Redirect Checker

Trace redirect hops to validate canonical flows, migration rules, and SEO impact.

Advanced — GET · Max 10 hops
Run a redirect check to inspect hop-by-hop results.
—Redirect Hops
—Final Status
—Protocol Change
—SEO Grade

What is Redirect Checker?

When you type a URL, the server may send your browser through one or more redirects before it reaches the final page. A redirect checker traces every hop in the chain—showing the HTTP status code (301, 302, 307, 308), location header, and final destination. Use it to audit canonical flows, validate migration rules, and fix SEO issues caused by long or broken redirect chains.

Real-world use cases include validating HTTP-to-HTTPS redirects, auditing domain migrations, checking that short URLs resolve correctly, identifying redirect loops, and ensuring 301 vs 302 usage for SEO. SEOs use it before and after migrations; developers use it to debug routing and CDN configuration.

How to Use Redirect Checker

  1. Enter a URL (including http:// or https://) in the Website URL field.
  2. Click Check Redirects or press Ctrl+Enter. The tool follows all redirects via Cloudflare edge.
  3. View the visual chain: each hop shows URL, status code (301, 302, 307, 308), and destination. SEO hints explain each status.
  4. Check the stat grid: Redirect Hops, Final Status, Protocol Change (HTTP→HTTPS), and SEO Grade (A–F).
  5. Switch to Raw for JSON. Open Advanced to set max hops (5–20) or request method (GET/HEAD).

Tips & Best Practices

301 = permanent (link equity passes); 302 = temporary (original URL stays indexed). Best practice: one redirect hop from old URL to final URL. Chains of 3+ hops dilute link equity and add latency. The tool detects redirect loops. Use Ctrl+Shift+C to copy and Esc to clear. For status codes only, use our Website Status Checker. For header analysis, use the HTTP Headers Checker.

When to Use This Tool

Use the redirect checker when auditing migrations, validating canonical URLs, or debugging routing. Pair it with the Website Status Checker for full response details, or the HTTP Headers Checker for header analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a redirect chain?

A redirect chain is a sequence of HTTP redirects a browser follows before reaching the final destination. For example, http://example.com may redirect to https://example.com, which redirects to https://www.example.com — that's a 2-hop chain.

What is the difference between 301 and 302 redirects?

A 301 is a permanent redirect — search engines transfer link equity to the new URL. A 302 is temporary — search engines keep the original URL indexed. Use 301 for domain migrations and 302 for A/B tests or maintenance pages.

Why are redirect chains bad for SEO?

Each hop in a redirect chain adds latency and can dilute link equity. Google recommends keeping chains to a single hop when possible. Long chains may also cause crawl budget waste and indexing delays.

How many redirects is too many?

Most browsers follow up to 20 redirects, but best practice for SEO is one redirect (direct from old URL to final URL). Chains of 3 or more hops should be consolidated.

Is this tool free?

Yes. The Redirect Checker on ToolCrux is completely free with no signup. It traces redirects via Cloudflare edge workers for fast, accurate results. Also try our Website Status Checker and HTTP Headers Checker.