Pods vs Secure 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: Pods at #2 and Secure Custom Fields at #3. They split the 6 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.
Pods
Pods – Custom Content Types and Fields
Pods is a framework for creating, managing, and deploying customized content types and fields for any project.
Secure Custom Fields
Secure Custom Fields boosts content management with custom fields and options. It deactivates Advanced Custom Fields to prevent duplicate code errors.
Who leads on what
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
Pods ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #3 in Custom Field Plugins.
Both report 100,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Both are rated 4.8 out of 5 (418 and 69 reviews).
Pods has more reviews behind its score: 418 against 69.
Secure Custom Fields was updated more recently, on October 21, 2026; Pods on August 31, 2026.
Secure Custom Fields was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 85,121 times against 13,233.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Pods
Pick Pods if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Secure Custom Fields
Pick Secure Custom Fields if you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Pods vs Secure Custom Fields side by side
| Pods | Secure Custom Fields | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Field Plugins ranking | #2 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 418 | 69 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 5,530,601 | 850,792 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 13,233 | 85,121 |
| Last updated | Aug 31, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 |
| First published | Oct 8, 2008 | Nov 21, 2024 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Pods ratings
Secure 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 Pods nor Secure Custom Fields can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Custom Field Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Pods vs Secure Custom Fields: common questions
Is Pods better than Secure Custom Fields?
They split the 6 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: #2 against #3 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which has more users, Pods or Secure Custom Fields?
Pods ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #3 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Pods or Secure Custom Fields?
Both report 100,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Are Pods and Secure Custom Fields free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Pods may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Secure Custom Fields is a community plugin with no paid version.
Alternatives to Pods and Secure Custom Fields
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More Custom Field Plugins comparisons
- Extended vs Pods
- Extended vs Secure Custom Fields
- Advanced Custom Fields vs Pods
- Advanced Custom Fields vs Secure Custom Fields
- Admin Columns vs Pods
- Admin Columns vs Secure Custom Fields
- Custom Field Template vs Pods
- Custom Field Template vs Secure Custom Fields
- Flexible Checkout Fields vs Pods
- Flexible Checkout Fields vs Secure Custom Fields
- Meta Box vs Pods
- Meta Box vs Secure Custom Fields
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.