CMB2 vs Custom PHP Settings
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
CMB2 leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #192, ahead of Custom PHP Settings at #1,879. Over the last 7 days CMB2 slipped 1 place and Custom PHP Settings climbed 5 places. CMB2 has the largest install base, roughly 30× the next: 300K+ active installs against 10K+ for Custom PHP Settings. Downloads this week: CMB2 80,766 and Custom PHP Settings 393. Ratings: CMB2 5★ from 91 and Custom PHP Settings 4.4★ from 15 reviews.
| Metric | CMB2 | Custom PHP Settings |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #192 ▼ 1 | #1,879 ▲ 5 |
| Active installs | 300K+ | 10K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 80,766 | 393 |
| Rating | 5★ (91) | 4.4★ (15) |
| Last updated | Oct 27, 2026 | Nov 20, 2025 |
| Current version | 2.13.5 | 2.4.1 |
| Best rank on record | #188 | #1,830 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Sep 2014 | Feb 2019 |
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
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, CMB2 or Custom PHP Settings?
By active installs, CMB2: 300K+ sites run it against 10K+ for Custom PHP Settings, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 30, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, CMB2 or Custom PHP Settings?
CMB2, at #192 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Custom PHP Settings at #1,879. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are CMB2 or Custom PHP Settings 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.