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External Link Checker

Analyze all external links on a page — nofollow status, dofollow links, and grouped by target domain.

External Link CheckerGratisOn-Page SEOChecks a live URL

Enter a public URL. We fetch the live page and analyse what search engines and AI crawlers see.

Key features of the external link checker

  • Lists all external links with their destination domains
  • Tests each external link for 404, redirect, and server errors
  • Identifies redirect chains (301 → 301 → final URL)
  • Shows follow/nofollow status for each external link
  • Groups links by domain for quick quality assessment

How to use the external link checker

  1. Enter the page URL

    Paste the URL of the page you want to check into the input field.

  2. Run the check

    Click 'Check External Links'. The tool extracts and tests all outbound URLs.

  3. Review link statuses

    See which external links are working, broken, or redirecting.

  4. Assess link quality

    Review destination domains — are they authoritative, relevant sources?

  5. Fix or update links

    Replace broken links with live alternatives, update outdated URLs, and add nofollow to commercial links.

What is an external link checker?

The External Link Checker audits all outbound links on a webpage — links pointing to external domains. It tests each link's HTTP status, detects broken links, identifies redirect chains, and flags potentially problematic destinations that could harm your site's SEO reputation.

External links (outbound links) to high-quality, relevant sources signal to Google that your content is well-researched and trustworthy. However, links to low-quality, spammy, or broken pages can negatively affect your site's perceived quality. Managing your external link profile is an important but often neglected on-page SEO task.

Why use an external link checker?

A single broken outbound link to a resource you're citing frustrates users and undermines your content's credibility. Links to low-quality or penalised sites can associate your content with spam signals. Regular external link audits keep your outbound link profile clean, authoritative, and user-friendly.

External link checker: frequently asked questions

Something else? Ask the team

Do external links affect my SEO?

Yes. Linking out to high-quality, relevant external resources is seen as a positive quality signal by Google. However, links to spammy or low-quality sites can harm your page's perceived quality.

Should external links be nofollow?

Use nofollow for paid, sponsored, or affiliate links as required by Google's guidelines. Editorial links to genuinely useful resources should be followed (dofollow) — they demonstrate trust in the resource.

How do broken external links affect users?

Broken external links lead users to error pages when they click through, creating a poor user experience. This increases bounce rates and reduces time-on-site, indirectly affecting SEO.

What is a redirect chain?

A redirect chain occurs when a URL redirects to another URL, which then redirects again (e.g., A → B → C). Chains waste crawl budget and dilute link equity — ideally, links should point directly to the final URL.

How often should I audit external links?

Audit external links quarterly or after publishing new content. External sites change often — resources move, domains expire, and content gets deleted. Regular audits keep your outbound links fresh.

Each one opens on its own page and works straight away, with no sign-up.

Ontdek meer gratis tools:Schema GeneratorMetatag GeneratorLLMs.txt GeneratorBrowse all free tools

Meer AI-vermeldingen winnen?

External Link Checker is one piece of the puzzle. See how ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews actually view your brand, and get a prioritised list of fixes, with a free AEO & GEO audit from AI Rank Lab.

One check is a start. The audit checks the whole site.

Voer een gratis AEO- en GEO-audit uit or Bekijk prijzen.

  • Scores SEO, answer-engine (AEO) and generative-engine (GEO) readiness
  • Lists the fixes, page by page
  • Then track whether ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews cite you
fieldnote.app4,571 credits

Site audit

fieldnote.app · SEO, AEO and GEO

Illustrative data
SEO
82
+6
AEO
64
+11
GEO
58
+9
Pages
48
Fixesby impact
  • /pricing · Missing H1High
  • /blog/guide · No FAQ schemaMedium
  • /llms.txt · Not foundMedium
  • /about · Meta description too longLow

See where your whole site stands

Paste your site. The free audit scores it for SEO, answer engines and generative engines, with the fixes.

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