Meta Box vs Post Types Unlimited (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 Post Types Unlimited at #9. Meta Box leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. 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.
Post Types Unlimited
Create unlimited custom post types and custom taxonomies.
Who leads on what
Meta Box leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Meta Box ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #9 in Custom Post Type Plugins.
Meta Box has more users: 500,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Meta Box has 165, Post Types Unlimited has 9. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Meta Box has more reviews behind its score: 165 against 9.
Meta Box was updated more recently, on September 3, 2026; Post Types Unlimited on May 13, 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 go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, 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.
Post Types Unlimited
Post Types Unlimited does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Meta Box vs Post Types Unlimited side by side
| Meta Box | Post Types Unlimited | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Post Type Plugins ranking | #8 | #9 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 5.0 |
| Reviews | 165 | 9 |
| Active installs | 500,000+ | 10,000+ |
| Total downloads | 24,691,825 | 155,999 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Sep 3, 2026 | May 13, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 7, 2011 | Mar 19, 2019 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 6.9.7 |
| 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.
Meta Box ratings
Post Types Unlimited 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 Post Types Unlimited 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 Post Types Unlimited: common questions
Is Meta Box better than Post Types Unlimited?
Meta Box leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Meta Box ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #9 in Custom Post Type Plugins.
Which has more users, Meta Box or Post Types Unlimited?
Meta Box ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #9 in Custom Post Type Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Meta Box or Post Types Unlimited?
Meta Box has more users: 500,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Meta Box and Post Types Unlimited free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Meta Box may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Post Types Unlimited may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Meta Box and Post Types Unlimited
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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Pods
100,000+ installs · 4.8 from 418 reviews
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WCK
10,000+ installs · 4.7 from 97 reviews
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MB Custom Post Types & Custom Taxonomies
10,000+ installs · 4.7 from 13 reviews
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Custom Post Type UI
1 million+ installs · 4.6 from 276 reviews
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Gravity Forms + Custom Post Types
10,000+ installs · 4.4 from 46 reviews
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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.