404s vs Soft 404s: The Difference That Matters

Not every missing page returns a clean error. Here is why soft 404s are the sneaky ones.

September 3, 2026 · 3 min read · Updated September 7, 2026

Quick answer

A real 404 honestly tells browsers and search engines a page does not exist, so they drop it correctly. A soft 404 is an empty or missing page that returns a success response instead, claiming it is fine when it is not. That lie wastes crawling and hides, so finding soft 404s needs a content aware crawl.

A real 404 is honest

A proper 404 tells browsers and search engines clearly that a page does not exist. That honesty lets them handle it correctly, dropping the dead page from consideration.

Keep reading: When to Run a Full Link Audit, How a Site Crawl Actually Works, Reading a Redirect Chain Map. See how DeadLinkr helps you on demand link and redirect audits for seo.

A soft 404 lies

A soft 404 is a page that is effectively empty or missing, but returns a success response instead of an error. It tells search engines the page is fine when it is not, which wastes crawling and confuses your reporting. Related: Why do anchor links and in-page jumps break silently without ever reporting a 404 error?

Why they are worse

Because a soft 404 looks healthy on the surface, it hides. Basic checks pass, yet the page delivers nothing useful. Finding them takes a crawl that looks at content, not just status codes. Related: When should a website use a 302 redirect instead of a 301?

Fix the response

The fix is to make missing pages return a true 404, or to replace the empty page with real content or a proper redirect. Honest responses keep your site legible to search engines. Related: Auditing a Large Site Without Missing Pages

Key takeaways

A real 404 clearly signals a missing page
A soft 404 returns success for an empty page
Soft 404s hide because they look healthy
Fix them with a true error or real content

Written by

Julien Jimenez

Julien Jimenez is an independent software builder based in Paris. He designs, ships, and operates focused SaaS products for small businesses and independent professionals. Read the full author page.

Frequently asked questions

Why are soft 404s worse than regular 404s?

Because a soft 404 returns success, it looks healthy on the surface and passes basic checks, yet delivers nothing useful. That makes it hide, confuse reporting, and waste crawl effort, while a true 404 is handled correctly.

How do you fix a soft 404?

Make the missing page return a true 404, or replace the empty page with real content or a proper redirect. Honest responses keep the site legible to search engines.