Book a demo
Book a demo
Login

Shlink Hosting Live In 5 Minutes

A private, self-hosted URL shortener with a protected management client, a REST API and visit analytics — your own domain, your own short-link data. xCloud configures the pinned Shlink API, web client, Caddy router and PostgreSQL database, with generated management credentials and an API key waiting when you sign in.

Deploy your Shlink
  • No terminal
  • No technical skills needed
  • No lock-in, cancel anytime

From Sign-Up to a Live Shlink In Just 3 Easy Steps

Self-hosting Shlink normally means an API service, a web client, a router in front of both, a PostgreSQL database, a domain and a certificate before a single link is shortened. This is the same result without assembling any of it.

  1. Step 01

    Sign Up

    Create your xCloud account and pick Shlink from the OneClick catalog. Choose your site, a temporary or production domain, and provide a MaxMind GeoLite2 licence key.

  2. Step 02

    We Deploy It For You

    One click. We bring up the pinned Shlink API, web client and PostgreSQL containers behind a Caddy router, mount the database and data volumes, and publish it over HTTPS on your domain.

  3. Step 03

    Sign In And Shorten A Link

    Open your HTTPS URL and authenticate with the generated management credentials shown in your xCloud credential panel. Create a short URL and confirm the redirect works.

Everything Shlink Does, On Your Own Server

Shlink runs in full here — the same shorten, redirect and track workflow as any hosted link shortener, on infrastructure you control.

  • Branded Short URLs

    Create short links on your own domain instead of a shared third-party shortener's brand.

  • Redirect Rules

    Route the same short link to different destinations based on device, location or other conditions, rather than one fixed target.

  • QR Codes

    Generate a QR code for any short URL directly from Shlink, ready to drop into print or a slide.

  • REST API For Scripted Links

    Mint and manage short URLs programmatically from your own scripts and tools, not just the web client.

  • Per-Visit Analytics

    See visit counts, referrers and geolocation for every short link, backed by the GeoLite2 database you supply a licence key for.

  • Protected Management Client

    The official Shlink web client comes preconfigured with your API key, reachable only behind generated HTTP Basic credentials.

Everything You Need To Run Your Private URL Shortener 24/7

Managed hosting for Shlink, so the parts that keep it online are not your problem.

  • Shlink 5.1.5 deployed instantly
  • Official pinned image digests
  • Management credentials and API key generated for you
  • PostgreSQL bound to localhost
  • Free SSL certificate
  • Server backups and snapshots
  • Server security updates included
  • 30+ server locations
  • Unused balance refunded

Simple Pricing. Everything Included.

Dedicated Cloud VPS sizes, pre-configured for Shlink. Pick the one that fits, and resize any time.

Cloud VPS 6 GB

Most popular

Personal or small-team link shortening.

$24.99per month

  • 6 GB RAM
  • 4 vCPU cores
  • 100 GB NVMe SSD
  • 30 TB
  • Unlimited
Get started

Cloud VPS 16 GB

Higher link volume and analytics retention.

$59.99per month

  • 16 GB RAM
  • 6 vCPU cores
  • 200 GB NVMe SSD
  • 30 TB
  • Unlimited
Get started

Cloud VPS 24 GB

Shlink alongside a whole self-hosted stack.

$84.99per month

  • 24 GB RAM
  • 8 vCPU cores
  • 300 GB NVMe SSD
  • 30 TB
  • Unlimited
Get started

Every size is a dedicated Cloud VPS we provision, patch, monitor and restore. Billed monthly with no lock-in — delete the server and the unused balance comes back to your account. Shlink itself is free under the MIT licence.

Docker hosting

Already Have a Server? Bring Your Own

Connect any VPS — DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, Hetzner or bare metal — and deploy Shlink on it through the same panel, for a per-server management fee instead of a Cloud VPS rental.

Free

Start your journey without cost.

$0forever

  • 1 server
  • 10 sites
Start free

Starter

Most popular

Your rate with 2–5 servers connected.

$5per server / month

  • 2–5 servers
  • Unlimited sites
  • All features included
  • Bring any VPS provider
Get started

Professional

The same platform, discounted at 6–10 servers.

$4per server / month

  • 6–10 servers
  • Unlimited sites
  • All features included
  • Bring any VPS provider
Get started

Agency

The same platform, discounted at 11+ servers.

$3per server / month

  • 11+ servers
  • Unlimited sites
  • All features included
  • Bring any VPS provider
Get started

Priced per connected server, so your rate adjusts automatically as you add or remove servers. You pay your own provider for the server itself.

Self-managed hosting

Ready To Own Your URL Shortener?

Shlink on xCloud runs on a dedicated Cloud VPS that we provision, patch, monitor and restore. Deploy faster. Own the server. Stay in control.

Hear what people are saying about us

See why agencies, developers, startups, and growing businesses choose xCloud to power their projects.

xCloud works really well, I am surprised by its performance being this the release version, I have tried many paid platforms such as runcloud, cloudpages or serveravatar, as well as free platforms such as CyberPanel, CloudPanel or Hestia Control Panel and direct competitors such as SpinupWP and FlyWP. Of all those that I have tried, the platform that works best for WordPress is SpinupWP and I believe that xCloud can reach and surpass that development, its roadmap is promising. Congratulations to the xCloud team, I hope they become the leading platform in the segment, it has all the potential to achieve it!
Brian Geovanny
I've been with runcloud for the last 3 years. However, after trying xcloud for the last month, I'm switching over. They are on a roll with their setup.
Kevin Pineda
I'm moving my servers to xCloud, a cloud control panel by M Asif Rahman and the WPDeveloper team. Their roadmap looks interesting and no, there are no team mates nor API limits with xCloud! #xCloud #wordpress #hosting
Leo Koo
How Cloud Nine Web Elevated Client Experience While Streamlining Hosting Operations using xCloud
Ed Ellingham
xCloud is like having an expert server team on call — without the big agency costs. It's given me back my time and given my clients peace of mind. Highly recommended for freelancers and small teams who want reliable performance and security.
Dumitru Butucel
xCloud isn't just a solution. It's like one of that friend who got your back when you screw things up pretty bad.
Waqar Ahmed
Trust me when I say, once people explore the potential of xCloud they gonna switch from other panels, just keep delivering the best tech, lots of love for the team 😍😍
Rahul Singh
So far my experience has been smooth like silk. I didn't imagine that configuring and managing a VPS would be so easy. As of today, I have deployed 8 sites. The support is good, and they treat users with respect, even if they ask stupid questions (myself included). For the future, I hope for greater flexibility in scheduled backups and more comprehensive and consistent documentation. I'm sure that within a few months, xCloud will become the leader in its segment. This community is amazing, and the Staff here is super helpful.
Massimo Villa
Came from cloudways then to runcloud then to xcloud. Looks like I'm staying here.
Gerson El
I've recently taken all of my Vultr-hosted sites and gotten rid of cPanel for them to substitute it with xCloud. I have to say, I'm really impressed with xCloud so far! The interface is definitely the standout feature for me.
Tony Lewis
I came from Cloudways and won't go back. Highly impressed with xCloud. Glad I gave them a chance.
Jared McDowell
I like xCloud better than RunCloud, but one thing I'll point out is that some years ago RunCloud was hungry for business, the support was outstanding, and the community was active and helped each other. Maybe it was sold, there was a change in management, or they stopped being hungry, but the quality of the RunCloud offering declined and it hasn't been moving forward quickly. My point is that currently the xCloud team has the edge and it is theirs to keep or lose
David McCan
How Kevin Heinrichs Cut Hosting Costs by 84% While Running WooCommerce & Node.js Sites Efficiently
Kevin Heinrichs
I had 150 sites on cloudways and am in the process of moving them to xcloud. Much faster and better priced.
Dan Spinoza
Dear xCloud Team, I have been using xCloud for some time now and am genuinely impressed with its capabilities and the flexibility it offers by allowing users to bring their own VPS for management. It's a fantastic service, and my experience so far has been very positive. Successful migrated 5 sites on a single server. Xcloud migration tool worked great. There were few hiccups with security plugin like MalCare but disabling the plugin prior to migration worked just fine.
Rahil Maknojia
Came from runcloud. Tried xcloud and never came back.
Karl Fanega
How Advanced Web Strategies Saved Over $2,000 & Recovered 56 Hours per Month Managing 70+ Client Websites
Gary Moody
xCloud gave me what no other hosting platform could: the flexibility of a VPS with the convenience of managed WordPress. As a solo founder running an entire business on one server, that combination is an important unfair advantage.
Jorge de los Reyes Martínez
I use Server Avatar and xCloud and I'll sooner use xCloud than Server Avatar personally.
Jay Pagano
How Newman Web Solutions Ensured Perfect Uptime and Seamless Scaling For 120+ WordPress Sites with xCloud
Lori Newman
I too have moved over to xCloud. It's pretty sweet. One click n8n and uptime Kuma apps
John Aperture
I went from Cloudways to xCloud. No intention on switching in the foreseeable future.
Blaine Moore

Frequently Asked Questions

Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have.

What is Shlink?

Shlink is a free, open-source, self-hosted URL shortener. It includes a protected management client, a REST API, redirect rules, QR codes and per-visit analytics. This template deploys version 5.1.5 alongside its official web client, version 4.8.1.

Is Shlink free?

Yes — both Shlink and its web client are free and open source under the MIT licence. What you pay xCloud for is the dedicated server it runs on and the management around it, not the application itself.

Can I self-host Shlink?

Yes — that is exactly what this template deploys. It brings up the pinned Shlink API, web client and PostgreSQL containers behind a Caddy router, and publishes it over HTTPS on your domain in about five minutes instead of assembled by hand.

Why does installation ask for a MaxMind licence key?

Shlink uses MaxMind's GeoLite2 database to geolocate visits for analytics. A GeoLite2 licence key from a free MaxMind account is required at install time so Shlink can download that database.

Are my short links public?

Yes, by design — anyone with a short link can follow the redirect, the same as any URL shortener. The management client and REST API that create and manage links sit behind a separate, protected login; only the redirects themselves are public.

What does xCloud configure automatically?

Generated PostgreSQL credentials, a generated management username and password, a generated Shlink API key already wired into the web client, the Shlink URL, the private container network, both persistent volumes, the domain and the HTTPS route. PostgreSQL has no host port, so it is never directly exposed to the internet.

How do I rotate the API key safely?

Create a replacement API key inside Shlink first, update anything that depends on the old one, and only then revoke the initial key. Changing INITIAL_API_KEY in the Environment editor after installation does not rotate an existing key.

What are the server requirements?

The template manifest asks for 2048 MB of RAM, 1 CPU core and 10 GB of disk as a floor. This page sells the 6 GB tier at that same floor, with demand mostly driven by link volume and analytics retention rather than the application itself.

What should I back up?

shlink_database and shlink_data together. The database volume carries short links, visits, domains and API keys in PostgreSQL; the data volume carries Shlink's downloaded GeoLite2 and runtime data.

Backups in xCloud

Does xCloud automatically back up or update Shlink?

No. The template pins Shlink 5.1.5 and its web client 4.8.1; a catalog re-sync affects new installations only. Customers should schedule and test their own backups and review upstream release notes before updating.

What survives a restart?

Everything on shlink_database and shlink_data, because both are persistent named volumes. Restarting the containers does not touch your short links, visits or API keys.

Is xCloud officially partnered with Shlink?

No. No official partnership or endorsement between xCloud and Shlink has been verified. This is a deployment and server-management option for the open-source Shlink project.

Can I run other apps on the same server?

Yes. It is a dedicated Cloud VPS, not a locked appliance, so you can deploy other OneClick apps or your own sites beside it as long as the resources are there.

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes. There is no lock-in — cancel any time. Hosting is billed monthly and charged for what you actually use, so when you delete the server the unused balance is refunded to your account, less up to 10% in payment-processing fees.

Related resources

The backup and HTTPS guides that matter most once Shlink is live.

Ready to Own Your URL Shortener?

Connect your first server in minutes. No credit card required, and no plan you have to grow into.

Deploy Shlink now