Free Redirect Checker
Trace a URL's full redirect chain.
What is the Redirect Checker?
Redirects are invisible until they go wrong — a chain of three hops slowing every visit, a temporary 302 where a permanent 301 belongs, or a loop that never resolves. Each one costs speed, crawl budget, and sometimes ranking signals.
This redirect checker follows a URL's full path hop by hop and shows exactly what happens at each step.
Last updated: Aug 12, 2026
What does this tool do?
You enter a URL and the tool requests it without auto-following redirects, records the status and destination, then repeats for each hop until it reaches a final page.
It lists every hop with its status code, flags loops, long chains, and http/https mixing, and shows the final destination and status.
Key features
Full hop-by-hop chain
Every redirect with its status code and target.
Status types
Distinguishes 301, 302, 307 and 308.
Loop & chain detection
Flags redirect loops and multi-hop chains.
Protocol check
Warns when a chain mixes http and https.
Safe
Each hop's destination is validated before following.
Example
Common use cases
- SEO specialists — Verify 301s pass ranking signals correctly.
- Web developers — Debug redirect rules after a change.
- Site migrators — Confirm old URLs land on the right new ones.
- Performance engineers — Eliminate slow redirect chains.
- Marketers — Check where a shortened or campaign link ends up.
- Security-minded users — See a link's real destination.
- Agencies — Audit a client's redirects.
- Anyone with a link — Trace where it actually goes.
Benefits
- It reveals hidden hops that slow pages down.
- It distinguishes permanent from temporary redirects.
- It catches loops and chains you can't see in a browser.
- Each hop is safety-validated before it's followed.
Tips
- Prefer a single 301 straight to the final canonical URL.
- Use 301 (permanent) for moved pages so ranking signals transfer.
- 302 and 307 are temporary — don't use them for permanent moves.
- Redirect chains longer than one hop waste time and crawl budget.
- Always redirect http to https, and pick one of www / non-www.
- A redirect loop means the chain never resolves — fix the rule.
- Check important old URLs after any migration.
- Pair with the broken-link checker if a redirect ends in an error.
Common mistakes to avoid
Using 302 for a permanent move
Fix: Use a 301 so search engines transfer ranking to the new URL.
Leaving multi-hop chains
Fix: Redirect straight to the final URL in one hop.
Redirect loops
Fix: Check your rules — a loop means the URL never resolves.
Mixing www and non-www or http/https
Fix: Pick one canonical form and redirect everything to it once.
How it works
- 1
Enter a URL
The starting address.
- 2
Trace
Each redirect hop is followed and listed.
- 3
See the destination
View the final URL and status.
Frequently asked questions
Every hop with its status code — 301, 302, 307, 308 — and whether the chain ends in a 200.
Yes. It flags redirect loops and multi-hop chains, which waste crawl budget and slow users down.
Every hop with its status code — 301, 302, 307, 308 — and whether the chain ends in a 200.
Yes. It flags redirect loops and multi-hop chains, which waste crawl budget and slow users down.
301 is permanent and passes ranking signals; 302 is temporary and generally doesn't. Use 301 for moved pages.
A chain that bounces between http and https adds hops and can cause issues — consolidate to https.
Up to a dozen, which is well beyond any healthy redirect setup.
No. The URLs are requested only to trace the chain.
Conclusion
A redirect checker turns an invisible chain into a clear map so you can keep redirects fast and correct. Pair it with the broken-link checker and site audit for full link health.