Custom Field Template 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: Custom Field Template at #9 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.
Custom Field Template
The Custom Field Template plugin extends the functionality of 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.
Custom Field Template ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #10 in Custom Field Plugins.
Meta Box has more users: 500,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Custom Field Template has 24, Meta Box has 165. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Meta Box has more reviews behind its score: 165 against 24.
Meta Box was updated more recently, on October 20, 2026; Custom Field Template on August 11, 2026.
Meta Box was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 275,954 times against 3,984.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Custom Field Template
Pick Custom Field Template 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.
Custom Field Template vs Meta Box side by side
| Custom Field Template | Meta Box | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Field Plugins ranking | #9 | #10 |
| Rating | 4.0 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 24 | 165 |
| Active installs | 30,000+ | 500,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,241,650 | 25,133,785 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 3,984 | 275,954 |
| Last updated | Aug 11, 2026 | Oct 20, 2026 |
| First published | Sep 4, 2008 | Nov 7, 2011 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.7 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Custom Field Template 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 Custom Field Template nor Meta Box can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Custom Field Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Custom Field Template vs Meta Box: common questions
Is Custom Field Template 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. Custom Field Template ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #10 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which has more users, Custom Field Template or Meta Box?
Custom Field Template ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #10 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Custom Field Template or Meta Box?
Meta Box has more users: 500,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Are Custom Field Template and Meta Box free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Custom Field Template may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Meta Box may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Custom Field Template 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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- Advanced Custom Fields vs Meta Box
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- Custom Field Template vs Pods
- Custom Field Template vs Secure Custom Fields
- Custom Field Template vs Smart Custom Fields
- Custom Field Template vs WCK
- Custom Field Template vs Checkout Field Editor for WooCommerce
- Custom Field Template vs PPOM
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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.