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Virtual Robots.txt vs HTTP 410 (Gone) responses (2026)

Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.

Virtual Robots.txt

Virtual Robots.txt

4.3(10)

50K+ active installs

Free

Updated 3 months ago
View Virtual Robots.txt
VS
HTTP 410 (Gone) responses

HTTP 410 (Gone) responses

4.6(21)

4.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 2 months ago
View HTTP 410 (Gone) responses

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, HTTP 410 (Gone) responses has a higher user rating (4.6/5 from 21 reviews) while Virtual Robots.txt leads in active installations (50K+ vs 4.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Virtual Robots.txt has accumulated 442K+ total downloads while HTTP 410 (Gone) responses has 68K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.3/5Virtual Robots.txt
►
HTTP 410 (Gone) responses4.6/5
Total Reviews
10Virtual Robots.txt
►
HTTP 410 (Gone) responses21
Active Installs
50K+Virtual Robots.txt
◄
HTTP 410 (Gone) responses4.0K+
Total Downloads
442K+Virtual Robots.txt
◄
HTTP 410 (Gone) responses68K+
Support Resolution
N/AVirtual Robots.txt
HTTP 410 (Gone) responsesN/A
Last Updated
3 months agoVirtual Robots.txt
►
HTTP 410 (Gone) responses2 months ago
First Released
2009Virtual Robots.txt
HTTP 410 (Gone) responses2011
Age
17 yearsVirtual Robots.txt
HTTP 410 (Gone) responses15 years
WP Requires
5.0+Virtual Robots.txt
HTTP 410 (Gone) responses3.7+
PHP Requires
false+Virtual Robots.txt
HTTP 410 (Gone) responsesfalse+
Business Model
FreeVirtual Robots.txt
HTTP 410 (Gone) responsesFree
Latest Version
1.10Virtual Robots.txt
HTTP 410 (Gone) responses1.0.3

Rating Breakdown

Virtual Robots.txt

4.3/5(10 reviews)
5
80%
4
0%
3
0%
2
10%
1
10%

HTTP 410 (Gone) responses

4.6/5(21 reviews)
5
71%
4
24%
3
0%
2
0%
1
5%

Recent Reviews

Virtual Robots.txt Reviews

by commexjimmy

This plugin is working great for me

I have used this plugin for many years and never had a problem with it. So with that said, I do highly recommend it.

by treysuttle

Doesn’t seem to work as described

I had an issue that I believed was being caused by the plugin but the plugin author was very quick to help and clear up the issue. Great and helpful customer service – thanks! This topic was m

by Denis Creative

Very useful

Simple and easy. Works perfectly.

HTTP 410 (Gone) responses Reviews

by Robert

Still works

I use the plugin for Micropub protocol, to tell another site I have deleted my contribution.

by bloup

It still works

It is 2020 and it still works. In the plugin settings, I use a wild card to return a 410 rather than a 404 from posts. https://mydomain.com/*/ The plugin return a 410 in the header. BRAVO. Th

by alfadelta

Works, But Google says its not needed

I removed this plugin based on help text from Google Webmaster Tools: If you have permanently deleted content without intending to replace it with newer, related content, let the old URL return a 404

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Virtual Robots.txt or HTTP 410 (Gone) responses more popular?
Virtual Robots.txt has 50K+ active installations while HTTP 410 (Gone) responses has 4.0K+. Virtual Robots.txt is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Virtual Robots.txt or HTTP 410 (Gone) responses?
Virtual Robots.txt has a 4.3/5 rating from 10 reviews, while HTTP 410 (Gone) responses has a 4.6/5 rating from 21 reviews.
Are Virtual Robots.txt and HTTP 410 (Gone) responses free?
Virtual Robots.txt is free and HTTP 410 (Gone) responses is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Virtual Robots.txt or HTTP 410 (Gone) responses?
Support resolution data is not available for all plugins. Check each plugin's WordPress.org support forum for current response quality.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Virtual Robots.txt was last updated 3 months ago and HTTP 410 (Gone) responses was last updated 2 months ago.

Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.