Objective To explore the feasibility and thermal effectiveness of double active screen plasma nitriding (DASPN) of 304 stain steel. Methods Nitrided layers were prepared on 304 stainless steel substrate by low terperature DASPN technique and common direct-current plasma nitriding (DCPN) technique, respectively. The morphology, phase structure, hardness and corrosion properties of the nitrided layers were comparatively analyzed. Results The nitrided layer produced by DASPN technique was more homogenous and compact compared with that produced by DCPN. It was a single S-phase layer and the hardness of the layer was 763HV0. 25. Moreover, the layer had a better corrosion resistance than that produced by DCPN. Conclusion The thermal effectiveness of 304 steel by DASPN technique was better than that of DCPN treatment, which is probably applicable to commercial process.