As a developer, I frequently encounter redirects, including SEO audits, tracking broken links, debugging migrations, and verifying campaign URLs, among other tasks. There are already a few Chrome extensions that show redirect chains, but after using them for some time, I felt they were missing many things that I actually needed in real work.
Most redirect checker extensions only show basic information. Some work only in a popup, some require manual URL input, and many of them close automatically when you move to the next page. Over time, this became frustrating. So instead of adjusting my workflow to the tools, I decided to build my own.
That’s how RedirectWise was born.
The Problem With Existing Redirect Extensions
Many redirect tools do one thing well: they tell you if a redirect exists. But in real scenarios, that’s not enough.
Here are some common problems I faced:
- No redirect history, once you close the popup, the data is gone
- No realtime tracking while browsing
- Limited or no export options
- Popup UI that auto closes, making continuous checks impossible
- No easy way to analyze redirects for SEO impact
These tools are fine for quick checks, but not for serious debugging or audits.
What RedirectWise Tries to Fix
RedirectWise is built around real usage, not just checking a single URL.
RealTime Redirect Tracking
RedirectWise captures redirects while you browse normally. You don’t need to paste URLs or click extra buttons. Just open a page, and the redirect chain is recorded automatically.
History Dashboard
Instead of losing data, RedirectWise keeps a history of redirects. You can go back, review older entries, filter them, and understand patterns. This is especially useful when working on large sites or repeated tests.
Export Options That Actually Help
I added export features because I needed them myself. You can export redirect data as:
- Text
- CSV
This is helpful for reports, sharing with clients, or saving audit results.
Realtime UI (Not Just a Popup)
Popup-based extensions close automatically, which breaks the flow. RedirectWise supports a persistent interface so you can monitor redirects live without interruption.
SEO-Friendly Insights
RedirectWise doesn’t just show redirects; it helps you understand them. It gives insights that are useful for SEO, like redirect chains, status codes, and overall health.
Clean UI With Dark Mode
This may sound small, but it matters. A simple UI with dark mode makes long debugging sessions easier on the eyes.
Why It’s Open Source
I made RedirectWise open source because I believe tools like this should be transparent and community driven. Anyone can review the code, suggest improvements, or build new features on top of it.
I also wanted other developers to learn from it, whether it’s Chrome extension architecture, background listeners, or UI handling.
Try RedirectWise
RedirectWise is available on the Chrome Web Store and Microsoft Edge, and since it’s built for Chromium browsers, you can also use it on Brave, Opera, and other Chromium-based browsers.
You can learn more and download it from the official site:
RedirectWise
RedirectWise is also on Product Hunt, if you like the extension, feel free to upvote it so others can find it too:
Product Hunt
Final Thoughts
RedirectWise started as a personal solution to a daily problem. I didn’t want a “perfect” tool; I wanted something practical that works the way developers and SEO people actually work.
If you’ve ever felt limited by redirect checker extensions, RedirectWise might help. And if you’re a developer, you’re always welcome to contribute or suggest improvements.
This project is still evolving, and I’m actively improving it based on real usage and feedback.
If you’d like to check out my other experiments and tools, you can find them on my site:
Gauravlabs
Thanks for reading ✌️
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