PrettyLinks – Affiliate Link Management, URL Shortener, Link Cloaking, Tracking & Branded Short Links

How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.

Directory rank vs rivals

wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you

How often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.

Share of active installs on each version of this plugin · 27% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.

Refined from the date this plugin crossed into its current band.

No paid tier is visible, so we don't put a figure on revenue or sale value: that would be guessing. The install base is a real asset to an acquirer, just not one public data lets us price. A declining trend compresses what a buyer would pay.

1. ★★★★★ wp_ris

   1mo ago

   Every fracking time something works perfectly, somehow they have to make it worst. New 4.x Interface is crap and meta refresh redirect to local 404. Unbelievable. This Fracking plugin is supposed to be used by pro guys, why follow the interface style for npc. You won’t believe how pissed I am.

   Read on wp.org ↗
2. ★★★★★ moncef88

   2mo ago

   Great plugin and easy to use!

   Read on wp.org ↗
3. ★★★★★ markabutcher

   3mo ago

   We use multiple systems to manage various aspects of what we do, e.g. ticketing, fundraising, etc. To be able to unify them all with familiar looking URLs is really helpful in making a disparate set of tools seem like part of a single entity.

   Read on wp.org ↗
4. ★★★★★ Sarah G

   3mo ago

   Does exactly what it says it will & is very easy to use.

   Read on wp.org ↗
5. ★★★★★ snc72394

   3mo ago

   I’m happy that I can create short links using my own domain.

   Read on wp.org ↗
6. ★★★★★ markmelch

   4mo ago

   Love being able to track clicks

   Read on wp.org ↗
7. ★★★★★ gomes77

   4mo ago

   I love it

   Read on wp.org ↗
8. ★★★★★ rebelinc

   4mo ago

   Such a good tool, and so easy to use!

   Read on wp.org ↗

Recent releases and news for this plugin

1. — Version 4.0.11 Added an “Export CSV” button to the Links list that downloads the links you are currently viewing — any search, category, tag, or status filters (including Broken links) carry over to the export. Large lists download in 4.0.11
2. — Version 4.0.10 Fixed a fatal error (“Class PrettyLinks\Bootstrap not found”) when WordPress is loaded outside the site root — for example MemberPress protected downloads ( lock.php ) or membership PayPal IPN callbacks — by anchoring th 4.0.10
3. — Version 4.0.9 Pro: Fixed link categories and tags appearing blank in the admin after upgrading from 3.x, even though the assignments still existed — an automatic one-time repair restores them (and their link counts) on the next admin 4.0.9
4. — Version 4.0.8 Pro: Fixed licensed Pro installs being silently replaced by the free build during an update when the license couldn’t be verified at that moment (a brief connection hiccup, or right after a major update) — which locked e 4.0.8
5. — Version 4.0.7 Fixed every Pretty Link returning a 404 on WordPress installs located in a subdirectory (for example, a site at example.com/blog) — the redirect engine now correctly accounts for the site’s base path. Fixed Pretty Links 4.0.7
6. — Version 4.0.6 Pro: Fixed geo targeting never matching on hosts without CDN country headers — country resolution now falls back to IP geolocation like v3, so country rules work everywhere. Pro: When the visitor’s country can’t be deter 4.0.6

9 disclosed vulnerabilities on record for this plugin, all fixed in the current version. Sites on older versions stay exposed until they update.

1. Medium · 4.9 PrettyLinks <= 3.6.20 - Authenticated (Administrator+) SQL Injection via 's' Parameter ↗
   2026-08-04 CVE-2026-5062 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') Affects <= 3.6.20 Patched in 3.6.21
2. Medium · 4.3 Shortlinks by Pretty Links <= 3.6.15 - Missing Authorization ↗
   2025-05-19 CVE-2025-48247 Missing Authorization Affects <= 3.6.15 Patched in 3.6.16
3. Medium · 6.1 Shortlinks by Pretty Links <= 3.6.2 - Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via post_status ↗
   2024-03-25 CVE-2024-29770 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') Affects <= 3.6.2 Patched in 3.6.3
4. Medium · 4.3 Pretty Links – Affiliate Links, Link Branding, Link Tracking & Marketing Plugin <= 3.6.3 - Cross-Site Request Forgery to Plugin Settings Update ↗
   2024-03-22 CVE-2024-2326 Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) Affects <= 3.6.3 Patched in 3.6.4
5. Medium · 4.3 Shortlinks by Pretty Links <= 3.4.0 - Cross-Site Request Forgery via route ↗
   2023-04-13 CVE-2022-47149 Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) Affects <= 3.4.0 Patched in 3.4.1
6. High · 7.2 Pretty Links <= 2.1.9 - Unauthenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting via track_link ↗
   2019-06-19 CVE-2019-25147 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') Affects < 2.1.10 Patched in 2.1.10
7. High · 7.2 Pretty Links – Link Management, Branding, Tracking & Sharing Plugin <= 1.6.7 - SQL Injection ↗
   2015-07-08 CVE-2015-9457 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') Affects < 1.6.8 Patched in 1.6.8
8. High · 7.2 Pretty Links Lite < 1.6.3 - Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗
   2014-08-01 CVE-2013-1636 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') Affects < 1.6.3 Patched in 1.6.3
9. Medium · 6.1 Pretty Links – Link Management, Branding, Tracking & Sharing Plugin < 1.5.6 - Reflected Cross-Site Scripting ↗
   2011-12-04 CVE-2011-4595 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') Affects < 1.5.6 Patched in 1.5.6

Automated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0.1

Translated into 22 languages, 1 at 90% or more

Growth timeline

Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow

1. 2026-06-28 300K+ → 200K+ down after 988 days in tier
2. 2023-10-14 200K+ → 300K+ up after 1 days in tier
3. 2023-10-13 300K+ → 200K+ down after 1 days in tier
4. 2023-10-12 200K+ → 300K+ up after 2 days in tier
5. 2023-10-10 300K+ → 200K+ down

Competes with

The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).

• Royal Links – Affiliate Link Cloaking, Shortener & Tracker 10+ installs · 4.0★ · 4 shared tags B
• BetterLinks – Link Shortener, Link Cloaking, Redirects, Affiliate Link Manager & MCP 20K+ installs · 4.7★ · 3 shared tags A
• LinkCentral – URL shortener, Affiliate Links & Custom Link Shortener with Link Tracking 400+ installs · 4.6★ · 3 shared tags A
• ShortLinks Pro – Affiliate Links, Link Shortening, Click Tracking & Marketing 100+ installs · 4.5★ · 3 shared tags A
• LinkAlert 10+ installs · 3.6★ · 3 shared tags B
• ThirstyAffiliates – Affiliate Links, Link Branding, Link Tracking & Marketing Plugin 30K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags A

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Drop a live Pulse card for PrettyLinks – Affiliate Link Management, URL Shortener, Link Cloaking, Tracking & Branded Short Links into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.

PrettyLinks – Affiliate Link Management, URL Shortener, Link Cloaking, Tracking & Branded Short Links: 200K+ active installs, 4.8★ (1,317 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-08-25. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/pretty-link