Advanced Custom Fields vs Admin Columns (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: Advanced Custom Fields at #1 and Admin Columns at #12. They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Advanced Custom Fields
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®)
ACF helps customize WordPress with powerful, professional and intuitive fields. Proudly powering over 2 million sites, WordPress developers love ACF.
Admin Columns
Take control of your WordPress admin list tables. Add, remove, and reorder columns for posts, users, media, and more - no coding needed.
Who leads on what
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
Advanced Custom Fields ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #12 in Custom Field Plugins.
Advanced Custom Fields has more users: 2 million+ active installs against 100,000+.
Admin Columns is rated higher: 4.9 out of 5 from 1,652 reviews, against 4.5 from 1,440 reviews.
Admin Columns has more reviews behind its score: 1,652 against 1,440.
Admin Columns was updated more recently, on October 7, 2026; Advanced Custom Fields on September 10, 2026.
Advanced Custom Fields was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 484,097 times against 82,344.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Advanced Custom Fields
Pick Advanced Custom Fields if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Admin Columns
Pick Admin Columns if the review score matters most to you, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Advanced Custom Fields vs Admin Columns side by side
| Advanced Custom Fields | Admin Columns | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Field Plugins ranking | #1 | #12 |
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 1,440 | 1,652 |
| Active installs | 2 million+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 77,327,691 | 3,470,403 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 484,097 | 82,344 |
| Last updated | Sep 10, 2026 | Oct 7, 2026 |
| First published | Mar 25, 2011 | Nov 27, 2011 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free + paid version |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Advanced Custom Fields ratings
Admin Columns 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 Advanced Custom Fields nor Admin Columns can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Custom Field Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Advanced Custom Fields vs Admin Columns: common questions
Is Advanced Custom Fields better than Admin Columns?
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Advanced Custom Fields ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #12 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which has more users, Advanced Custom Fields or Admin Columns?
Advanced Custom Fields ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #12 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Advanced Custom Fields or Admin Columns?
Advanced Custom Fields has more users: 2 million+ active installs against 100,000+.
Are Advanced Custom Fields and Admin Columns free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Advanced Custom Fields may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Admin Columns is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to Advanced Custom Fields and Admin Columns
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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