HTTP Status Checker
Enter any URL to check its HTTP status code. See redirects, server headers, and a plain-English explanation of what the response means.
What does this tool check?
HTTP Status Code
The exact response code returned by the server — 200, 301, 404, 503 — with a plain-English explanation.
Redirect Chain
Every redirect hop is shown step by step, so you can see exactly where a URL ends up and how many hops it takes.
Response Headers
Key response headers including Content-Type, Server, Cache-Control, and X-Powered-By from the final URL.
Response Time
How long the server took to respond in milliseconds — useful for diagnosing slow pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do HTTP status codes mean?
HTTP status codes are three-digit numbers indicating the result of a request. 2xx = success (200 OK, 201 Created). 3xx = redirect (301 Permanent, 302 Temporary). 4xx = client error (403 Forbidden, 404 Not Found). 5xx = server error (500 Internal Error, 503 Unavailable). This tool shows the exact code and a plain-English explanation.
What is the difference between 301 and 302 redirects?
A 301 is a permanent redirect — search engines transfer ranking signals (link equity) to the new URL and update their index. A 302 is temporary — search engines keep the original URL indexed. Always use 301 for permanent page moves. Misusing 302 means your SEO value stays on the old URL and may never transfer.
Why is my website returning a 404?
A 404 means the server has nothing at that URL. Common causes: the page was deleted, the URL changed without a redirect, a CMS slug was edited, or the server config changed. Fix it by setting up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the correct page. Every 404 is a lost visitor and lost SEO signal.
What does a 503 error mean?
503 Service Unavailable means the server cannot handle the request right now — usually because of overload, maintenance, or resource exhaustion. Unlike a 500 error, 503 implies the condition is temporary. If you see persistent 503s, check server memory and CPU, connection limits, and whether any maintenance mode is active.
How do I check if a URL redirects?
Enter the URL in this tool — it will follow all redirects and show you every hop. You can also use curl -I -L https://example.com in a terminal. For SEO, aim for a maximum of one redirect hop. Multiple redirects slow down page load and dilute ranking signals.
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