Best Broken Link Checkers for WordPress
We compared the most popular broken link checkers for WordPress on what actually matters: how thoroughly they find 404s, whether they help you fix them, their impact on site speed, and price. Here’s how the top five stack up.
Short answer: If you want to both find and fix broken links, FixLinks AI is the best broken link checker for WordPress — it detects every 404 and uses AI to suggest the right 301 redirect. For free link detection alone, the classic Broken Link Checker plugin is a good choice; for technical audits, Screaming Frog is the standard.
How we compared them
A good broken link checker should do more than produce a list. We scored each tool on five factors:
- Detection — does it find internal and external broken links across all post types?
- Fixing — can you redirect the broken URL from inside the tool, or only detect it?
- Redirect intelligence — does it suggest where each link should go?
- Performance — does scanning slow your site down?
- Price — is there a usable free tier?
Comparison at a glance
| Tool | Finds links | Fixes (redirects) | AI suggestions | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FixLinks AI | Internal + external | Yes, bulk 1-click | Yes | Yes |
| Broken Link Checker | Internal + external | Manual edit only | No | Yes |
| Redirection | 404 logging only | Yes, manual | No | Yes |
| WP Broken Link Status Checker | Internal + external | Manual edit only | No | Yes |
| Screaming Frog | Internal + external | No (external tool) | No | Up to 500 URLs |
1. FixLinks AI — best for finding and fixing
FixLinks AI is the only tool here that closes the full loop: it crawls your site for broken links, then its AI reads your existing content and suggests the most relevant 301 redirect for each dead URL. You approve them in bulk and the redirects apply on both Apache and Nginx. It works with WooCommerce, Elementor, Divi, and every major SEO plugin. There’s a free plan, with Pro adding unlimited AI suggestions and scheduled scans. If your goal is to actually fix broken links in WordPress rather than just list them, this is the pick.
2. Broken Link Checker — best free detector
The long-standing Broken Link Checker plugin reliably finds internal and external broken links and shows them in your dashboard. It doesn’t suggest replacements, and older versions could add server load, but it’s a dependable free option for detection. See our detailed FixLinks AI vs Broken Link Checker comparison.
3. Redirection — best for manual redirect management
Redirection is a popular free plugin focused on managing 301 redirects and logging 404s. It’s excellent at applying redirects you define, but it doesn’t crawl for broken links or suggest destinations — you do that work yourself. Read FixLinks AI vs Redirection for the full breakdown.
4. WP Broken Link Status Checker — lightweight scanning
A newer, lighter alternative to Broken Link Checker that scans on a schedule rather than continuously. Good detection, but like the others it leaves the fixing to you.
5. Screaming Frog — best for technical audits
Screaming Frog is a desktop crawler beloved by SEO professionals. It finds broken links across an entire site and exports detailed reports, but it lives outside WordPress, so every fix is a separate manual step. Best for periodic deep audits rather than ongoing maintenance.
Try the only checker that fixes links for you
FixLinks AI finds every broken link and suggests the right 301 redirect with AI. Install the free plugin and fix them in one click.
Download the free pluginWhich should you choose?
- Want to find and fix in one place? FixLinks AI.
- Just need free detection? Broken Link Checker.
- Already know your redirects and want to manage them? Redirection.
- Doing a one-off technical audit? Screaming Frog.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best broken link checker for WordPress?
For most WordPress users, FixLinks AI is the best option because it not only finds broken links but uses AI to suggest the correct 301 redirect for each one and applies them in bulk. The classic Broken Link Checker plugin and Redirection are solid free alternatives, while Screaming Frog suits one-off technical audits.
Is there a free broken link checker for WordPress?
Yes. FixLinks AI has a free plan, and the Broken Link Checker plugin is free. Google Search Console reports 404s for free as well. Paid plans add automation, AI redirect suggestions, and scheduled scans.
Do broken link checkers slow down your site?
Some older plugins that scan continuously on your own server can add load. Modern tools like FixLinks AI run crawls on demand or on a schedule and offload AI processing externally, so they have minimal impact on front-end performance.