# Redirect Chain Tracer - Follow Every Hop to Final URL (`ninhothedev/redirect-chain-tracer`) Actor
$0.5/1K 🔥 Redirect chain tracer! Follow every hop (301/302/meta) from any URL to its final destination. No key. JSON, CSV, Excel or API in seconds. Audit redirects for SEO & security ⚡
- **URL**: https://apify.com/ninhothedev/redirect-chain-tracer.md
- **Developed by:** [ninhothedev](https://apify.com/ninhothedev) (community)
- **Categories:** SEO tools, Developer tools
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet
## Pricing
from $0.50 / 1,000 results
This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event
## What's an Apify Actor?
Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".
## How to integrate an Actor?
If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.
In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md):
```bash
npm install apify-client
```
In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md):
```bash
pip install apify-client
```
In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md):
````bash
# MacOS / Linux
curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash
# Windows
irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex
```bash
In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md).
If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).
For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.
For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).
# README
## Redirect Chain Tracer 🔗
**Follow every hop of any URL to its final destination.** Redirect Chain Tracer
takes a list of URLs and walks the full redirect chain — `301`, `302`, `307`,
`308`, `` and JS-style hops — recording each step
until it reaches the final `2xx` page, a loop, or the max-hops limit. No API key,
no login, no setup.
Perfect for **SEO redirect audits**, **link tracing**, **security checks**, and
**migration QA**.
> Roughly **$0.50 per 1,000 URLs** traced. No proxies required.
---
### What it does
For each URL the actor:
1. Issues a `GET` request with **automatic redirect-following disabled**.
2. Records the hop: `{ url, status_code, location, type }` (the `Location`
header resolved to an absolute URL).
3. Detects `` redirects on `2xx` pages and follows
them too.
4. Repeats until it hits a final `2xx`, a **redirect loop**, or **`maxHops`**
(default 15).
You get back the complete chain, the final URL, the hop count, and flags for
whether it redirected and whether a loop was detected.
---
### Use cases
- **SEO redirect audits** — verify `301` vs `302`, spot redirect chains that
leak link equity, and catch `http → https` / `www` inconsistencies.
- **Link tracing** — unwrap shortened links (`bit.ly`, `t.co`, tracking URLs)
to see the real destination.
- **Security checks** — reveal where a suspicious link actually lands before
anyone clicks it.
- **Migration QA** — after a site move or replatform, confirm old URLs redirect
cleanly to their new homes with the fewest possible hops.
---
### Input
| Field | Type | Default | Description |
| ---------- | --------------- | ---------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| `mode` | select | `trace` | What to do. `trace` follows redirect chains. |
| `urls` | array of string | `["http://github.com","http://google.com"]` | Start URLs to trace. Missing `http://` is added. |
| `maxHops` | integer | `15` | Max redirects to follow per URL before stopping. |
| `maxItems` | integer | `200` (max `2000`) | Max number of URLs to process per run. |
#### Example input
```json
{
"mode": "trace",
"urls": ["http://github.com", "http://google.com"],
"maxHops": 15,
"maxItems": 200
}
````
***
### Output
One dataset item per URL:
```json
{
"url": "http://github.com",
"final_url": "https://github.com/",
"final_status": 200,
"hop_count": 1,
"redirected": true,
"chain": [
{ "url": "http://github.com", "status_code": 301, "location": "https://github.com/", "type": "http-301" },
{ "url": "https://github.com/", "status_code": 200, "location": null, "type": "http-200" }
],
"is_loop": false,
"source": "redirect-tracer",
"scraped_at": "2026-07-24T00:00:00Z"
}
```
| Field | Description |
| -------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `url` | The start URL you provided. |
| `final_url` | The final resolved URL after all hops. |
| `final_status` | HTTP status code of the final response. |
| `hop_count` | Number of redirects followed. |
| `redirected` | `true` if at least one redirect occurred. |
| `chain` | Ordered list of every hop: `url`, `status_code`, `location`, `type`. |
| `is_loop` | `true` if a redirect loop was detected. |
| `source` | Always `redirect-tracer`. |
| `scraped_at` | UTC timestamp of the trace. |
***
### Pricing
Pay-per-event via the Apify platform — approximately **$0.50 per 1,000 URLs**.
Lightweight HTTP requests, no proxy or browser needed.
***
### Related actors
- [Broken Link Checker](https://apify.com/ninhothedev/broken-link-checker)
- [Website Uptime Monitor](https://apify.com/ninhothedev/website-uptime-monitor)
- [HTTP Headers Inspector](https://apify.com/ninhothedev/http-headers-inspector)
- [Website Link Extractor](https://apify.com/ninhothedev/website-link-extractor)
***
### FAQ
**Does it follow meta-refresh and JavaScript redirects?**
Yes — `` redirects are detected and followed. Pure
client-side JS redirects are noted where the page exposes them; standard HTTP
and meta redirects are fully traced.
**What happens with a redirect loop?**
The actor detects loops and stops, setting `is_loop: true` so you can flag the
broken URL.
**Do I need an API key or proxy?**
No. Just provide URLs and run.
# Actor input Schema
## `mode` (type: `string`):
What the actor should do. 'trace' follows the redirect chain of each URL to its final destination.
## `urls` (type: `array`):
List of start URLs to trace. Each URL is followed hop-by-hop (301/302/307/308/meta-refresh) until it reaches a final 2xx page, a loop, or the max-hops limit. Missing http:// is added automatically.
## `maxHops` (type: `integer`):
Maximum number of redirects to follow per URL before stopping. Protects against redirect loops and very long chains.
## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):
Maximum number of URLs to process in a single run (safety cap). Extra URLs beyond this limit are ignored.
## Actor input object example
```json
{
"mode": "trace",
"urls": [
"http://github.com",
"http://google.com"
],
"maxHops": 15,
"maxItems": 200
}
```
# API
You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.
## JavaScript example
```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';
// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
token: '',
});
// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
"urls": [
"http://github.com",
"http://google.com"
]
};
// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("ninhothedev/redirect-chain-tracer").call(input);
// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
console.dir(item);
});
// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs
```
## Python example
```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient
# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("")
# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "urls": [
"http://github.com",
"http://google.com",
] }
# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("ninhothedev/redirect-chain-tracer").call(run_input=run_input)
# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"])
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
print(item)
# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start
```
## CLI example
```bash
echo '{
"urls": [
"http://github.com",
"http://google.com"
]
}' |
apify call ninhothedev/redirect-chain-tracer --silent --output-dataset
```
## MCP server setup
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"apify": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"mcp-remote",
"https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=ninhothedev/redirect-chain-tracer",
"--header",
"Authorization: Bearer "
]
}
}
}
```
## OpenAPI specification
```json
{
"openapi": "3.0.1",
"info": {
"title": "Redirect Chain Tracer - Follow Every Hop to Final URL",
"description": "$0.5/1K 🔥 Redirect chain tracer! Follow every hop (301/302/meta) from any URL to its final destination. No key. JSON, CSV, Excel or API in seconds. Audit redirects for SEO & security ⚡",
"version": "0.1",
"x-build-id": "W6qxxqnDeep74xaWj"
},
"servers": [
{
"url": "https://api.apify.com/v2"
}
],
"paths": {
"/acts/ninhothedev~redirect-chain-tracer/run-sync-get-dataset-items": {
"post": {
"operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-ninhothedev-redirect-chain-tracer",
"x-openai-isConsequential": false,
"summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.",
"tags": [
"Run Actor"
],
"requestBody": {
"required": true,
"content": {
"application/json": {
"schema": {
"$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
}
}
}
},
"parameters": [
{
"name": "token",
"in": "query",
"required": true,
"schema": {
"type": "string"
},
"description": "Enter your Apify token here"
}
],
"responses": {
"200": {
"description": "OK"
}
}
}
},
"/acts/ninhothedev~redirect-chain-tracer/runs": {
"post": {
"operationId": "runs-sync-ninhothedev-redirect-chain-tracer",
"x-openai-isConsequential": false,
"summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.",
"tags": [
"Run Actor"
],
"requestBody": {
"required": true,
"content": {
"application/json": {
"schema": {
"$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
}
}
}
},
"parameters": [
{
"name": "token",
"in": "query",
"required": true,
"schema": {
"type": "string"
},
"description": "Enter your Apify token here"
}
],
"responses": {
"200": {
"description": "OK",
"content": {
"application/json": {
"schema": {
"$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema"
}
}
}
}
}
}
},
"/acts/ninhothedev~redirect-chain-tracer/run-sync": {
"post": {
"operationId": "run-sync-ninhothedev-redirect-chain-tracer",
"x-openai-isConsequential": false,
"summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.",
"tags": [
"Run Actor"
],
"requestBody": {
"required": true,
"content": {
"application/json": {
"schema": {
"$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
}
}
}
},
"parameters": [
{
"name": "token",
"in": "query",
"required": true,
"schema": {
"type": "string"
},
"description": "Enter your Apify token here"
}
],
"responses": {
"200": {
"description": "OK"
}
}
}
}
},
"components": {
"schemas": {
"inputSchema": {
"type": "object",
"required": [
"mode"
],
"properties": {
"mode": {
"title": "Mode",
"enum": [
"trace"
],
"type": "string",
"description": "What the actor should do. 'trace' follows the redirect chain of each URL to its final destination.",
"default": "trace"
},
"urls": {
"title": "URLs",
"type": "array",
"description": "List of start URLs to trace. Each URL is followed hop-by-hop (301/302/307/308/meta-refresh) until it reaches a final 2xx page, a loop, or the max-hops limit. Missing http:// is added automatically.",
"items": {
"type": "string"
}
},
"maxHops": {
"title": "Max hops",
"minimum": 1,
"maximum": 50,
"type": "integer",
"description": "Maximum number of redirects to follow per URL before stopping. Protects against redirect loops and very long chains.",
"default": 15
},
"maxItems": {
"title": "Max items",
"minimum": 1,
"maximum": 2000,
"type": "integer",
"description": "Maximum number of URLs to process in a single run (safety cap). Extra URLs beyond this limit are ignored.",
"default": 200
}
}
},
"runsResponseSchema": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"data": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"id": {
"type": "string"
},
"actId": {
"type": "string"
},
"userId": {
"type": "string"
},
"startedAt": {
"type": "string",
"format": "date-time",
"example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z"
},
"finishedAt": {
"type": "string",
"format": "date-time",
"example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z"
},
"status": {
"type": "string",
"example": "READY"
},
"meta": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"origin": {
"type": "string",
"example": "API"
},
"userAgent": {
"type": "string"
}
}
},
"stats": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"inputBodyLen": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 2000
},
"rebootCount": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"restartCount": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"resurrectCount": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"computeUnits": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
}
}
},
"options": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"build": {
"type": "string",
"example": "latest"
},
"timeoutSecs": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 300
},
"memoryMbytes": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 1024
},
"diskMbytes": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 2048
}
}
},
"buildId": {
"type": "string"
},
"defaultKeyValueStoreId": {
"type": "string"
},
"defaultDatasetId": {
"type": "string"
},
"defaultRequestQueueId": {
"type": "string"
},
"buildNumber": {
"type": "string",
"example": "1.0.0"
},
"containerUrl": {
"type": "string"
},
"usage": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATASET_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATASET_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 1
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"PROXY_SERPS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
}
}
},
"usageTotalUsd": {
"type": "number",
"example": 0.00005
},
"usageUsd": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATASET_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATASET_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": {
"type": "number",
"example": 0.00005
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"PROXY_SERPS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
```