Top 5 Redirection Tools

URL redirect tools are useful for a number of reasons. They assist in guiding site visitors from one URL to another. Redirects make website migration smoother, minimize 404 errors and help track the performance of technical aspects of your site. They can also be used to set up vanity URLs. From an SEO perspective, URL redirects help preserve link equity, avoid broken links, facilitate restructuring and make it easier to handle mobile-specific or localized content.

Managing redirects is complicated but necessary. A redirect can be set up by editing the .htaccess files, but this can present problems and the smallest mistake can bring down your SEO rankings. For this reason, most businesses prefer to use a URL redirect manager. Given the benefits of these tools, it’s no surprise that there are plenty of options available. Here’s a quick overview of the features a redirection tool should have and the top 5 URL redirection tools available.

What to look for in a Redirection tool

URL redirection tools make it easy for businesses to drive traffic from one URL to another with minimal technical expertise. Some of the features a redirection tool should have include:

Ability to handle all types of redirection

Redirections can be permanent or temporary. Permanent redirects are required when businesses want site visitors to be permanently redirected to a new URL. The old page is not expected to be displayed again. Temporary redirects or server-side redirects are useful when a page is to be redirected only for a short time.

In some cases, you would need to redirect links within the same domain. At other times, the domain name between the source and destination URLs may be completely different.

When comparing redirection tools, you must ensure that they can handle all types of redirects.

Unlimited usage

The number of URL redirects permitted is one of the key differentiators for redirection tools. If it’s just a landing page, limits won’t matter much. But, the more pages you have on a domain, the more redirects you may need. It would be impractical to find a new tool every time you need additional redirects. Hence, look for redirection tool subscriptions that offer unlimited usage.

Ease of usage

Redirection tools must be easy to use by anyone even if they do not have any coding experience. The simpler it is to set up and manage a redirection, the better it is. Ideally, it should be a simple form where users need to enter only the source and destination URLs.

Affordable pricing

While some URL redirection tools offer a free account or a free trial, others offer paid subscription plans. The latter is usually better since it provides access to a wider range of features. As would be expected, the subscription fee is often proportional to the number of features included. Hence, look at the features offered, prioritize the ones you need over optional features and pick a subscription plan that offers you the most value for money.

The top 5 redirection tools

Based on the features offered, here’s a quick look at the top 5 redirection tools in the market.

redirection.io

redirection.io is a well-established web traffic redirection manager. It is the ideal SaaS solution for SEO specialists and is popular with businesses of all sizes. It is known for its reliability, speed and ease of use.

redirection.io allows businesses to optimize their website traffic, maintain SEO efficiency and deliver good user experiences. Some of the features setting it apart include:

  • It can be used on live websites: redirection.io has a wide scope of usage. In addition to vanity URLs, it can be used to redirect URLs on working websites. It is not necessary to redirect URLs to different domains – you can set up redirects within the same domain if required. You can also choose to redirect individual pages while the remaining pages continue to function as they were. This is helpful when you need to fix 404 errors.

  • It provides real-time traffic logs: redirection.io gives users a real-time view of all website traffic along with insights into possible errors. Filters make the logs easier to navigate and assess. This helps identify bottlenecks and make changes in real-time to optimize the user experience.

  • It comes with website crawler: redirection.io makes it easy for businesses to audit their websites with a full-featured crawler. As it crawls through a website, this tool collects 60+ indicators for each page and provides information-rich insights on content, page structure and technical aspects.

  • It has testing capabilities: Apart from being complicated, the problem with editing .htaccess files to create redirects is the inability to test the code before it is launched. This is another place Redirection.io can come in for support. You can set up simple or complex redirection rules and test the impact on real-life traffic before applying the new ruleset.

  • It provides good value for the price: redirection.io provides an extensive range of redirection capabilities and extra features included in their subscription price, making it more effective than many other solutions available on the market today. They provide a free plan and a 15-day free trial to the Starter plan priced at €20 per month and a customizable Pro plan.

EasyRedir

EasyRedir is a URL redirect manager used by startups, IT firms and creative teams across industries. It provides easy URL redirection and a dashboard that simplifies work for IT teams while making sure websites stay secure and compliant. EasyRedir plans vary in terms of the number of redirect groups and team members permitted as well as the number and type of features included. These include:

  • Automatic HTTPS protection: All plans are inclusive of automatic HTTPS protection. With this feature, once the DNS changes are confirmed, provisions for SSL/TLS certificates are automated to keep all redirects secure. EasyRedir also automates certificate renewal 30 days before it expires.

  • Redirect analytics: URL redirect analytics are included in all plans except the base plan. However, the duration analyzed varies from plan to plan. EasyRedir subscribers to these plans can view interactive charts and reports on the performance of their redirects, traffic breakdown, visitor locations and so on.

  • API integration: The EasyRedir URL redirection API allows web developers and IT departments to integrate this URL redirection interface with their existing infrastructure. It also allows teams to track API keys in use and control access to EasyRedir data.

  • QR code generator: EasyRedir allows users to generate and download unique QR codes from a source URL and redirect them as needed.

On the flip side, EasyRedir does not offer a free plan and has subscription fees ranging from $14.95 per month to $249 per month. It also does not permit partial URL redirection or URL redirects from websites currently serving content.

SiteDetour

SiteDetour is a URL redirect service designed to help businesses easily host 301 and 302 HTTP redirects for their domains. It is well suited to individuals as well as small and medium-sized businesses. Subscribers get control over redirects with automated HTTPS support, access to traffic statistics and path + query-string redirection rules. Some of the features that make this tool popular are:

  • Flexible redirects: SiteDetour users can set up permanent or temporary URL redirects as required to ensure site visitors are always directed to relevant content.

  • Customizable QR codes: Users can customize dynamic QR codes and set up redirects based on the visitor’s time, location, device, etc.

  • Track capabilities: Redirects are commonly used for landing pages used for marketing campaigns. In such cases, businesses need to be able to track visitors and other metrics. SiteDetour offers real-time tracking capabilities to aid with this.

It is a popular redirection tool, but it does not offer a free plan. The Personal and Professional plans have limitations for the number of domain names it can be used on and QR codes. Also, the Personal plan does not include 24-hour support.

Redirect Pizza

Redirect.pizza is a SaaS platform focused on helping businesses manage redirects with minimal technical knowledge. It provides full HTTPS support and API compatibility. It can also be used to automatically forward emails from multiple email addresses to a single account. Redirect.pizza has multiple POPs located in 21 cities across the world that enable a quick redirection. Subscribers can also access insightful reports and analytics. Some of the key features offered by this tool include:

  • Automatic HTTP: Redirect.pizza has an automated HTTPS service that allows users to implement SSL/TLS certificates with just a few clicks. This minimizes the errors a user may experience and improves the overall website experience.

  • Path forwarding: Users can enable path forwarding for a smooth migration experience. This maintains the original path and thus keeps the SEO score intact.

  • API integration: The RedirectPizza API integration allows users to create, list, update and delete redirects as required by using the existing infrastructure and solutions. It also simplifies the integration and management of all domains, redirects and email forwards.

  • Multiple plans: Redirect.pizza gives subscribers a choice between 4 structured plans and a customized option. Pricing for the paid structured plans ranges from €10.35 per month to about €203 per month.

In terms of negatives, some redirect.pizza reviews mention finding errors in DNS records.

FreeDirector.io

FreeDirector.io is a versatile tool that helps businesses redirect domains to a specific URL. It can be used for a subdomain or a domain apex redirection as well as domain consolidation and domain parking. Some of the other features offered include:

  • Easy-to-use interface: FreeDirector.io allows users with minimal technical coding skills to set up and maintain URL redirects over unlimited domains and subdomains.

  • Traffic graphs: FreeDirector advanced plan subscribers can access traffic graphs to understand visitor statistics and website performance. However, this is limited to 30 days for the Standard plan and 90 days for the Professional plan. It is not available with the Lite plan.

  • Low costs: FreeDirector has 2 free plans and a paid subscription plan priced at $4.99 per month. This makes it affordable for startups and small businesses with limited redirection requirements.

However, before subscribing to FreeDirector.io, you must note that it can be used for limited domains and subdomains and only offers 301 and 302 redirections.

Selecting the best redirection tool for you

Having a website is no longer a brand differentiator – almost all brands have one. It is the user experience provided through the website that matters more. Error messages like ‘page not found’ are frustrating and can lead customers away from your brand. Hence the need for a dependable way to redirect URLs. Picking the right tool is critical.

redirection.io provides fool-proof URL redirection as well as a range of other value-added services. You can audit your website to find broken links before they affect your customers and test redirects before they go live. On top of it all, you can dive into traffic analytics and keep an eye on website performance before and after URL redirects.

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