Link tracer
See where a link really goes.
Paste any link — a short code, an email button, an ad — and follow it through every redirect to the page it actually opens.
Traced server-side, so there are no CORS errors. Follows every 301, 302, 307, and 308 hop — up to 15 redirects.
What the trace shows
Every stop
Each URL the link passes through, in order — shortener, tracker, network, final site.
Status codes
Whether each hop is a permanent (301, 308) or temporary (302, 303, 307) redirect.
Final destination
The page you'd actually land on, and whether it loads, errors or is missing.
Hop count
How many redirects stand between the click and the page.
Why links redirect at all
Most redirects are harmless. They're how the web keeps count.
Link shorteners
bit.ly, TinyURL and friends forward the short code to the long address.
Email click tracking
Mailchimp, SendGrid and most email tools wrap every link to count clicks.
Affiliate and ad trackers
Networks record the click and pass a click ID before sending you to the offer.
The site itself
http to https, adding www, or picking a language or country version.
When to trace a link
Before you click
A message says it's from your bank but the link is a short code? Trace it first and see the real destination without loading it.
Debugging a tracking chain
Check that your click ID or UTM tags survive every hop. If a redirect drops the query string, sales stop matching clicks.
SEO clean-up
Chains of redirects waste crawl budget and slow pages. Point old URLs straight at the final page with a single 301.
Redirect status codes
| Code | Name | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 301 | Moved Permanently | Search engines move ranking to the new URL; browsers may cache it. |
| 302 | Found (temporary) | The original URL stays the one that counts. Common for trackers. |
| 303 | See Other | Temporary; the next request is always a GET. |
| 307 | Temporary Redirect | Like 302, but keeps the request method. |
| 308 | Permanent Redirect | Like 301, but keeps the request method. |
Auditing redirects for SEO? The redirect checker covers 301 vs 302 in depth. Just want the long version of a short link? Use the URL expander.
What a trace can miss
- It follows server redirects (HTTP 3xx). A page that redirects with JavaScript after it loads may show up as the last stop.
- The trace runs from our server, not your browser. Links that route by country or device show where a visitor from our server's location would land.
- Tracing someone's tracking link can count as a click in their stats.
Link tracer FAQ
What is a link tracer?
A tool that follows a link through every redirect and shows each stop, its HTTP status code and the final destination — without you visiting the link.
How can I see where a link goes without clicking it?
Paste it into the link tracer on this page. Our server requests each hop and reports back, so the page never loads on your device. For a single short link you can also use the URL expander.
Is it safe to check a suspicious link here?
Checking is safer than clicking: nothing opens in your browser and nothing downloads. It can't tell you whether the final site is honest, though. If the destination doesn't match what the message promised, don't open it.
Why does a link go through so many redirects?
Each service in the chain adds a hop: a shortener, an email platform's click tracking, an affiliate network, then the site's own https or language redirect. Three or four hops are normal for marketing links.
What's the difference between a 301 and a 302 redirect?
A 301 is permanent: search engines move ranking to the new URL and browsers may remember it. A 302 is temporary: the original URL stays the one that counts. Link trackers usually use temporary redirects so every click reaches their server.
Does tracing a link count as a click?
It can. The link's owner may see one visit from a server. Many trackers filter out obvious bots, but not all do.
More link tracking guides
What is a tracking link?
How tracking links work, what they record, and real examples.
UTM tracking
Clicks per source, medium and campaign on every link.
Outbound link tracking
GA4 outbound clicks, Adobe exit links, or tracked links.
TinyURL stats
Where TinyURL clicks live and how to get free stats.
How to track clicks on a link
A free click counter for any URL.
Want to know who clicks your links?
A link tracer shows where a link goes. A tracking link shows who clicked it — country, device, source and time. Free forever, no credit card.
Create a tracking link