Admin Columns vs Smart Custom Fields (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: Admin Columns at #12 and Smart Custom Fields at #5. Admin Columns leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Admin Columns
Take control of your WordPress admin list tables. Add, remove, and reorder columns for posts, users, media, and more - no coding needed.
Smart Custom Fields
Smart Custom Fields is a simple plugin for managing custom fields.
Who leads on what
Admin Columns leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
Smart Custom Fields ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #12 in Custom Field Plugins.
Admin Columns has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 50,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Admin Columns has 1,652, Smart Custom Fields has 21. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Admin Columns has more reviews behind its score: 1,652 against 21.
Admin Columns was updated more recently, on October 7, 2026; Smart Custom Fields on July 16, 2026.
Admin Columns was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 82,344 times against 4,766.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Admin Columns
Pick Admin Columns 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.
Smart Custom Fields
Pick Smart Custom Fields if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them.
Admin Columns vs Smart Custom Fields side by side
| Admin Columns | Smart Custom Fields | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Field Plugins ranking | #12 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 1,652 | 21 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 50,000+ |
| Total downloads | 3,470,403 | 385,186 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 82,344 | 4,766 |
| Last updated | Oct 7, 2026 | Jul 16, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 27, 2011 | Oct 9, 2014 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 6.8.11 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Admin Columns ratings
Smart 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 Admin Columns nor Smart Custom Fields can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Custom Field Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Admin Columns vs Smart Custom Fields: common questions
Is Admin Columns better than Smart Custom Fields?
Admin Columns leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Smart Custom Fields ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #12 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which has more users, Admin Columns or Smart Custom Fields?
Smart Custom Fields ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #12 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Admin Columns or Smart Custom Fields?
Admin Columns has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 50,000+.
Are Admin Columns and Smart Custom Fields free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Admin Columns is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Smart Custom Fields may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Admin Columns and Smart Custom Fields
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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