Meta Box 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: Meta Box at #10 and Smart Custom Fields at #5. Meta Box leads on 4 of the 6 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.
Smart Custom Fields
Smart Custom Fields is a simple plugin for managing custom fields.
Who leads on what
Meta Box leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
Smart Custom Fields ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #10 in Custom Field Plugins.
Meta Box has more users: 500,000+ active installs against 50,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Meta Box has 165, Smart Custom Fields has 21. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Meta Box has more reviews behind its score: 165 against 21.
Meta Box was updated more recently, on October 20, 2026; Smart Custom Fields on July 16, 2026.
Meta Box was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 275,954 times against 4,766.
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, you want the score backed by more reviews, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Smart Custom Fields
Pick Smart Custom Fields if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them.
Meta Box vs Smart Custom Fields side by side
| Meta Box | Smart Custom Fields | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Field Plugins ranking | #10 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 165 | 21 |
| Active installs | 500,000+ | 50,000+ |
| Total downloads | 25,133,785 | 385,186 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 275,954 | 4,766 |
| Last updated | Oct 20, 2026 | Jul 16, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 7, 2011 | Oct 9, 2014 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 6.8.11 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Meta Box 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 Meta Box 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.
Meta Box vs Smart Custom Fields: common questions
Is Meta Box better than Smart Custom Fields?
Meta Box leads on 4 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 #10 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which has more users, Meta Box or Smart Custom Fields?
Smart Custom Fields ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #10 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Meta Box or Smart Custom Fields?
Meta Box has more users: 500,000+ active installs against 50,000+.
Are Meta Box and Smart Custom Fields free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Meta Box may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Smart Custom Fields may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Meta Box 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.