Custom Field Template 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: Custom Field Template at #9 and Smart Custom Fields at #5. Smart Custom Fields leads on 3 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.
Smart Custom Fields
Smart Custom Fields is a simple plugin for managing custom fields.
Who leads on what
Smart Custom Fields leads on 3 of the 6 measures we track.
Smart Custom Fields ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #9 in Custom Field Plugins.
Smart Custom Fields has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Custom Field Template has 24, Smart Custom Fields has 21. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Custom Field Template has more reviews behind its score: 24 against 21.
Custom Field Template was updated more recently, on August 11, 2026; Smart Custom Fields on July 16, 2026.
Smart Custom Fields was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 4,766 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 want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Smart Custom Fields
Pick Smart 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.
Custom Field Template vs Smart Custom Fields side by side
| Custom Field Template | Smart Custom Fields | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Field Plugins ranking | #9 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.0 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 24 | 21 |
| Active installs | 30,000+ | 50,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,241,650 | 385,186 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 3,984 | 4,766 |
| Last updated | Aug 11, 2026 | Jul 16, 2026 |
| First published | Sep 4, 2008 | Oct 9, 2014 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.7 | 6.8.11 |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Custom Field Template 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 Custom Field Template 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.
Custom Field Template vs Smart Custom Fields: common questions
Is Custom Field Template better than Smart Custom Fields?
Smart Custom Fields leads on 3 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 #9 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which has more users, Custom Field Template or Smart Custom Fields?
Smart Custom Fields ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #9 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Custom Field Template or Smart Custom Fields?
Smart Custom Fields has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Are Custom Field Template and Smart Custom Fields free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Custom Field Template may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Smart Custom Fields may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Custom Field Template and Smart Custom Fields
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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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.