Custom Post Type UI vs Pods (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Custom Post Type Plugins top 10: Custom Post Type UI at #1 and Pods at #3. Pods leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Custom Post Type UI
Admin UI for creating custom content types like post types and taxonomies
Pods
Pods – Custom Content Types and Fields
Pods is a framework for creating, managing, and deploying customized content types and fields for any project.
Who leads on what
Pods leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Custom Post Type UI ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Custom Post Type Plugins.
Custom Post Type UI has more users: 1 million+ active installs against 100,000+.
Pods is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 418 reviews, against 4.6 from 276 reviews.
Pods has more reviews behind its score: 418 against 276.
Pods was updated more recently, on August 31, 2026; Custom Post Type UI on July 14, 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.
Custom Post Type UI
Pick Custom Post Type UI if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them or you want the plugin more sites already run.
Pods
Pick Pods 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.
Custom Post Type UI vs Pods side by side
| Custom Post Type UI | Pods | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Post Type Plugins ranking | #1 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 276 | 418 |
| Active installs | 1 million+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 24,686,463 | 5,496,585 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Jul 14, 2026 | Aug 31, 2026 |
| First published | Feb 26, 2010 | Oct 8, 2008 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.2 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Custom Post Type UI ratings
Pods 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 Post Type UI nor Pods can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Custom Post Type Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Custom Post Type UI vs Pods: common questions
Is Custom Post Type UI better than Pods?
Pods leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Custom Post Type UI ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Custom Post Type Plugins.
Which has more users, Custom Post Type UI or Pods?
Custom Post Type UI ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Custom Post Type Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Custom Post Type UI or Pods?
Custom Post Type UI has more users: 1 million+ active installs against 100,000+.
Are Custom Post Type UI and Pods free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Custom Post Type UI may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Pods may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Custom Post Type UI and Pods
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
WCK
10,000+ installs · 4.7 from 97 reviews
-
Meta Box
500,000+ installs · 4.8 from 165 reviews
-
MB Custom Post Types & Custom Taxonomies
10,000+ installs · 4.7 from 13 reviews
-
Gravity Forms + Custom Post Types
10,000+ installs · 4.4 from 46 reviews
-
Advanced Custom Fields
2 million+ installs · 4.5 from 1,438 reviews
More Custom Post Type Plugins comparisons
- Custom Post Type Permalinks vs Custom Post Type UI
- Custom Post Type Permalinks vs Pods
- Custom Post Type UI vs Custom Post Type Widgets
- Custom Post Type UI vs Display Post Types
- Custom Post Type UI vs Gravity Forms + Custom Post Types
- Custom Post Type UI vs MB Custom Post Types & Custom Taxonomies
- Custom Post Type UI vs Meta Box
- Custom Post Type UI vs Post Types Unlimited
- Custom Post Type UI vs WCK
- Custom Post Type Widgets vs Pods
- Display Post Types vs Pods
- Gravity Forms + Custom Post Types vs Pods
Weekly · free
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.