Custom Post Type Widgets vs Meta Box (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 Widgets at #4 and Meta Box at #8. Meta Box 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 Widgets
Custom Post Type Widgets plugin adds default custom post type widgets.
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 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Custom Post Type Widgets ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #8 in Custom Post Type Plugins.
Meta Box has more users: 500,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Custom Post Type Widgets has 14, Meta Box has 165. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Meta Box has more reviews behind its score: 165 against 14.
Meta Box was updated more recently, on September 3, 2026; Custom Post Type Widgets on June 2, 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 Widgets
Pick Custom Post Type Widgets 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 or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Custom Post Type Widgets vs Meta Box side by side
| Custom Post Type Widgets | Meta Box | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Post Type Plugins ranking | #4 | #8 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 14 | 165 |
| Active installs | 10,000+ | 500,000+ |
| Total downloads | 225,808 | 24,691,825 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Jun 2, 2026 | Sep 3, 2026 |
| First published | Jan 28, 2015 | Nov 7, 2011 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| 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 Widgets 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 Post Type Widgets nor Meta Box 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 Widgets vs Meta Box: common questions
Is Custom Post Type Widgets better than Meta Box?
Meta Box 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 Widgets ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #8 in Custom Post Type Plugins.
Which has more users, Custom Post Type Widgets or Meta Box?
Custom Post Type Widgets ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #8 in Custom Post Type Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Custom Post Type Widgets or Meta Box?
Meta Box has more users: 500,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Custom Post Type Widgets and Meta Box free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Custom Post Type Widgets may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Meta Box may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Custom Post Type Widgets and Meta Box
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
Pods
100,000+ installs · 4.8 from 418 reviews
-
WCK
10,000+ installs · 4.7 from 97 reviews
-
MB Custom Post Types & Custom Taxonomies
10,000+ installs · 4.7 from 13 reviews
-
Custom Post Type UI
1 million+ installs · 4.6 from 276 reviews
-
Gravity Forms + Custom Post Types
10,000+ installs · 4.4 from 46 reviews
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- Custom Post Type UI vs Meta Box
- Custom Post Type Widgets vs Display Post Types
- Custom Post Type Widgets vs Gravity Forms + Custom Post Types
- Custom Post Type Widgets vs MB Custom Post Types & Custom Taxonomies
- Custom Post Type Widgets vs Pods
- Custom Post Type Widgets vs Post Types Unlimited
- Custom Post Type Widgets vs WCK
- Display Post Types vs Meta Box
- Gravity Forms + Custom Post Types vs Meta Box
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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.