Browser extensions that show where a link goes, compared

Some browser extensions show you where a link really goes. Others warn you when a site is a scam. Few do both, and that matters: a link can lead somewhere you can read and still be a scam. Here are six free extensions and three websites that expand links, what each one does, where it works, and what happens to the links it sees.

Updated 20 October 2026 · 6 min read

Peekray is our own tool. What we say about the others comes from their store listings and their own websites, listed at the bottom, as of 20 October 2026.

At a glance

9 free tools compared

Keep private links private. An extension that reads every page you visit can see a lot. Before you add one, read what its store listing says it collects, and prefer one that only sends the link you ask about.

In detail

The tools, one by one

  • Peekray

    Our tool
    How you use it
    A Chrome extension (it works in Edge too). Rest the pointer on a link, or right-click it. There’s also a checker on this site and a phone page.
    What it checks
    Follows the link’s redirects on its own server, looks it up in three public phishing and malware lists (OpenPhish, PhishTank and URLhaus), and asks Jev, TypeSafe AI’s model, about links no list knows.
    What you get
    Where the link really goes, and a clear answer such as Safe, Check first or Scam, with the reasons. It asks before a likely scam opens.
    Opens the page for you?
    No. Its server follows the redirects, usually asking only for headers, up to four hops.
    What happens to your link
    Its Chrome Web Store listing says it handles web history and website content. It sends only the link you rest on or click, its text and the page title.
    On a phone
    Paste a text, WhatsApp message or email on the phone page, choose a screenshot of one, or scan a QR code.
    Best for
    Seeing where a link goes and whether it’s a scam, in one place, before you click.
    Try Peekray

  • Malwarebytes Browser Guard

    How you use it
    An extension for Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari.
    What it checks
    Blocks phishing, scam and malware sites as they load, along with ads and trackers.
    What you get
    A block page when you open a site it knows is dangerous.
    Opens the page for you?
    Your browser opens the page; Browser Guard steps in as it loads.
    What happens to your link
    Its Chrome Web Store listing says it handles web history.
    On a phone
    Not in a phone browser; Malwarebytes has separate phone apps.
    Best for
    Always-on blocking of known bad sites as they load.
    Open Browser Guard

  • WOT (Web of Trust)

    How you use it
    An extension for Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Opera, and apps for Android and iPhone. Free, with paid extras.
    What it checks
    A site’s reputation, built from community ratings, machine learning and blocklists updated daily.
    What you get
    A safety rating for sites and search results, and a warning on risky ones.
    Opens the page for you?
    Your browser opens the page; WOT rates the site.
    What happens to your link
    Its Chrome Web Store listing says it handles browsing history and website content.
    On a phone
    Its own Android and iPhone apps.
    Best for
    A reputation score for sites you visit and see in search results.
    Open WOT (Web of Trust)

  • Redirect Inspector

    How you use it
    A Chrome extension, made by 301.st.
    What it checks
    Records each step of a redirect chain, including JavaScript and meta-refresh redirects, and runs checks for loops and errors.
    What you get
    Every hop a link goes through, and where it ends up. It doesn’t say whether that’s a scam.
    Opens the page for you?
    Yes: it follows redirects in your browser, and opens a pasted link in a background tab.
    What happens to your link
    It says it sends nothing by default and is open source.
    On a phone
    No.
    Best for
    Technical detail on redirect chains, for links you’d open anyway.
    Open its Chrome Web Store page

  • Link Transparency

    How you use it
    An extension for Chrome and Firefox. Rest the pointer on a link.
    What it checks
    Where the link ends up, each redirect along the way, and tracking parameters. It expands over 50 link shorteners.
    What you get
    The final address and the hops before it. It doesn’t say whether that’s a scam.
    Opens the page for you?
    Not stated on its listing.
    What happens to your link
    Its Chrome Web Store listing says it handles website content. It says no links are stored; anonymous usage data is on by default and can be turned off.
    On a phone
    No.
    Best for
    Seeing where short links and tracked links really go.
    Open Link Transparency

  • Safe Mail Link Check

    How you use it
    A Chrome extension for webmail: Gmail, Outlook on the web and Yahoo Mail Japan.
    What it checks
    Pauses a click in an email and compares the link text with the real address. Flags plain HTTP, raw IP addresses, look-alike letters and short links.
    What you get
    The link’s real host and address, with format warnings. It never calls a link safe or dangerous.
    Opens the page for you?
    No, but it doesn’t follow redirects either, so a short link shows only the shortener.
    What happens to your link
    Its Chrome Web Store listing says it handles website content. It says nothing is sent anywhere.
    On a phone
    No.
    Best for
    A pause before clicking links in webmail.
    Open Safe Mail Link Check

  • WhereGoes

    How you use it
    A website: paste a link.
    What it checks
    Traces the full redirect path, including JavaScript and meta-refresh redirects.
    What you get
    Every hop and the final address. It doesn’t say whether that’s a scam.
    Opens the page for you?
    It follows the link for you, so your browser doesn’t.
    What happens to your link
    Its privacy policy doesn’t say what happens to the links you paste.
    On a phone
    Works in a phone’s browser.
    Best for
    Tracing one link’s redirects without opening it.
    Open WhereGoes

  • CheckShortURL

    How you use it
    A website: paste a short link. Free, up to 120 checks a day.
    What it checks
    Expands short links.
    What you get
    The destination’s address, title, description and a screenshot, with links to outside safety checkers.
    Opens the page for you?
    It expands the link for you, so your browser doesn’t.
    What happens to your link
    Its privacy policy doesn’t say what happens to the links you paste.
    On a phone
    Works in a phone’s browser.
    Best for
    Seeing what’s behind a short link before you open it.
    Open CheckShortURL

  • Unshorten.It!

    How you use it
    A website: paste a short link. Its browser extension is no longer on the Chrome Web Store.
    What it checks
    Expands short links, and shows Web of Trust ratings and a blocklist check.
    What you get
    The destination’s address, title, description and a screenshot, with safety ratings.
    Opens the page for you?
    It expands the link for you, so your browser doesn’t.
    What happens to your link
    Its privacy policy doesn’t say what happens to the links you paste.
    On a phone
    Works in a phone’s browser.
    Best for
    Expanding a short link with a quick reputation check.
    Open Unshorten.It!

Which one when

Pick by what you need to know

Where a link goes and whether it’s a scam, before you click
Peekray: rest the pointer on the link, or paste it on this site.
Always-on blocking of known bad sites
Malwarebytes Browser Guard, or your browser’s own protection (Enhanced protection in Chrome). Both work alongside Peekray.
Every hop in a redirect chain
Redirect Inspector in Chrome, or WhereGoes in any browser.
What’s behind one short link
Peekray, CheckShortURL or Unshorten.It!, all without opening it.
Links in a text or WhatsApp message on a phone
Paste the message into Peekray’s phone page. Most extensions here don’t work on phones.

Let Peekray do it

See where a link goes, and whether it’s a scam.

Add to Chrome, it’s freeCheck on your phone

FAQ

Common questions

Is there a free extension that shows where a link really goes before I click?

Yes. Peekray, Link Transparency and Redirect Inspector all show a link’s real destination. Peekray also tells you whether it’s a scam, with a clear answer such as Safe, Check first or Scam, and asks before a likely scam opens.

Is seeing where a link goes enough to know it’s safe?

No. Many scam sites have ordinary-looking addresses, or copy a brand’s name. Use a tool that also checks the destination against phishing lists, or that warns about look-alike and brand-new sites.

Which of these work on a phone?

Browser extensions mostly don’t. On a phone, paste the link or the whole message into Peekray’s phone page, or a website such as WhereGoes or CheckShortURL. WOT and Malwarebytes have separate phone apps.

Can I use more than one?

Yes. A blocker such as Malwarebytes Browser Guard and a link checker such as Peekray do different jobs and work together.

Sources

Where this advice comes from

Guides

More help