If you’ve been managing affiliate links or sharing branded URLs on your WordPress site, you’ve probably heard of Pretty Links — one of the most popular link shortening and tracking plugins. But recently, a new contender has been gaining attention: Cute Links.
While Pretty Links has long been the go-to option, Cute Links offers a more modern, lightweight, and affordable alternative that’s quickly becoming the favorite among affiliate marketers and bloggers.
Let’s dive into a full comparison — and you’ll see why Cute Links might just be the smarter choice for 2025 and beyond.
🔗 Overview: Pretty Links vs Cute Links
| Feature | Pretty Links | Cute Links |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Affiliate link cloaking & tracking | Affiliate link cloaking, tracking, and branding |
| Ease of Use | Moderate setup | Extremely simple, one-click setup |
| Performance | Can be heavy on large sites | Lightweight and fast |
| Design & Branding | Basic UI | Clean, modern, and beautiful interface |
| Price | Premium plans can be expensive | Affordable one-time or yearly pricing |
| Free Version | Yes, but limited | Yes, with essential features included |
| Pro Features | Advanced redirects, automation | Advanced redirects, custom icons, analytics, and more |
| Best For | Agencies and power users | Bloggers, marketers, and affiliate site owners |
🧩 Ease of Use and Interface
Pretty Links is a solid plugin, but its interface can feel dated and slightly overwhelming for beginners. It packs a lot of features, but that also means more clutter and configuration time.
Cute Links, on the other hand, is built with simplicity in mind. The plugin’s interface is clean, intuitive, and modern — making link management effortless. You can create a branded short link in just one click directly from your post editor, without digging through complex menus.
✅ Winner: Cute Links
⚙️ Performance and Speed
Affiliate marketers know that site speed affects SEO and conversion rates. Unfortunately, Pretty Links can sometimes slow down your admin dashboard, especially on large sites with hundreds of links.
Cute Links was designed to be lightweight and fast. It uses optimized database queries and minimal scripts, ensuring your website remains quick and responsive even with thousands of links.
✅ Winner: Cute Links
💰 Pricing and Value
While Pretty Links Pro offers robust features, its pricing can be steep for small site owners or beginner affiliates — often costing over $99/year.
Cute Links provides nearly the same core functionality at a much lower price, with a free version available for basic use and a Pro upgrade that’s budget-friendly. You get premium-level features like link cloaking, analytics, and custom icons without paying enterprise prices.
✅ Winner: Cute Links
🎨 Customization and Branding
Branding matters. Pretty Links focuses on function, but Cute Links adds personality. It includes beautiful preset button styles, icons, and link layouts that make your affiliate links look appealing — not just functional.
You can even use an affiliate or Amazon-style icon before your link text, giving your website a professional and trustworthy look.
✅ Winner: Cute Links
📊 Tracking and Analytics
Both plugins offer click tracking, but Cute Links does it with simplicity and elegance. Instead of complex reports, it provides a clean dashboard that shows your most-clicked links and overall performance trends.
This makes it perfect for creators who just want actionable insights — not endless charts.
✅ Winner: Cute Links
🏁 Final Verdict: Why Cute Links Is the Better Choice
Pretty Links is still a great plugin, but it feels heavy and expensive for what most users need today.
Cute Links takes the best ideas from Pretty Links — and makes them better. It’s faster, easier to use, beautifully designed, and affordable. For anyone who values simplicity, style, and performance, Cute Links is the clear winner.
🚀 The Bottom Line
If you’re still using Pretty Links, it might be time to upgrade your experience.
Cute Links isn’t just a Pretty Links alternative — it’s the modern evolution of link cloaking for WordPress.
👉 Try Cute Links today and make your affiliate links not only short — but cute, branded, and powerful.