- Free, no sign-up
- Sitemap index and .gz supported
- Tests the URLs too
Free XML Sitemap Validator
Check a sitemap or sitemap index the way Google reads it: XML errors, limits, lastmod and duplicates, then a sample of its URLs for 404s, redirects, noindex and robots.txt blocks. Paste a URL, a domain, or the XML.
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A domain works too: we read robots.txt for the Sitemap line, then try /sitemap.xml, /sitemap_index.xml and /wp-sitemap.xml.
Reads the file the way Google does, follows a sitemap index into its children, and says what Search Console would report.
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How to use it
Validate a sitemap in three steps
Paste the sitemap URL, or just the domain
We read robots.txt for the Sitemap line, then try /sitemap.xml, /sitemap_index.xml and /wp-sitemap.xml. For a staging site or a file behind a login, paste the XML instead.
Click Validate sitemap
We fetch the file the way Google does, follow a sitemap index into each child, check the XML and the rules, and test a sample of 25 listed URLs for status, redirects, noindex, canonical and robots.txt.
Read the report and fix in order
Errors first (Google rejects the file), then warnings (crawl budget). The report says what Search Console would show and where in the file each problem is, lists the children of an index, and tables the sampled URLs. Download the CSV of URLs for a crawler or a ticket.
Built forSite ownersWordPress usersDevelopersSEO specialistsMigrations
What it checks
What the XML sitemap validator checks
Fetch and discovery
Status code, redirects, Content-Type and robots.txt for the sitemap URL itself. A domain is resolved via robots.txt and the usual paths; .gz and text sitemaps are read.
XML and the spec
Bytes before the declaration, encoding, well-formed XML with the first error's line, urlset or sitemapindex root, the sitemaps.org namespace, a loc in every entry.
lastmod, priority, changefreq
W3C datetime format, dates in the future, every date identical (a build-time generator), and a note that Google ignores priority and changefreq.
Limits, duplicates, hosts
Progress toward 50,000 URLs and 50 MB per file, duplicate URLs and slash variants, tracking parameters, http on an https sitemap, URLs on another host.
Sitemap index
Each child fetched, parsed and counted in a table. The URL sample is drawn across all children, not just the first.
The URLs themselves
A sample of 25 URLs spread across the file: status, redirect target, noindex (meta and header), canonical mismatch, robots.txt block. Send 10 to the HTTP Status Checker for the full chain.
robots.txt both ways
Is this sitemap announced in robots.txt, and does robots.txt block the sitemap or any listed URL for Googlebot.
hreflang in the sitemap
When xhtml:link entries exist: valid language codes, self entries, x-default, and return links within the file.
Quick answer
What is an XML sitemap validator?
An XML sitemap validator reads a sitemap.xml or sitemap index the way Google does and reports what would stop it: XML that does not parse, a missing namespace or loc tag, relative or foreign-host URLs, bad lastmod dates, duplicates, and files over 50,000 URLs or 50 MB. A good one also tests the listed URLs, because a sitemap that parses but points at 404s, redirects and noindex pages still wastes Google's crawl.
Search Console errors
What Search Console's sitemap errors mean
Google only reports after you submit, and gives one line. These are the five people search for, and what our result shows for each.
| Search Console says | What it means | What we show |
|---|---|---|
| Couldn't fetch | The URL did not return the file: 404, 5xx, a redirect loop, robots.txt blocking it, or a slow server. | Stage 1: the status code, redirect chain and robots.txt rule for the sitemap URL itself. |
| Sitemap could not be read | The file came back but is not XML Google can parse: HTML instead of XML, a BOM or whitespace before <?xml, a broken tag. | Stage 2: the bytes before the declaration, the Content-Type, and the first parse error with its line. |
| URL not allowed | A listed URL is on another host, protocol or path than the sitemap, so Google will not trust it. | Each foreign-host, http-vs-https and relative URL, with examples. |
| Invalid XML tag / Invalid date | An element Google does not know, or a lastmod that is not W3C datetime. | The tag or date and the valid form. |
| Sitemap is HTML | The URL returns a web page (often a 404 page with status 200). | Stage 2 names it and shows the first lines of what came back. |
Limits
Sitemap limits and rules
| Rule | Limit | If you are over |
|---|---|---|
| URLs per sitemap file | 50,000 | Split into several files and list them in a sitemap index. |
| File size, uncompressed | 50 MB | Split, or gzip the file (the uncompressed limit still applies). |
| Sitemaps per index | 50,000 | Rarely reached; nest another index. |
| URL length | 2,048 characters | Shorten the URL. |
| lastmod format | YYYY-MM-DD or full W3C datetime with timezone | Fix the generator; never write the build time for every URL. |
| priority, changefreq | Optional | Google ignores both; leave them out or keep them, it makes no difference. |
A valid sitemap, to compare against:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
<url><loc>https://example.com/</loc><lastmod>2026-10-12</lastmod></url>
</urlset>FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if my sitemap is valid?
Paste its URL here. If it parses, lists only final https URLs on the same host, has real lastmod dates and stays under the limits, Google will read it. Then submit it in Search Console under Indexing > Sitemaps and watch the Sitemaps report.
Why does Search Console say "Couldn't fetch"?
Google could not get the file: the URL 404s, the server errored or timed out, robots.txt blocks it, or it redirects in a loop. Our first stage shows the exact status and redirect chain for the sitemap URL.
Why does Search Console say "Sitemap could not be read"?
The file came back but is not XML Google can parse. The usual causes: an HTML page (a login or 404 page with status 200), a byte-order mark or whitespace before the XML declaration (a WordPress plugin echoing a space), or a broken tag. We show the bytes before the declaration and the first parse error with its line.
What is the sitemap size limit?
50,000 URLs and 50 MB uncompressed per file. Larger sites split into several files listed in a sitemap index. The index itself may list up to 50,000 sitemaps.
What format does lastmod need?
W3C datetime: YYYY-MM-DD, or the full form with time and timezone such as 2026-10-12T09:30:00+05:30. Google uses lastmod only when it is accurate; a generator that writes the same timestamp on every URL gets ignored.
Does Google use priority and changefreq?
No. Google has said it ignores both. They do no harm, so you can leave them in, but they will not change crawling.
Can I put noindex pages, redirects or 404s in the sitemap?
No. A sitemap should list final, canonical, indexable URLs that return 200. Redirected URLs should be replaced with their targets, noindex pages removed, and 404s removed.
What is a sitemap index?
A sitemap of sitemaps: a file that lists other sitemap files. WordPress, Yoast and Rank Math produce one at /sitemap_index.xml or /wp-sitemap.xml. Submit the index, not each child.
Do I need to list the sitemap in robots.txt?
It is the easiest way for every search engine and AI crawler to find it: add a line "Sitemap: https://example.com/sitemap_index.xml". We check that the line is there and points at a file that loads.
Does Google have its own sitemap validator?
Not any more. Google retired the sitemap test tool; Search Console only reports errors after you submit, one line per problem. That is why a validator before submitting saves a day of waiting.
Can I validate a sitemap on staging or behind a login?
Yes: open the file, copy the XML and paste it. We check the XML and the rules; the URL tests need the URLs to be public.
Does it test every URL in the sitemap?
It tests a sample of 25 spread across the file (first 5, last 5, 15 in between), enough to catch a template-level problem. For every URL, run the CSV through Screaming Frog in list mode, or 10 at a time through our HTTP Status Checker.
Is the XML sitemap validator free?
Yes, with no sign-up. One sitemap or index per check, the first 10 children of an index read in full. A fair-use limit of 10 checks a minute keeps it fast for everyone.
Do you store the sitemap or the XML I paste?
No. A result is kept for a few minutes so repeat checks are fast, then it is gone.
Keep going
More free SEO tools
The sitemap tells Google where to look. These check what it finds there.
- HTTP Status Checker: the full redirect chain and headers for up to 10 URLs from your CSV.
- Robots.txt Tester: test whether Googlebot may fetch a path.
- Noindex Tag Checker and Canonical Tag Checker: the two reasons a listed URL does not get indexed.
- Free Website Audit: crawls the site from its sitemap and scores it.
- AI Crawler Checker: whether AI bots may read the site the sitemap points at.
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Know before Search Console tells you
Google only reports sitemap errors after you submit, one line at a time. Check the file and its URLs here first. Free.