Build a URL Shortener with Apps Script Web App

You can build a fully functional URL shortener using just Apps Script and Google Sheets — no domain, no server, no cost. The Web App handles redirects, the Sheet stores the mappings.

Sheet structure

Create a sheet named Links with these columns:

The Web App script

function doGet(e) {
  const code = e.parameter.c;

  if (!code) {
    return HtmlService.createHtmlOutput('<h2>URL Shortener</h2><p>No code provided.</p>');
  }

  const sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getSheetByName('Links');
  const data = sheet.getDataRange().getValues();

  for (let i = 1; i < data.length; i++) {
    if (data[i][0] === code) {
      const longUrl = data[i][1];

      // Increment click count
      sheet.getRange(i + 1, 4).setValue((data[i][3] || 0) + 1);

      // Redirect
      return HtmlService.createHtmlOutput(
        `<script>window.location.href = "${longUrl}";</script>
         <p>Redirecting... <a href="${longUrl}">Click here if not redirected</a></p>`
      );
    }
  }

  return HtmlService.createHtmlOutput('<h2>404 — Short link not found.</h2>');
}

Add a short link

function addShortLink(code, longUrl) {
  const sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getSheetByName('Links');

  // Check for duplicate code
  const data = sheet.getDataRange().getValues();
  const exists = data.some((row, i) => i > 0 && row[0] === code);

  if (exists) {
    Logger.log(`Code "${code}" already exists.`);
    return false;
  }

  sheet.appendRow([code, longUrl, new Date(), 0]);
  Logger.log(`Added: ${code} → ${longUrl}`);
  return true;
}

// Usage:
// addShortLink('docs', 'https://docs.google.com/...');
// addShortLink('sheet', 'https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...');

Auto-generate a short code

function generateShortCode(length = 6) {
  const chars = 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789';
  let code = '';
  for (let i = 0; i < length; i++) {
    code += chars[Math.floor(Math.random() * chars.length)];
  }
  return code;
}

function createShortLink(longUrl) {
  let code;
  const sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getSheetByName('Links');
  const data = sheet.getDataRange().getValues();
  const existingCodes = new Set(data.slice(1).map(r => r[0]));

  do {
    code = generateShortCode();
  } while (existingCodes.has(code));

  sheet.appendRow([code, longUrl, new Date(), 0]);

  const scriptUrl = ScriptApp.getService().getUrl();
  const shortUrl = `${scriptUrl}?c=${code}`;
  Logger.log(`Short URL: ${shortUrl}`);
  return shortUrl;
}

View click analytics

function getClickReport() {
  const sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getSheetByName('Links');
  const data = sheet.getDataRange().getValues().slice(1);

  const sorted = data.sort((a, b) => (b[3] || 0) - (a[3] || 0));

  Logger.log('=== Click Report ===');
  sorted.forEach(([code, url, created, clicks]) => {
    Logger.log(`${code}: ${clicks || 0} clicks → ${url}`);
  });
}

Deploy and use

Click Deploy > New deployment > Web App.
Set Execute as: Me.
Set Who has access: Anyone.
Copy the deployment URL — e.g. https://script.google.com/macros/s/YOUR_ID/exec.

Your short links look like: https://script.google.com/macros/s/YOUR_ID/exec?c=docs

Tips

The redirect uses JavaScript window.location.href — it's not a true HTTP 301/302 redirect, but it works in any browser.
For a cleaner URL, point a custom domain's redirect to your Web App URL (many domain registrars support URL forwarding).
Each time you update the script, create a new deployment to keep the URL stable.
You can add basic authentication by checking e.parameter.key against a stored secret before allowing link creation.