Redirect chain checker
Paste an address to see every hop it takes before a page answers: each address, its
HTTP status code and where it points next. Start with the oldest form people still type, such as
http:// without www, because that is where chains and loops hide.
| Hop | Address | Status | Goes to |
|---|
Free, no sign-up required. Nothing to install, and nothing about the addresses you trace is stored.
- Paste an old link, a short link or the bare domain with http:// in front.
- Press Trace redirects.
- Look for the hop that should not be there, then point the first address straight at the last.
You will see:
- Every hop in order, with its status code: 301 and 308 for a permanent move, 302 and 307 for a temporary one
- The address the chain ends on, and whether that answers with a page or an error
- Loops, chains of two or more, and an http:// address that never reaches HTTPS
One address at a time. Check Engine follows every link on your site and lists each one that redirects, so internal links can point at the final address.
That was one address, followed once. Check Engine runs 99 checks across your whole site, ranked by what to fix first, each with where it is and the change to make. The free download shows your score and the top problem in full.
$59once
For Macs with Apple silicon or Intel, macOS 12 or later, and 64-bit Windows
30-day refund, no conditions.
Intel Mac? Get the Intel version
How do I check a redirect chain?
Paste the address into the checker above. It requests the address without following anything
automatically, reads the status code and the Location header, and repeats until an
address answers with something other than a redirect. You can do the same from a terminal:
curl -sIL http://yourbusiness.com/ | grep -iE '^(HTTP|location)'Each HTTP line is one hop. More than one before the final 200 is a chain.
Why does my site have too many redirects?
"Too many redirects" in a browser means a loop: the chain comes back to an address it already visited, so it never ends. The checker names the address that repeats. The usual causes:
- A CDN and the server disagree about HTTPS. The CDN reaches the server over http, the server redirects to https, and the CDN asks over http again.
- Two rules disagree about www. One sends visitors to
www, another sends them back to the bare domain. - The site's own address setting conflicts with the server. A content management system set to an http address, behind a server that forces https.
Fix the rule at the hop that repeats, then trace again until the chain ends on a page.
How many hops do well-known sites take?
On 6 November 2026, Check Engine walked from http:// to the homepage of each of the 110
well-known sites in its measurement sample. 77 ended on a page; 22 answered 403 and
2 showed a bot check, and those are left out.
| Redirects before the page | Sites |
|---|---|
| 0 | 1 |
| 1 | 45 |
| 2 | 29 |
| 3 | 2 |
From the address with http:// in front, measured 6 November 2026. No site is named.
31 of 77 (40%) took two or more hops, which Check Engine reports as a chain.
28 of those 31 ended on a www address the typed domain did not have:
one rule adds https, another adds www, and each makes sense alone. Sending http:// straight
to the final address removes a hop for everyone who types the short form.
301 or 302?
A 301 or 308 says the page has moved for good, and search engines move to the new address. A 302 or 307 says the move is temporary, so the old address may stay in results. Use a temporary code only when the old address is coming back.
$59once
For Macs with Apple silicon or Intel, macOS 12 or later, and 64-bit Windows
Priced in US dollars. Checkout shows your currency and any local tax.
On a Mac? Get the Mac version.
On your phone?
Launch price: $29.50 once, through 30 November. From 1 December: $59. Buy applies the code FOUNDINGDOCKET for you; if the checkout shows $59, enter it under ‘Have a discount code?’.
Screaming Frog is $279 a year. Ahrefs plans with Site Audit run $129–$449 a month. Check Engine is $59 once. Screaming Frog’s price read 4 November 2026, Ahrefs’ 9 November 2026.
30 days, no conditions, no questions asked. Refund policy
Related
Common questions
How do I check a redirect chain?
Paste the address into the checker. It follows each redirect itself and lists every hop with its status code and destination, up to the page the chain ends on.
Why does my site say too many redirects?
The redirects form a loop. A CDN and the server disagreeing about HTTPS, or two rules disagreeing about www, are the usual causes. The checker names the address that repeats.
Is a 302 redirect bad for SEO?
Not in itself. It says the move is temporary, so search engines may keep showing the old address. For a permanent move, use a 301 or 308.