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Free Redirect Checker (301, 302 & Redirect Chains)

This free redirect checker follows any web address hop by hop and shows every redirect, its status code (301, 302, 307 or 308) and where it leads. It flags redirect chains, loops, temporary redirects and pages that stay on insecure http://. It can also check whether the http, https, www and non-www versions of your domain all end on one address. No signup needed.

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How the Redirect Checker Works

1

Enter an address

An old page, a short link, your domain or any URL you want to test. Tick the box to also test all four versions of the domain.

2

We follow every hop

Our server requests the address the way a search engine does and follows each redirect, up to 10 hops, including meta refresh redirects.

3

See the chain and what it means

Every hop with its status code and response time, plus plain-English notes on chains, loops, 302s and http pages.

Redirect Status Codes, Explained

The status code tells browsers and search engines whether a move is permanent or temporary, and that decides which address Google shows in search results.

301 Moved Permanently

Use for permanent moves

The page has moved for good. Google indexes the new address and passes the old page’s signals to it. Use it after redesigns, URL changes and merged pages.

302 Found

Temporary

The page is somewhere else for now. Google may keep showing the old address. Often used by mistake, because some plugins and hosts default to 302.

307 Temporary Redirect

Temporary

A stricter version of the 302. Fine for short-term moves, such as a page under maintenance, but not for permanent changes.

308 Permanent Redirect

Permanent

A stricter version of the 301. Google treats it the same way as a 301.

Meta Refresh

Avoid if you can

A redirect written into the page’s HTML instead of sent by the server. It’s slower for visitors. Google follows it, but a server-side 301 is the better choice.

404 and 410

Broken

The page doesn’t exist (404) or was removed on purpose (410). If the old page had links or traffic, redirect it to the closest matching page instead.

Moving or Redesigning Your Website?

Most ranking drops after a redesign come from redirects: old pages that now return 404, chains of three or four hops, or temporary 302s where permanent 301s were needed. Before launch, map every old URL to its new page, then check the important ones here.

Our team handles website redesigns and migrations so you keep the rankings you’ve earned.

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Redirect Checklist for SEO

Use this list after a redesign, a domain change, a switch to https or a URL clean-up.

One Version of Your Domain

  • Pick one https:// version, with or without www
  • Redirect the other three versions with a single 301
  • Use the same version in Search Console and your SEO plugin
  • Update the website link on your Google Business Profile

No Chains or Loops

  • Point old URLs straight to the final address
  • Update old redirects when you move a page again
  • Fix any redirect that leads back to itself
  • Keep every redirect to one hop where possible

Permanent Moves

  • Use a 301 (or 308) for permanent changes
  • Replace temporary 302s that have been live for months
  • Redirect to the closest matching page, not the homepage
  • Keep redirects in place for at least a year

After a Redesign

  • Export your old URLs before launch
  • Map each old URL to its new page
  • Test the pages with the most traffic and links first
  • Watch the Pages report in Search Console for new 404s

Internal Links

  • Point menus and buttons to final URLs
  • Fix internal links that go through redirects
  • List only final URLs in your XML sitemap
  • Scan key pages with our broken link checker

Setting Up Redirects

  • In WordPress, use Rank Math or the Redirection plugin
  • On Apache servers, add rules to .htaccess
  • Avoid JavaScript redirects for SEO
  • Keep a list of every redirect you add

Need Help With Redirects or a Site Migration?

We plan and test redirects for redesigns, domain changes and URL clean-ups, then watch Google Search Console until every page is re-indexed. Serving Los Angeles and businesses nationwide since 2013.

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Redirect Checker FAQs

Answers about redirects, status codes and SEO.

A redirect checker follows a web address and shows every redirect along the way, with each status code and the final page it lands on. It helps you find redirect chains, loops and wrong redirect types.

Yes. There’s no signup. You can run up to 12 checks per hour, and results are saved for 30 minutes.

A 301 means the page has moved permanently, so Google indexes the new address. A 302 means the move is temporary, so Google may keep showing the old address. Use a 301 for any change that isn’t going to be undone.

A redirect chain is when one address redirects to a second address, which redirects to a third, and so on. Each hop adds load time. Fix chains by pointing the first address straight to the final page.

A single 301 redirect is fine: Google follows it and treats the new page as the replacement. Long chains slow pages down, and Googlebot stops after 10 hops, so keep each redirect to one hop.

A redirect loop is when addresses keep redirecting to each other, so the page never loads. Browsers show a “too many redirects” error, and search engines can’t index the page. It’s often caused by conflicting https or www settings.

Enter your domain and tick “Also check the http://, https://, www and non-www versions.” All four should end on the same https:// address, ideally with one redirect each.

Google recommends keeping redirects for at least a year after a move. If other websites still link to the old addresses, keep them permanently.

Use the Redirections module in Rank Math, the free Redirection plugin, or rules in your server’s .htaccess file. Avoid plugins that redirect with JavaScript, and test each redirect here afterward.