Dead Link Checker
Scans a page or site to find hyperlinks that return errors such as 404 or 410, helping you fix broken links before they harm user experience or crawl efficiency.
If you only check your homepage for broken links, you are missing most of the damage — internal pages and external assets fail just as often.
Key points
- Run a full-site crawl, not just a single page scan.
- Separate 301 redirects from true dead links (404/410) before reporting so you don't waste time on healthy redirects.
- Check both internal and external links, including images and CSS.
- Use a tool that exports results to CSV for bulk fixes.
- Re-crawl after fixing to confirm the error is gone.
- Free tools have crawl limits; large sites need a paid crawler.
Three things a dead link checker does not do
- Fix the link for you It only reports the error. You must remove, update, or redirect the target URL yourself. The tool is a diagnostic step, not a repair service.
- Check every page on the web Most free tools limit crawl depth or number of URLs. For a large site, you may need a paid crawler or a dedicated monitoring service to get full coverage.
- Distinguish intent It cannot tell if a broken link was intentional (e.g., a removed product) or accidental. You still need to review each error in context before acting.
Four ways it goes wrong
- Only scanning the homepage A single-page scan misses broken links in deeper pages, templates, and assets. Always crawl the full site or at least all important templates.
- Ignoring external links Outbound links to other sites can break over time. A good checker reports them too, and fixing them protects your site's credibility.
- Treating every redirect as a problem 301 redirects are normal and often intentional. Separate them from true dead links (404/410) so you don't waste time on healthy redirects.
- Assuming one free tool covers everything Free checkers often limit crawl depth or number of URLs. On a large site, you may miss thousands of URLs. Verify coverage or use a paid tool.
Three situations that change your choice of tool
- One-off audit vs. ongoing monitoring For a single audit, a free online checker works. For continuous monitoring, use Search Console or a recurring crawler that alerts you to new broken links.
- Site size and crawl budget Small sites under 500 pages can use free tools. Larger sites need a crawler that respects crawl budget and can handle thousands of URLs without timing out.
- Need for export and collaboration If you work with a team, choose a tool that exports CSV or shares reports. This lets you assign fixes and track progress without manual copying.
Common questions
What is the best free broken link checker?
The best free option depends on your site size. For small sites, W3C Link Checker or BrokenLinkCheck.com work well. For larger sites, consider a trial of a paid crawler.
How do I use the Check My Links Chrome extension?
Install the extension, open a page, click the icon, and it scans all links on that page. Results show broken links in red. It checks one page at a time, not the whole site.
Should I fix broken external links?
Yes, broken outbound links hurt user trust and can signal poor maintenance. Update or remove them. Some tools also check external links automatically.
Sources
- W3C Link Checker Free online tool to check links, anchors, and referenced objects in a page or site.
- Google Search Central Official documentation on crawl errors, 404 handling, and site maintenance.
- Dead Link Checker Commercial tool with free tier for checking up to 2000 links per scan.
- BrokenLinkCheck.com Free online checker that scans up to 3000 pages per crawl.