Redirect Checker

Redirect Checker is a free tool. It tests whether your site sends users and search engines to one URL. It checks every domain version at once.

What does the Redirect Checker do?

You enter a URL or a bare domain. The tool requests every variant of that page. It checks https, https www, http and http www. It follows each redirect one step at a time. It does not merge the steps into one result.

It reads the protocol and www from your input. A bare domain checks the home page. A full subpage URL checks that exact page. For each variant it records the whole journey. That covers the status code, redirect type, response time and final page.

The canonical target is detected automatically. It is based on where your variants actually converge. So you do not pick it by hand. You can still force a version when you want one.

Why a step-by-step view matters

Many checkers show only the first and final URL. That hides redirect chains, mixed status codes and slow hops. This tool exposes every step instead. You see where a request is wasted. You spot a temporary redirect used by mistake.

It finds chains that should be a single jump. It also detects redirect loops and server errors. It catches client-side redirects that other tools miss.

Redirect types you should know

Not all redirects are equal. The type matters for users and for search engines. A 301 signals a permanent move. It passes ranking signals to the new URL. It is the right choice for canonicalisation.

A 308 works like a 301 but keeps the request method. A 302 and a 307 signal a temporary move. Do not use them for permanent changes. They can keep the old URL indexed. A 303 forces a GET, used after forms.

Pages can also redirect without an HTTP status. A meta refresh tag or JavaScript can do it. These client-side redirects are slower. They may not pass ranking signals. The tool detects them so you can use a 301.

How it helps your SEO

Search engines treat each URL version as separate. HTTP, HTTPS, www and non-www all count. Think of them as several doors to one shop. If more than one returns 200, your signals split. Your crawl budget is wasted on duplicates.

Redirect every version to one canonical address. This consolidates authority onto a single page. It is one of the highest-impact technical fixes. It is also quick to apply.

Speed and crawl budget

The tool also helps with performance. Every redirect adds a round trip. Long chains increase the time to first byte. This is worse on mobile networks. Google recommends keeping redirects to a minimum.

One hop is ideal. The tool measures each step and counts extra hops. So an invisible delay becomes visible. It is most useful after a migration or an HTTPS switch. A domain or CMS change can break rules too.

Trailing slash and the canonical tag

Here is a check most tools skip. A page can load at two addresses. One ends with a slash, one does not. So /blog and /blog/ may both return 200. Search engines then see duplicate content.

The tool tests both forms for you. It tells you if one redirects to the other. If both return 200, you get a warning. Then you add one rule and keep a single form.

The tool also reads your canonical tag. It compares the tag with where your redirects point. If they disagree, you get a heads-up. Conflicting signals confuse search engines. So this is worth fixing.

Typical uses of the Redirect Checker

• Confirm that www and non-www resolve to one host.
• Verify that HTTP redirects permanently to HTTPS.
• Detect multi-step chains that slow crawling and browsing.
• Find redirect loops before they take a page offline.
• Tell permanent 301/308 redirects from temporary 302/307 ones.
• Spot meta refresh and JavaScript redirects that need fixing.
• Generate Apache or NGINX rules to enforce one variant.
• Re-check redirects after a migration or relaunch.

Checking redirects from different locations

Some sites serve different redirects by country. Others change behaviour when JavaScript runs. Open the advanced settings to handle this. Enable a premium proxy and choose a country. The page is then fetched from that location.

You can also turn on client-side rendering. This captures redirects that fire after JavaScript. It helps with geo-targeting and single-page apps. A plain request would never reveal these.

Comparison of the Redirect Checker with other tools

Functionality	DiagnoSEO	Other tools
Tests all 4 URL variants at once	✅	✅
Paste a URL - www/HTTP detected automatically	✅	❌
Auto-detects the canonical target and checks the canonical tag	✅	❌
Checks any specific subpage, not only the home page	✅	❌
Checks trailing-slash vs non-slash redirects	✅	❌
Full per-hop redirect chain, not just the final target	✅	❌
Response time measured for every hop	✅	❌
Detects meta refresh and JavaScript redirects	✅	❌
Redirect loop detection	✅	❌
Check as Googlebot or from a chosen country	✅	❌
Smart Apache/NGINX rules built from your target	✅	❌
Export results to CSV	✅	❌

Tips and good practices

• Pick one canonical variant. Redirect the other three with a single 301.
• Keep redirects to one hop where possible.
• Use 301 or 308 for permanent moves.
• Point internal links straight at the canonical URL.
• Re-test after any server, CDN or HTTPS change.
• Check the home page and a subpage.

Most common mistakes

• Leaving both www and non-www reachable with status 200.
• Chaining HTTP, HTTPS and www as separate redirects.
• Using a temporary 302 for a permanent move.
• Relying on a meta refresh or JavaScript redirect.
• Creating a redirect loop between www and non-www.
• Forgetting to update sitemaps and canonical tags.

How to use the Redirect Checker

1. Enter a URL or a domain. For one page, paste its full URL.
2. Leave the canonical target on Auto-detect, or force a version.
3. Select the user agent. Choose Browser or Googlebot.
4. Keep the second-page check on, or open advanced settings.
5. Run the analysis. Review the score and the per-variant chains.
6. Open the Redirect Generator tab. Copy the Apache or NGINX rules.

Case study

An online shop moved to HTTPS. It kept both www and non-www live. HTTP reached HTTPS through three hops. Rankings stalled and crawl activity dropped. The team could not find the cause.

The Redirect Checker showed the full chain at once. It also revealed the duplicate hosts. The team collapsed everything into one 301. They updated internal links and sitemaps. They re-ran the check for a clean result.

Crawl efficiency recovered within weeks. Rankings stabilised with no further code changes.

FAQ

• What is the difference between www and non-www redirects?

  They are two different hostnames. Search engines treat them as separate URLs. One should permanently redirect to the other. This avoids duplicate content.

• Does the tool show the complete redirect chain?

  Yes. It lists every hop. Each hop shows its status code, type and response time. You see more than the final destination.

• Which redirect types are detected?

  It detects 301, 302, 303, 307 and 308 redirects. It also detects meta refresh and common JavaScript redirects.

• How many redirect steps are acceptable?

  Ideally one. A single direct 301 is fastest. Extra hops add latency. They can also dilute ranking signals.

• Can I check redirects from another country?

  Yes. Open advanced settings. Enable a premium proxy and pick a country. You can also turn on JavaScript rendering.

• Can I export the results?

  Yes. You can export every hop for each variant. The file is a CSV. Use it for reports or further analysis.

• Does a trailing slash matter for SEO?

  Yes. /page and /page/ are different URLs. If both return 200, that is duplicate content. One should redirect to the other.