Broken link count
How many of the checked links returned a 4xx/5xx status or could not be reached at all.
Free Broken Link Checker
Enter a page URL. NorthDuty extracts its links, checks them, and lists every dead link with its exact HTTP status or error: 404s, 410s, server errors, timeouts, and DNS failures. Then use the guide below to fix each one.
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Check for broken links
Enter a page URL. NorthDuty fetches it, extracts the links, and checks a sample of them for broken responses.
Free check. No signup. Results are not published or indexed.
How NorthDuty website monitoring works
Enter a page URL. NorthDuty fetches it, extracts the links, and checks a sample of them for broken responses. Recurring checks are configured inside the NorthDuty app.
What this broken link checker reports
NorthDuty reads the page's links and checks them for broken destinations.
Which links are broken
The exact broken URLs and the status or error for each, so you know precisely what to fix.
Links found vs. checked
How many links were on the page and how many were checked in this run.
Working links
A count of the links that resolved correctly, for a quick health snapshot.
Why check for broken links
Broken links frustrate visitors, leak SEO value, and often point at removed pages or mistyped URLs from the last edit.
- Find dead links before visitors do
- Protect SEO from links to 404s
- Catch mistakes from a recent content edit
- Verify navigation and footer links resolve
- Clean up links to retired pages
How the broken link checker works
No signup — enter a URL and get a list of broken links back.
1
Enter a page URL
Provide the page you want scanned; NorthDuty defaults to HTTPS.
2
We read its links
NorthDuty fetches the page and extracts its links, resolving them to absolute URLs.
3
We check a sample
A bounded sample of links is requested safely and classified as working or broken.
4
You get a broken-link list
See the broken URLs with their status or error — nothing is stored.
What each link status means and what to do
The checker reports the final status after redirects. Here is how to read the result.
| Status | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 200 OK | The link works. | Nothing. |
| 301 or 308 | Permanent redirect to a new URL. | Works, but update the link to point straight at the final URL to avoid redirect chains. |
| 302 or 307 | Temporary redirect. | Fine short term. If it has been in place for months, it is probably meant to be a 301. |
| 403 Forbidden | The server refused the request. Often bot protection, not a dead page. | Open it in a browser. If it loads, the site is blocking automated checks and the link is fine. |
| 404 Not Found | The page does not exist at that URL. | Fix the typo, link to the page's new URL, or add a 301 redirect from the old URL. |
| 410 Gone | The page was removed on purpose. | Remove or replace the link. Do not redirect it unless there is a true equivalent. |
| 429 Too Many Requests | The site is rate limiting. | Usually temporary. Re-check later before changing anything. |
| 500 to 504 | The destination server failed. | If it is your site, investigate the error. If it persists on an external site, replace the link. |
| Timeout or DNS error | The server did not respond or the domain no longer resolves. | Expired domains are a common cause. Remove the link or point it at an archived or updated source. |
How to fix broken links
Work through the list in this order so you fix the links that matter most first.
1. Fix navigation, footer, and CTA links first
A broken link in the header, footer, or a signup or checkout button is broken on every page and costs conversions, not just SEO. These are worth fixing the same day.
2. Redirect removed pages that still get traffic
If you deleted or renamed a page that other sites link to, add a 301 redirect to the closest equivalent. In WordPress, a redirect plugin or your host's redirect rules handle this.
3. Update internal links to the final URL
Redirects work, but every internal link that goes through one adds latency and dilutes signals. Edit the link to point at the destination directly.
4. Replace or remove dead external links
Outbound links to sites that have disappeared make content look unmaintained. Swap in a current source or remove the link.
Are broken links bad for SEO?
A few broken links will not tank your rankings, and Google says 404s are a normal part of the web. The real costs are indirect: visitors hit dead ends and leave, link equity from other sites pointing at a deleted page is wasted, and crawlers spend time on URLs that go nowhere.
The links that do real damage are the ones on your most important paths: a product link in a campaign email, the pricing link in your navigation, the button that starts checkout. Those are also the ones most likely to break during a redesign, a slug change, or a plugin update, which is why checking them once is not enough.
Finding broken links across a whole WordPress site
This checker scans one page at a time, which is ideal for key pages and quick checks after an edit. For a whole site, combine it with Google Search Console's Pages report, which lists URLs Google found returning Not found (404), and with your redirect plugin's 404 log.
Be careful with link-scanning plugins that crawl every page from your own server on a schedule. On busy WooCommerce stores they can add noticeable load. An external check, like this tool or scheduled monitoring, does the requests from outside and leaves your server alone.
Go Beyond One-Off Checks
Use the tool preview for a quick answer, then move into recurring monitoring for your most important pages and journeys.
Feature
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Explore Website MonitoringSolution
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Pricing
NorthDuty plans are sized by how many checkout, signup and login journeys you monitor: Free, $29 Starter, $79 Pro, $199 Business. 7-day trial, no card.
Compare pricing plansFrequently Asked Questions
Answers about this diagnostic preview and when to move into recurring monitoring.
Is this broken link checker free?
Yes. It's free and requires no signup. Enter a URL and you get a list of broken links immediately.
Does it check every link on the page?
It checks a bounded sample of the links found on the page to keep the check fast and fair to the sites being requested. Continuous monitoring covers your pages fully and on a schedule.
What counts as a broken link?
A link is reported as broken when it returns a 4xx or 5xx HTTP status, or cannot be reached at all (timeout, DNS failure, or connection error).
Does it follow links to other sites?
Yes, external links are checked too, and every request is made safely. It reports the final status after redirects.
Why does a link work in my browser but show as broken?
Usually because the destination blocks automated requests with a 403 or 429 status, for example through Cloudflare bot protection or a security plugin. If the page loads normally in a browser, the link is fine for visitors.
How do I find broken links on my entire website?
Check your most important pages here first, such as the homepage, navigation targets, and top landing pages. Then use Search Console's Pages report for 404s Google has found, and scheduled monitoring to catch new breakages after edits and deploys.
Should a removed page return a 404, a 410, or a redirect?
Redirect with a 301 when there is a close replacement page. Return 410 when the content is gone for good with no equivalent, or 404 if your platform cannot send 410. Do not redirect everything to the homepage; Google treats that like a 404 anyway.
Start monitoring your website with NorthDuty today.
Links break quietly every time content changes. NorthDuty can watch your key pages continuously and flag broken links and failures before they cost you visitors.
7 days with Pro features and limits, no credit card — then keep one daily journey on the free plan.