HTML sitemap page vs XML sitemap: what is the difference

The short answer

An HTML sitemap is an ordinary web page that lists links to your main pages so visitors can find them. An XML sitemap is a machine-readable file that lists your URLs for search engines. Most sites benefit from the XML file. The HTML page is optional and mainly helps large or hard-to-navigate sites.

What an HTML sitemap is

An HTML sitemap is a normal page on your website, usually at an address such as /sitemap/. It lists links to your important pages, grouped under headings, so a person can scan the whole site in one place. It is written for visitors first. Search engines can follow its links too, but that is a side effect.

Think of it as a printed contents page for a book. It does not replace your menu. It sits behind the menu as a fallback for people who cannot find what they came for, and for anyone who prefers a plain list to a drop-down.

Because it is a page like any other, it uses your site design, loads in a browser and can be read by a screen reader. You can edit it by hand or have your content system build it from the page tree.

What an XML sitemap is

An XML sitemap is a file, normally at /sitemap.xml, that lists the URLs you want search engines to know about. Nobody is expected to read it in a browser. It is data, written in a strict format, and it can also carry extra detail about images, video and language versions of a page.

Google's documentation describes a sitemap as a way to help its crawler discover and crawl your pages more efficiently. It also says that submitting one is a hint. It does not promise that a page will be crawled, indexed or ranked. A sitemap helps discovery, nothing more.

Google also states that it ignores the priority and change frequency fields, and that it only uses the last modified date when that date is consistently accurate. So an XML file that says every page changed today is not helping you. Check the current documentation for the exact rules, because search engines update them.

Side by side comparison

The two files can list the same pages, but they serve different jobs. Keeping that in mind stops the common mistake of treating one as a substitute for the other.

Who reads each type of sitemap

The HTML version is read by people. A visitor on a large site who cannot find a service in the menu may scroll to the footer and open it. Someone using a keyboard or screen reader may also prefer a single flat list over a layered menu. People rarely use it, but those who do usually have a clear need.

The XML version is read by crawlers. Google and Bing both accept it. It reaches them in one of three ways: you submit it in their webmaster tools, you list it in your robots.txt file, or they find it on their own. Our guide to the first 30 days after launch covers when to submit it and what to check afterwards.

Other tools read XML sitemaps as well. Site audit software and some content systems use them as a list of pages to check. That is another reason to keep the file tidy.

Do you need both?

Not always. Here is a practical way to decide.

• A small site of a few dozen well-linked pages can rely on normal internal links. Google's own guidance says a site may not need a sitemap if it is small and pages are linked together properly. An XML file is still cheap to add and rarely does harm.
• A new site with few links pointing to it gains most from an XML sitemap, because crawlers have fewer paths to follow.
• A large site, an online store with many product pages, or a site with sections that are hard to reach by menu should have an XML sitemap and often benefits from an HTML one.
• A site where the menu already shows every section clearly may not need an HTML page at all.

If you must choose one, choose the XML file. It is the one search engines are built to read. Add the HTML page when real visitors are getting lost, or when you have pages that deep links would otherwise bury.

Most modern content systems create the XML file for you. Look before you build one by hand, and check that the version produced contains only pages you want found.

Where to link an HTML sitemap from

The usual place is the footer, because it appears on every page and does not crowd the main menu. A link in a help or contact area works too. Use plain anchor text such as Sitemap or Site map so people recognise it.

Do not put it in the main navigation. If it needs a place there, the menu itself probably needs work. Our guide to website navigation and menu structure explains how to organise the menu so visitors rarely need the sitemap page.

Group links on the page by section and keep the same order as your menu. Avoid listing thousands of links on one page. If the site is very large, link to the top two levels and let section pages carry the rest.

You do not need to link the XML file anywhere on the visible site. Reference it in robots.txt and submit it in the search engine tools instead.

Keeping both accurate

A stale sitemap is worse than none. An XML file that lists deleted pages sends crawlers to errors. One that lists redirected or blocked pages wastes their time and muddles your reports. Only list the address you want shown in search, using the full https version of your domain. Our guide to HTTPS and SSL certificates explains why the secure address should be the one every sitemap uses.

For the HTML page, check the links after every menu change, page removal or rename. If your system builds the page automatically, spot-check it each month. If you maintain it by hand, put it on your launch and update checklists.

Treat both files as part of the site's content. When you take a backup, include the files and the settings that build them. Our note on what to back up on a website lists the items people forget.

Common mistakes

• Listing pages marked noindex in the XML file. These tell search engines two opposite things.
• Including redirected, duplicate or error pages in either sitemap.
• Leaving a test or staging address in the XML file after launch.
• Assuming a submitted sitemap means every page will be indexed. It does not.
• Building a giant HTML page of every product or post, so it is no easier to use than a search box.
• Forgetting to update the XML file after a site move or domain change.

If your site is being rebuilt, ask the developer to set up both files as part of the work. A team offering website development should be able to tell you which of the two your site needs and where each one will live.

Related guides

• Website development
• Website navigation and menu structure
• Website backups what to back up
• Https and ssl certificates explained
• After Website Launch: Monitoring the First 30 Days
• Cookies vs Local Storage vs Session Storage Explained

Questions and answers

Do I need both an HTML and an XML sitemap?

Not necessarily. The XML sitemap is the one search engines are designed to read, so it is the sensible first choice. Add an HTML sitemap if visitors struggle to find pages through your menu, or if your site is large. A small, well-linked site may manage with either or even neither.

Who reads each type of sitemap?

People read the HTML sitemap, because it is a normal page they can open in a browser. Search engine crawlers read the XML sitemap, which is a data file listing your URLs. Some audit tools read the XML file as well.

Where should an HTML sitemap link from?

Link it from the footer so it appears on every page without adding clutter to the main menu. Use plain wording such as Sitemap. A link from a help or contact area is also fine.

Does an XML sitemap make my pages rank higher?

No. Google says a sitemap helps it discover and crawl pages, and that submitting one is only a hint. It does not make indexing certain and it is not a ranking signal on its own.

How do I tell search engines where my XML sitemap is?

Submit it in the sitemap report of Google Search Console or the equivalent tool in Bing Webmaster Tools. You can also add a Sitemap line to your robots.txt file. Check each tool's current documentation for the exact steps.

How often should I update my sitemap?

Whenever pages are added, removed or moved. Most content systems update the XML file automatically. Check it after any large change, and check the HTML page after any menu change.