Extended vs Meta Box (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Custom Field Plugins top 10: Extended at #4 and Meta Box at #10. Meta Box leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Extended
Advanced Custom Fields: Extended
All-in-one enhancement suite that improves WordPress & Advanced Custom Fields.
Meta Box
Meta Box – A Framework for Dynamic Websites
Meta Box plugin is a powerful, professional developer toolkit to create custom meta boxes and custom fields for your custom post types in WordPress.
Who leads on what
Meta Box leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
Extended ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #10 in Custom Field Plugins.
Meta Box has more users: 500,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
Both are rated 4.8 out of 5 (132 and 165 reviews).
Meta Box has more reviews behind its score: 165 against 132.
Meta Box was updated more recently, on October 20, 2026; Extended on October 19, 2026.
Meta Box was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 275,954 times against 61,066.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Extended
Pick Extended if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them.
Meta Box
Pick Meta Box if you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Extended vs Meta Box side by side
| Extended | Meta Box | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Field Plugins ranking | #4 | #10 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 132 | 165 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 500,000+ |
| Total downloads | 2,716,724 | 25,133,785 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 61,066 | 275,954 |
| Last updated | Oct 19, 2026 | Oct 20, 2026 |
| First published | Mar 18, 2019 | Nov 7, 2011 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 5.6 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Extended ratings
Meta Box ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither Extended nor Meta Box can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Custom Field Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Extended vs Meta Box: common questions
Is Extended better than Meta Box?
Meta Box leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Extended ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #10 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which has more users, Extended or Meta Box?
Extended ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #10 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Extended or Meta Box?
Meta Box has more users: 500,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
Are Extended and Meta Box free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Extended may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Meta Box may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Extended and Meta Box
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More Custom Field Plugins comparisons
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- Extended vs WCK
- Extended vs Checkout Field Editor for WooCommerce
- Extended vs PPOM
- Advanced Custom Fields vs Meta Box
- Custom Field Template vs Meta Box
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What moved this week
One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.