Extended vs Secure Custom Fields (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 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 Secure Custom Fields at #3. Extended leads on 3 of the 5 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.
Secure Custom Fields
Secure Custom Fields boosts content management with custom fields and options. It deactivates Advanced Custom Fields to prevent duplicate code errors.
Who leads on what
Extended leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Secure Custom Fields ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #4 in Custom Field Plugins.
Extended has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 90,000+.
Both are rated 4.8 out of 5 (132 and 64 reviews).
Extended has more reviews behind its score: 132 against 64.
Extended was updated more recently, on August 27, 2026; Secure Custom Fields on August 20, 2026.
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 want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Secure Custom Fields
Pick Secure Custom Fields if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them.
Extended vs Secure Custom Fields side by side
| Extended | Secure Custom Fields | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Field Plugins ranking | #4 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 132 | 64 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 90,000+ |
| Total downloads | 2,635,109 | 750,376 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 27, 2026 | Aug 20, 2026 |
| First published | Mar 18, 2019 | Nov 21, 2024 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 5.6 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Extended ratings
Secure Custom Fields 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 Secure Custom Fields can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Custom Field Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Extended vs Secure Custom Fields: common questions
Is Extended better than Secure Custom Fields?
Extended leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Secure Custom Fields ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #4 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which has more users, Extended or Secure Custom Fields?
Secure Custom Fields ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #4 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Extended or Secure Custom Fields?
Extended has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 90,000+.
Are Extended and Secure Custom Fields free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Extended may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Secure Custom Fields is a community plugin with no paid version.
Alternatives to Extended and Secure Custom Fields
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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- Extended vs PPOM
- Advanced Custom Fields vs Secure Custom Fields
- Custom Field Template vs Secure Custom Fields
- Flexible Checkout Fields vs Secure Custom Fields
- Pods vs Secure Custom Fields
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