↪️ Free Redirect Chain Checker · No Login Required

Free Redirect Chain Checker

Trace the full redirect path of any URL. Detect redirect loops, unnecessary hops, mixed HTTP/HTTPS, and slow redirects — before they bleed your PageRank and frustrate users.

Traces full redirect chain

Detects 301, 302, 307, 308 & loops

HTTP/HTTPS protocol check

Initializing…0%

Fetching URL

Following Hop 1

Following Hops

Final Destination

Analyzing Chain

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Redirect Essentials

Why Redirect Chains Hurt SEO

Every extra redirect hop adds latency, dilutes PageRank, and increases the chance Google won't follow the full chain. Keep redirects to a single hop wherever possible.

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Each Hop Loses PageRank

Google has confirmed that PageRank (ranking power) is diluted through each redirect hop. While a single 301 passes nearly full authority, chains of 3+ hops can cause measurable ranking drops for the destination page.

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Redirects Add Latency

Every redirect requires a new HTTP request-response cycle. A chain of 3 redirects can add 300–900ms to load time before the user even receives the first byte of the final page — directly harming Core Web Vitals.

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Always Use 301 for Permanent Moves

Use 301 (permanent) redirects when a page has moved for good. Use 302 (temporary) only when the move is genuinely temporary. Google treats 302s differently and may not pass full link equity, and may keep indexing the original URL.

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HTTP→HTTPS Must Be One Hop

The HTTP-to-HTTPS redirect should go directly to the canonical HTTPS URL in a single hop. If your site also redirects www to non-www (or vice versa), combine both redirects into one rather than chaining them.

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Redirect Loops Block Crawling

A redirect loop — where URL A redirects to URL B, which redirects back to A — causes an infinite cycle. Googlebot and browsers both detect this and refuse to load the page, making it completely inaccessible and unindexable.

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Update Internal Links Directly

Even with a perfect 301 redirect in place, internal links pointing to old URLs cause unnecessary hops. Audit your internal links after any URL restructure and update them to point directly to the final destination URL.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a redirect chain?

A redirect chain occurs when a URL redirects to a second URL, which then redirects to a third URL (or more) before reaching the final destination. For example: page-a.com → page-b.com → page-c.com. Each step is a "hop." Chains slow down page load time, dilute link equity (PageRank), and can prevent search engines from following the full path.

What is the difference between a 301 and 302 redirect?

A 301 redirect is "permanent" — it tells search engines that the original URL has moved to the new URL forever. Google transfers most of the link equity to the new URL and eventually drops the old URL from its index. A 302 redirect is "temporary" — Google may keep the original URL indexed and may not pass the same level of link equity. Use 301 for all permanent URL changes.

How many redirect hops is too many?

Ideally, every URL should resolve in a single redirect hop. Googlebot will follow redirect chains up to a limit (approximately 5 hops per crawl session, though this can vary). More practically, chains longer than 3 hops risk not being fully followed and each hop adds 100–300ms of latency. Always consolidate chains down to a single direct redirect.

What is a redirect loop and how do I fix it?

A redirect loop occurs when URL A redirects to URL B, and URL B redirects back to URL A (or through a longer cycle back to the start). Both browsers and search engines detect this as an error and refuse to load the page. Fix it by reviewing your server config or .htaccess rules and ensuring the redirect only points forward to the intended final URL, with no circular references.

Do redirects affect Core Web Vitals?

Yes. Each redirect hop adds a full HTTP round-trip before the browser can start loading the final page. This directly increases Time to First Byte (TTFB) and delays Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) — both Core Web Vitals that Google uses as ranking signals. Eliminating unnecessary redirect hops is one of the fastest wins for improving page speed scores.

Should I use www or non-www, and does the redirect matter?

Either is fine for SEO — what matters is consistency. Choose one version (www or non-www) as your canonical domain and 301 redirect all traffic from the other. The redirect must be a single hop directly to the preferred version. Combining www-to-non-www and HTTP-to-HTTPS in a chain (rather than a single redirect) is a common mistake that creates unnecessary hops.