Referrals / Other Sources

Q: Why do some clicks not appear in the referrals list?

Many clicks arrive without a Referer header — for example when a link is typed directly into a browser address bar, opened from a native mobile app, accessed via a QR code scan, or clicked from an email client that strips referrer information. These clicks have no referring domain and do not appear in the Referrals chart. They show as "other (direct)" in the Source of Clicks chart.

Q: Can I see all referring domains or only the top ones?

The Referrals chart shows the top referring domains ranked by click volume. All domains that sent at least one trackable click with a Referer header are recorded; the chart displays them in descending order.

The Referrals / other sources chart shows which websites and domains sent clicks to your short link — based on the HTTP Referer header that browsers send with every request.

Cuttly - referrals chart

How referral data works: When someone clicks a link on a website, their browser automatically sends the URL of the page they were on as part of the HTTP request. Cuttly reads this header and records the referring domain for every click that includes one. The result is a ranked list of actual websites and platforms that drove traffic to your link — not guesswork, not categories, but the real referring domains extracted from the requests.

The chart is displayed as a horizontal bar chart with referring domains ranked by click volume. Any website, search engine, social platform, newsletter tool, or web application that drives clicks to your link can appear here — the list is not limited to a predefined set of platforms.

When referrer data is not available: Many clicks arrive without a Referer header. Common reasons include:

• Link typed directly into a browser address bar
• Link opened from a native mobile or desktop application
• QR code scan — QR scanner apps typically do not send a referrer
• Link clicked from an email client (many strip the Referer header for privacy reasons)
• HTTPS page linking to an HTTP destination (browsers drop the Referer in this case)
• Pages using the Referrer-Policy: no-referrer header

Clicks without a referrer do not appear in this chart. They show up in the "other (direct)" category in the Source of Clicks chart.

Find out more about the options available in your subscription plan here: Cuttly pricing and features

FAQ

How does Cuttly collect referral data?

Cuttly reads the HTTP Referer header that browsers send with every request. When someone clicks a link from a website, the browser includes the source page URL in this header. Cuttly extracts and records the domain for every click that includes it.

What is the difference between Source of Clicks and Referrals?

Source of Clicks groups traffic into five fixed social media categories. Referrals shows the actual referring domain names from the HTTP Referer header — any website, search engine, or platform that sent the click. Both views are based on the same underlying referrer data.

Why do some clicks not appear in the referrals list?

Clicks without a Referer header — direct opens, native app opens, QR code scans, most email clients, and pages with strict referrer policies — do not have a referring domain and won't appear here. They show as "other (direct)" in the Source of Clicks chart.

Can I see all referring domains?

The chart shows referring domains ranked by click volume. All domains that sent at least one trackable click with a Referer header are recorded and displayed in descending order.