Redirection plugin vs a flat PHP redirect file

Redirection plugin vs a flat PHP redirect file

The boring infrastructure choice that decides your site speed.

Redirection plugin
Pros:
— UI for /go/ links, 404 logging, regex rules, no code
— Imports/exports, group management
Cons:
— Every cloaked click queries the DB and can log to a giant redirection_404 table
— That table is a notorious source of DB bloat on review sites

Flat PHP / .htaccess / edge redirect
Pros:
— Resolves before WordPress loads; near-zero overhead
— No DB writes, no logging table to vacuum
Cons:
— You edit files to change links; no nice UI
— Easy to fat-finger a rule and break a path

For: Redirection plugin if you're non-technical and need a few dozen managed links. File/edge redirects if you have hundreds of affiliate links and care about every ms + DB size.

Gotcha: Redirection's 404 logging is ON by default and silently grows for years. Turn it off or schedule cleanup, or your nightly backup balloons.

Bottom line: Few links + non-tech → plugin. Many links + speed → edge/file. Either way, kill the 404 log.