Redirect Checker - Check URL Redirect Chain & Types

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⚠️ Browser Limitation: Due to CORS security policies, browsers cannot follow cross-origin redirect chains. This tool detects whether a redirect occurs and shows the final destination. For complete redirect chain analysis with status codes, use curl -vL from the command line.

HTTP Redirect Types Guide

301

Moved Permanently

The URL has permanently moved. Search engines transfer full SEO value. Best for: domain migrations, permanent URL changes, HTTP to HTTPS.

302

Found (Temporary)

Temporary redirect. Original URL keeps its rankings. Best for: A/B testing, maintenance pages, geo-targeting, seasonal content.

307

Temporary Redirect

Like 302 but strictly preserves the HTTP method (POST stays POST). Best for: API redirects, form submissions, HSTS enforcement.

308

Permanent Redirect

Like 301 but strictly preserves the HTTP method. Best for: API endpoint migrations, POST-preserving permanent moves.

Redirect Best Practices for SEO

Use 301 redirects for permanent URL changes to pass full link equity
Avoid redirect chains — keep hops to 3 or fewer
Never redirect to a page that returns a 4xx or 5xx error
Update internal links to point directly to the final URL
Submit updated sitemaps after implementing redirects
Monitor redirects regularly — temporary 302s often become permanent
Use canonical tags alongside redirects for belt-and-suspenders SEO

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 301 and 302 redirects?

A 301 redirect is permanent, telling search engines the page has moved forever and to transfer all SEO value (link equity, rankings) to the new URL. A 302 redirect is temporary, meaning the original URL retains its search rankings and the redirect may be reversed. Use 301 for permanent domain migrations, URL restructuring, or HTTP-to-HTTPS moves. Use 302 for temporary situations like A/B testing, maintenance pages, or geo-based routing.

Why are redirect chains bad for SEO?

Redirect chains occur when URL A redirects to B, which redirects to C, and so on. Each hop adds latency (typically 50-100ms per redirect), dilutes link equity (some PageRank is lost at each step), and risks crawlers giving up before reaching the final destination. Google has stated they will follow up to 5 redirects but recommend keeping chains to 3 or fewer. The best practice is to update all redirects to point directly to the final destination URL.

Why does this tool show CORS limitations?

Web browsers enforce Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) security policies that prevent JavaScript from reading redirect responses from different domains. When you use fetch() with redirect: 'manual', the browser returns an opaque response without the Location header. This is a fundamental browser security feature, not a tool limitation. For complete redirect chain analysis with all status codes and headers, use server-side tools like curl -IvL [url] from your terminal.