Free tool
Robots.txt & Sitemap Validator
Check whether your robots.txt is accidentally blocking crawlers, and whether your sitemap is declared, reachable, and well-formed -- the basics search engines need before they can index anything else.
Why robots.txt matters
robots.txt is the first thing well-behaved crawlers check before they read anything else on your site. Most of the time it should simply get out of the way -- but a single misconfigured line, like a leftover "Disallow: /" from a staging environment, can silently block your entire site from every search engine at once.
Why a sitemap still matters
A sitemap doesn't guarantee indexing, but it's the clearest signal you can give search engines about which URLs on your site actually matter and when they last changed. Declaring its location in robots.txt is the most reliable way to make sure it's found.
What this tool checks
This tool fetches your robots.txt, checks that it's reachable and doesn't contain a blanket rule blocking every crawler, and confirms whether it declares a sitemap. It then fetches that sitemap (or the default /sitemap.xml location if none is declared) and checks that it's reachable, well-formed XML, and actually contains entries.
Crawlability and trust
A site that's easy to crawl and clearly structured is also easier for real people to evaluate as a genuine, maintained publication. PressCircle verifies every member's domain before their profile goes live -- the same kind of technical diligence this tool is checking for.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between robots.txt and a sitemap?
robots.txt tells crawlers which parts of your site they're allowed to visit; your XML sitemap lists the pages you want indexed. This tool checks both, and whether your sitemap is even declared in robots.txt.
What's the most common mistake this tool catches?
Accidentally blocking your entire site with a stray "Disallow: /" rule left over from a staging environment, or a sitemap that's declared but returns a 404 or isn't valid XML.
Is this free, and do I need to install anything?
Yes -- it's free with no signup or installation. Just enter your domain and the tool fetches your robots.txt and sitemap the way a search engine crawler would.