A goo.gl alternative for links that need to last
Google's shortener is closed, and inactive goo.gl links stopped working on 25 August 2025. Here's what still works, how to replace the rest, and what to look for next time.
goo.gl facts checked
Google's URL Shortener stopped taking new links years ago, and in 2025 it switched off the ones nobody was using. If you have goo.gl links in documents, slides, printed material or old posts, some of them may now lead nowhere.
30 Mar 2018
Google starts winding goo.gl down and says existing links will keep redirecting.
18 Jul 2024
Google announces every goo.gl link will stop working after 25 August 2025.
23 Aug 2024
Warning pages start appearing on some links.
1 Aug 2025
Google changes course and keeps actively used links alive.
25 Aug 2025
Links with no activity in late 2024 stop working.
Which goo.gl links still work
Google first planned to turn off every goo.gl link after 25 August 2025. In August 2025 it changed course "in order to preserve actively used links" (Google for Developers). So:
- Links people were still using keep redirecting. You can't edit them, and there's no dashboard to see them in.
- Links with no activity in late 2024 stopped working after 25 August 2025. Before that, they showed a warning: "This link will no longer work in the near future".
- Firebase Dynamic Links, Google's other short-link service, shut down on the same day. All of those links stopped, including ones on custom domains (Firebase).
To check one, open it. If it lands on your page, it's still alive. If it shows an error, it's gone for good.
Replace a dead goo.gl link
A dead goo.gl link can't be revived or pointed somewhere new, so the fix is to replace it wherever it appears:
- Find where it's used. Search your documents, website, email templates and social profiles for
goo.gl/. - Make a new short link for the same page, ideally on your own domain.
- Swap it in everywhere you can edit. For printed material, update it at the next print run.
- Replace the living ones too. Google is keeping active links for now, but you can't manage them, and the service has already changed its plans twice.
What to look for in a replacement
goo.gl's story is the risk with any shortener: your links depend on a company you don't control. Choose one that makes the next move easy.
- Your own domain. Links on
go.yourbrand.comcan move to another provider by pointing the domain there. Links on someone else's domain can't. - No expiry and no trial. Some shorteners and QR code generators switch links off when a trial or plan ends.
- No ad page. Some free plans now show an ad before your link opens.
- A way to know when a link breaks. Links outlive pages: a short link can redirect for years to a page that's long gone.
How ndle compares
| ndle free | goo.gl today | |
|---|---|---|
| New short links | 100 active | None |
| Your own domain | 1, free | No |
| QR codes | Unlimited | No |
| Click stats | 30 days: day, country, device, referrer, UTM campaign | None |
| Ad page before your link | Never | No |
| Checks that your pages still work | Every 30 minutes | No |
ndle checks the page behind every short link every 30 minutes, and flags it on your Monitoring page when it returns a 404, times out or fails its certificate check. Links on a free account don't expire unless you set a date.
Questions
- Can I still create goo.gl links?
- No. New users couldn't create them from April 2018, and Google turned the console and API off on 30 March 2019.
- Will my other goo.gl links stop working too?
- Google says it is preserving actively used links. Only links that showed its warning page, after no activity in late 2024, stopped on 25 August 2025.
- Can I get a dead goo.gl link back?
- No. The short link can't be revived or edited. Make a new link and put it everywhere the old one appeared.
- Is ndle free?
- Yes. The free plan has 100 active links, 1 custom domain and unlimited QR codes, and every link is checked every 30 minutes. No card needed.