404 Not Found vs 410 Gone

Quick answer

404 Not Found says that a resource is not available at this URL. 410 Gone says that it was intentionally removed and is not expected to return. Both can be correct for a page that has no relevant replacement; choose based on the site's state and keep internal links and sitemaps consistent with that choice.

What the issue means

A 404 commonly covers a URL that was never created, is temporarily missing, or has been removed without a replacement. A 410 is a stronger statement of deliberate, permanent removal. Neither response should be used as a substitute for a relevant page that still exists elsewhere.

The distinction is about the resource's intended status, not about making an audit number look better. A custom error page should still send the corresponding HTTP status.

Why it matters for SEO

Search engines cannot index a document that is genuinely unavailable. Leaving internal links to a missing URL wastes user attention and creates a poor crawl path. A removed page with a closely related replacement is usually better served by a direct permanent redirect than by either error response.

There is no need to turn every old URL into a redirect. An unrelated destination can be more confusing than an honest 404 or 410.

How NOTABIS detects it

NOTABIS records the final HTTP response for crawled URLs and can report an http-error finding for a 404 or 410. If another crawled page links to the URL, the audit can also report a broken internal link. It does not decide whether your business considers a URL temporarily missing or permanently removed.

How to check it yourself

1. Request the URL and inspect the status without following redirects.
2. Search the site for a current, genuinely related replacement.
3. Check navigation, templates, content, and XML sitemaps for links to the old URL.
4. Confirm that the error body is helpful and that it is not incorrectly returned as 200.
5. Review server and application logs if the URL should still exist.

How to fix it

• Restore the page and return 200 when it should be public and available.
• Use one direct 301 or 308 to a closely related replacement when the page moved.
• Return 404 for a missing or removed URL whose future is uncertain, and remove stale links.
• Return 410 when permanent removal is deliberate and there is no suitable replacement.

Re-test the old URL, replacement, internal links, and sitemap after the change.

When this is intentional or does not need fixing

A 404 for a typo, an expired one-off URL, or removed content with no useful replacement can be correct. A 410 can be appropriate for a deliberately retired product or campaign. Keep the response honest and avoid exposing private content just to avoid an error.

Related issues

Read HTTP status codes explained, HTTP error responses, redirected pages, and broken internal links. Google’s HTTP status-code guidance covers how 4xx responses are treated during crawling.

Run a NOTABIS audit

Run a NOTABIS SEO audit to find crawled 404 and 410 responses and the internal links that still point to them.