# Bitly MCP server

> Shorten links, generate QR codes and track link performance across your Bitly account.

- Listing: https://mcp.tc/i/bitly
- Connect: use the server's own URL `https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v4/mcp` (OAuth sign-in at the server); clients connect to it directly. The listing link is a page, not an MCP endpoint.
- Type: remote (Streamable HTTP)
- Auth: OAuth sign-in
- Category: [Marketing & SEO](https://mcp.tc/c/marketing-seo)
- Vendor: Bitly
- Verified: yes, mcp.tc checked that this is the official server (https://mcp.tc/verify). It says who runs the server, not that it is safe.
- Homepage: <https://dev.bitly.com/bitly-mcp/>

## About

Connects an AI assistant to a Bitly account. You can shorten links, create QR codes and check how they perform, covering the same functions available in the Bitly website, API and apps.

The server is hosted by Bitly at https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v4/mcp and uses streamable HTTP. Sign-in is through OAuth 2.1 with automatic client registration. Clients without OAuth support can send a Bitly API token as a Bearer header instead.

## What it can do

- Shorten long URLs into Bitly links
- Generate QR codes for links
- Track link performance across your account
- Use OAuth or a Bitly API token to authenticate

## Example prompts

- "Shorten https://example.com/spring-sale with Bitly"
- "Create a QR code for my latest campaign link"
- "How are my Bitly links performing this month?"
- "Show click stats for my bit.ly link from last week"

## Install

### Claude Code

1. Run this in a terminal, in your project folder:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http bitly https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v4/mcp
```

2. Start Claude Code, type `/mcp`, pick **bitly** and choose **Authenticate**. A browser window opens for the Bitly sign-in.

Add `--scope user` to make it available in every project, not just this one.

### Claude Desktop

1. Open **Settings → Connectors** and click **Add custom connector**.

2. Name it **Bitly** and paste this URL:

```url
https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v4/mcp
```

3. Click **Add**, then **Connect**, and sign in when Bitly asks.

Claude Desktop’s JSON config file only starts local servers. Remote servers go through Connectors, and connectors you add on claude.ai show up here too.

### claude.ai

1. Open the connector form on claude.ai. This button fills in the name and URL for you:

[Add to claude.ai](<https://claude.ai/customize/connectors?modal=add-custom-connector&connectorName=Bitly&connectorUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fapi-ssl.bitly.com%2Fv4%2Fmcp>) (opens connector settings)

2. Check that the URL reads `https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v4/mcp` and click **Add**.

3. Click **Connect** and sign in when Bitly asks.

Free plans allow one custom connector. On Team and Enterprise plans an owner adds it under **Organization settings → Connectors**.

### ChatGPT

1. On chatgpt.com, open **Settings → Security and login** and turn on **Developer mode**.

2. Go to `chatgpt.com/plugins` and click **+** to create an app for a remote MCP server.

3. Paste `https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v4/mcp` as the server URL and choose **OAuth**. ChatGPT sends you to Bitly to sign in.

Developer mode is available on the web for Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education accounts.

### Cursor

[Add to Cursor](<https://cursor.com/install-mcp?name=bitly&config=eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FwaS1zc2wuYml0bHkuY29tL3Y0L21jcCJ9>) (opens Cursor)

Or add it by hand to `~/.cursor/mcp.json` (all projects) or `.cursor/mcp.json` (this project):

`mcp.json`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "bitly": {
      "url": "https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v4/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

Cursor shows **Needs login** next to the server. Click it to sign in.

### VS Code

[Install in VS Code](<https://vscode.dev/redirect/mcp/install?name=bitly&config=%7B%22type%22%3A%22http%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fapi-ssl.bitly.com%2Fv4%2Fmcp%22%7D>) (opens VS Code)

Or from a terminal:

```bash
code --add-mcp '{"name":"bitly","type":"http","url":"https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v4/mcp"}'
```

Or commit it to the repo in `.vscode/mcp.json`:

`.vscode/mcp.json`:

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "bitly": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v4/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

VS Code asks you to sign in the first time the server starts.

### Devin Desktop

1. Add it to `~/.config/devin/mcp_config.json` (macOS and Linux) or `%APPDATA%\devin\mcp_config.json` (Windows):

`mcp_config.json`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "bitly": {
      "serverUrl": "https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v4/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

2. Refresh the MCP server list in Cascade and sign in when asked.

Devin Desktop is the new name for Windsurf. It reads `serverUrl` (or `url`) for remote servers.

### Codex

```bash
codex mcp add bitly --url https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v4/mcp
codex mcp login bitly
```

Or edit `~/.codex/config.toml` directly:

`config.toml`:

```toml
[mcp_servers.bitly]
url = "https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v4/mcp"
```

### Gemini CLI

```bash
gemini mcp add --transport http bitly https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v4/mcp
```

Then, inside Gemini CLI, run `/mcp auth bitly` to sign in.

This adds it to the current project. Add `-s user` to use it everywhere.

### Any client

Most clients accept this shape. Some name the URL field differently: `serverUrl` in Devin Desktop, `httpUrl` in Gemini CLI’s settings file.

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "bitly": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v4/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

Zed puts servers under `context_servers` in its settings. Cline needs `"type": "streamableHttp"`, or it assumes SSE.

Client only starts local servers? Bridge it with `npx -y mcp-remote https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v4/mcp`.

## Details

- Server version: 1.0.0
- Last checked: 2026-10-03 (reachable, asks for credentials)
- Listed: 2026-10-03
- Updated: 2026-10-04

---
Source: https://mcp.tc/i/bitly (mcp.tc is an independent directory, not affiliated with this server's publisher). Corrections: https://mcp.tc/report