301 vs 302 Redirects: What's the Difference and Why It Matters for SEO

If you've ever moved a page, changed a domain, or fixed a broken URL, you've probably dealt with redirects. But not all redirects are equal — and using the wrong type can quietly drain your search rankings without you even noticing.

This guide explains the difference between 301 and 302 redirects, when to use each one, and how to check what redirects are happening on any website right now.

What Is a URL Redirect?

A redirect tells a browser (and search engines) that a page has moved. When someone visits the old URL, they're automatically sent to the new one. From a user's perspective it's seamless — the page just loads. But behind the scenes, the type of redirect you use sends very different signals to Google.

What Is a 301 Redirect?

A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect. It tells search engines: "This page has moved permanently to a new URL. Please update your index and transfer any ranking signals to the new address."

When to use a 301:

• Moving a page to a new, permanent URL
• Migrating your entire website to a new domain
• Merging two pages into one
• Fixing a URL structure (e.g. removing /old-category/ from URLs)
• Redirecting HTTP to HTTPS

The key SEO benefit of a 301 is that it passes link equity — also called "link juice" — from the old URL to the new one. If the old page had backlinks, a 301 ensures those backlinks continue helping your rankings at the new URL.

What Is a 302 Redirect?

A 302 redirect is a temporary redirect. It tells search engines: "This page has temporarily moved. Keep the original URL in your index — we might bring it back."

When to use a 302:

• Running a short-term promotional page
• A/B testing an alternate version of a page
• Temporarily redirecting during maintenance
• Displaying region-specific content temporarily

The critical difference: a 302 does not fully transfer link equity. Google keeps the original URL in its index and doesn't permanently associate the ranking signals with the destination URL.

The Common Mistake That Hurts SEO

The most frequent redirect mistake is using a 302 when you should use a 301. This happens more than you'd think — some website builders and CMS plugins default to 302, even for permanent page moves.

If you permanently moved a page but used a 302, Google may continue indexing the old URL (which no longer has content) while the new URL builds authority slowly from scratch. You're essentially splitting your ranking signals between two URLs.

What Are Redirect Chains and Why Are They a Problem?

A redirect chain happens when URL A redirects to URL B, which redirects to URL C, which redirects to URL D. Each extra hop in the chain:

• Slows down page load time — each redirect adds latency
• Dilutes link equity — some ranking power is lost at each step
• Can confuse search engine crawlers
• Creates a poor user experience on slow connections

Ideally, every redirect should go directly from the old URL to the final destination in a single hop.

How to Check Redirects on Any Website

You can check what redirects a URL is using — including the full redirect chain — with a free redirect checker tool. Simply enter any URL and the tool will show you every hop in the chain, the HTTP status code at each step (301, 302, 307, etc.), and the final destination URL.

This is useful for:

• Auditing your own site after a migration
• Checking if old backlinks are properly redirected
• Investigating competitor URL structures
• Diagnosing slow page load issues caused by redirect chains

Check URL Redirects Free →

301 vs 302 at a Glance

Key Takeaways

Always use a 301 redirect when permanently moving a page or domain. Reserve 302 redirects for genuinely temporary situations. Audit your redirect setup regularly — especially after site migrations — to catch chains, loops, and wrong redirect types before they damage your rankings.