URL Unshortener

Overview

URL Unshortener works by following the shortened URL's HTTP redirects to its final destination. It returns the resolved URL, the destination domain, the number of redirect hops, and the full hop-by-hop redirect chain — so you can see exactly where a link goes and which intermediate domains it passes through before trusting it.

Live Test URL Unshortener API →

Endpoint

One host, one path per API. The block below shows this call in four languages; every one of them is the same HTTP request. Making requests covers the timeouts, retries and parameter rules that apply to all of them. The SDKs wrap the same call in a typed client.

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curl -X POST https://api.apiverve.com/v1/urlunshortener \
  -H "x-api-key: your_api_key_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
  "url": "https://bit.ly/3k3j4"
}'

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const res = await fetch('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/urlunshortener', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'x-api-key': 'your_api_key_here',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
  "url": "https://bit.ly/3k3j4"
}),
});

if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`${res.status} ${await res.text()}`);

const { data } = await res.json();
console.log(data);

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import requests

res = requests.post(
    "https://api.apiverve.com/v1/urlunshortener",
    headers={"x-api-key": "your_api_key_here"},
    json={
    "url": "https://bit.ly/3k3j4"
},
    timeout=15,
)
res.raise_for_status()

print(res.json()["data"])

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package main

import (
	"fmt"
	"io"
	"net/http"
	"strings"
)

func main() {
	body := strings.NewReader(`{
  "url": "https://bit.ly/3k3j4"
}`)
	req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", "https://api.apiverve.com/v1/urlunshortener", body)
	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
	req.Header.Set("x-api-key", "your_api_key_here")

	res, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
	if err != nil {
		panic(err)
	}
	defer res.Body.Close()

	out, _ := io.ReadAll(res.Body)
	fmt.Println(string(out))
}

Replace your_api_key_here with the key from your dashboard. When the inputs arrive as a list rather than one at a time, batch requests run up to 200 of them through this same API in a single call.

Authentication

Send your key in the x-api-key header. That is the only auth step — there is no token exchange and no per-endpoint scope to configure. Authentication covers creating, rotating and revoking keys.

Parameters

Sent as JSON in the request body. Premium parameters are accepted on every plan but only take effect on plans that include them.

Response

Every API returns the same three top-level keys, so one response handler covers your whole integration: status, error and data. Only data changes shape. Response format covers the envelope, the other output formats and how premium fields are withheld.

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{
  "status": "ok",
  "error": null,
  "data": {
    "source": "https://bit.ly/3k3j4",
    "destination": "http://www.allclimbing.com/archive/2009/09/climbing-video-alex-puccio-on-trice-v12/",
    "unshortened": true,
    "redirectCount": 1,
    "destinationDomain": "www.allclimbing.com",
    "redirectChain": [
      "https://bit.ly/3k3j4",
      "http://www.allclimbing.com/archive/2009/09/climbing-video-alex-puccio-on-trice-v12/"
    ]
  }
}

Response fields

Paths are relative to data. Premium fields are absent rather than zeroed on plans that do not include them, so check for presence instead of comparing to 0.

Errors

Read the HTTP status first, then error for the specific reason. The body names the parameter that has to change. Error handling covers the full status list and which of them are worth retrying.

Use cases

Malicious Link Screening

Screen user-submitted short links in messaging platforms by resolving them to their final destination domain before security filters evaluate the URL.

Social Media Moderation

When forum commenters post shortened URLs, resolve the link destination to flag forbidden affiliate networks or banned domains.

Email Gateway Scanning

Corporate mail scanners check incoming emails for shortened links, inspecting the resolved destination URL and redirect count to detect evasion tactics.

Affiliate Link Auditing

Verify affiliate campaign redirects across ad networks by extracting the destination domain and confirming whether tracking links reach active target sites.

Other ways to use URL Unshortener

Set up URL Unshortener on APIVerve, or reach the same source a different way. Your APIVerve account and credits work on all of them — one key, one balance.

Related

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