Meta Box 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: Meta Box at #8 and Pods at #3. They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
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.
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
They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
Pods ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #8 in Custom Post Type Plugins.
Meta Box has more users: 500,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
Both are rated 4.8 out of 5 (165 and 418 reviews).
Pods has more reviews behind its score: 418 against 165.
Meta Box was updated more recently, on September 3, 2026; Pods on August 31, 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.
Meta Box
Pick Meta Box if you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Pods
Pick Pods if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Meta Box vs Pods side by side
| Meta Box | Pods | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Post Type Plugins ranking | #8 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 165 | 418 |
| Active installs | 500,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 24,691,825 | 5,496,585 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Sep 3, 2026 | Aug 31, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 7, 2011 | Oct 8, 2008 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 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.
Meta Box 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 Meta Box nor Pods can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Custom Post Type Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Meta Box vs Pods: common questions
Is Meta Box better than Pods?
They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Pods ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #8 in Custom Post Type Plugins.
Which has more users, Meta Box or Pods?
Pods ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #8 in Custom Post Type Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Meta Box or Pods?
Meta Box has more users: 500,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
Are Meta Box and Pods free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Meta Box may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Pods may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Meta Box 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
-
Custom Post Type UI
1 million+ installs · 4.6 from 276 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 Meta Box
- Custom Post Type Permalinks vs Pods
- Custom Post Type UI vs Meta Box
- Custom Post Type UI vs Pods
- Custom Post Type Widgets vs Meta Box
- Custom Post Type Widgets vs Pods
- Display Post Types vs Meta Box
- Display Post Types vs Pods
- Gravity Forms + Custom Post Types vs Meta Box
- Gravity Forms + Custom Post Types vs Pods
- MB Custom Post Types & Custom Taxonomies vs Meta Box
- MB Custom Post Types & Custom Taxonomies 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.