Redirect Checker
Trace the complete redirect chain for any URL. See each hop with its HTTP status code — useful for debugging SEO redirects, HTTP-to-HTTPS migrations, and www canonicalization.
About URL redirects
Every redirect is a round-trip: the browser asks for one URL, the server replies with a status code in the 3xx range and a Location header pointing somewhere else, then the browser fetches that URL too. A short redirect chain is harmless; a long one delays page load, leaks link equity, and confuses search engines about the canonical destination. This tool walks the chain hop by hop and shows the exact status code at each step.
The status code matters. A 301 (Moved Permanently) signals that the new URL is the canonical one and should replace the old in search indexes. A 302 (Found) or 307 (Temporary Redirect) tells the browser the move is temporary, so search engines keep the old URL ranked. Mixing them up — using 302 for a permanent migration — is one of the most common SEO mistakes during a site relaunch.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a 301 and a 302 redirect?
A 301 is permanent; search engines transfer indexing signals to the new URL. A 302 is temporary; the original URL keeps its ranking and crawlers continue checking it.
Are redirect chains bad for SEO?
Long chains slow down page load, may exceed crawler hop limits (Google generally follows around five hops), and can leak some PageRank. Aim to redirect once, directly to the final URL.
How many redirects is too many?
Google's crawler stops following after about five hops in a single chain. From a user-experience perspective, every extra hop adds round-trip latency, so even two or three is worth flattening when possible.
Do redirects pass link equity?
Yes. Both 301 and 302 redirects pass essentially all PageRank to the destination today. Use 301 for permanent moves so search engines also update the canonical URL in their index.