Sitemap Index Generator
Easily combine multiple sitemaps into a single sitemap index file. Input your sitemap URLs below to generate the XML format search engines expect.
What is a Sitemap Index?
A sitemap index file is like a sitemap for your sitemaps. When your website scales and starts hitting the limit of URLs per sitemap (50,000 URLs or 50MB uncompressed), you need to split them into multiple sitemap files. The sitemap index file tells search engines like Google and Bing where to find all your individual sitemaps, ensuring comprehensive crawling without hitting limits.
Wait, why do I need this?
If your site has a blog, an e-commerce store, and user profiles, it's best practice to separate these into distinct sitemaps (e.g. /sitemap-blog.xml, /sitemap-products.xml). You then generate one sitemap index file that lists them all. Then submit that single index file to Google Search Console.
How to Generate a Sitemap Index
Paste URLs
Enter the URLs of all your individual sitemaps. You can input fully qualified URLs or just relative paths.
Generate XML
Click generate to instantly assemble a standard XML sitemap index document that adheres to sitemaps.org guidelines.
Download & Submit
Copy the code or download the XML file. Upload it to your root directory and submit it via Google Search Console.
Key Features
Everything you need to manage massive sitemaps at scale.
Auto Base URL Injection
Only have a list of paths? Just type your URLs like /sitemap-1.xml and optionally provide your Base URL. We automatically map them.
W3C Last Modified
When Google checks your sitemaps, the <lastmod> element is essential. We calculate it at runtime precisely in W3C format.
Estimates URLs
We try to fetch the raw contents of your inputted XML file and estimate exactly how many individual URLs your nested sitemaps contain.
Strict Compliant XML
Our renderer guarantees perfectly escaped characters and strictly follows the sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9 declaration logic.
The Science of Sitemap Indexing
Understanding why breaking up sitemaps is vital for massive web properties.
The Hard Limit
Search engines explicitly reject sitemap files containing more than 50,000 URLs or exceeding 50MB uncompressed limit.
Crawl Budget Optimization
Gigantic single files tie up Googlebot. Dividing sitemaps allows for prioritized crawling (e.g., crawling daily news faster than old archives).
Standardized Syntax
Our tool specifically uses the required <sitemapindex> namespace, ensuring cross-compatibility with Google, Bing, and Yandex.
When Should You Use a Sitemap Index?
You don't always need an index file. However, if your site falls into any of the following categories, splitting up your sitemaps and using an index is an absolute requirement for modern SEO:
- Massive E-Commerce StoresIf you have thousands of category pages, product variants, and dynamic search filters, a single sitemap will immediately exceed the 50,000 URL limit.
- News Publishers and Media SitesGoogle News requires its own dedicated sitemap containing only articles published in the last 48 hours. Using an index lets you separate this fast-crawled sitemap from your static historical content.
- Multi-Lingual or International SitesWhen deploying
hreflangtags across multiple geographic directories, segmenting sitemaps by region (e.g.,/sitemap-en.xml,/sitemap-fr.xml) makes debugging crawl errors significantly easier. - High-Velocity User Generated ContentForums, review sites, and social networks generate new thread URLs constantly. Segmenting sitemaps hourly or daily prevents timeout errors when Search Console tries to fetch them.
Common XML Index Errors to Avoid
1. Indexing Other Indexes
The sitemaps.org protocol strictly forbids nesting. A sitemap index file can only contain links to standard sitemap files. It cannot contain a link to another sitemap index.
2. Missing <loc> Tags
Every sitemap listed inside your index must be enclosed in a <sitemap> block containing exactly one <loc> (location) tag specifying the absolute URL.
3. Using Relative Paths
Search engines will fail to process your index if you use relative paths (e.g., /sitemaps/products.xml). The URL must be fully qualified including the protocol.
4. Namespace Typos
The opening XML tag must declare the sitemapindex namespace exactly correctly. A small typo in the schema URL invalidates the entire document!
Why Choose Our Generator?
Always Up to Date
Search engine protocols rarely change, but when they do, our generator maps to the latest sitemaps.org standards.
Perfect XML Syntax
A single typo can cause Google to reject your sitemap. Our generator guarantees 100% compliant XML output instantly.
Zero Setup Required
No sign-ups or downloads. Drop your sitemap links in our tool and grab your formatted index immediately.
Anatomy of a Perfect Sitemap Index
File Limits
Ensure no individual sitemap listed in the index exceeds 50,000 URLs or 50MB uncompressed size.
Absolute URLs
Always submit fully qualified absolute URLs exactly as they appear on your site.
Root Placement
Host the index file at the root of your domain so it can organically point to nested structural paths anywhere else.
W3C Datetime Format
Include accurate <lastmod> tags formatted using W3C standards to signal crawling priorities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a sitemap and a sitemap index?
A regular XML sitemap lists URLs (like pages, posts, or images) on your site. A sitemap index lists your sitemap files. It acts as a directory for search engines when you have multiple sitemaps.
How many sitemaps can I include in a sitemap index?
A single sitemap index file can contain up to 50,000 individual sitemap URLs.
Do I need a sitemap index if I only have one sitemap?
No, if your website is small enough to fit all its URLs into a single sitemap (under 50,000 URLs), you only need that one sitemap. A sitemap index is only necessary when you have multiple sitemap files.
How often should I update my sitemap index?
The index file itself only needs to be updated when you create a brand new sub-sitemap. The underlying individual sitemaps should be updated dynamically as content changes.
Do search engines process indexes differently?
Yes, an index acts as a roadmap. Googlebot will ping the index, look at the nested lastmod dates, and prioritize crawling the specific sub-sitemaps that have changed most recently.
Where should I place the sitemap index file?
It should be placed in the root directory of your website (e.g., `https://yourdomain.com/sitemap-index.xml`). You should also add a link to it in your `robots.txt` file.
Does using a sitemap index improve my SEO?
Yes, for large sites. It ensures search engines discover all your sitemaps and, subsequently, all your website's pages. It prevents crawl errors caused by exceeding file size limits.
Can a sitemap index contain another sitemap index?
No, according to the sitemaps.org protocol, a sitemap index file can only list sitemap files. It cannot list other sitemap index files.
Can I compress my sitemaps?
Absolutely. You can use gzip compression to reduce bandwidth. Simply ensure the URLs listed within the index end in .xml.gz rather than .xml.
What if my site is smaller than 50K URLs?
Even if your site is small, utilizing a sitemap index allows you to cleanly categorize logical boundaries (like /blog, /products, /authors) for heavily organized Google Search Console monitoring.