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Hreflang Checker

Inventory alternate language links, validate tags, and sample return-tag reciprocity for international SEO.

Free · API · MCPToolYour platform

Use Hreflang Checker three ways

The free Hreflang Checker on this page works in your browser. The same workflow is available via REST API for apps and via MCP for Cursor, Claude, and other agents — one API key, one plan, one quota. This tool is part of the seo-apis module under Digital Tools.

  • Free in browserUse Hreflang Checker here — no account required.
  • REST APICall from your server with X-Api-Key.
  • MCP for agentsConnect Cursor or Claude to ToolYour MCP with the same key.
  • 1. Get an API keySign in and open Dashboard → API Keys (works for REST and MCP).
  • 2. Call or connectUse the REST API from your server, or paste the MCP URL into your agent config.
  • 3. Same qualityOutput matches the free web tool across all three surfaces.
Manage API keysMCP setupAPI referenceCreate free account

What is Hreflang Checker?

International pages fail quietly when hreflang tags are missing, invalid, duplicated, or not reciprocated. Search systems need a clear language/region map so the right locale ranks in the right market.

This Hreflang Checker fetches a public URL, inventories rel=alternate hreflang links, flags invalid BCP-47-style tags, duplicates, missing x-default, and whether the page references itself. It also samples a capped set of alternate URLs to verify return tags. No generative AI — HTML parse and HTTP checks only.

Use it before launching multi-locale templates, after CMS i18n plugin changes, and when Search Console international targeting looks wrong.

What are common questions about Hreflang Checker?

What does this hreflang checker validate?

It inventories alternate hreflang links, checks tag format, duplicates, x-default, self-reference, and samples return tags on alternate URLs.

Does it crawl every language version?

No. Return-tag checks are capped (depth/time limits) so the report stays fast and reliable.

Is x-default required?

Not always, but for multi-language sites a x-default fallback is strongly recommended.

Are HTTP Link headers checked?

v1 focuses on HTML link tags. Header-based hreflang may be incomplete.

Who should run this?

Intl SEO, developers, and localization teams after locale URL or CMS i18n changes.

Does a clean report guarantee rankings?

No. Correct hreflang helps targeting; rankings still depend on content, links, and indexing.

What are the key features of Hreflang Checker?

Alternate inventory

Lists hreflang values and absolute href targets.

Tag validation

Flags empty or invalid language/region tags.

Duplicate detection

Surfaces repeated hreflang values on one page.

x-default check

Notes missing default locale fallback.

Sampled return tags

Fetches a capped set of alternates for reciprocity.

No LLM

Deterministic fetch/parse only.

How do you use Hreflang Checker?

Paste a locale page URL

Use a public HTTPS URL that should declare alternates.

Review findings

Fix invalid tags, duplicates, missing x-default, and return gaps.

Re-check after CMS deploy

Confirm reciprocity across a few key locales.

Why return tags matter

Each language URL should point back to the others. One-way hreflang sets confuse locale selection. This tool samples return tags so you can catch broken pairs without a full site crawl.

Scope

HTML link[rel=alternate][hreflang] plus capped alternate fetches. Sitemap-only hreflang maps are out of scope for v1.

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