# Blinkhop > Blinkhop is a link shortener for people, apps and AI agents. Paste a long URL and get a short link on zou.sh (for example https://zou.sh/launch). No account, no ads, no captchas, and it works over Tor and VPNs. Developers use a REST API that needs no key to start; AI assistants use a remote MCP server. Key facts: - Short links: https://zou.sh/, HTTP 302 redirect. Add + to any zou.sh link to preview its destination (https://zou.sh/+). QR code: https://zou.sh//qr (SVG). - REST API: https://api.blinkhop.com/v1 — POST /links with {"url": "..."} returns {"short_url": "..."}. No key needed: 20 links per minute and 300 per day per IP address. - MCP server: https://mcp.blinkhop.com/mcp (Streamable HTTP, no authentication). Tools: shorten_link, shorten_links, expand_link. - OpenAPI 3.1: https://api.blinkhop.com/v1/openapi.json - Links never expire. Destinations are checked against a blocklist of known phishing and malware domains. - Accounts (editing, analytics dashboard, API keys, branded domains, teams) are in early access. ## Docs - [Quickstart: your first short link from code](https://blinkhop.com/docs/quickstart.md): One POST request, no API key, no sign-up. Go from zero to a working short link, then learn the few details worth knowing before you ship. - [API reference](https://blinkhop.com/docs/api.md): Everything the Blinkhop REST API does, with exact request and response formats. JSON in, JSON out, no key needed to start. - [Code samples](https://blinkhop.com/docs/code-samples.md): Working snippets to shorten links from the tools you already use. No key, no SDK to install: each one is a single HTTP request. - [MCP server](https://blinkhop.com/mcp.md): Connect Blinkhop to Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, VS Code or Windsurf, and the tools it exposes. - [OpenAPI spec](https://api.blinkhop.com/v1/openapi.json): Machine-readable description of the REST API. ## Guides - [How to check where a short link goes, and whether it is safe](https://blinkhop.com/guides/check-if-a-link-is-safe.md): Check where a short link goes before you click: the + preview on zou.sh, tricks for other shorteners, a free link expander, phishing red flags and what to do next. - [How to make a QR code for a link that scans every time](https://blinkhop.com/guides/qr-code-for-a-link.md): Make a QR code for a link that scans reliably: shorten the URL first, pick the right error correction, size and quiet zone, test before printing, and choose SVG or PNG. - [How to shorten a link: on the web, with an API or with AI](https://blinkhop.com/guides/how-to-shorten-a-link.md): Learn how to shorten a link in seconds on the web, with one API call or by asking your AI assistant, plus custom endings and tips for short links people trust. - [Shorten links from your AI assistant with an MCP server](https://blinkhop.com/guides/shorten-links-with-ai-mcp.md): Connect Blinkhop's MCP server to Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, VS Code or Windsurf with one URL, then ask your assistant to shorten and check links. No account or key. - [The goo.gl shutdown: what still works and how to replace your links](https://blinkhop.com/guides/googl-shutdown.md): Public goo.gl link creation ended in 2019 and inactive links were switched off in 2025. See the verified timeline, what still works and how to replace your links. - [URL shortener API: shorten links from code, no key required](https://blinkhop.com/guides/url-shortener-api.md): Use the Blinkhop URL shortener API without a key: create zou.sh links with curl, Python or JavaScript, shorten 100 URLs at once, and handle errors and rate limits. - [UTM parameters: the five tags, naming rules and examples](https://blinkhop.com/guides/utm-parameters.md): UTM parameters tell your analytics which campaign sent each visit. Learn the five tags, naming conventions, examples for email, social and ads, and common mistakes. - [What is a URL shortener? How short links work](https://blinkhop.com/guides/what-is-a-url-shortener.md): What is a URL shortener? Learn how short links redirect (301 vs 302), why people use them, the risks, the privacy questions and how to choose a shortener you trust. ## Help center - [When will accounts be available?](https://blinkhop.com/help/early-access.md): Accounts are in early access and there is no public date yet. Join the list on the pricing page and we'll let you know when accounts open. - [Which plan do I need?](https://blinkhop.com/help/plans-and-billing.md): The Free plan is live now and needs no account. Pro, Team and Enterprise add branded domains, longer analytics and higher API limits, in early access. - [What are the API rate limits?](https://blinkhop.com/help/api-rate-limits.md): Without a key, each IP address can create 20 links per minute and 300 per day. The MCP server allows 120 calls per minute and 5,000 per day. - [How do I connect Blinkhop to Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor?](https://blinkhop.com/help/connect-claude-chatgpt-cursor.md): Add the MCP server URL https://mcp.blinkhop.com/mcp to your AI client. No account or key needed. Steps for Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, VS Code and Windsurf. - [My AI assistant can't reach Blinkhop. What should I check?](https://blinkhop.com/help/mcp-troubleshooting.md): Check the server URL, the transport type, the config file and the status page. A short checklist for Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, VS Code and Windsurf. - [How do I shorten a link?](https://blinkhop.com/help/how-to-shorten-a-link.md): Paste a long URL on blinkhop.com and get a short zou.sh link right away, copied to your clipboard. No account, no ads and no captcha. - [Do I need an account?](https://blinkhop.com/help/do-i-need-an-account.md): No. You can shorten links, pick custom endings, get QR codes and use the API and MCP server without signing up. Accounts are in early access. - [How do I choose a custom ending?](https://blinkhop.com/help/choose-a-custom-ending.md): Pick your own ending, like zou.sh/launch, on the website or through the API. Endings use 3 to 40 letters, numbers, dashes or underscores. - [Do short links expire?](https://blinkhop.com/help/do-links-expire.md): No. zou.sh links never expire unless an owner sets an expiry, which requires an account (early access). Links can be disabled for abuse. - [Can I change where a link points?](https://blinkhop.com/help/edit-a-link.md): Not yet. Changing a link's destination is an account feature, in early access. Links created without an account can't be edited, but you can replace them. - [How do I see where a zou.sh link goes?](https://blinkhop.com/help/see-where-a-link-goes.md): Add + to the end of any zou.sh link to see its destination, creation date and total clicks before you visit. The link expander and the API work too. - [How do I report a suspicious link?](https://blinkhop.com/help/report-a-link.md): Add + to the zou.sh link and use the Report this link form, or use the abuse form. No account needed, and abusive links are disabled. - [Why was my link refused?](https://blinkhop.com/help/why-was-my-link-refused.md): Every refusal comes with an error code, from invalid_url to rate_limited. Here is what each code means and what to do about it. - [What data does Blinkhop collect?](https://blinkhop.com/help/what-data-do-you-collect.md): As little as possible: no cookies, no trackers and no IP addresses stored with links or clicks. Here is exactly what we store when you create, click or report a link. - [Can I use Blinkhop over Tor or a VPN?](https://blinkhop.com/help/tor-and-vpn.md): Yes. The website, the API, the MCP server and zou.sh redirects all work over Tor and VPNs, with no captchas or bot walls. - [How do I get a QR code for my link?](https://blinkhop.com/help/get-a-qr-code.md): Every zou.sh link has a free, print-ready SVG QR code. Click QR after you shorten a link, or add /qr to the end of any short link. - [What size should a printed QR code be?](https://blinkhop.com/help/qr-code-size.md): About one tenth of the scanning distance: 2 to 2.5 cm on a business card, 3 to 4 cm on a flyer or menu, 10 to 20 cm on a poster. Keep a clear margin. - [Should I download my QR code as SVG or PNG?](https://blinkhop.com/help/qr-code-svg-or-png.md): SVG for print and design tools, because it stays sharp at any size. PNG for apps that don't accept SVG, exported at the final size or larger. ## Optional - [Introducing Blinkhop: short links for people, apps and AI agents](https://blinkhop.com/blog/introducing-blinkhop.md): Blinkhop is live: paste a URL, get a zou.sh link. No ads, no captchas, no account, plus a REST API and an MCP server for AI agents. Here is what works today. - [Privacy-first link analytics: what we count, and what we refuse to collect](https://blinkhop.com/blog/privacy-first-link-analytics.md): Blinkhop counts clicks by day, country, referrer domain and device type, with no cookies and without storing IP addresses. Here is how it works, and why it is enough. - [Short links for AI agents: a shortener built for the way agents work](https://blinkhop.com/blog/short-links-for-ai-agents.md): AI agents create and share links all day. Here is how Blinkhop serves them: no account, three MCP tools, idempotent shortening, safety checks and clear limits. - [Pricing](https://blinkhop.com/pricing): Free without an account; Pro and Team plans in early access. - [Status](https://blinkhop.com/status): Live status of short links, the API and the MCP server. - [Privacy policy](https://blinkhop.com/legal/privacy): What data Blinkhop collects and why. - [Full documentation in one file](https://blinkhop.com/llms-full.txt)