The best creative 404 pages

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404 Error Page Inspiration

A 404 page, if done right, can enhance the user experience of a website and also become a memorable aspect for website users. Some websites even become famous for their cute, entertaining, or creative 404 pages. We’ll show you some examples of the most popular error page motifs, and also some of the most interesting, brand-fitting 404 pages we’ve encountered.

a creative 404 error page from Patreon showing a cute fox floating in space
A cute fox lost in space? That’s what we call a creative 404 page! This one is from Patreon.

Lost in space

This is quite a popular motif, and it’s easy to see why. Many 404 pages use the metaphor of being lost or off the beaten track, and as the Internet is a cyberspace, an entity as borderless as outer space, this metaphor is rather apt. Being lost on the Web might be just like being lost in space, except that you can get back on track with just one click. Each of the amazing pages we found conveys the cosmic vibes in a different way – see for yourself!

alien abduction creative 404 pages
A fun alien abduction 404 page from Designspace.

space themed creative 404 pages with a floating llama
Toned down, cosmic vibes in a 404 page from Deviantart.

Cute animals

It’s the Internet, and that means you can’t go wrong with a cute cat, a dog, or even a hamster! A 404 page featuring a cute animal will bring a smile to the face of anyone who sees it, so this is a good bet! This is a type of a 404 page which doesn’t necessarily urge the visitors to be on their way. A cute animal may encourage them to stay and catch a breath in their busy day, promoting associations of well-being or amusement.

a cute cat in a box creative 404 page design
How to make an error page look cute? Put a cat in a box, that’s how! A creative design by Greg Dlubacz.

cute creative 404 page with a pink hamster
A pink, lost hamster is a guarantee of cuteness overload! An endearing 404 page design from Lesya Kovalchuk.

creative 404 pages from Amazon.com
And who hasn’t heard of the dogs of Amazon? Every time you hit a non-existing URL on Amazon, you’ll meet a new dog.

Travel-themed creative 404 pages

The motif of travel is also quite popular. If a website is a certain space that you travel through, clicking from one page to another, the 404 page is the equivalent of being lost on your way. The examples we picked feature vivid colors and beautiful imagery. While really eye-catching, these error pages don’t encourage visitors to linger.

travel-themed creative 404 page
A conceptual, travel-themed 404 page from Fireart Studio.

a conceptual desert island themed creative 404 page
The 404 page as a desert island. A conceptual design by Ekaterina.

desert travel themed creative 404 pages
Another exquisite travel-themed 404 design, this time from Pixeleton.

Catch a break

And there are also some very zen 404 pages which invite website users to stop for a moment and catch a break. Enticing with bucolic or fantastic imagery and intriguing concepts, they draw the stray visitor in, offering a moment to stop and wonder. They are definitely on the memorable side and should produce positive associations.

a creative 404 error page with a flamingo
A pink flamingo as a secret inspiration weapon definitely makes you stop and ponder – and maybe catch a creative idea or two. Design by Outcrowd.

a creative zen themed 404 page
A sloth encouraging you to chill is a moment of zen everybody needs from time to time. Design by Biel Morro.

an animated game graphic creative 404 page from Slack
How about an animated 404 page with a cute bucolic landscape you get to explore? This is a 404 page from Slack.

Brand-fitting creative 404 pages

Last but not least, we will show you some truly excellent examples of brilliant 404 pages. Their genius lies not in an apt metaphor or concept, but in the way in which each of these pages is such a perfect fit for the website’s brand. They are truly custom and made to order, and rarely replicable. To achieve a similar effect, a web designer would need to do a ton of brainstorming and creative work with a particular brand, but the effects are well worth it. Judge for yourself!

the creative 404 page from Netflix
The Netflix 404 page shows an image from the movie Lost in Space. It works because the 404 page uses the metaphor of being lost in space but puts movie-themed spin on it. Perfect for Netflix.

KonMari creative 404 page
KonMari is famous for inventing a cleaning and organizing system that took the world by storm. Her 404 page is an ingenious reference to her method.

an interactive vector 404 page from Figma
And the 404 error page from Figma is astounding in its simplicity! The only thing it contains is the 404 – in vectors which you can play around with. That’s the spirit of Figma.

Final thoughts

And that’s it! We are sure the Web abounds in many more amazing, creative 404 pages, and we might even start putting nonsense into the address bar on purpose just to discover even more amazing examples. Or maybe you have some inspiring 404 pages saved up somewhere? Share them with us in the comments!

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4 Comments

  1. Rob
    Rob on 2022-04-21 at 00:10

    They are “creative” but more use to the visitor is to put a sitemap on the 404 to help them find what they were looking for.
    It would be useful if there was a way to log the address that sent them to 404, maybe that would identify an issue you could fix.

    Reply
    • Edyta Zimny
      Edyta Zimny on 2022-04-21 at 11:23

      This is a great insight, thank you! Of course, this approach might be very helpful and valuable to target users.

      Reply
  2. Kasia
    Kasia on 2022-04-20 at 22:49

    Definitely aligned with the Netflix and Figma brand, AWESOME 🙂

    Reply
    • Edyta Zimny
      Edyta Zimny on 2022-04-21 at 11:19

      They really are! I’ve been playing with the Figma one more than I want to admit ^^

      Reply

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