Redirect vs Canonical: When to Move Users and When to Consolidate Signals

Redirects and canonicals are not interchangeable

A redirect moves users and crawlers to another URL. A canonical keeps the current page accessible while telling search engines which version should be treated as primary.

When a redirect is the better tool

Use a redirect when the old URL should stop being used: after a migration, a path rename, an HTTPS move, or host consolidation.

When canonical is the better tool

Use canonical when duplicate or near-duplicate pages still need to exist for users, filters, campaigns, or pagination patterns. It is a consolidation signal, not a navigation rule.