A bulk status check answers one question: for each URL in this list, what does the server return right now? Status code, response time, whether it redirects, and where. It does not crawl your site, and it does not pull links out of a page. You already have the URLs.
That is a different job from "are the links on this page broken?" For links on one page, use the Broken Link Checker. For a pasted list—Search Console exports, sitemap rows, old migration URLs—use the Bulk Status Checker.
Bulk status check vs page-level broken-link check
People search for "bulk 404 checker" and "bulk URL checker" when they already hold a list. The bulk tool fits that intent: one URL per line, up to 200 per run, with status, timing, redirect target when present, content type, and issue flags. Export the full table or issues-only rows as CSV or filterable Excel.
The broken-link tool fits the other intent. You give it one page; it extracts the <a> links and checks those destinations. After a migration, run the bulk tool on the old URL list, then the broken-link tool on a few high-traffic templates for outbound links the list never included. Longer page-level walkthrough: broken link checker guide.
When a bulk status check helps
Site migration or redesign. Snapshot important old URLs before cutover, then paste the same list after. You want permanent redirects to the right replacements—not soft 302s to the homepage, and not leftover 404s on URLs that still get clicks. Pair with a site migration SEO checklist.
Search Console "Not found (404)" exports. Export the Not found rows, paste them here, sort by status. Some still 404; some already 301; some are 200 again.
Sitemap QA. Check sitemap URLs before you resubmit. Listed 404s or redirecting URLs waste crawl requests.
Backlink or campaign lists. Old landing pages, affiliate destinations, or URLs other sites still link to—confirm each still answers and redirects to the right place.
How to run the Bulk Status Checker
- Open the Bulk Status Checker. Free, no login.
- Paste one URL per line. Cap is 200 per run (not 1,000, not unlimited). Split longer lists into batches.
- Prefer full
https://URLs. Lines without a protocol are tried ashttp://. - Run the check. Each URL gets a HEAD request, GET fallback on 405 or 501, and up to about 10 seconds.
- Read the summary first: total, 2xx OK, redirects, errors/fails, average response time. Then sort or filter.
- Export: full CSV, issues-only CSV, full Excel, or issues-only Excel.
What it does not do: crawl the site, extract links from a page, walk redirect chains hop by hop, or detect redirect loops. It reports the first response and shows the redirect target when present. For hop paths use the Redirect Chain Checker; for links on one page use the Broken Link Checker.
How to read the status codes
Google's notes on HTTP status codes and crawling help while you triage. Most 4xx responses mean the content is not available to the crawler. Soft 404s (a 200 that looks like an error page) are out of scope here—the tool reads status, not page content.
2xx (usually 200). Success. If you expected a redirect after a rename, a 200 on the old path may mean the redirect never shipped.
301 and 308. Permanent redirect, with the target shown. Often what you want in migration QA if the target is right. Update internal links to the final URL when you can.
302 and 307. Temporary redirect—warning to check intent. After a permanent move, convert lingering 302/307 to 301/308.
404. Not found. Map with a 301 to a relevant replacement, or leave 404/410 if the content is gone for good.
410. Gone, often intentional. Flagged as informational rather than a plain error. Confirm that is what you meant.
Other 4xx (401, 403, and similar). Access refused or blocked. Sometimes bot blocking—open a few in a browser before rewriting redirects from the automated result alone.
5xx. Server error. Fix yours first. One flaky 500 can be a hiccup; the same URL failing across re-runs is real.
Slow responses. Warning over about 3 seconds, error over about 5.
Plain http. Warning. Prefer https on pasted URLs and destinations.
A worked example (hypothetical migration list)
Say you paste 200 old blog and product URLs after a CMS move. A plausible summary:
- 170 × 200 — live where expected
- 18 × 301 — redirects to the intended replacements
- 4 × 302 — temporary redirects that should probably be permanent
- 6 × 404 — old slugs with no map yet
- 2 × 500 — a staging API URL still linked from an old campaign page
Export issues-only Excel, filter to 5xx and 404, ticket each group. Re-paste the same 200 after fixes. Done when non-200 rows are only intentional permanent redirects (and deliberate 410s).
If a 301 target redirects again, the bulk tool still shows the first hop and immediate target—not the full chain. Use the Redirect Chain Checker for every hop.
Fix in this order
- 5xx on URLs you control. Restore the endpoint or remove the link.
- 404s with a clear replacement. Add a 301/308 to the closest relevant page—not the homepage dump that can look like a soft 404.
- Intentional removals. Leave 404, or return 410 when the page is gone for good.
- Temporary redirects that should be permanent. Convert lingering 302/307 to 301/308 after a real migration.
- Update source links. Point internal links and sitemaps at final URLs once redirects are correct.
- Slow and plain-http rows. Fix slow hosts; standardize on https.
Mistakes that waste time
Expecting one run for a huge list. Limit is 200 per run. Batch it.
Omitting https://. Bare lines are tried as http://—warnings you created yourself.
Treating it as a crawler. It only checks pasted URLs.
Assuming redirect-loop detection. It does not walk chains or flag loops. Use the redirect chain tool.
Redirecting every 404 to the homepage. Map to a relevant page or leave a real 404/410.
Fixing body links when the list is old server paths. A Search Console 404 export is about those URLs' status. Use the broken-link tool for links on a page.
Checking once after migration. Re-run the critical list after cutover, after the first week, and when Not found spikes again.
FAQ
What is a bulk status checker?
A tool that requests each URL in a pasted list and reports its HTTP status code, response time, redirect target when present, and related issue flags. Scrawl's version checks up to 200 URLs per run and exports CSV or Excel.
How do I run a bulk 404 check?
Export the URLs you care about (Search Console Not found rows, a sitemap, or a migration spreadsheet), paste one per line into the Bulk Status Checker, and filter or export the 404 rows.
How many URLs can I check at once?
Up to 200 per run. Split longer lists into batches of 200.
Does the Bulk Status Checker crawl my website?
No. It only checks the URLs you paste. It does not extract links from a page and does not spider the site.
Does it follow redirect chains or detect loops?
No. It reports the first response and shows the redirect target when the first response is a redirect. For hop-by-hop chains, use the Redirect Chain Checker.
What is the difference between this and the Broken Link Checker?
Bulk status checks a list you already have. The Broken Link Checker fetches one page and checks the links found on that page. See also the broken link checker guide.
Why do I see a warning on http URLs?
Plain http is flagged because https is the safer default. Prefer pasting https:// URLs and fixing destinations that still answer only on http.
Should every 404 become a 301?
Only when there is a relevant replacement. If the content is gone for good, a 404 or 410 is the honest answer.
Is the Bulk Status Checker free?
Yes. No login. Paste a list and run it.
Where can I read more about status codes and crawling?
Google's documentation on HTTP status codes and network errors explains how different codes affect crawling and indexing.