Free Broken Link Checker Tool FREE

Scan your webpage for dead links, 404 errors, and empty href attributes to improve your SEO and user experience.

Free, secure, and instant analysis.
SEO Fundamentals

Why Are Broken Links Important?

Broken links create a poor user experience. Visitors may land on 404 error pages, internal links may stop passing users through important pages, and search-engine crawlers can encounter unnecessary dead ends. Website migrations and deleted pages often create broken links, and old external links can become unavailable over time.

How Useful Is a Broken Link Checker?

For Website Owners

  • Find broken pages quickly
  • Improve website navigation
  • Reduce 404 errors
  • Identify outdated URLs

For SEO

  • Improve internal linking
  • Help search engines crawl efficiently
  • Identify problematic redirects
  • Maintain a healthier structure

For Businesses

  • Avoid losing potential customers
  • Keep landing pages accessible
  • Improve credibility & user experience

What Does the Tool Check?

URL The link being checked
Link Type Internal / External
HTTP Status Server response code
Link Status Working / Broken / Redirected
Anchor Text Clickable text of the link
Destination URL Where the link points
Response Time How quickly the server responds
Redirect Whether the URL redirects
Error Reason the link failed

HTTP Server Status Codes

Understanding server status codes helps you identify exactly why a link is considered problematic.

200
OK
Working normally.
301
Permanent Redirect
Moved permanently.
302
Temporary Redirect
Moved temporarily.
401
Unauthorized
Auth required.
403
Forbidden
Refuses access.
404
Not Found
Does not exist.
410
Gone
Permanently removed.
429
Too Many Requests
Rate limit exceeded.
500
Server Error
Unexpected problem.
502
Bad Gateway
Invalid gateway res.
503
Unavailable
Temporarily down.

What Does "Broken" Actually Mean?

We classify link statuses into distinct categories to provide clear actionable data.

Working

URL responds successfully.

Redirected

URL redirects to another location.

Warning

URL requires attention (e.g., long redirect chains).

Broken

URL returns an error or cannot be reached.

Broken Link vs 404 Error

A 404 is one type of broken-link response, but a broken link can have other causes like DNS failure, connection timeout, SSL error, server failure, or an invalid URL.

Takeaway: Every 404 link is problematic, but not every broken link necessarily returns a 404.

Internal Links

Links pointing to pages within your own website.
Example: yourdomain.com/services/seo

Broken internal links affect:

  • Navigation & user journeys
  • Internal linking & page discovery
  • Conversion paths

External Links

Links pointing to another website.
Example: example.com/article

External websites can change, delete, or move their pages, so these links should also be checked periodically to ensure you're not sending your visitors to dead ends.

Redirected Links

Not every non-200 response is a broken link. Valid redirects are often necessary for website maintenance.

Valid Redirect
Old URL → 301 → New URL → 200
Problematic Redirect Chain
Old URL → 301 → 301 → 404

Recommended Actions

Update

Replace the old URL with the correct destination.

Redirect

Use a 301 redirect when a page has permanently moved.

Remove

Delete the link when the destination is no longer relevant.

Replace

Find a useful alternative resource for outdated external links.

Restore

Bring back an accidentally deleted page when it is still valuable.

Impact on SEO & Users

A high number of broken links can negatively impact:

  • Poor user experience
  • Reduced crawl efficiency
  • Broken internal linking
  • Lost navigation paths
  • Weaker content discovery
  • Poor maintenance signals
  • Lost conversion opportunities

When to Run a Check?

  • After website migration or redesign
  • After changing URLs or deleting pages
  • After changing WordPress plugins or themes
  • After publishing lots of content
  • Before launching a new website
  • Periodically for older websites

All-In-One Digital Marketing Solution

Take Your Business to the Next Level!

If you're looking for a trusted digital marketing partner to help your business grow, Digi Mentors Media is here for you! Whether you need a high-converting website, an engaging social media campaign, or a powerful SEO strategy, we have the expertise to deliver.

Start your Growth Journey

Broken Link Checker Tool

Frequently Asked Questions #SEO

DMM’s Broken Link Checker helps identify broken or inaccessible links on a website, including internal and external links, so you can fix them before they affect user experience or SEO.

Broken links can create poor user experiences, waste crawl resources, and make it harder for search engines to discover and understand your website. Regular link checking helps keep your website technically healthy.

Yes. The tool is designed to identify problematic links within your website and links pointing to external websites, helping you find URLs that return errors or are no longer accessible.

No. A few broken links do not automatically mean your website will receive an SEO penalty. However, a large number of broken or poorly maintained links can negatively affect usability and overall website quality.

For an actively updated website, checking monthly is a good starting point. Websites with frequent content changes, blogs, ecommerce products, or large numbers of pages may benefit from more frequent checks.

Yes. If the audit identifies broken or problematic links, Digi Mentors Media (DMM) can help with website maintenance, technical SEO, redirects, content updates, and other website optimization services.

Yes. Visitors who click a link and reach a 404 or unavailable page may leave the website instead of continuing their journey. Fixing broken links can improve navigation, trust, and overall user experience.

Review each URL and determine whether it should be updated, replaced, redirected, or removed. For permanently moved pages, an appropriate 301 redirect may be the better solution.

Absolutely. DMM provides SEO, website development, technical SEO, Google & Meta Ads, social media marketing, content creation, and digital marketing solutions. A broader website audit can identify additional technical and SEO opportunities beyond broken links.

DMM combines SEO, website development, digital marketing, and lead-generation expertise rather than treating technical SEO separately from business growth. The goal is to improve your website's visibility, usability, and ability to generate qualified leads.
Let's Grow Your Brand Together

Ready to Scale Your Business?

Partner with Digi Mentors Media to get premium digital marketing, SEO, and website design solutions. Let's work together to boost your traffic, leads, and sales.