Redirect Checker
Follow a URL's complete redirect chain step by step, and see the final destination and status code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Redirect Checker really free?
Yes — unlimited use, no signup, no credit card. We built these tools to help you audit sites without paying for a data subscription.
Does this tool store or share the URLs I check?
No. Each check runs live and we don't save your input. We keep a short-lived rate-limit counter (by IP) purely to prevent abuse; it is not linked to your results.
How accurate are the results?
This tool reads live, public data directly from the page or domain you enter — it does not rely on a paid third-party database, so it reflects exactly what is publicly visible right now.
A redirect sends a browser (and a crawler) from one URL to another. Redirects are essential — for moving content, consolidating URLs, forcing HTTPS — but they cause problems when they chain (A redirects to B redirects to C redirects to D), use the wrong type (temporary 302 when you meant permanent 301), or loop endlessly. This tool follows a URL's complete redirect chain step by step so you can see exactly where it ends up and how it got there.
How to Use This Tool
Enter a URL and click Check Redirects. The tool follows each redirect hop in sequence, showing the status code and destination at every step.
What This Tool Checks
Each redirect hop in the chain, the HTTP status code at each step (301 permanent, 302 temporary, etc.), and the final destination URL and its status.
Understanding Your Results
A single clean 301 to the final destination is ideal. Multiple hops (a redirect chain) waste crawl budget and slightly slow page loads — each hop is a round trip. A 302 where you intended a permanent move may not pass ranking signals the way a 301 does. A loop (the chain never resolves) is a bug that makes the page completely inaccessible.
How to Fix Common Problems
Collapse redirect chains by pointing the first URL directly at the final destination in a single hop. Change incorrect 302s to 301s for permanent moves so ranking signals transfer properly. Fix loops by finding the rule that sends the destination back toward the start — often a conflict between two redirect rules (e.g. one forcing www and another forcing non-www).
SEO Best Practices
When migrating URLs, map each old URL directly to its final new URL with a 301 — don't let redirects pile onto each other over successive site changes. Periodically audit redirects on important pages, since chains tend to accumulate silently as a site evolves.
Example
Checking an old URL reveals it goes http → https → non-www → final page: three hops. Rewriting the rules so the original URL 301s straight to the final HTTPS non-www page in one step removes the chain.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't use 302 (temporary) redirects for permanent moves — search engines may keep indexing the old URL. Don't create conflicting redirect rules (like separate rules forcing HTTPS and forcing www independently) that produce unnecessary chains or loops.
Related SEO Guides
Strong technical setup plus quality backlinks is how pages rank — we handle the links.