Redirect Checker

The key difference is permanence and how search engines handle them. A 301 redirect tells browsers and search engines "this page has permanently moved"—the original URL should be replaced in indexes with the new URL, and ranking signals (link equity) should transfer to the new destination. A 302 redirect says "this page is temporarily elsewhere"—search engines typically keep the original URL indexed and may not transfer full ranking signals. Use 301 for permanent changes (site migrations, URL restructuring, HTTPS upgrades) and 302 for truly temporary situations (A/B testing, maintenance pages, geo-targeted content).

Google's official recommendation is to avoid chains longer than 3 redirects, though they will follow up to 5. However, best practice is to have no more than 1 redirect (ideally zero for internal links). Each redirect adds latency—typically 50-200ms per hop—which affects user experience and Core Web Vitals. Additionally, while Google says ranking signals pass through redirects, industry testing suggests some dilution occurs with each hop. For your most important pages (homepage, key landing pages), ensure they're accessible without any redirects.

Some websites maintain separate mobile versions (m.example.com or example.com/mobile/) and use user-agent detection to redirect mobile visitors. This was common before responsive design became standard. When your server detects a mobile user-agent (like from an iPhone), it redirects to the mobile version. Desktop users see no redirect. Our tool's "mobile user agent" option lets you check what mobile visitors experience. Note: Google now uses mobile-first indexing, so mobile redirects are especially important to audit. Most sites today should use responsive design instead of separate mobile URLs.

Redirect loops occur when URL A redirects to URL B, and URL B redirects back to URL A (or through additional URLs back to A). To fix: First, identify all redirect rules affecting these URLs—check .htaccess files, server configuration (nginx.conf, web.config), CMS settings (WordPress plugins, platform admin), CDN rules (Cloudflare, CloudFront), and application code. Then, map out the complete chain on paper. Ensure each URL has exactly one redirect destination that doesn't create a cycle. Test thoroughly after changes. Common causes include conflicting rules from multiple sources (like both .htaccess and WordPress plugin creating redirects).

Yes, significantly. Each redirect requires a complete HTTP round-trip: DNS lookup, TCP connection, SSL handshake (for HTTPS), request, and response. This typically adds 50-200ms per redirect, and more on mobile networks with higher latency. A chain of 3 redirects could add 300-600ms before your page even starts loading. This directly impacts Core Web Vitals (particularly TTFB and LCP) and user experience. Google PageSpeed Insights specifically flags redirect chains as a performance issue. The solution is minimizing redirects—update links to point directly to final destinations whenever possible.

This is debated among SEO professionals. Conservative approach: Keep 301 redirects indefinitely for any URL that had external backlinks—those links could still send visitors years later. Practical approach: After 1-2 years, if the old URL receives no traffic (check analytics), you can consider removing the redirect. However, removing the redirect means the old URL returns 404, which could frustrate users with old bookmarks. Best practice: Keep redirects for URLs that had significant traffic or backlinks, remove redirects for minor pages after sufficient time, and always maintain redirects for your most important historical URLs. Regularly audit to identify safe candidates for removal.