Pods vs Smart Custom Fields (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 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 Smart Custom Fields at #5. Pods leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. 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.
Smart Custom Fields
Smart Custom Fields is a simple plugin for managing custom fields.
Who leads on what
Pods leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Pods ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #5 in Custom Field Plugins.
Pods has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 50,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Pods has 418, Smart Custom Fields has 20. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Pods has more reviews behind its score: 418 against 20.
Pods was updated more recently, on August 31, 2026; Smart Custom Fields on July 16, 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.
Pods
Pick Pods 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.
Smart Custom Fields
Smart Custom Fields does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Pods vs Smart Custom Fields side by side
| Pods | Smart Custom Fields | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Field Plugins ranking | #2 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 418 | 20 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 50,000+ |
| Total downloads | 5,496,585 | 378,623 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 31, 2026 | Jul 16, 2026 |
| First published | Oct 8, 2008 | Oct 9, 2014 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 6.8.8 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Pods 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 Pods 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.
Pods vs Smart Custom Fields: common questions
Is Pods better than Smart Custom Fields?
Pods leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Pods ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #5 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which has more users, Pods or Smart Custom Fields?
Pods ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #5 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Pods or Smart Custom Fields?
Pods has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 50,000+.
Are Pods and Smart Custom Fields free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Pods may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Smart Custom Fields may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Pods 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
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