Why does the final URL differ from what my browser shows?

Two common reasons. This request carries no cookies and runs no JavaScript, so a site that redirects by sign-in state or via JavaScript will behave differently. And some sites route by region or device, and this request comes from our server.

Should I use 301 or 302?

Use 301 (or 308) when content has moved permanently — search engines transfer ranking signals and update the index. Use 302 (or 307) for temporary routing such as campaign pages, maintenance, or A/B tests, which keeps the signals on the original URL. Getting it wrong has a real cost: a 302 where a 301 belonged means the new URL never accumulates authority.

URL TOOLS · PERFORMED BY OUR SERVER

Redirect Checker

Trace a URL's full redirect chain, showing each hop's status code and the final destination — also expands short links.

This is performed by our server contacting the host, not by your browser.

About this tool

Enter a URL to see which hops it actually goes through, what status code each returns, and where it lands. This helps in several situations: confirming the 301s after a domain move, finding needless hops that slow loading, checking where a short or marketing link really goes, and diagnosing redirect loops. Among the codes, 301 and 308 are permanent and are what search engines use to transfer ranking signals, while 302 and 307 are temporary and transfer none. The difference within each pair is that 307 and 308 guarantee the request method is preserved, whereas historic implementations of 301 and 302 could turn a POST into a GET. Each extra hop costs another round trip, so collapse chains where you can. Because this request carries no cookies, a site that redirects based on sign-in state will show you the signed-out path.

How it works

Paste the URL to check.
Review each hop's URL and status code.
Confirm the final destination and hop count are what you expect.

Limits and rules

The request is made by our server and follows at most 10 redirects. Every hop is revalidated before it is taken, and only publicly routable internet addresses are allowed. No cookies or authorization headers are forwarded and the target's JavaScript is never run, so you see the signed-out redirect behaviour.

How your input is handled

The URL you enter is sent to our server. Redirect checks are performed by an isolated process; nothing you submit is stored or written to an analytics event, and no cookies or authorization headers are forwarded. Creating a short link does store the destination in a database — that is what the feature requires — along with an irreversible hash of the creator's address used for rate limiting and abuse investigation. The address itself is not stored, and individual visits are not recorded.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the final URL differ from what my browser shows?: Two common reasons. This request carries no cookies and runs no JavaScript, so a site that redirects by sign-in state or via JavaScript will behave differently. And some sites route by region or device, and this request comes from our server.
Should I use 301 or 302?: Use 301 (or 308) when content has moved permanently — search engines transfer ranking signals and update the index. Use 302 (or 307) for temporary routing such as campaign pages, maintenance, or A/B tests, which keeps the signals on the original URL. Getting it wrong has a real cost: a 302 where a 301 belonged means the new URL never accumulates authority.

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