Broken Link Checker
This free broken link checker loads a page, collects up to 60 of its internal links and requests each one from our server, reporting the status code, redirect target and response time. Links that answer 404, 410 or a server error are flagged as broken with a fix. Use it on key pages after a redesign, a URL change or a content clean-up.
Broken Link Checker
Technical SEO
About this tool
Broken links send visitors to error pages, waste the crawl budget search engines give a site, and leak the ranking value that internal links pass along. They appear quietly: a page is deleted, a slug is edited, a category is renamed, and every link that pointed there now fails. Most sites have a few; sites that have been through a migration often have hundreds.
The checker fetches the page, reads every link in it, keeps the internal ones (same registered domain), removes duplicates and the page itself, and requests up to 60 of them from our server, stopping each transfer after the first kilobyte so the check stays light. Each link shows its status code, where it redirects if it does, and the time it took. Results for individual links are cached for a day, so checking several pages of one site does not repeat work.
This is a one-page check, not a site crawl: links in menus and footers appear on every page, so start with the homepage, then check the pages that matter most. External links are counted but not requested. Some sites block automated visitors and answer 403 for every link; that is a block, not a broken link, and the tool labels it as such.
Frequently asked questions
Do broken links hurt SEO?
A handful do not move rankings, but they waste crawl budget, lose the link value internal links pass on, and send visitors to dead ends, which hurts engagement. Google treats a site full of 404s as poorly maintained. Fix the ones on important pages first and redirect deleted URLs that still earn links or traffic.
What is the difference between a 404 and a 410?
Both mean the page is gone. 404 says "not found" without explanation and search engines keep retrying for a while; 410 says "gone on purpose" and they drop the URL faster. Use 410 for content you removed deliberately, and a 301 redirect for content that moved.
Should I fix a link that redirects?
Yes, when it is your own site. A redirect works for visitors but adds a hop and a little delay, and chains of redirects lose value. Update the link to point at the final address. Redirects to external sites are fine to leave alone.
Why are external links not checked?
Each check is a live request to another server, and the free tool shares a fair-use allowance per visitor. Internal links are the ones you can fix and the ones that affect your crawl budget, so the tool spends its budget there. External links are counted so you know how many there are.
How do I check a whole website for broken links?
Run this checker on your homepage and your main hub pages; shared menus and footers cover most links. For a full crawl, Google Search Console lists 404s Google found under Pages, and desktop crawlers such as Screaming Frog check every page of a site in one run.