Broken Link Checker

A broken link checker loads a page, collects its links and tests each one, listing those that return 404, 5xx or redirect. Broken links frustrate readers and waste crawl effort.

This tool fetches the address you enter once, from our server, and reports what a crawler would receive. The URL is not stored; only a short-lived rate-limit counter is kept. Results show the page at the moment of the check and can differ from what a logged-in browser or a bot with different headers sees.

How to read the result and act on it

Start with the status column. A 404 or 410 means the target is gone, so update the link to a live equivalent, remove it, or restore the missing page. A 5xx code points to a server error that is often temporary, so recheck it later before editing anything. Redirects such as 301 or 302 still work for visitors, but replace them with the final URL wherever you control the link, which saves a hop. Fix links in body copy and main navigation first, then footer links. Internal broken links come before external ones because you control both ends. After editing, run the tool on the same page again and confirm the list is clean.

Common mistakes to avoid

The most common error is trusting a single failed result. Some sites block automated requests and answer with 403 or 429 even though the link opens fine in a browser, so open any doubtful link by hand before deleting it. Another mistake is replacing a dead link with the homepage of the target site, which sends readers to something unrelated. Do not strip a link just because it redirects, since a redirect is not an error. Avoid fixing only the page you tested: the same bad URL often sits in templates, menus and old posts, so search your CMS for the old address and correct every instance.

Do broken links hurt SEO?

A few are normal, but many broken links signal poor maintenance and give users a bad experience.

How should I fix a broken link?

Update it to the right URL, replace it with a better source or remove it.

Does it check the whole site?

No. It checks one page at a time and a limited number of links to keep the tool fast.

How do I find broken links on my website?

Run each important page through a link checker, review any 404 or 5xx results, and also check Google Search Console's Pages report for not-found URLs. For a full crawl, a desktop crawler can follow every internal link. Then fix or remove each bad link and retest.

What is the difference between a 404 and a soft 404?

A 404 returns a not-found status code. A soft 404 shows a missing-page message but returns a 200 status, so crawlers think the page exists. Soft 404s are reported in Search Console and should return a real 404 or 410, or redirect to a relevant page.

• Links Extractor: List every link on a page with anchor text, type and attributes.
• HTTP Status Code Checker: Check the HTTP status of up to 10 URLs at once: 200, 301, 404, 500 and more.
• Redirect Checker: Trace every redirect hop from a URL to its final destination, with status codes.

Browse all 8 free link building tools, or see the full free SEO toolbox. If you would rather have this handled for you, take a look at our link building services and the results from real projects.