 34 total users, 3 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: 5.00 out of 5 stars

## Pricing

from $2.00 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

[![ParseForge](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ParseForge/apify-assets/main/banner-v4.webp)](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp)

### MultiSite URL Shortener Generator

**Shorten URLs across Bitly, Rebrandly, TinyURL, Short.io, and L8.nu in one run.** Each URL gets a short link from every provider you choose, with optional custom slugs, titles, and descriptions. No need to switch between dashboards or manage multiple scripts.

Managing multiple URL shorteners means juggling API keys, dashboards, and rate limits. This Actor takes a list of URLs, picks your providers, and returns a short link from each. It handles the API calls, retries, and error reporting, so you get clean data without the busywork.

| Who uses it | What they scrape MultiSite URL Shortener for |
|---|---|
| Social media managers | Create trackable short links for posts across multiple platforms at once. |
| Digital marketers | Compare short link performance across providers for the same campaign. |
| Developers | Automate URL shortening in CI/CD pipelines or bulk link generation tasks. |

### What it does

This Actor takes a list of URLs and generates a short link from each selected provider (Bitly, Rebrandly, TinyURL, Short.io, L8.nu), returning one row per URL with the original and all generated short URLs.

- 🔗 **Multi-provider support:** Generate short links from Bitly, Rebrandly, TinyURL, Short.io, and L8.nu in a single run.
- 🎲 **Randomized provider order:** Shuffle the provider sequence per URL to balance load across services.
- 🏷️ **Custom metadata:** Attach custom slugs, titles, and descriptions to each short link, matched by URL order.
- 🔑 **Per-provider API keys:** Provide keys only for the services you use; L8.nu works without a key.

Results export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML, or straight from the API.

### What you can do with MultiSite URL Shortener data

**📈 Bulk shorten for campaigns.**

A marketing team shortens hundreds of campaign URLs across Bitly and Rebrandly in one run, then compares click data from each provider's dashboard.

**🔗 Automate link generation in CI/CD.**

A developer integrates this Actor into a build pipeline to generate short links for release notes, using TinyURL for quick links without extra API keys.

**📊 Test provider performance.**

A growth hacker shortens the same URL across all providers with randomized order to measure which service delivers the fastest redirect or best uptime.

**🏷️ Branded short links at scale.**

An agency uses Rebrandly with custom slugs and titles to create branded links for client content, all from a single input list.

### Why choose this scraper

|  | What you get |
|---|---|
| **One API call** | Shorten a batch of URLs across multiple providers without writing separate integrations. |
| **Clean output** | Each row contains the original URL and the short link from each selected provider. |
| **Customizable** | Set custom slugs, titles, and descriptions to match your branding or tracking needs. |
| **Error handling** | The Actor reports per-provider errors so you know which links succeeded and which failed. |

### How it compares

No other Store actor targets MultiSite URL Shortener the same way, so the honest comparison is with the alternatives teams actually weigh.

| | MultiSite URL Shortener Generator | Build it in-house | By hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup | Run it now, zero config | Days of engineering | None, but hours per pull |
| When MultiSite URL Shortener changes | Maintained for you | You fix it | You re-learn the page |
| Proxies, retries, anti-bot | Built in | Your problem | Browser only |
| Output | Fixed JSON schema, CSV/Excel export | Whatever you build | Copy-paste |
| Cost | Pay per result | Engineering time | Analyst hours |

### Configure the run

Feed the Actor a list of URLs and choose which providers to use. Filters like maxItems and provider selection run before shortening, so you only get the links you need. The Input tab lists every parameter.

A first run with the defaults:

```json
{
  "urls": [
    "https://example.com"
  ],
  "maxItems": 10,
  "providers": []
}
```

A larger pull:

```json
{
  "urls": [
    "https://example.com"
  ],
  "maxItems": 200,
  "providers": []
}
```

### Pricing

Pay-per-result: **$0.003 per result** collected. You pay only for the results written to your dataset.

| Results collected | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| 100 results | $0.30 |
| 1,000 results | $3.00 |
| 10,000 results | $30.00 |

New Apify accounts start with $5 in free credit.

### Free users

Free-plan runs return up to 10 results as a preview. [Upgrade your Apify plan](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp) to collect more results per run.

### Run it

1. [Create a free Apify account with $5 in credit](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp).
2. Open the [MultiSite URL Shortener Generator](https://apify.com/parseforge/multisite-url-shortener?fpr=vmoqkp).
3. Set your inputs and any filters, then click **Start**.
4. Export the results as CSV, Excel, JSON, or XML from the **Dataset** tab.

Run it programmatically through the [Apify API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2) (`run-sync-get-dataset-items`) or the [ApifyClient](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js) for JavaScript and Python.

### Use with AI agents (MCP)

Give an AI agent live access to MultiSite URL Shortener through the Model Context Protocol. Add the Actor to Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com?tools=parseforge/multisite-url-shortener"
```

Then prompt it in plain language to run the scraper and read back the results.

### Troubleshooting

**Why am I getting no short links?**

Check that you provided at least one valid URL and that the API keys for the selected providers are correct. Also verify that the providers field is not empty (empty means all providers, but each requires a key except L8.nu).

**Why did a specific provider fail?**

Look at the error field for that provider in the output. Common issues include invalid API keys, expired keys, or rate limits. Ensure the key is active and has permission to create short links.

**Why are my custom slugs not applied?**

Make sure the 'slugs' array has the same length as the 'urls' array and that the provider supports custom slugs (e.g., Rebrandly and Short.io do, TinyURL may not). Also check that the slug is available and meets the provider's format rules.

**Why is Short.io failing?**

Short.io requires both 'shortioApiKey' and 'shortioDomain'. Double-check that the domain is correct and that the API key has permission to create links on that domain.

### FAQ

| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Do I need an API key for every provider? | No. Only provide keys for the providers you want to use. L8.nu works without a key, and TinyURL may work without one if you don't need custom slugs. |
| Can I shorten multiple URLs at once? | Yes. Pass an array of URLs in the 'urls' field. The Actor will shorten each one with the selected providers. |
| What if a provider fails? | The Actor records the error for that provider and continues with the others. The output includes an error field for each provider so you can see what went wrong. |
| How do I use custom slugs? | Provide an array of slugs in the 'slugs' field, matching the order of your URLs. Each slug is used as the custom path for the short link, where supported. |
| Can I randomize the provider order? | Yes. Set 'randomizeProviders' to true. The Actor shuffles the provider list for each URL, which can help distribute load across services. |
| What is Short.io domain? | Short.io requires a domain (like 'aod23455.short.gy' or your custom domain). Provide it in the 'shortioDomain' field when using Short.io. |

### Related actors

Browse the full [ParseForge collection](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp) for more scrapers.

🆘 **Need help?** Email parseforge@protonmail.com with your run ID, your input, and what you expected.

⚠️ **Disclaimer.** This Actor is unofficial and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by MultiSite URL Shortener. It collects only publicly available data. You are responsible for using the collected data in compliance with the source's terms of service and applicable data-protection laws, including GDPR, CCPA, and PIPL. Do not use it to collect personal data unlawfully.

# Actor input Schema

## `urls` (type: `array`):

URL(s) to shorten. Can be a single URL string or an array of URLs.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

How many URLs to shorten per run.

## `providers` (type: `array`):

URL shortening providers to use. Leave empty to use all providers. Options: bitly, rebrandly, tinyurl, shortio, l8nu

## `randomizeProviders` (type: `boolean`):

Randomize the order of providers for each URL. Useful for load balancing.

## `bitlyApiKey` (type: `string`):

Your Bitly API access token. Get it from https://app.bitly.com/settings/api/

## `rebrandlyApiKey` (type: `string`):

Your Rebrandly API key. Get it from https://app.rebrandly.com/account/api-keys

## `tinyurlApiKey` (type: `string`):

Your TinyURL API key (if available).

## `shortioApiKey` (type: `string`):

Your Short.io API key. Get it from https://app.short.io/settings/api

## `shortioDomain` (type: `string`):

Your Short.io domain (e.g., 'aod23455.short.gy' or your custom domain). Required for Short.io.

## `slugs` (type: `array`):

Custom slugs/paths for short URLs. Array should match the order of URLs.

## `titles` (type: `array`):

Titles for short URLs. Array should match the order of URLs.

## `descriptions` (type: `array`):

Descriptions for short URLs. Array should match the order of URLs.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "urls": [
    "https://example.com"
  ],
  "maxItems": 10,
  "providers": [],
  "randomizeProviders": false
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `overview` (type: `string`):

Overview view of shortened URLs with key fields displayed in a table format

## `results` (type: `string`):

Complete dataset with all shortened URLs including provider-specific short URLs, success counts, and error information

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "urls": [
        "https://example.com"
    ],
    "maxItems": 10,
    "providers": []
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("parseforge/multisite-url-shortener").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "urls": ["https://example.com"],
    "maxItems": 10,
    "providers": [],
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("parseforge/multisite-url-shortener").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "urls": [
    "https://example.com"
  ],
  "maxItems": 10,
  "providers": []
}' |
apify call parseforge/multisite-url-shortener --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,parseforge/multisite-url-shortener"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/IeI73VKKxFnbvKVaC/builds/cFcIfDN2vfkRa7MpR/openapi.json