500+ Tools
100% Free Forever
No Subscriptions
No Sign Up Required
The www Redirect Checker is a straightforward diagnostic tool built for one purpose: to tell you exactly what happens when someone types your domain with or without the www prefix. This matters because search engines like Google treat www.example.com and example.com as two separate websites unless you explicitly tell them otherwise through a proper redirect. When both versions resolve, you split your SEO authority across two URLs. That is duplicate content in Google's eyes, and it silently erodes your rankings.
This tool exists because manual redirect checking is tedious and error prone. You could open a browser, type in your domain, watch the address bar change, and try to trace what happened. But that does not show you the HTTP status codes. It does not reveal whether a 301 permanent redirect or a 302 temporary redirect was used. It does not catch multiple hops in a redirect chain. Our checker automates all of this in under two seconds and presents every detail in a clean, readable format.
Who should use this tool? SEO specialists who need to audit client sites for canonicalization issues. Web developers deploying new sites who want to confirm redirect rules are working. Site owners who recently migrated from HTTP to HTTPS and need to verify the chain. Domain investors checking how a purchased domain behaves. Digital marketing agencies running technical SEO audits. And honestly, anyone who manages a website and cares about their Google rankings. If you have ever wondered whether your www redirect is set up correctly, this tool gives you the definitive answer in seconds.
The www Redirect Checker is a free online diagnostic utility that traces the complete redirect path of any domain name. You enter a URL, and the tool follows every HTTP redirect from the initial request to the final destination, logging each intermediate URL along with its HTTP status code. It specifically tests both the www prefixed version and the non-www version of your domain so you can confirm that one properly redirects to the other. The tool also verifies whether HTTP requests are being correctly forwarded to HTTPS, which is critical for modern SEO and user trust. Think of it as a GPS tracker for your URLs. It shows you the entire journey, not just the starting point and destination.
Redirect checking emerged as a distinct need in the early 2000s when search engines began penalizing duplicate content. Before that, webmasters often ran both www and non-www versions of a site without realizing the SEO damage. The www prefix itself dates back to the earliest days of the web when servers used subdomains to organize services. As the web matured, the technical necessity of www faded, but the convention stuck. By 2005, Google officially recommended picking one canonical version and redirecting the other. This created demand for tools that could verify those redirects. Early solutions were command-line based, requiring knowledge of cURL or server logs. Browser based redirect checkers emerged around 2010, and they have evolved into the sophisticated, user friendly tools we have today.
When you submit a domain to our www Redirect Checker, the tool initiates an HTTP request to that URL. It does not follow redirects blindly. Instead, it processes each response deliberately, recording the HTTP status code returned by the server. A 301 status means a permanent redirect. A 302 means temporary. A 307 or 308 indicates stricter redirect behavior. The tool then requests the URL specified in the Location header of the response and repeats the process until it reaches a final destination that returns a 200 OK status or encounters an error. Every hop is logged with its full URL, status code, and position in the chain. The tool performs this check for both the www version and the non-www version of your domain, plus it tests HTTP to HTTPS redirection.
The backend of the www Redirect Checker runs on a high performance server environment that handles HTTP requests using optimized socket connections. It respects robots.txt directives where applicable and uses a custom user agent string to identify itself to target servers. The tool implements timeout handling to prevent hangs on slow or unresponsive servers. It can detect redirect loops by tracking visited URLs and stopping after a configurable number of hops. The frontend is built with responsive HTML, CSS, and JavaScript that renders results in real time without page reloads. All processing happens server side, but no data is stored, logged, or shared.
Redirect misconfigurations are among the most common technical SEO issues on the web. A survey by a leading SEO platform found that approximately 27% of websites have at least one redirect error that affects crawl efficiency. When your www and non-www versions both load content, Google must choose one to index. Sometimes it picks the wrong one. Sometimes it alternates between the two, which dilutes your link equity. A proper redirect consolidates all authority to a single canonical URL. Beyond SEO, redirect issues create poor user experiences. Someone who types your domain with www should land on the same page as someone who types it without. Inconsistent behavior confuses visitors and reduces trust. For ecommerce sites, redirect problems can directly impact revenue if customers land on error pages or unsecured versions of the site.
The primary advantage is speed and clarity. You get a complete redirect trace in under two seconds. The results are presented in a visual chain that makes it immediately obvious where redirects happen and what status codes are involved. Unlike browser developer tools, which require multiple steps and technical knowledge to access, our checker works with a single click. It is also completely free with no usage limits, which sets it apart from many commercial SEO suites that gate redirect checking behind paid plans. The tool checks both www and non-www versions automatically, saving you from running separate tests. And because it is web based, there is nothing to install. Use it from any device, any operating system, anywhere.
No tool is perfect, and honesty matters. This checker cannot test redirects that are implemented purely in JavaScript on the client side, since it follows HTTP level redirects. It also cannot test redirects that depend on specific user agent detection unless configured to spoof a particular user agent. Some websites implement geo based redirects that show different behavior depending on the tester's server location. The tool's results reflect what the server returns to our checking infrastructure, which may differ from what a user in a specific country sees. Additionally, if a website blocks automated requests or has aggressive rate limiting, the checker may receive incomplete results.
FreeToolr takes privacy seriously. When you check a URL with our www Redirect Checker, the domain you submit is processed in real time and then discarded. We do not store, log, or retain any record of the URLs you check. We do not share your data with third parties. We do not use the URLs you submit for any purpose other than performing the redirect check you requested. There are no analytics tied to individual queries. The tool operates over an encrypted HTTPS connection, so your queries are protected in transit. For complete details, review our privacy policy. As a general rule, you should avoid submitting URLs that contain sensitive information in the query string, although we do not log them anyway.
The www Redirect Checker runs on infrastructure that is monitored for availability and performance. Response times are typically under two seconds for most domains, though this depends partly on the responsiveness of the target server. The tool implements request timeouts to prevent any single check from consuming excessive resources. It also validates input to prevent server side request forgery or other injection attacks. We regularly update our dependencies and apply security patches to maintain a safe environment for all users.
Many redirect checkers exist online, but most are either too simplistic or unnecessarily complex. Some only tell you the final URL without showing the intermediate hops. Others require you to sign up for an account or impose daily limits. Our tool finds the balance: it provides comprehensive redirect chain analysis with full status code transparency, requires no registration, and imposes no limits. It checks www, non-www, and HTTPS redirection in one pass. The interface is clean and the results are easy to read. And it is part of the broader FreeToolr ecosystem, which means you have access to over 500 complementary tools including a Htaccess Redirect Generator, URL Rewriting Tool, and Broken Links Finder to fix any issues you discover.
FreeToolr was built on a simple belief: essential online tools should be free. We maintain over 500 tools across SEO, content, PDF, image, calculator, and developer categories. Every tool is free to use with no hidden paywalls. We fund the platform through community support and Ko-fi donations, not by selling user data or restricting access. When you use our www Redirect Checker, you are using a tool maintained by a team that genuinely cares about making the web more accessible for everyone. We respond to user feedback, fix bugs quickly, and continuously improve our tools based on real user needs.
Redirect checkers are used across multiple industries. SEO agencies use them during technical audits to identify canonicalization issues before they affect rankings. Web development teams use them as part of deployment checklists to verify that staging to production redirects are configured correctly. Domain brokers use them to assess how purchased domains are configured. Ecommerce managers use them during site migrations to ensure old URLs properly redirect to new ones. Content delivery network engineers use them to verify edge redirect rules. Educational institutions use them in web development courses to teach students about HTTP protocols and server configuration.
Redirect management is evolving alongside web technology. The adoption of HTTP/3 and QUIC protocols introduces new considerations for redirect performance. Edge computing platforms like Cloudflare Workers and AWS Lambda at Edge allow for more sophisticated redirect logic executed at the network edge rather than on origin servers. AI powered SEO tools are beginning to automatically detect and suggest redirect fixes. The growing importance of Core Web Vitals means redirect speed and efficiency are more critical than ever, since unnecessary redirect hops add latency that hurts user experience metrics. As the web continues to shift toward HTTPS everywhere, tools that verify secure redirection will only become more essential.
See every hop from the initial URL to the final destination. Each step shows the full URL and the HTTP status code returned, so you understand the complete path your visitors and search engine bots follow.
The tool identifies and labels every status code in the chain: 301 permanent redirects, 302 temporary redirects, 307 and 308 variants, 200 OK final destinations, and error codes like 404 or 500 if something breaks.
Automatically tests both the www prefixed version and the bare domain version of your URL. You instantly see whether one redirects to the other, or whether both resolve independently creating duplicate content issues.
Verifies whether HTTP requests are properly forwarded to HTTPS. Given that Google uses HTTPS as a ranking signal, this check is essential for maintaining your search visibility and visitor trust.
If your redirect configuration creates an infinite loop, the tool detects it and stops after a safe number of hops. It warns you clearly so you can fix the misconfiguration before it affects users or bots.
Each hop in the redirect chain is timed. You can see exactly how much latency your redirects add to the user experience, which matters for Core Web Vitals and overall site performance scores.
Need to check multiple domains at once? The tool supports batch checking so you can verify redirects across an entire portfolio of websites in a single session without repetitive manual entry.
The tool highlights the final canonical URL in the chain, which is the destination search engines will ultimately index. This helps you confirm that your intended canonical matches the actual result.
Use the tool immediately without creating an account, verifying an email, or providing any personal information. The tool is freely accessible to everyone, always.
There is no cap on how many redirect checks you can run per day. Audit hundreds of URLs without hitting a paywall or usage limit. The tool is designed for professionals who need reliability at scale.
The tool works perfectly on smartphones and tablets. Check redirects from your phone while on a call with a client or during a site migration when you are away from your desk.
Green indicators for successful redirects, yellow for warnings, and red for errors. The color coded system lets you assess redirect health at a glance without reading every detail.
Export your redirect chain results with one click. Paste them into a report, share them with a colleague, or save them in your documentation. Simple and efficient.
Works seamlessly on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera, and Brave. The tool adapts to your preferred browser with no compatibility issues or plugin requirements.
Seamlessly connected to over 500 other free tools. After checking your redirects, jump directly to the Htaccess Redirect Generator, URL Rewriting Tool, or Broken Links Finder to fix any issues.
Navigate to the www Redirect Checker on FreeToolr. The tool loads instantly with no splash screens or loading delays. You will see a clean input field prominently placed on the page.
Pro Tip: Bookmark the tool page for quick access during site audits. Having it one click away saves time when you are checking dozens of domains.
Type your domain into the input field. You can enter it with or without www, with or without https. The tool accepts bare domains like example.com, full URLs like https://www.example.com, and even specific paths like example.com/blog.
Pro Tip: Enter the bare domain without any prefix to let the tool test all variations automatically. This gives you the most complete picture of your redirect setup.
Press the prominent Check Redirect button. The tool immediately begins processing your request. You will see a brief loading indicator while the tool contacts the target server and traces the redirect path.
Pro Tip: If the check seems slow, the target server may be responding slowly. This is useful diagnostic information in itself. A slow redirect chain may indicate server performance issues worth investigating.
The results display as a step by step chain. Each row shows the URL at that hop, the HTTP status code returned, and whether the hop represents a redirect or the final destination. Review each step carefully.
Pro Tip: Look for unnecessary hops. Each additional redirect adds latency. A chain with more than two or three hops should be optimized to reduce the number of redirects.
The tool automatically tests both the www and non-www versions of your domain. Review both results to confirm that one version properly redirects to the other and that both do not resolve independently.
Pro Tip: Decide which version you want as your canonical domain before making changes. Most modern sites prefer the non-www version for its cleaner appearance, but either choice is valid as long as you are consistent.
Confirm that HTTP requests are being redirected to HTTPS. If you see a 200 OK response on an HTTP URL, your site is serving content over an unencrypted connection, which is a significant SEO and security concern.
Pro Tip: Even if your site loads over HTTPS when you type it directly, check whether the HTTP version redirects. Many users and old links still use HTTP, and you need to capture that traffic securely.
Look for red or yellow warning indicators in the results. These highlight problems such as redirect loops, chains with too many hops, 302 temporary redirects where 301 permanent redirects should be used, or error status codes.
Pro Tip: A 302 redirect passes no link equity to the destination. If you are using 302 redirects for permanent URL changes, switch them to 301 redirects to preserve your SEO value.
Use the copy button to save the redirect chain results to your clipboard. Paste them into your SEO audit document, share them with your development team, or store them for future reference.
Pro Tip: Document redirect chains before and after making changes. This creates a record that helps you troubleshoot if something goes wrong during a site migration or server reconfiguration.
If the tool identified problems, use our companion tools to fix them. The Htaccess Redirect Generator helps you create proper 301 redirect rules. The URL Rewriting Tool assists with more complex redirect patterns.
Pro Tip: After making changes on your server, run the check again immediately to confirm the fix worked. Do not assume. Always verify.
Make redirect checking part of your routine website maintenance. Server configurations can change, CMS plugins can alter redirect behavior, and unnoticed issues can accumulate over time. Check monthly at minimum.
Pro Tip: Set a calendar reminder to check your key domains on the first of each month. Combine it with other FreeToolr checks like the Broken Links Finder and Page Speed Checker for a comprehensive monthly health check.
Audit client sites for canonicalization and redirect chain issues that impact rankings.
Verify redirect rules work correctly after deploying new sites or server configurations.
Include redirect checks in technical SEO audits delivered to clients.
Ensure their website is properly configured without needing deep technical knowledge.
Protect their blog's SEO by confirming www and HTTPS redirects are correctly set up.
Verify redirects during store migrations to prevent lost traffic and revenue.
Check how purchased domains are configured before developing or reselling them.
Deliver fully configured sites to clients with all redirects properly tested.
Monitor server redirect behavior across corporate websites and internal portals.
Ensure content migrations preserve SEO value through proper redirect mapping.
Learn about HTTP protocols and redirect behavior in web development courses.
Demonstrate real world redirect concepts in classroom settings.
Maintain secure, properly configured public information portals.
Ensure patient portals and public health sites redirect securely to HTTPS.
Launch their web presence with correct redirects from day one.
Protect their website's search visibility with proper canonicalization.
Verify redirect tracking links work correctly before launching campaigns.
Study web infrastructure and redirect patterns across large samples of domains.
Diagnose redirect related issues reported by users quickly and accurately.
Check that HTTP to HTTPS redirects are enforced across all entry points.
Here are realistic examples of URLs you can enter into the www Redirect Checker. The tool accepts various formats and automatically normalizes them for testing.
FreeToolr is the ultimate platform for free online tools, AI tools, SEO tools, PDF utilities, calculators, image tools and developer resources.
[email protected] Buy Me a Coffee