Advanced Custom Fields vs Custom Field Template (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: Advanced Custom Fields at #1 and Custom Field Template at #9. Advanced Custom Fields leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. 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.
Custom Field Template
The Custom Field Template plugin extends the functionality of custom fields.
Who leads on what
Advanced Custom Fields leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Advanced Custom Fields ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #9 in Custom Field Plugins.
Advanced Custom Fields has more users: 2 million+ active installs against 30,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Advanced Custom Fields has 1,438, Custom Field Template has 24. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Advanced Custom Fields has more reviews behind its score: 1,438 against 24.
Advanced Custom Fields was updated more recently, on August 27, 2026; Custom Field Template on August 11, 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.
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, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Custom Field Template
Custom Field Template does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Advanced Custom Fields vs Custom Field Template side by side
| Advanced Custom Fields | Custom Field Template | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Field Plugins ranking | #1 | #9 |
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.0 |
| Reviews | 1,438 | 24 |
| Active installs | 2 million+ | 30,000+ |
| Total downloads | 76,099,770 | 1,236,293 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 27, 2026 | Aug 11, 2026 |
| First published | Mar 25, 2011 | Sep 4, 2008 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Advanced Custom Fields ratings
Custom Field Template 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 Custom Field Template 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 Custom Field Template: common questions
Is Advanced Custom Fields better than Custom Field Template?
Advanced Custom Fields leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Advanced Custom Fields ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #9 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which has more users, Advanced Custom Fields or Custom Field Template?
Advanced Custom Fields ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #9 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Advanced Custom Fields or Custom Field Template?
Advanced Custom Fields has more users: 2 million+ active installs against 30,000+.
Are Advanced Custom Fields and Custom Field Template free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Advanced Custom Fields may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Custom Field Template may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Advanced Custom Fields and Custom Field Template
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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