Link Expiration

Link expiration makes links self-managing — they stop working at a set date or click count, automatically, without requiring manual intervention.

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Definition

Link expiration is a URL shortener feature that automatically disables a short link after a specified condition is met — either a date/time threshold or a maximum click count. Before the expiry condition is reached, the link behaves normally. After it is reached, the link stops redirecting.

Link expiration in Cuttly is available from the Single plan. Two expiry conditions are available, and can be used independently or in combination:

Use Cases

Time-Limited Promotions

A flash sale ending at midnight, a limited-time offer expiring at the end of a month, a seasonal campaign — all benefit from links that self-expire rather than continuing to route visitors to an ended promotion or a 404 after the campaign page is taken down. Set the expiry date to match the campaign end date; the link stops working automatically.

Event Registration Deadlines

Event registration links that expire at the registration deadline prevent latecomers from attempting to register after the closing date. An expired registration link can route to a "registration is now closed" page — a better user experience than a broken booking form or an error message.

Limited-Access Content

Access to exclusive content — a private webinar replay, a one-time download, a limited-access report — can be controlled via click-count expiry. A link configured to expire after 100 clicks ensures that no more than 100 people access the content via that link, regardless of how widely the link is distributed.

Trial and Onboarding Links

Free trial sign-up links and special onboarding offers that are time-limited benefit from expiring links. Rather than manually disabling a link when an offer period ends, the link self-expires at the configured date — reducing the operational burden of campaign management.

Compliance and Data Governance

Some organisations have data governance requirements that mandate time-limited access to certain types of links. Legal documents, compliance materials and sensitive content shared via time-expiring links provide a natural access control layer without requiring authentication systems.

After Expiry: What Visitors See

When a visitor clicks an expired link, the redirect stops. The behaviour at that point is configurable. Options include:

• Redirect to a custom "offer has ended" or "registration is closed" page
• Redirect to the homepage or a relevant alternative destination
• Display a standard HTTP error

Setting a custom post-expiry redirect is better user experience than leaving visitors at a dead link — it gives them somewhere relevant to go even though the specific content is no longer available.

Analytics After Expiry

A link's analytics data is retained after expiry. All clicks recorded before the expiry condition was reached remain visible in the dashboard. Post-expiry clicks (attempts after the link stopped redirecting) may also be recorded, depending on platform configuration — useful for understanding how much demand for the expired content persists.

Related Terms

• Password-Protected Links
• Link Management
• Redirect Types
• Unique Clicks