404 Solution vs Smart Custom 404 Error Page (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org 404 Error Plugins top 10: 404 Solution at #4 and Smart Custom 404 Error Page at #1. Smart Custom 404 Error Page leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
404 Solution
Automatically redirect 404 errors to the right page using a 7-engine matching pipeline and spell-checking algorithm. Zero configuration required.
Smart Custom 404 Error Page
Create a custom 404 error page the easy way! No coding, and no redirects.
Who leads on what
Smart Custom 404 Error Page leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Smart Custom 404 Error Page ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #4 in 404 Error Plugins.
Smart Custom 404 Error Page has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: 404 Solution has 44, Smart Custom 404 Error Page has 1,196. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Smart Custom 404 Error Page has more reviews behind its score: 1,196 against 44.
404 Solution was updated more recently, on August 31, 2026; Smart Custom 404 Error Page on May 21, 2026.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
404 Solution
Pick 404 Solution if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Smart Custom 404 Error Page
Pick Smart Custom 404 Error Page if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
404 Solution vs Smart Custom 404 Error Page side by side
| 404 Solution | Smart Custom 404 Error Page | |
|---|---|---|
| 404 Error Plugins ranking | #4 | #1 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 44 | 1,196 |
| Active installs | 10,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,182,362 | 2,737,803 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 31, 2026 | May 21, 2026 |
| First published | Mar 5, 2017 | Sep 30, 2013 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 5.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
404 Solution ratings
Smart Custom 404 Error Page ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither 404 Solution nor Smart Custom 404 Error Page can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the 404 Error Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
404 Solution vs Smart Custom 404 Error Page: common questions
Is 404 Solution better than Smart Custom 404 Error Page?
Smart Custom 404 Error Page leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Smart Custom 404 Error Page ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #4 in 404 Error Plugins.
Which has more users, 404 Solution or Smart Custom 404 Error Page?
Smart Custom 404 Error Page ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #4 in 404 Error Plugins.
Which is rated higher, 404 Solution or Smart Custom 404 Error Page?
Smart Custom 404 Error Page has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are 404 Solution and Smart Custom 404 Error Page free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. 404 Solution may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Smart Custom 404 Error Page may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to 404 Solution and Smart Custom 404 Error Page
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
Redirect 404 Error Page to Homepage or Custom Page
10,000+ installs · 5.0 from 45 reviews
-
Custom URL
4,000+ installs · 5.0 from 2 reviews
-
Redirect 404 to Homepage
60,000+ installs · 4.6 from 23 reviews
-
301 Redirects
30,000+ installs · 4.6 from 28 reviews
-
Redirection
2 million+ installs · 4.4 from 703 reviews
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