Free tool
Sitemap split and merge
Quick answer
A sitemap may list at most 50,000 URLs. Paste a larger one and the splitter divides it into numbered files of the size you choose, plus a sitemap index that lists them. Or paste several small sitemaps and merge them into one, with duplicates removed. Everything runs in your browser.
Keeping dates
lastmod, changefreq and priority are kept on every URL when splitting or merging.
Frequently asked questions
When do I need to split a sitemap?
When it lists more than 50,000 URLs or is over 50 MB uncompressed. Split it into several sitemaps and point crawlers at a sitemap index that lists them.
Should I merge small sitemaps?
Only for convenience. Several small sitemaps in an index work just as well; merging is useful when one tool expects a single file.
What URL do the split files need?
Upload them where the index says they are. Enter the folder they will live in, and the index lists each file at that address.