Vanity URL
A branded short URL. Often used loosely as a synonym for vanity domain; more precisely a path-based or shortener-style branded link.
A vanity URL is a branded version of a longer or auto-generated URL. The most precise usage: a short URL on a SaaS-owned domain that maps to a customer's specific page.
Examples:
linktr.ee/janesbakeryis a vanity URL: branded path on a shared hostname.hello.janesbakery.comis a vanity domain: customer's own hostname.
In SaaS marketing copy, "vanity URL" often means whatever the SaaS happens to support, whether that's path-based or subdomain-based.
Vanity URL vs branded link
A branded link is a vanity URL specifically generated for sharing or tracking, often by a link shortener (Bitly's acm.ly/xyz, Rebrandly's custom domains). Same underlying tech: a CNAME from the branded domain to the shortener's edge, plus path-based routing.
When to offer vanity URLs in your SaaS
- Path-based (
yourapp.com/acme): easiest, no DNS involved. Right answer for free tier. - Subdomain-based (
acme.yourapp.com): one wildcard cert and wildcard DNS, simple at scale. Right answer for paid tier baseline. - Custom-domain-based (
hello.acme.com): full custom domain treatment with per-domain certs. Right answer for upper tiers.
Most SaaS ship in that order. Each tier adds branding and adds engineering complexity.