Is rebrand.ly safe? What you need to know about our domain

Here’s the situation: you’ve just received a text message or DM containing a link that starts with  rebrand.ly, and you’re wondering, “Is rebrand.ly safe?”

Smart question. With so many scams out there, it’s wise to be cautious of shortened URLs that may obscure their true destination.

Rebrand.ly is the generic short domain for links created using Rebrandly, a link management platform that’s been around for over a decade. The rebrand.ly domain itself is secure and maintained by our team with a focus on safety. However, you should still be cautious of clicking any generic link if you’re not sure of its authenticity.

Here’s what you need to know about rebrand.ly and how to stay safe when clicking any shortened link.

What is rebrand.ly?

Rebrandly is a URL shortener and link management platform used by 1.3 million customers worldwide. Rebrand.ly is the default short domain for links created using a free Rebrandly account.

When someone uses Rebrandly’s free plan to shorten a link, it automatically gets the rebrand.ly domain. Much like bit.ly, tinyurl.com, or t.co, rebrand.ly links redirect users to a longer destination URL.

To determine if rebrand.ly links are trustworthy, it helps to understand how link shortening works and what safety steps you can take with any shortened URL.

General link safety principles: What you need to know

Whether it’s a generic short link or a custom-branded domain, shortened URLs deserve a quick safety check. This isn’t because shortening services are dangerous; it’s because malicious actors can hide harmful destinations behind any shortened URL.

Unless you already know the domain and sender, follow these best practices before clicking:

• Hover over the link on desktop to preview the destination URL
• Check the source: if it’s from an unknown person or suspicious message, do more research before clicking.
• Use link preview tools like CheckShortURL to expand the URL fully
• When in doubt, don’t click. Trust your instincts

The bottom line? The safety risk comes from where the link takes you and who sent it, not from the shortening service itself.

Is rebrand.ly safe? Yes, Rebrandly is a trusted platform

Rebrandly operates as a secure, compliant link management platform trusted by major organizations worldwide. We maintain industry-leading security standards and actively prevent abuse:

• SOC 2 Type II certified and HIPAA compliant
• GDPR and CCPA compliant with 99.99% uptime
• AI systems detect spam and phishing attempts in real-time
• Partnership with safety organizations like the Internet Watch Foundation
• Dedicated Trust & Safety team that removes harmful content quickly
• Annual penetration testing and proactive monitoring

While malicious actors occasionally attempt to misuse any URL shortener, our systems catch and remove these threats quickly. The rebrand.ly domain remains secure and trustworthy for the millions who encounter these links daily.

The bad actor challenge (and how we address it)

Like any generic URL shortener, Rebrand.ly can occasionally be misused by malicious actors trying to disguise spam or harmful destinations.

We take this seriously and have systems in place to combat abuse:

• AI-powered detection that monitors threats in real-time
• 24/7 internal monitoring to take down suspicious or harmful links
• Custom domain controls that isolate abuse without affecting legitimate users
• User reporting tools and quick response protocols

These measures help us stay ahead of threats and keep the platform secure. When malicious actors do slip through, we can remove their links quickly.

Just because someone misuses a link doesn’t make the entire platform unsafe. Major brands trust Rebrandly’s infrastructure, and we work daily to maintain that trust through active monitoring and rapid response to abuse.

So, is rebrand.ly safe?

Yes, rebrand.ly is secure and maintained by Rebrandly, a trusted link management platform used by 1.3 million customers worldwide.  When rebrand.ly links come from known sources, they’re safe to click. As with any shortened URL, use your best judgment and follow basic safety practices when the sender is unknown.