Smart Custom Fields vs WCK (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: Smart Custom Fields at #5 and WCK at #8. Smart Custom Fields leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Smart Custom Fields
Smart Custom Fields is a simple plugin for managing custom fields.
WCK
Custom Post Types and Custom Fields creator – WCK
A must have tool for creating custom fields, custom post types and taxonomies, fast and without any programming knowledge.
Who leads on what
Smart Custom Fields leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Smart Custom Fields ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #8 in Custom Field Plugins.
Smart Custom Fields has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Smart Custom Fields has 20, WCK has 97. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
WCK has more reviews behind its score: 97 against 20.
Smart Custom Fields was updated more recently, on July 16, 2026; WCK on July 15, 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.
Smart Custom Fields
Pick Smart Custom Fields if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Smart Custom Fields vs WCK side by side
| Smart Custom Fields | WCK | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Field Plugins ranking | #5 | #8 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 20 | 97 |
| Active installs | 50,000+ | 10,000+ |
| Total downloads | 378,623 | 569,264 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Jul 16, 2026 | Jul 15, 2026 |
| First published | Oct 9, 2014 | May 1, 2013 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 6.8.8 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Smart Custom Fields ratings
WCK 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 Smart Custom Fields nor WCK can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Custom Field Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Smart Custom Fields vs WCK: common questions
Is Smart Custom Fields better than WCK?
Smart Custom Fields leads on 3 of the 5 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 #8 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which has more users, Smart Custom Fields or WCK?
Smart Custom Fields ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #8 in Custom Field Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Smart Custom Fields or WCK?
Smart Custom Fields has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Smart Custom Fields and WCK free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Smart Custom Fields may also sell a paid version or add-ons. WCK may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Smart Custom Fields and WCK
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.