Redirect Checker ? Check 301 Redirect Chains Free Online
Enter any URL to instantly trace its full redirect chain with this free redirect checker. See every HTTP hop, status code, and response time from the starting URL to the final destination. Detect redirect loops, mixed HTTP/HTTPS chains, and temporary vs permanent redirects ? free, no signup, by Chochi.
Enter the full URL to check (e.g. https://example.com/old-page/). Both HTTP and HTTPS URLs are supported.
What this tool checks
This free redirect checker traces every hop from your input URL to the final destination. For each hop it records the full URL, HTTP status code, response time in milliseconds, the Location header (where it redirects next), and whether the connection uses HTTPS. The final hop analysis highlights the destination HTTP code, total chain duration, and any issues along the route.
The tool detects redirect loops automatically ? if URL A redirects to URL B and B redirects back to A, the chain is stopped immediately and an error reported. Chains longer than 15 hops are also stopped with a clear "too many redirects" indicator at the end of the table.
Each hop is fetched using an HTTP HEAD request (faster and lighter than a full GET) with automatic fallback to GET if the server returns 405 Method Not Allowed. SSL certificate validation is enforced throughout, and redirects to private IP ranges are blocked for security.
How to use the Redirect Checker
- Enter the full URL you want to trace (e.g.
https://example.com/old-page/). - Click Check Redirects ? the tool follows each hop one by one.
- Review each hop in the chain: status code, response time, and destination.
- Look for warnings (yellow) or errors (red) in the analysis panel below the chain.
- Fix any 302 that should be 301, any HTTP hops that should be HTTPS, or any chains longer than 3 hops for optimal SEO.
SEO and performance benefits of optimising redirect chains
Every redirect hop adds latency ? typically 100?500 ms per hop ? which slows page load time and harms Core Web Vitals (LCP in particular). Googlebot has a crawl budget; long chains waste it. Each hop in a redirect chain can also dilute PageRank (link equity) passed from inbound links. The closer you keep your redirect chains to one hop, the more link equity is preserved and the faster the final page loads.
For SEO, 301 (Moved Permanently) and 308 (Permanent Redirect) are the correct choices for long-term URL changes ? they signal to Google that the original URL should be replaced in the index and pass nearly all link equity to the destination. 302 (Found/Temporary) and 307 (Temporary Redirect) tell Google the original URL may return, so they do not consolidate index signals. Use this 301 redirect checker online to confirm every permanent redirect is correctly configured.
Frequently asked questions
What is a redirect chain?
A redirect chain is a series of redirects from one URL to another before the browser reaches the final destination. For example: A ? B ? C ? D, where D is the actual page. Each extra hop adds delay and can dilute SEO link equity. Use this check redirect chain tool to see the full path instantly.
What is the difference between a 301 and 302 redirect?
A 301 (Moved Permanently) tells Google the move is permanent and passes full link equity to the new URL. A 302 (Found/Temporary) tells Google the original URL may return, so link equity is not fully transferred. For permanent URL changes ? domain migrations, page renames, HTTPS upgrades ? always use a 301 redirect. Use this 301 redirect checker online to verify your redirects are configured correctly.
How many redirects is too many?
Google recommends keeping redirect chains to 3 hops or fewer. Each additional hop adds latency and risks Googlebot stopping before reaching the final URL, meaning the page may not be indexed. This free http redirect checker flags chains of 3?5 hops as a warning and 6 or more as a failure.
What does HTTP vs HTTPS in a redirect chain mean?
If any hop in the chain uses HTTP instead of HTTPS, browsers may show a security warning and the connection is unencrypted for that hop. All hops should use HTTPS from start to finish. A common pattern is HTTP ? HTTPS ? final URL ? this tool flags any HTTP hop as a warning so you can eliminate it.
What is a redirect loop?
A redirect loop occurs when URL A redirects to URL B and URL B redirects back to URL A (or through a longer cycle). The browser shows a "too many redirects" error and the page never loads. This redirect loop checker detects cycles and stops the chain immediately, reporting the exact URL where the loop was detected.
Why does my redirect show a 302 instead of 301?
Some platforms (Shopify, WordPress, CDNs) use 302 by default for certain URL patterns. For permanent moves such as domain changes, page renames, or HTTPS migrations, you should change these to 301 in your server configuration, .htaccess, nginx rules, or platform settings. Run the redirect checker again after making the change to confirm it is live.
Does this tool follow redirects in JavaScript or meta refresh?
No ? this HTTP redirect checker follows HTTP-level redirects (3xx status codes) only. JavaScript redirects (window.location, history.pushState) and HTML meta refresh tags are not followed, as they require a real browser to execute. Only server-side HTTP redirects are traced.
Does this tool store the URLs I check?
No ? URLs are checked in real time and not stored. The redirect chain is traced on our server and the result shown immediately; nothing is logged or retained. No login or account is required to use this free redirect checker.
Need a Full Technical SEO Audit?
This free tool is built by Chochi, a web development, performance, and SEO studio. Need a full technical SEO audit including all redirect issues across your entire site? Chochi offers professional SEO analysis and implementation for businesses that want more organic traffic and better search visibility.