HSTS/HTTPS & Canonical Checker – Free SEO Technical Audit Tool

One of the most common technical SEO issues that websites face is related to HTTPS implementation and canonical tags.

  • Without proper HTTPS setup, your site may expose users to security risks.

  • Without correct canonical tags, search engines may treat your pages as duplicate content.

To help webmasters, SEO specialists, and developers, we built the HSTS/HTTPS & Canonical Checker – a free tool that instantly tests your website’s security headers and canonical configuration.

Why HTTPS & HSTS Matter

HTTPS for Security & Trust

  • Ensures that all communication between the browser and the server is encrypted.

  • Boosts user trust with the padlock icon in the browser.

  • Improves SEO rankings, as Google favors HTTPS-enabled sites.

HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security)

  • Forces browsers to use HTTPS automatically.

  • Protects against protocol downgrade attacks.

  • Supports preload lists for even stronger security.

Why Canonical Tags Are Important

Avoid Duplicate Content

  • Canonical tags tell search engines which version of a page is the “master copy.”

  • Prevents ranking dilution caused by duplicate URLs.

Better Indexing

  • Helps Google index the correct URL.

  • Consolidates signals such as backlinks to the preferred page.

Key Features of the Checker

🔍 HTTPS Analysis

  • Tests if your site is accessible over HTTPS.

  • Checks whether the HTTP version correctly redirects to HTTPS.

🛡️ HSTS Evaluation

  • Detects if the Strict-Transport-Security header is present.

  • Reports max-age, includeSubDomains, and preload values.

🔗 Canonical Tag Checker

  • Detects canonical tags in your HTML.

  • Validates whether they are:

    • Self-referencing.

    • Cross-domain.

    • Using HTTPS.

  • Flags multiple or missing canonical tags.

Example: How It Works

Suppose you test the domain:

https://example.com

👉 The tool will return:

  • HTTPS: Status 200 ✅

  • HTTP → HTTPS: Redirects to https://example.com with 301 ✅

  • HSTS: Present, max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload 🟢

  • Canonical: <link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/"> → Self-referencing ✅

If your site fails one of these checks, you’ll instantly know what to fix.

When Should You Use This Tool?

  • During SEO audits → ensure technical SEO best practices are followed.

  • After SSL/TLS installation → verify HTTPS and HSTS are set up correctly.

  • Before site migrations → confirm canonical tags are pointing to the correct URLs.

  • Ongoing monitoring → regularly check for security and indexing issues.

Conclusion

The HSTS/HTTPS & Canonical Checker is a must-have tool for anyone serious about technical SEO.
It helps you:

  • Secure your website with HTTPS and HSTS.

  • Ensure canonical tags prevent duplicate content issues.

  • Improve both search engine rankings and user trust.

👉 Try the tool today and make sure your website is secure, optimized, and SEO-friendly!