Free redirect QA tool

Redirect map checker for migration QA

Paste a small source-target CSV and check whether old URLs resolve to the intended final pages. It flags chains, temporary redirects, target mismatches, homepage catch-alls, and destination URLs that still redirect.

What it checks

Old URL redirects instead of returning a live 200 or broken error.
First hop uses a permanent redirect status, usually 301 or 308.
Final URL matches the mapped target.
Redirect chain count stays at one hop where possible.
Destination URL returns a success status.
Destination URL is not itself redirecting.
Source and target are not the same URL.
Homepage catch-all rows are flagged for review.

Live redirect-map checker

Checks up to 12 public source-target rows for redirect status, chains, target mismatch, and homepage fallbacks.

Citation-ready answer

Redirect-map QA answers to extract before launch

A redirect map is useful only when the mapped rows have been tested against live HTTP behavior.

What does this checker prove?

It proves whether a small sample of old URLs resolves to the mapped final URLs with acceptable redirect behavior.

When it breaks

It catches common launch issues: temporary redirects, chains, destination mismatches, unchanged URLs left in the redirect file, and homepage fallbacks.

Inspect first

Use it on priority rows from Search Console, analytics, sitemap exports, backlink exports, and CMS URL inventories.

Source: Google redirect guidance Related: Redirect map template

When is this not enough?

It is not a full migration crawl. It checks a bounded batch so the public tool stays fast, private, and safe to run.

When it breaks

A clean sample can still miss pattern-level rules, faceted URLs, product variants, localized routes, or URL groups that were not pasted.

Inspect first

Move repeated failures into a full crawl export and compare every priority URL before requesting recrawl.

Source: Google site move guidance Related: GSC monitoring runbook

What should happen after a failed row?

Fix the redirect rule, verify the target page is indexable and canonicalized correctly, update internal links, then request recrawl only after the row passes.

When it breaks

Requesting indexing while the target is wrong, noindexed, canonicalized away, or still redirecting can preserve the broken state longer.

Inspect first

Pair this checker with the canonical checker and sitemap checks for the destination URL.

Source: URL Inspection help Related: Canonical checker

QA signal	Question	Action when it fails
Source status	Does the old URL redirect?	Create or repair the redirect rule.
First hop	Is the redirect permanent?	Use 301 or 308 unless a temporary rule is intentional.
Final target	Does the old URL resolve to the mapped target?	Fix stale mappings and rule ordering.
Destination	Does the target URL return a success status?	Repair the page, pick a better target, or use 410.
Catch-all	Is the target the homepage?	Use a closer replacement when the old intent still exists.

Use it with the template

Start with the redirect map template, then paste a priority sample into this checker after rules are deployed. Keep the exported failures in the same QA sheet.

Pair it with canonical QA

A redirect can resolve correctly while the destination canonical still points elsewhere. Spot-check destination pages with the canonical checker before asking Google to recrawl critical rows.