Custom 404 Error Page vs Custom URL (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: Custom 404 Error Page at #11 and Custom URL at #9. Custom URL leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Custom 404 Error Page
Use any static page as the 404 error page.
Custom URL
Redirect 404 to Home Page – Custom URL
Redirect visitors away from broken 404 pages and send them to your homepage or any custom URL with a simple, lightweight setup.
Who leads on what
Custom URL leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Custom URL ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #11 in 404 Error Plugins.
Custom URL has more users: 4,000+ active installs against 1,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Custom 404 Error Page has 9, Custom URL has 2. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Custom 404 Error Page has more reviews behind its score: 9 against 2.
Custom URL was updated more recently, on July 13, 2026; Custom 404 Error Page on October 22, 2025.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Custom 404 Error Page
Pick Custom 404 Error Page if you want the score backed by more reviews.
Custom URL
Pick Custom URL if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Custom 404 Error Page vs Custom URL side by side
| Custom 404 Error Page | Custom URL | |
|---|---|---|
| 404 Error Plugins ranking | #11 | #9 |
| Rating | 4.1 | 5.0 |
| Reviews | 9 | 2 |
| Active installs | 1,000+ | 4,000+ |
| Total downloads | 30,486 | 17,201 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Oct 22, 2025 | Jul 13, 2026 |
| First published | Feb 13, 2014 | Oct 10, 2019 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 6.8.8 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | – | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Custom 404 Error Page ratings
Custom URL 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 Custom 404 Error Page nor Custom URL can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the 404 Error Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Custom 404 Error Page vs Custom URL: common questions
Is Custom 404 Error Page better than Custom URL?
Custom URL leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Custom URL ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #11 in 404 Error Plugins.
Which has more users, Custom 404 Error Page or Custom URL?
Custom URL ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #11 in 404 Error Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Custom 404 Error Page or Custom URL?
Custom URL has more users: 4,000+ active installs against 1,000+.
Are Custom 404 Error Page and Custom URL free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Custom 404 Error Page may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Custom URL may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Custom 404 Error Page and Custom URL
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
-
404 Solution
10,000+ installs · 4.9 from 44 reviews
-
Smart Custom 404 Error Page
100,000+ installs · 4.9 from 1,196 reviews
-
Redirect 404 to Homepage
60,000+ installs · 4.6 from 23 reviews
-
Redirection
2 million+ installs · 4.4 from 703 reviews
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