Free XML Sitemap Generator

Create a Sitemap for Your Website Online

Generate an XML sitemap from your website's publicly accessible pages. Enter your domain, run the crawler to discover reachable internal links, review the discovered URLs, and download the generated sitemap.xml file.

Crawls same-domain HTML links up to depth 2 (maximum 40 pages per session).

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A reliable sitemap generator helps search engines discover your important pages by assembling an organized XML manifest. Instead of waiting for crawlers to uncover URLs through external links, an XML sitemap provides an explicit list of accessible endpoints. This CompaniesBuilder online tool crawls your public pages and outputs a clean file based on the Sitemaps.org protocol.

An XML sitemap helps bots like Googlebot discover content and crawl site structure efficiently.

What Is an XML Sitemap?

An XML sitemap is a structured file listing a website's primary URLs for search engine discovery. Established under the Sitemaps.org standard by Google, Yahoo!, and Microsoft, it provides a unified crawling protocol across major search engines.

Each entry includes the page location (<loc>) and optional modification dates (<lastmod>).

Crawl Discovery Aid: A sitemap provides crawling hints—it does not alter search rankings or guarantee indexing.

Free XML Sitemap Generator

Building an XML sitemap manually is tedious and prone to syntax errors that prevent search bots from reading it.

This free XML sitemap generator provides an online solution with no registration required. Enter your domain above to scan accessible HTML pages up to 40 links within two depths and download your clean sitemap.xml file.

How to Create an XML Sitemap

Follow these steps to generate and deploy your website sitemap:

  1. Enter URL: Input your domain above.
  2. Start Crawl: Click Generate XML to scan accessible pages.
  3. Review Results: Check discovered URL count and live XML output.
  4. Download: Click Download sitemap.xml or copy markup.
  5. Upload: Save the file to your root directory (/sitemap.xml).
  6. Submit: Add your sitemap in Google Search Console and robots.txt.

How Does a Sitemap Generator Work?

An online sitemap generator functions as a focused crawler that maps internal website links:

  • Entry Point: Starts at your root URL to extract the domain.
  • Link Discovery: Fetches HTML pages and parses anchor tags.
  • Filtering: Strips fragments, phone links, mailto, and external domains.
  • Status Check: Retains clean 200 OK HTML pages.
  • XML Output: Assembles URLs into standard Sitemaps.org schema with entity escaping.

What URLs Should Be Included in a Sitemap?

Include authoritative, public pages that deliver primary value to search visitors:

  • Canonical URLs: Provide the authoritative version of each page.
  • Important Content Pages: Core landing pages, key services, and valuable articles.
  • Preferred Protocol: Use secure HTTPS URLs matching your preferred domain.
  • Live Pages: Only list pages returning successful 200 OK responses.
  • Indexable Pages: Verify that listed URLs are intended for search visibility.

What URLs Should Not Be Included?

Do not include utility or non-indexable URLs in your sitemap:

  • Query Parameters: Filtered views, sorting parameters, and session IDs.
  • Private Portals: Admin panels, user dashboards, and checkout carts.
  • Redirected URLs: Exclude 301/302 redirects; list only final canonical destinations.
  • Error Pages: Never submit 404 or 500 error pages.
  • Blocked Pages: URLs with noindex tags or disallowed in robots.txt.

Note: Excluding a URL does not prevent indexing. Use noindex to block search engines.

XML Sitemap vs HTML Sitemap

While both map site content, they serve distinct audiences and technical functions:

Aspect XML Sitemap HTML Sitemap
Audience Search engine bots (Googlebot, Bingbot) Human website visitors
Format Structured XML document Styled HTML navigation page
Location Root directory (/sitemap.xml) Footer link (/sitemap/)
Purpose Crawl discovery & metadata Visitor navigation & accessibility

XML sitemaps aid search crawlers, while HTML sitemaps assist human visitors.

XML Sitemap Format

A standard XML sitemap follows the Sitemaps.org protocol:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9"> <url> <loc>https://example.com/</loc> <lastmod>2026-09-01</lastmod> </url> </urlset>

Core Tags Explained

  • <urlset>: Root container referencing the XML namespace.
  • <url>: Container for each individual page record.
  • <loc>: Fully qualified absolute URL of the page.
  • <lastmod>: Last modification date in W3C format (YYYY-MM-DD).

Google has clarified that Googlebot ignores <priority> and <changefreq>. Only accurate <lastmod> timestamps are evaluated.

XML Sitemap Best Practices

Follow established webmaster standards to optimize crawler efficiency:

  • Absolute URLs: Write https://example.com/about/ instead of /about/.
  • Canonical URLs: Match the URL defined in your rel="canonical" tag.
  • Entity Escaping: Convert characters: &amp;, &lt;, and &gt;.
  • Accurate Lastmod: Update <lastmod> only when substantial content changes occur.
  • Server Accessibility: Ensure your sitemap returns 200 OK to search bots.

XML Sitemap Size and URL Limits

Under Sitemaps.org protocol, a single sitemap file is subject to two limits:

  • 50,000 URLs maximum per individual sitemap file.
  • 50 MB maximum uncompressed file size.

Sites exceeding these thresholds must split URLs across multiple files linked by a sitemap index. This tool crawls up to 40 pages within 2 depths, tailored for small websites and blogs.

Sitemap Index Files

A sitemap index organizes multiple sitemap files when a website exceeds 50,000 URLs or separates content types (posts, pages, products):

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <sitemapindex xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9"> <sitemap> <loc>https://example.com/post-sitemap.xml</loc> <lastmod>2026-09-01</lastmod> </sitemap> </sitemapindex>

Submitting the index URL to Google Search Console enables search bots to crawl all linked sitemaps automatically.

Do Sitemaps Help Google Index Your Website?

A sitemap helps search engines discover your pages, but submitting a sitemap does not guarantee indexing or ranking. Google independently decides indexing based on:

  • Content Quality: Original, substantive content satisfying search intent.
  • Technical Health: Fast loading speed, mobile usability, and canonical signals.
  • Internal Links: Clear link pathways providing crawl context and authority.

A sitemap ensures discovery; indexing depends on overall site quality.

How to Submit a Sitemap to Google

Publish your sitemap to your web server and submit it using two standard methods:

Submitting in Google Search Console

  1. Open Google Search Console and select your verified domain.
  2. Navigate to Indexing > Sitemaps in the sidebar.
  3. Enter sitemap.xml under Add a new sitemap and click Submit.

Referencing in Robots.txt

Sitemap: https://example.com/sitemap.xml

Sitemap and Robots.txt

While both files guide search bots, they perform contrasting functions:

  • robots.txt: Specifies crawl permissions and restricts bot access.
  • sitemap.xml: Highlights the preferred public pages you want discovered.

Key Difference: A sitemap cannot override robots.txt. Disallowed pages will not be crawled even if listed in your sitemap.

Sitemap Generator for Blogs

Blogs require structured sitemaps because publishing new articles creates category, tag, and archive pages:

  • Prioritize Core Posts: Ensure articles are included with canonical URLs.
  • Exclude Thin Archives: Date-based archives and empty tags should be omitted.
  • Verify CMS Features: Platforms like WordPress often generate sitemaps automatically. Check your root URL first.

Blogger and Blogspot Sitemaps

Google's Blogger platform automatically provides built-in sitemaps for all blogs:

https://yourblogname.blogspot.com/sitemap.xml

Check that default URL first before generating an external sitemap. While our tool can crawl public Blogger pages up to 40 URLs, CompaniesBuilder is an independent service with no affiliation with Google or Blogger.

Common XML Sitemap Problems

Technical audits often identify recurring sitemap configuration errors:

  • Unescaped Ampersands: Raw & characters break XML parsing; use &amp;.
  • Relative URLs: Omission of protocol and domain violates Sitemaps.org schema.
  • Mixed Protocols: Listing HTTP URLs on HTTPS websites forces redirects.
  • Broken 404 Links: Including dead URLs wastes search bot crawl resources.
  • Blocked Sitemap: Adding disallow directives in robots.txt for sitemaps.

Why Is Google Not Indexing My URL After I Submitted a Sitemap?

A sitemap assists discovery, but Google decides indexing based on several factors:

  • Crawl Queue: Google schedules crawling by domain authority and server capacity.
  • Discovered - Not Indexed: The URL was found but not yet crawled.
  • Crawled - Not Indexed: Evaluated but excluded due to thin content or duplication.
  • Canonical Choice: Google selected a different URL as canonical.
  • Internal Links: The page lacks sufficient contextual internal links.

XML Sitemap Checklist

Review this technical checklist before submitting your sitemap:

HTTP 200 Status
Loads cleanly.
Valid XML Syntax
Proper schema tags.
Absolute URLs
Fully qualified HTTPS.
Canonical URLs
Matches canonicals.
Indexable Pages
No noindex tags.
No 404s/Redirects
Only live 200 OK.
Within File Limits
Under 50,000 URLs.
Console Submitted
Submitted in GSC.

When Should You Generate a New Sitemap?

Update your sitemap when your site structure undergoes meaningful changes:

  • New Website Launch: Submits initial indexable pages to search engines.
  • Adding Sections or Products: Expands crawler coverage to newly published content.
  • Site Migrations & Redesigns: Crucial after URL restructures or migrations.
  • Content Pruning: Removes retired pages and updates redirect targets.

XML Sitemap vs Site Navigation

A sitemap supports URL discovery, but it never replaces internal links. Search engines rely on internal links to understand topical hierarchy and distribute authority.

Pages linked from primary navigation are crawled frequently and indexed reliably. Optimal technical SEO integrates strong internal linking with a clean XML sitemap.

Free Website Sitemap Generator

This free website sitemap generator provides instant XML generation for:

  • Small Business Websites: Corporate landing pages without automated CMS plugins.
  • Static Site Generators: Custom HTML/CSS builds, Jekyll, Hugo, and Eleventy sites.
  • Marketing Agencies: Quick technical crawls and client page inventory checks.
  • Startups & Portfolios: New domains needing search engine discovery assets.

How This Sitemap Generator Works

Here is the crawl workflow behind this CompaniesBuilder tool:

  1. Normalization: Validates input URLs and applies HTTPS if protocol is omitted.
  2. Domain Isolation: Restricts crawling exclusively to your verified hostname.
  3. BFS Link Discovery: Streams HTML responses via Cloudflare Workers HTMLRewriter.
  4. Link Filtering: Strips hashes, mailto, phone links, and external URLs.
  5. HTTP Validation: Retains only clean 200 OK HTML pages.
  6. XML Output: Assembles valid Sitemaps.org XML with proper entity escaping.

What This Sitemap Generator Does and Does Not Do

What This Tool Does

  • Crawls public internal HTML pages up to depth 2.
  • Discovers up to 40 accessible pages per session.
  • Filters fragments, mailto, and telephone links.
  • Escapes entities for valid XML syntax.
  • Generates downloadable sitemap.xml.

What This Tool Does Not Do

  • Does not crawl past 40 pages.
  • Does not parse robots.txt or noindex tags.
  • Does not crawl password-protected pages.
  • Does not upload files to your web server.
  • Does not guarantee search rankings or indexing.

Need Help With Your Website SEO?

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Frequently Asked Questions About Sitemap Generators

A tool that crawls internal links and generates a standard Sitemaps.org XML file for search engines.

A machine-readable XML document listing website URLs to help search engines discover pages efficiently.

Enter your URL above, click Generate XML, download sitemap.xml, and upload it to your web server root.

Yes, free with no registration. It crawls up to 40 pages per session.

Up to 50,000 URLs and 50 MB uncompressed per individual sitemap file.

XML sitemaps assist search crawlers. HTML sitemaps provide human navigation links.

Yes, blogs add articles frequently. Check first whether your CMS generates one automatically.

Yes. Blogger provides sitemaps at yourblog.blogspot.com/sitemap.xml. Check that URL first.

Upload sitemap.xml, go to Sitemaps in Search Console, and click Submit.

No. A sitemap aids discovery; Google decides indexing based on quality and relevance.

Upload it to your root domain directory (example.com/sitemap.xml) for site-wide coverage.

Include public, canonical, HTTP 200 URLs that you want search engines to discover.

No. Exclude private logins, query filters, redirects, 404s, and pages with noindex tags.

robots.txt controls crawl access permissions; sitemaps highlight preferred public URLs.

Update it after major site redesigns, migrations, or adding large page sets. Avoid resubmitting unchanged files repeatedly.