Pretty Links Free is enough for the way I manage affiliate links on Flex For Families. I use it to create tidy links for WA affiliate URLs with tracking IDs and monitor clicks inside WordPress. It is quick to use, and I have yet to find a limitation that makes upgrading worthwhile.
I first installed Pretty Links after another Wealthy Affiliate member recommended it years ago. Since then, I’ve used it on the sites I’ve had, including FFF. It does the job I expect without adding much work to publishing.
This review focuses on that everyday use. I’ll explain my process, what the free plugin offers and which paid features might justify an upgrade for someone with different needs. Product and pricing details were checked on 4 November 2026.
What Is Pretty Links and Who Created It?
Pretty Links is a WordPress plugin that creates short URLs on your own domain and redirects visitors to a saved destination. That destination can be an eligible affiliate URL containing your tracking information.
For example, you could create a short link such as example.com/go/email-tool that redirects to a longer merchant URL. This is a fictional example. The short address and the destination have different jobs, so keep the full tracked destination intact when you save it.
Blair Williams is credited as the developer in the WordPress listing. His company announcement also describes Pretty Links joining the WPBeginner Growth Accelerator in 2018. Pretty Links company background
Quick Note: I’m John Crossley, founder of Flex For Families. I review online business opportunities through the lens of family life, focusing on costs, time commitments, risks, and whether they genuinely help parents create more flexibility.
Why Do I Use Pretty Links Free on FFF?
I use it because long affiliate URLs can look awkward and are harder to manage. Pretty Links gives me a tidy address to work with and a place to find my saved links in WordPress.
A normal text link in an article can already have a useful label. The reader may see “explore the training” rather than the full URL. Pretty Links is particularly useful to me for managing the address behind that text and keeping the tracked destination organised.
The recommendation from another WA member prompted me to try it. I’ve continued using it because creating a link takes little time and the free version has met my needs.
How Do I Create a Pretty Link While Writing?
I start with my WA affiliate URL and its tracking ID, then create a Pretty Link to use in the post. I highlight text and use the editor’s quick menu to create the link as part of writing.
That is the workflow in my setup. Menu labels and editor integrations can change between versions, so the dashboard’s Add New Link screen is another route if your editor looks different.
The basic sequence is straightforward.
- Create or obtain the affiliate destination with the tracking ID you want to use.
- Save that complete URL as the Pretty Link destination.
- Give the short link a clear name and slug.
- Insert the short link in the appropriate text.
- Open it and confirm that it reaches the expected destination.
The official creation guide describes a target URL, a custom slug and a redirect choice, followed by saving and testing the link. A temporary redirect is useful to consider when a destination might change later. Choose the setting that fits the link’s purpose and programme rules. Creating a Pretty Link
How Do Pretty Links and Affiliate Tracking IDs Work Together?
The affiliate programme supplies the tracking information in the destination URL. Pretty Links gives you an address that redirects to that saved URL.
I use tracking IDs with my WA links and then create a Pretty Link for the post. A clear naming habit helps me distinguish destinations when I have different tracking IDs.
Suppose you want to separate a beginner guide from a comparison article. You could save two differently named short links, each pointing to its own tracked destination. This is an illustrative organisation method, rather than a record of two particular links on FFF.
If you reuse one short link everywhere, its saved destination is the same for those placements. Plan separate links where you need separate destination tracking IDs. Check the saved target each time instead of assuming that a tidy slug creates affiliate attribution by itself.
What Can You Do With Pretty Links Free?
The current Lite listing includes branded short URLs, custom slugs, standard 301, 302 and 307 redirects, and click tracking. Those core functions explain why Free works for my routine.
| Task | How It Helps |
|---|---|
| Create a short URL on your domain | Gives you a manageable address for an eligible destination |
| Choose a descriptive slug | Makes links easier for you to recognise |
| Save a tracked destination | Keeps the full affiliate URL behind the short link |
| Review recorded clicks | Gives you activity information inside WordPress |
The current listing also describes CSV link importing among its free features. Older reviews or pricing summaries may describe different entitlements, so check the version and current listing before paying for a feature. Pretty Links on WordPress.org
I haven’t reached a free-version limitation that has made me want to upgrade. That is the most relevant part of my experience for a beginner who wants a simple affiliate link workflow.
What Do the Click Reports Actually Tell You?
They show recorded activity through your Pretty Links. I find it useful to see that inside WordPress alongside the information available in WA.
A click count gives me a reason to investigate which links people are using. It doesn’t confirm a qualifying sale or that the merchant attributed an action to my account. Programme reporting remains important for that.
For a practical check, open the saved destination in the plugin, verify its tracking ID and test where the short link sends you. Then review the affiliate programme’s own reports for qualifying activity. Avoid generating artificial purchases or signups as a tracking test.
Click totals from two systems can differ because they measure activity differently. Bot handling, repeated visits, reporting windows and definitions can all affect how useful a comparison is. Keep the question specific, such as whether a particular short link recorded activity during the period you’re reviewing.
Pretty Links documents several tracking modes with different levels of detail. Simple mode keeps counts, while other modes retain per-click information. Its current guidance warns that switching to or from Simple deletes existing click data, so read that guidance before changing modes. Click tracking modes
Can You Update a Destination in One Place?
You can edit the saved destination associated with a Pretty Link. Wherever you have used that same short URL, it points through that link record.
This can be useful if a programme changes its destination. Check the full replacement URL, including the correct tracking ID, then test the edited link.
I haven’t supplied a personal example of doing a site-wide destination change, so this benefit comes from the documented design rather than a claimed migration on FFF. If you pasted several different short links or direct merchant URLs into your articles, each needs its own review. Pretty Links plugin description
When Would You Need Pretty Links Paid?
Paid becomes relevant when a particular feature solves a recurring job that the free workflow leaves you doing manually. Examples include automatic keyword linking or testing different destinations.
The pricing page promotes keyword linking and split testing under Marketer and product displays under Super Affiliate. These are options to assess against a task, rather than reasons every new blogger needs a subscription. Pretty Links paid plans
| Your Need | What to Consider |
|---|---|
| Create tidy URLs and review clicks | Try the free workflow first |
| Automatically link recurring keywords | Assess the paid feature, its scope and the checking it requires |
| Compare destinations through split testing | Decide what outcome you can measure and which tier includes the tool |
| Display affiliate products in formatted boxes | Check the current product-display add-on and programme restrictions |
| Organise a larger library with categories or tags | Confirm the exact tier entitlement before buying |
There are inconsistencies in the current official material. The pricing page places advanced redirects in Beginner, while the plan overview places them higher. The overview’s own table and prose also differ on some organisation features. Verify the exact feature you want with the provider before purchasing. Plans overview
I haven’t needed those extras for my FFF workflow. Free is still doing what I installed it to do.
How Much Does Pretty Links Cost?
Free has no plugin subscription charge for the affiliate link workflow covered here. For paid plans, look at the renewal price as well as the introductory offer.
| Paid Plan | Listed Sites | Introductory Annual Price | Stated Full Annual Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 1 | $99.60 | $249 |
| Marketer | Up to 2 | $149.60 | $374 |
| Super Affiliate | Up to 5 | $199.60 | $499 |
These US-dollar prices were displayed on 4 November 2026. The page says annual renewals are at full price. Confirm your order total, taxes and renewal terms before paying. Current pricing and terms
For me, the upgrade question starts with a feature I would use regularly. A discounted first year alone doesn’t create a need for it.
Can You Use Pretty Links With Amazon Associates?
Amazon requires special care because its programme has rules about identifying the destination and the referring site. Check the rules for the Amazon programme you actually belong to before routing Special Links through another service.
The US participation requirements prohibit obscuring the referring site so Amazon cannot reasonably identify it. They also prohibit using a shortening service or placement in a way that makes the Amazon destination unclear. That wording is more specific than a blanket statement about every shortened link. Amazon Associates programme policies
There is also a practical OneLink limitation. Amazon’s US help page says it works with full Amazon links or Amazon short links, while third-party shortened links are unsupported for that redirection. Amazon OneLink FAQ
A straightforward starting approach is to use links generated by Amazon’s own tools and clearly identify Amazon as the destination. Check the relevant country’s current terms and any localisation setup. A plugin feature being available doesn’t establish that a programme allows your proposed use.
Does a Tidy Link Replace Affiliate Disclosure?
Readers still need to understand the commercial relationship behind the recommendation. A short URL doesn’t explain that you earn a commission.
Identify affiliate advertising where required, explain the relationship clearly and check the visible link text. Also check the link attributes on the published page against current search guidance for paid links. Google guidance on qualifying outbound links
Treat these as part of publishing. Creating the short URL is one step. The surrounding recommendation, disclosure and destination need attention too.
Is Pretty Links Easy for Busy Parent Bloggers?
Yes, in my experience. Creating a link while writing takes little time, and I find my affiliate links easy to organise.
I haven’t had frustrations with it. It does what I expect, which is why I’ve continued using it over the years. I haven’t provided a measured speed test or a support case for this review.
For a beginner, I would start with a small set of clearly named links. Include enough information in each name to distinguish its destination or tracking purpose. Once your list grows, that habit makes it easier to select the right link.
What Are the Pros and Cons?
The main benefits in my experience are simplicity, tidy URLs and convenient access to click activity.
| Pros | Limits and Considerations |
|---|---|
| Free meets my current FFF needs | Programmes can restrict redirects and link presentation |
| Quick to create links while writing | A click record doesn’t establish affiliate attribution |
| Easier for me to organise tracked destinations | Short links rely on your redirect setup continuing to work |
| Click monitoring inside WordPress | Tracking settings affect the detail retained |
| No frustrations in my reported use | Paid introductory and renewal prices differ |
| A documented way to update a saved target | Some official paid-feature descriptions need clarification |
Keep the plugin’s role clear. It helps you manage URLs and activity. Your recommendation still needs to help the reader choose a suitable next step.
Who Should Use Free, and Who Might Consider Paid?
Free is a sensible starting point for a WordPress blogger who wants branded URLs for eligible affiliate links and a simple way to monitor activity. It is particularly useful to me when working with tracking IDs.
You may also be comfortable with direct links when you have only a few destinations to maintain. Check programme requirements before deciding which ones belong in a redirect system.
Consider paid when you can name the task it will improve, confirm the feature’s tier and justify the renewal cost. Give automatic features an editorial review, especially when they add links across existing content.
About the Reviewer
Hi, I’m John Crossley, founder of Flex For Families.
I’m a parent, blogger, and online business owner who helps families find realistic ways to create more flexibility through blogging, affiliate marketing, and online business.
Like many people, I’ve spent years researching online opportunities, testing platforms, and learning how to separate genuine business models from expensive hype. I’ve also experienced the frustration of chasing opportunities that promised freedom but demanded more time away from family.
Today, I use that experience to review courses, side hustles, AI opportunities, and online business programmes through a simple lens:
Will this genuinely help parents create more flexibility, or will it create more pressure?
Every review on Flex For Families focuses on costs, time commitments, risks, and realistic expectations, so you can make informed decisions before investing your time or money.
Is Pretty Links Free Enough for Beginner Bloggers?
For my current use, yes. I haven’t reached a limitation that makes me want to upgrade. It is simple to fit into writing, helps me organise my affiliate links and provides useful click information in WordPress.
Start by checking which of your programmes permit the link setup you want. If Free handles creating, naming and monitoring those links, use it and see where your needs develop.
Before paying, identify the extra job you want the plugin to do and verify the tier and renewal terms. That gives you a concrete reason for the expense.
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions cover the main decisions when starting with Pretty Links.
Is Pretty Links Free?
Yes. The free WordPress plugin includes branded short links, standard redirects and click tracking. Paid plans add further capabilities and add-ons.
Does Pretty Links Create Affiliate Tracking IDs?
Affiliate tracking IDs come from the relevant programme. Save the full URL containing the correct ID as the Pretty Link destination, then check the saved target and redirect.
Do Pretty Links Clicks Prove That I Earned a Commission?
No. The plugin records activity through its links. Check the affiliate programme’s own reporting for attributed qualifying actions and commission.
Can I Use Pretty Links With Every Affiliate Programme?
Check each programme’s current rules first. Some restrict how redirects, shortened links or affiliate destinations can be presented.
Is Pretty Links Paid Worth It?
It depends on whether a paid feature solves a task you need and justifies the renewal cost. Free has met my needs on FFF, so I haven’t found a reason to upgrade.
Is Pretty Links the Same as Link Whisper?
They serve different jobs. Pretty Links manages short URLs and redirects. Link Whisper helps find and manage internal links between pages on your site.
Let’s Chat
Do you use direct affiliate URLs or manage them through a plugin? If you’ve tried Pretty Links, has Free met your needs, or is there a specific paid feature you use regularly?
