Canonical Tag vs 301 Redirect: When to Use Which
Both tools consolidate signals from multiple URLs to a single preferred URL. Picking the wrong one loses traffic or loses control.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-03
The one-line rule
If both URLs should keep serving content, use a canonical tag. If the old URL is dead or moved for good, use a 301 redirect.
301 redirect
A 301 is an HTTP response that says 'this URL moved permanently.' Use when: renamed a page, restructured a site, migrated to new domain.
Canonical tag
A canonical tag is an HTML link element that says 'the preferred version of this page is over here.' Use for: tracking params, filter variants, paginated content.