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Free Broken Link Checker

Find broken links and 404 errors on your website. Improve SEO and user experience by fixing dead links.

Last Updated: 15 Jan 2026

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What is a Broken Link Checker?

A broken link checker is an SEO tool that scans your website to find broken links—links that lead to pages that no longer exist (404 errors) or are inaccessible. Broken links hurt user experience, damage SEO, and prevent search engines from properly crawling your site, making them essential to identify and fix.

Broken links occur when pages are moved, deleted, or URLs change without updating internal links. They create poor user experiences, waste crawl budget, and can negatively impact search rankings. Regularly checking for broken links helps maintain site health, improve SEO, and ensure all links work correctly.

Why Use Our Free Broken Link Checker?

SEO Improvement

Fix broken links to improve SEO performance. Broken links waste crawl budget, hurt rankings, and prevent proper site indexing by search engines.

User Experience

Improve user experience by fixing dead links. Broken links frustrate visitors, increase bounce rates, and damage site credibility and trust.

Site Health Monitoring

Monitor your website's health by regularly checking for broken links. Identify and fix issues before they impact users or search rankings.

Common Use Cases for Broken Link Checker

SEO Maintenance

Regular Site Audits
Perform regular broken link audits to maintain site health. Check for 404 errors, redirect chains, and inaccessible pages that hurt SEO.
Crawl Budget Optimization
Fix broken links to optimize crawl budget. Prevent search engines from wasting time on dead links, allowing them to focus on valuable content.
Link Equity Preservation
Fix broken internal links to preserve link equity. Ensure internal linking structure works correctly to distribute page authority throughout your site.

Content Management

After Site Migrations
Check for broken links after site migrations, URL changes, or content restructuring. Ensure all links point to correct new locations.
External Link Monitoring
Monitor external links to ensure they still work. Update or remove broken external links that point to sites that no longer exist.
User Experience Improvement
Fix broken links to improve user experience. Prevent visitors from encountering 404 errors that frustrate users and increase bounce rates.

Why Broken Links Hurt SEO

SEO Impact of Broken Links

Broken links hurt SEO and user experience. They lead to 404 errors, reduce trust, prevent search engines from properly crawling your site, and waste valuable crawl budget on dead links instead of valuable content.

• Wasted crawl budget: Search engines waste time crawling broken links instead of valuable content
• Poor user experience: 404 errors frustrate visitors and increase bounce rates
• Lost link equity: Broken internal links don't pass page authority
• Reduced trust: Too many broken links signal poor site maintenance

Crawl Budget Waste

Search engines have limited crawl budgets. Broken links waste this budget on dead pages instead of crawling valuable content, potentially reducing how much of your site gets indexed.

User Experience Impact

Broken links create frustrating 404 error pages that increase bounce rates and reduce time on site—signals that can negatively impact search rankings.

Link Equity Loss

Broken internal links don't pass page authority (link equity) to other pages. Fixing broken links ensures your internal linking structure works correctly.

Broken Link Fixing Best Practices

Fix or Redirect

For broken internal links, either fix the link to point to the correct page or set up 301 redirects from old URLs to new ones. This preserves link equity and user experience.

Tip: Use 301 redirects for permanent moves, 302 for temporary redirects.

Remove Dead External Links

For broken external links, either remove them or replace with working alternatives. Don't keep links pointing to non-existent external pages.

Tip: Check if external sites moved content before removing links.

Regular Monitoring

Check for broken links regularly—monthly or quarterly. Set up automated monitoring to catch broken links quickly before they impact users or SEO.

Tip: Use Google Search Console to monitor 404 errors and broken links.

Custom 404 Pages

Create helpful custom 404 error pages that guide users back to your site. Include navigation, search, and popular content links to reduce bounce rates.

Tip: Custom 404 pages can turn broken links into opportunities to engage users.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why check for broken links?

Broken links hurt SEO and user experience. They lead to 404 errors, reduce trust, prevent search engines from properly crawling your site, and waste crawl budget on dead links instead of valuable content.

How often should I check for broken links?

Check for broken links regularly—monthly or quarterly is recommended. After site migrations or major content changes, check immediately. Set up automated monitoring for continuous detection.

What should I do with broken links?

Fix broken internal links by updating URLs or setting up redirects. Remove or replace broken external links. Create custom 404 pages to help users navigate when links are broken.

Do broken links affect SEO rankings?

Yes, broken links can negatively impact SEO by wasting crawl budget, reducing user engagement metrics (bounce rate, time on site), and signaling poor site maintenance to search engines.