Sitemap checker — find and validate any XML sitemap

Enter a website or a sitemap address. We find the sitemap through robots.txt, check the XML against the sitemap protocol, count the URLs, open sitemap indexes and test whether the first 20 pages listed actually load. Free, no sign-up.

Reads robots.txt

Validates XML and limits

Tests the URLs listed

Sitemap validator

What a good sitemap looks like

The sitemap protocol is short and strict. Search engines forgive a lot, but a sitemap full of redirects, 404s or broken XML gets read less often and trusted less. These are the rules the checker tests.

1

Found where expected

Listed in robots.txt with a Sitemap: line, or at a standard address. Submitted in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.

2

Valid XML, within limits

UTF-8, the sitemaps.org namespace, a <urlset> or <sitemapindex> root, at most 50,000 URLs and 50 MB per file, and special characters escaped.

3

Only real, final pages

Full https addresses on your own domain that load with 200 OK — no redirects, 404s, noindex or duplicate pages — with honest lastmod dates.

A minimal valid sitemap

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
  <url>
    <loc>https://www.example.in/</loc>
    <lastmod>2026-10-16</lastmod>
  </url>
  <url>
    <loc>https://www.example.in/about-us</loc>
  </url>
</urlset>

Google ignores <changefreq> and <priority>, so you can leave them out. It does use <lastmod> when the dates are consistently accurate.

Sitemaps on WordPress

WordPress has made /wp-sitemap.xml on its own since version 5.5. SEO plugins replace it with their own index (Yoast SEO and Rank Math at /sitemap_index.xml). If the checker finds nothing, check that Settings → Reading → "Discourage search engines" is off.

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Sitemap checker FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Still unsure? Message us on WhatsApp at +91 94343 44325, or open a ticket from your client area.

What is an XML sitemap?

An XML sitemap is a file, usually at /sitemap.xml, that lists the pages on your site you want search engines to find, with optional dates they last changed. It does not make pages rank, but it helps Google and Bing discover new and updated pages faster, especially on new sites with few links.

Where do I find my sitemap?

Type your domain into the checker and it looks for you: first in robots.txt (the Sitemap: line), then at /sitemap.xml, /sitemap_index.xml and /wp-sitemap.xml. WordPress makes /wp-sitemap.xml on its own; Yoast SEO uses /sitemap_index.xml and Rank Math /sitemap_index.xml too.

What does the sitemap validator check?

That the file is well-formed XML; that it uses the sitemaps.org namespace and a <urlset> or <sitemapindex> root; that every entry has a full <loc> address on the same site; that dates, changefreq and priority values are valid; the 50,000-URL and 50 MB limits; duplicates; and, by loading the first 20 URLs, whether the pages listed actually work.

What is a sitemap index?

A sitemap that lists other sitemaps instead of pages. Large sites and most SEO plugins split URLs into several files (posts, pages, categories, products) and list them in one index. The checker opens the first 3 child sitemaps and tests URLs from them.

Should my sitemap include every page?

No. List only pages you want in search results: canonical addresses that load with 200 OK. Leave out redirects, 404s, noindex pages, login and cart pages, and duplicate versions with tracking parameters. A clean sitemap is a stronger signal than a big one.

How do I submit my sitemap to Google?

In Google Search Console, open Sitemaps, paste the sitemap address and click Submit. Also add a Sitemap: line to robots.txt, which Bing and other search engines read. Google retired its old "ping" address in 2023, so robots.txt and Search Console are the two ways now.

Is the sitemap checker free?

Yes, with no sign-up and nothing stored. Each visitor can run a limited number of checks in any 10 minutes. Building a site? HostKarle WordPress hosting starts at ₹99 a month on a yearly plan, and WordPress makes its sitemap automatically.

WordPress hosting from ₹99 a month.

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More free SEO tools: Keyword density checker · Broken link checker · Canonical tag checker · OG tags generator · Favicon checker · Hosting checker · WHOIS lookup