Does every Visib short link cloak the destination?

No. A vlink without a CTA performs a direct redirect to the destination you saved. The address bar becomes the partner or publisher URL, which is normal shortening, not cloaking. Only vlinks with a CTA use the iframe wrapper that keeps your short URL visible while the page loads.

What happens when a site refuses to be framed?

Many sites send X-Frame-Options or Content-Security-Policy frame-ancestors headers that block embedding. Visib runs an iframe check when you create a link and warns you if the destination is likely to block framing. At visit time, if the iframe cannot render, Visib redirects the visitor to the original URL instead of showing a blank frame. On Business you can upload a static snapshot via the Chrome extension when you still need the overlay on a page that blocks iframes.

How is Visib link cloaking different from SEO cloaking?

SEO cloaking is black-hat: showing crawlers different content than people to manipulate rankings. Visib URL masking serves the same destination to everyone; the short URL stays visible because the page is framed for your CTA overlay. The guide on link cloaking walks through white-hat vs black-hat uses in more detail.

Can I use link cloaking online with a custom domain?

Yes. After you verify DNS on Starter or Business, you publish cloaked vlinks on your own hostname so the masked URL matches your brand. Step-by-step DNS lives in the custom domain setup guide; the custom domain URL shortener page explains why branded hostnames pair with overlays and analytics.

How does Visib compare to a free link cloaking tool?

Some searchers look for a free link cloaking tool or link cloaking online in a browser. Visib is a paid CTA overlay product (Starter 9 €/mo, Business 19 €/mo), not a throwaway redirect. You get click analytics, UTMs, optional custom domains, per-link pixels, and honest iframe checks instead of a one-click mask with no overlay or reporting. The link cloaking tool blog post compares vendor approaches if you are shopping alternatives.

What does Visib cost for link cloaking?

Starter is 9 €/mo: 10 vlinks, one custom domain, one CTA overlay, click analytics, UTM builder, and the Chrome extension. Business is 19 €/mo: unlimited vlinks and CTAs, five custom domains, snapshots when sites block iframes, custom slugs, and no Visib badge on overlays. All plans are paid.

For marketers · Updated October 2026

Link cloaking: keep your short URL visible with a CTA overlay

Link cloaking (URL masking) keeps your branded short link in the address bar while the destination loads behind it. In Visib, that behavior comes from a vlink with a CTA overlay: the page is framed under your visib.link URL or custom domain, and your button or banner stays on top. Plain redirects without a CTA do not cloak. This page explains the product honestly, including sites that refuse iframes.

What is link cloaking in practice?

When someone opens a cloaked link, they still see your short URL in the browser chrome while they read the publisher or partner page underneath. Marketers search for cloaking a link or a cloaking link when they want a clean hostname in bios and ads instead of a long affiliate or campaign URL.

Visib is built for CTA overlays on third-party content you curate, not for hiding destinations from visitors. The address bar effect is a side effect of framing the destination so your overlay can render. Pair cloaked shares with affiliate link tracking when you need UTMs and pixels on the same short path.

Deep dives on white-hat limits and program rules live in the link cloaking guide. Vendor comparisons and how people search for a free link cloaking tool or link cloaking online are in the link cloaking tool article.

When Visib cloaks vs when it redirects

A vlink with a CTA loads the destination in an iframe under your short hostname: the address bar keeps your visib.link or custom-domain URL while the page renders and your overlay appears after the delay you set. A vlink without a CTA sends the browser straight to the destination URL, which is standard shortening, not link cloaking.

You can still set custom Open Graph title, description, and image fields on any vlink. Social crawlers may receive those tags on redirect-only links; the iframe path is what keeps humans on your short URL during the session.

See Visib features for overlay types, analytics, and pixels, or compare overlay tools side by side.

Sites that block iframes (honest limits)

Visib checks destinations when you create a link and warns if framing is likely blocked. Hosts that return X-Frame-Options: DENY or SAMEORIGIN, or a Content-Security-Policy frame-ancestors rule, cannot be embedded. Google, YouTube, many banks, and logged-in apps commonly block framing. No vendor overrides the browser.

If the iframe fails at visit time, Visib shows a short message and redirects to the original URL. On Business you can attach a stored HTML snapshot (via the Visib Snapshot Chrome extension) so the overlay still appears when the live site refuses frames. The snapshot links guide explains that workflow.

Need the basics of creating any short link first? Start with how to shorten a link.

How to set up link cloaking in Visib

Follow these steps when you want link cloaking with a CTA, not a plain redirect.

Sign in and choose a paid plan
Open Visib and sign in with Google or email. Pick Starter (9 €/mo) or Business (19 €/mo). Both are paid plans with short links, click analytics, and a UTM builder. New accounts need an active subscription before creating vlinks.
Create a vlink with your destination URL
In the dashboard, create a new vlink and paste the full destination URL you want to share. Visib stores that page behind a short link on visib.link or on a custom domain after DNS verification.
Attach a CTA overlay (required for link cloaking)
Link cloaking in Visib only happens when the vlink has a CTA. Visib loads the destination inside Visib's iframe wrapper so your short URL stays in the address bar while your overlay appears on top. A vlink with no CTA is a plain redirect: the browser navigates away and the address bar shows the destination, which is not cloaked.
Set custom Open Graph fields and publish
Optional: add a custom Open Graph title, description, and image on the vlink so social crawlers see your preview when you share the short link. Save the vlink, copy the short URL, and share it in bios, newsletters, or ads. Visib records visits and CTA clicks in your dashboard.

Plans and pricing

✓Starter (9 €/mo): 10 vlinks, 1 custom domain, click analytics, UTM builder, 1 CTA overlay that enables cloaking
✓Business (19 €/mo): unlimited vlinks and CTAs, 5 custom domains, snapshots for blocked frames, custom slugs, no Visib badge on overlays

Prices are on the pricing section. Paid plans only; new signups choose Starter or Business before creating vlinks.

Common questions

What is link cloaking?
Link cloaking (URL masking) means the visitor keeps your short or branded URL in the browser address bar while the destination page loads behind it. In Visib that happens when a vlink has a CTA overlay: the destination is framed under your visib.link hostname or custom domain, and your call-to-action sits on top. It is a branding and control technique, not a way to show search engines different content than humans.
Does every Visib short link cloak the destination?
No. A vlink without a CTA performs a direct redirect to the destination you saved. The address bar becomes the partner or publisher URL, which is normal shortening, not cloaking. Only vlinks with a CTA use the iframe wrapper that keeps your short URL visible while the page loads.
What happens when a site refuses to be framed?
Many sites send X-Frame-Options or Content-Security-Policy frame-ancestors headers that block embedding. Visib runs an iframe check when you create a link and warns you if the destination is likely to block framing. At visit time, if the iframe cannot render, Visib redirects the visitor to the original URL instead of showing a blank frame. On Business you can upload a static snapshot via the Chrome extension when you still need the overlay on a page that blocks iframes.
How is Visib link cloaking different from SEO cloaking?
SEO cloaking is black-hat: showing crawlers different content than people to manipulate rankings. Visib URL masking serves the same destination to everyone; the short URL stays visible because the page is framed for your CTA overlay. The guide on link cloaking walks through white-hat vs black-hat uses in more detail.
Can I use link cloaking online with a custom domain?
Yes. After you verify DNS on Starter or Business, you publish cloaked vlinks on your own hostname so the masked URL matches your brand. Step-by-step DNS lives in the custom domain setup guide; the custom domain URL shortener page explains why branded hostnames pair with overlays and analytics.
How does Visib compare to a free link cloaking tool?
Some searchers look for a free link cloaking tool or link cloaking online in a browser. Visib is a paid CTA overlay product (Starter 9 €/mo, Business 19 €/mo), not a throwaway redirect. You get click analytics, UTMs, optional custom domains, per-link pixels, and honest iframe checks instead of a one-click mask with no overlay or reporting. The link cloaking tool blog post compares vendor approaches if you are shopping alternatives.
What does Visib cost for link cloaking?
Starter is 9 €/mo: 10 vlinks, one custom domain, one CTA overlay, click analytics, UTM builder, and the Chrome extension. Business is 19 €/mo: unlimited vlinks and CTAs, five custom domains, snapshots when sites block iframes, custom slugs, and no Visib badge on overlays. All plans are paid.

Start link cloaking with a CTA overlay

Starter 9 €/mo. Branded short URLs, honest iframe checks, and click analytics.