There are a number of free URL shorteners available online. Altayb/Getty Images You can shorten a URL by using an URL shortener website, which will shrink your URL for free. There are dozens of URL shortener websites, but Bitly and TinyURL are among the most common. Here's how to shorten any URL link using one of these free websites. Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories. URLs can get long and unwieldy.