FAQ

Getting started

1. Is URLCrop free? Yes, for registered accounts. The Free plan includes 25 new links a month, 3 dynamic QR codes, 1 page, 1,000 tracked events a month and 30-day analytics, on crop.sh, with a "Made with URLCrop" badge on pages and QR downloads.
2. Do I need a credit card to sign up? No. Paid plans are only needed for higher limits, custom domains, UTM templates, expiry, passwords, the full QR brand kit, the API and more.
3. Do I need an account? Yes, for everything. Every link, QR code and page on URLCrop belongs to a registered account (the Free plan included); there are no guest or anonymous links. The free tools at urlcrop.com/tools (static QR generator, UPI QR, WhatsApp link, UTM builder) run entirely in your browser, produce untracked static output and store nothing.
4. Why can't I create links yet? Your email address is not verified yet. Open the verification email and click Verify email (or click Resend under Settings → Profile); creation unlocks immediately. Google and magic-link sign-ins are verified automatically.

Links and domains

1. Will my links stop working if I hit a limit or miss a payment? No. Links never stop redirecting because of quotas or payment problems. Limits affect only creating new items and dashboard features.
2. How fast are redirects? Links are served by a dedicated redirect service that runs separately from our dashboard and API and keeps working from its cache even if they are down. Our targets are under 50 milliseconds (95th percentile) from India and under 250 milliseconds worldwide.
3. Can I change where a link points after sharing it? Yes, any time, from the link's Edit screen. The short link and its QR code stay the same.
4. Can I use my own domain? Yes, on Starter and above (1, 3, 10 or 25 domains by plan; extra domains ₹299 / $6 a month). You add a CNAME record (or an A record for a root domain); the HTTPS certificate is issued automatically on the first visit.
5. Why is my custom domain stuck on "Pending DNS"? DNS has not propagated or the records are wrong. See Troubleshooting DNS.
6. Can I reuse a slug after deleting a link? On crop.sh, a deleted link is removed for good 30 days after you delete it; its custom slug is then held for 30 days (if the link was live for at least 24 hours or got a click), then released. During the hold only your workspace can take it back. Random codes are never reused. Slugs on your own domain are yours while the domain is connected.
7. Do you support deep links into apps, A/B testing or routing by country? These are on Pro and above and are Coming soon (Phase 2).

QR codes

1. What is the difference between static and dynamic QR codes? Static codes encode the destination directly and cannot be changed or tracked. URLCrop codes are dynamic: they encode a short link, so you can change the destination after printing and see scans.
2. Can I track a UPI payment QR code? Yes. URLCrop UPI codes record each scan; the payment itself goes directly to your UPI account through the scanner's UPI app. URLCrop never touches the money.
3. What format should I send to my printer? SVG or PDF (vector). Use PNG at 2048 px or more if the printer insists on raster.
4. Do QR codes expire? Not unless you set an expiry or click limit, or delete the workspace. Printed codes keep working as long as your account exists.

Analytics

1. Why does my link show clicks right after I shared it in WhatsApp? Messaging apps fetch the link to build a preview. We label those as bots and exclude them from human totals; turn on Include bots to see them.
2. How accurate is location? Country is reliable, city is approximate. We derive location from the visitor's network address on our own servers using a local geolocation database, and we never collect GPS.
3. What counts as a tracked event? Each click, QR scan, page view and (on Business and above) conversion. Bot events are shown separately and do not count toward limits.
4. How long do you keep analytics? Free 30 days, Starter 1 year, Pro 2 years, Business and Agency 3 years, Enterprise custom. Monthly totals are kept forever.
5. Can I export my data? Yes: CSV exports of links and analytics, a full workspace export (CSV and JSON) under Workspace → Settings → Export, and QR codes as SVG.

Privacy and safety

1. Do you track the people who click my links? We record the click (time, approximate location, device, browser, referrer, language) and store the visitor's network address only as a daily-rotating hash. We set no cookies on redirects and do not profile people across customers. See the Privacy Policy.
2. Where is my data hosted? On our servers in a Contabo data centre in Mumbai, India: accounts, links, QR codes, pages, files and analytics all live there. Requests to crop.sh and our own websites pass through Cloudflare's network for protection against attacks; requests to your custom domain reach our servers directly. Backups are encrypted on our servers before they leave them.
3. Why does my link show a warning page? Our safety system found the destination risky or not yet verified. Read the reason in the link's Safety panel and click Request review if it is wrong.
4. How do I report a malicious link? urlcrop.com/report or support@urlcrop.com.

Billing

1. Which payment methods do you accept? India: UPI AutoPay, cards, net banking and e-mandates via Razorpay, in INR with GST invoices. Elsewhere: PayPal (balance or card) in USD.
2. Do you offer annual discounts? Yes: annual plans cost the price of ten months.
3. What happens when I upgrade mid-month? The upgrade is immediate and you pay only the price difference for the rest of the current period. Downgrades take effect at the end of the period.
4. Can I get a refund? No. All purchases (plans, prepaid packs, add-ons) are prepaid and final; there is no money-back guarantee and no pro-rata refund for cancellation, downgrade or unused time. You can cancel any time from Billing → Plan; access continues until the end of the paid period, then the workspace moves to Free limits and your links keep redirecting. Duplicate charges caused by a URLCrop system error are corrected. See the Cancellation & No-Refund Policy.
5. Can I get a GST invoice with my GSTIN? Yes. Add your GSTIN under Billing → Settings → Tax details before the charge; every invoice after that carries it.
6. Is there an Enterprise plan with an SLA? Enterprise (custom limits, SSO/SCIM, 99.95% API SLA, dedicated support, invoicing) is Coming soon in Phase 4. Email support@urlcrop.com to discuss early access.