Advanced Custom Fields vs Custom Field Template
Two WordPress plugins head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
These aren’t all alternatives to each other — they do different jobs — so this page compares popularity only, not features.
At a glance
Advanced Custom Fields leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #28, ahead of Custom Field Template at #965. Over the last 7 days Advanced Custom Fields held its place and Custom Field Template slipped 1 place. Advanced Custom Fields has the largest install base, roughly 67× the next: 2M+ active installs against 30K+ for Custom Field Template. Downloads this week: Advanced Custom Fields 544,039 and Custom Field Template 664. Ratings: Advanced Custom Fields 4.5★ from 1,439 and Custom Field Template 4★ from 24 reviews.
| Metric | Advanced Custom Fields | Custom Field Template |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #28 ▬ | #965 ▼ 1 |
| Active installs | 2M+ | 30K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 544,039 | 664 |
| Rating | 4.5★ (1,439) | 4★ (24) |
| Last updated | Sep 10, 2026 | Aug 11, 2026 |
| Current version | 6.8.10 | 2.8.1 |
| Best rank on record | #28 | #961 |
| Days in the top 50 | 50 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Mar 2011 | Sep 2008 |
Highlighted cells mark the strongest figure in each row. Rank and installs are from the latest WordPress.org capture; downloads are the last seven captured days.
Ranking history Lower is better
Active installs
Downloads per day
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Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Advanced Custom Fields or Custom Field Template?
By active installs, Advanced Custom Fields: 2M+ sites run it against 30K+ for Custom Field Template, according to WordPress.org figures captured on September 12, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Advanced Custom Fields or Custom Field Template?
Advanced Custom Fields, at #28 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Custom Field Template at #965. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Advanced Custom Fields or Custom Field Template alternatives to each other?
Not all of them. Some of these plugins do different jobs and many sites run more than one. This page compares their popularity, not their features.
Where do these numbers come from?
WordPress.org publishes each plugin’s active install count and its position on the popular list. This site records both every day, along with per-day downloads and ratings, so the charts above show how the plugins have moved over time rather than a single day.