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Redirect Supply vs .htaccess redirects: Redirects without server files
An .htaccess file lets you redirect URLs on an Apache server with lines like Redirect 301 /old /new or RewriteRule patterns. It works, as long as you keep the hosting, the SSL certificate, and the exact syntax in place. Redirect Supply replaces the file with a dashboard: whole domains, individual pages, and wildcards, with HTTPS handled automatically and no server to maintain.
Redirect Supply vs .htaccess: what keeping redirects alive takes
Decision factor
Redirect Supply
.htaccess (Apache)
Choose based on
How rules are written
A form in the dashboard, no code
Redirect and RewriteRule lines in a server file
Whether anyone on your team wants to write server syntax
When something goes wrong
A wrong rule affects only that redirect
One syntax error can return a 500 error for the whole site
How much risk you accept on a live site
HTTPS on the old domain
Automatic SSL on every domain, renewed for you
The server needs its own valid certificate for the old domain
Whether you want to manage certificates at all
Hosting
None needed, just DNS records
Apache hosting for as long as the redirects must work
Paying for a server just to keep old links alive
Performance
Handled outside your web server
Apache reads .htaccess on every request, which its own docs call a performance hit
Busy sites that want a lean server
Best fit
Rebrands, migrations, and teams without server access
Sysadmins with an Apache site that stays where it is
If you'd rather not touch server files, Redirect Supply
Why Redirect Supply
Choose Redirect Supply for redirects that stay out of your way. Every old URL lands on the right page, every domain runs on HTTPS, and nothing breaks when your website moves.
.htaccess or Redirect Supply? The short answer
Keep .htaccess redirects if your site stays on the same Apache hosting and someone on the team is comfortable editing server files.
Switch to Redirect Supply if you're leaving that hosting, redirecting domains that have no server behind them, or want redirects anyone can change without risking the whole site. There's a free plan to start, HTTPS included.
For a migration or rebrand, that makes it a Redirect Supply job.
FAQs
Questions about .htaccess redirects and Redirect Supply
Are .htaccess redirects bad?
Not bad, but not ideal. Apache's own documentation recommends putting configuration in the main server config when you have access to it, because .htaccess files are read on every request. For old domains you're moving away from, a redirect service removes the need to keep a server running at all.
Why does my .htaccess redirect cause a 500 error?
Usually because of a syntax error: a missing flag, a typo in a RewriteRule, or a module that isn't enabled. Apache then fails the request for the whole directory, not just the redirect. In Redirect Supply, redirects are created in a form, so there's no server syntax to break.
Do I need hosting to keep .htaccess redirects working?
Yes. The file only works while an Apache server keeps serving the old domain, with a valid SSL certificate for HTTPS visitors. With Redirect Supply, you point the domain's DNS records to it and can cancel the old hosting.
Does .htaccess work on Nginx?
No. .htaccess files are an Apache feature, and Nginx uses its own configuration instead. Redirect Supply works the same regardless of what your new site runs on. See the Nginx comparison for details.
Can I move my .htaccess redirects into Redirect Supply?
Yes. Simple lines like Redirect 301 /old-page /new-page map directly to a CSV row in Redirect Supply's import format. RewriteRule patterns that cover whole folders usually become one wildcard rule.
What's the difference between Redirect and RewriteRule in .htaccess?
Redirect comes from Apache's mod_alias and handles simple one-to-one redirects. RewriteRule comes from mod_rewrite and handles patterns and conditions, with more room for mistakes. In Redirect Supply, both become rules in the same dashboard: page rules for one-to-one moves, wildcards for patterns.
Have more questions?
Daniel Kouba
Founder of FREAKS
Vojtech Elias
Reflektor Studio
