Free UTM builder compared: UTM Builder, Google’s Campaign URL Builder, utm.io and Bitly
Published by the UTM Builder team at Limner. Prices and limits checked on the official sites on that date.
Four tools build UTM links for free. The difference is what happens after the link: whether the tool checks which GA4 channel the link lands in, whether it makes the QR code, whether it counts clicks, how many links the free plan allows and what the first paid plan costs. UTM Builder is ours, and this page says so up front; the limits of the other three come from their own pricing pages.
The comparison in one table
| Tool | Free plan | Checks the GA4 channel | QR code | Short link with clicks | First paid plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UTM Builder | 2 links with no sign-up and 4 per day with an account, no card. 3 short links, 3 A/B tests and 30 diary entries | Yes, before you publish | Yes, PNG and SVG, static, never expires | Yes, 3 on free, fixed destination | Pro: US$ 9.90 a month (R$ 29.90 in Brazil) |
| Campaign URL Builder (Google) | No limit and no account | No | No | No | No paid plan |
| utm.io (Starter) | 25 new links a month, 3 templates, 1 workspace | No | Yes, dynamic | Yes, through the utm.guru shortener | Plus: US$ 19 a month |
| Bitly (Free) | 5 links and 2 QR codes a month, with ads. The UTM builder starts on the Core plan | No | Yes, 2 a month | Yes, 5 a month | Core: US$ 10 a month, billed yearly (US$ 120) |
The utm.io and Bitly prices are the monthly and yearly figures shown on their pricing pages on October 10, 2026, in US dollars. They change; check the links in the sources before you decide.
Google’s Campaign URL Builder
It is the official tool, free and with no account. You fill in the URL, utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign and the optional fields, and it assembles the link. That is enough for the occasional one-off link.
What it doesn’t do: it doesn’t tell you which GA4 channel the link will land in, doesn’t warn when a value has uppercase letters or accents (Google’s help center notes that values are case sensitive) and doesn’t keep anything. People who build links every week end up with a spreadsheet next to it.
utm.io
A team tool with templates, a Chrome extension and its own shortener (utm.guru) that counts clicks and makes dynamic QR codes. The Starter plan is free forever, with 25 new links a month, 3 templates and 1 workspace. The bulk builder, custom QR design and user roles start on Plus, at US$ 19 a month; the API and Zapier on Professional, at US$ 69.
It makes sense for teams that already work in English and need a workspace and shared naming rules. It doesn’t check the GA4 channel.
Bitly
Bitly is a shortener first and a UTM builder second. The free plan gives 5 links and 2 QR codes a month, with ads, and the UTM builder only appears from Core, at US$ 10 a month on yearly billing (US$ 120 a year). Its strength is the custom short domain and the well-known brand; anyone who needs many links a month pays for it.
UTM Builder
Built for people who launch campaigns every week. You pick the channel from a list of 19 (Meta, Google Ads, TikTok, email, WhatsApp, printed QR and more), the link comes out lowercase and accent-free, and the tool shows which GA4 channel it will land in before you publish, following Google’s default channel group rules. The Meta, Google Ads and TikTok macros come pre-filled.
On free: 2 links with no sign-up, 4 a day with an account and no card, a static QR code in PNG and SVG that never expires, 3 short links with click counts, a campaign change diary (30 entries) and a history of 3 A/B tests imported from a Meta Ads or Google Ads export. Pro, at US$ 9.90 a month (R$ 29.90 in Brazil), unlocks 30 links a day, 50 short links with dynamic QR (change the destination after printing), the bulk builder and the full history. Max, at US$ 20 (R$ 47.50), removes the counter.
What it doesn’t have: a custom short domain (short links live on utmbuilder.com.br/r/), a browser extension and an API.
How to choose
- A link now and then: Google’s Campaign URL Builder does the job.
- Campaigns every week, with QR codes and the GA4 check: UTM Builder, free up to 4 links a day.
- Large team, workspaces and an API: utm.io, from Plus up.
- A short domain with your brand: Bitly, from Core up.
None of the four registers the campaign in GA4, because there is no registration: the campaign shows up when the first visit with the link arrives. And none changes the Google Ads rule where gclid beats the UTM when auto-tagging is on. The what are UTM parameters guide explains the parameters and the rules.
FAQ
Which free UTM builder has no limit?
Google’s Campaign URL Builder. In exchange, it doesn’t check the channel, doesn’t make a QR code and keeps no history. On UTM Builder the free plan is 4 links a day with an account; on utm.io, 25 a month; on Bitly, 5 a month.
Is Google’s Campaign URL Builder enough?
For a one-off link, yes. It builds the right link if you type the right values. It won’t warn about the common mistakes (uppercase, accents, a utm_medium that lands in Unassigned), and that is where a builder with a check helps.
Does a UTM builder hurt SEO?
No, as long as the UTM stays on links that come from somewhere else into your site (ads, email, QR codes, bios). On an internal link it starts a new session in GA4 and erases the real source. The landing page should have a canonical tag without parameters.
Is UTM Builder available in English?
Yes. The English site is at utmbuilder.com.br/en/, with prices in US dollars. In Brazil, payment is in reais through the Portuguese site.