Check up to 1,000 backlink URLs for 404s, redirects, timeouts, and server errors in one run — no signup. IndexVero categorizes every HTTP status and shows the final redirect target so you can prune dead links fast — and spot the ones that only look alive.
Who it’s for
- Agencies auditing a delivered backlink package before it goes in a client report.
- Link builders pruning dead placements so budget isn’t wasted indexing 404s.
- SEOs doing broken-link reclamation — finding dead pages to rebuild or redirect.
- Anyone post-migration checking that old backlink targets still resolve.
Most “broken” links aren’t broken
Across 1,082 URLs checked through our own link-status tool between September 4 and 8, 2026, 146 did not return a 2xx status — and 93 of those (63.70%) answered 403, meaning the host blocked an automated fetch, not that the page was gone. Only 29 (2.68%) were genuine 404s. A further 184 (17.01%) had redirected away from the URL that was submitted.
This is a small internal sample from four runs, not an industry survey. It shows why a checker that reports only a status code will hand you a prune list that is mostly wrong.
How it works
Paste your URLs
Drop in a list of backlink or page URLs. No signup — 10 URLs per run as a guest, or up to 1,000 once you sign in.
Run the status check
IndexVero fetches every URL and records the HTTP status, whether it redirected, and the final destination.
Filter & export
Filter to just 404s, redirects, or errors, search the list, and export a clean CSV of what needs fixing.
Example: what goes in, what comes out
| URL | Status | Final destination |
|---|---|---|
| blog.example/post-a | 200 OK | — (live) |
| example.com/old-guide | 301 → 200 | example.com/guide (still links to you) |
| dir.example/listing | 404 | — (dead — prune) |
| forum.example/thread | 301 → 404 | redirect chain ends dead |
Features
Bulk HTTP status checking
Verify up to 1,000 URLs per run and get a clean 200 / 301 / 404 / error verdict for each one.
Redirect chain visibility
See when a URL forwards and the final URL it lands on, so you know whether a link still points where you want.
Filter, search & export
Slice results by status category, search any URL or error, and export a CSV ready for your fix list.
Why a 200 isn’t always “alive”
Status codes lie more often than people expect, which is why you check the final destination, not just the number:
- Soft 404s — a “page not found” that returns 200 instead of 404. The code says alive; the page is empty. Your backlink there is worthless.
- 301 → 404 chains — a link redirects, so it looks handled, but the chain ends on a dead page.
- Redirect to the homepage — a 301 that lands on
/means your deep link and its context are gone. - 403 / 429 — looks blocked or dead, but it’s often bot-protection; the link is fine for real visitors. Don’t prune these blindly.
Reading the final destination next to the status is how you tell a genuinely dead link from one that just needs a second look.
Limitations & privacy
- It reports the HTTP response for each URL; it doesn’t judge whether your link is still on the final page — use the Anchor Text Checker for that.
- Sites behind aggressive bot protection may return 403/429 to any automated fetch, including this one.
- No signup. Guests check 10 URLs per run and 50 links per day; a free account raises that to 1,000 per run and 200 links per day. Either way a link-status run costs no credits, and URLs are fetched for the run and not stored as part of your profile.
FAQ
What does the broken link checker detect?
It checks each URL for its HTTP status and flags 404 Not Found, redirects, timeouts, and 5xx server errors, along with the final URL after any redirect.
How many URLs can I check at once?
Without an account, 10 URLs per run and 50 links per day. Sign in free and that becomes 1,000 URLs per run and 200 links per day. The per-run cap and the daily quota are separate limits. Results are paginated and filterable so big lists stay manageable.
Does it follow redirects?
Yes. When a URL redirects, IndexVero marks it as a redirect and shows the final destination URL so you can decide whether to keep it.
Can I export the results?
Yes. Export a CSV with the URL, final URL, status, category, redirect flag, and any error for every checked link.
A link shows 403 — is it dead?
Not necessarily. A 403 or 429 is often bot-protection rather than a missing page; open it in a browser before pruning it from your list. In our own sample, 63.70% of non-2xx responses were 403s rather than missing pages.