Custom Post Type UI vs Essential Content Types
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
Custom Post Type UI leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #50, ahead of Essential Content Types at #1,264. Over the last 7 days Custom Post Type UI held its place and Essential Content Types slipped 3 places. Custom Post Type UI has the largest install base, roughly 50× the next: 1M+ active installs against 20K+ for Essential Content Types. Downloads this week: Custom Post Type UI 28,185 and Essential Content Types 784. Ratings: Custom Post Type UI 4.6★ from 276 and Essential Content Types 3.7★ from 3 reviews.
| Metric | Custom Post Type UI | Essential Content Types |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #50 ▬ | #1,264 ▼ 3 |
| Active installs | 1M+ | 20K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 28,185 | 784 |
| Rating | 4.6★ (276) | 3.7★ (3) |
| Last updated | Jul 14, 2026 | Jun 16, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.19.3 | 2.6 |
| Best rank on record | #50 | #1,255 |
| Days in the top 50 | 50 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Feb 2010 | Apr 2017 |
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
- Custom Post Type UI vs Post Type Switcher
- Custom Post Type UI vs Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields
- Custom Post Type UI vs Post Types Unlimited
- Custom Post Type UI vs MB Custom Post Types & Custom Taxonomies
- Essential Content Types vs Post Types Unlimited
- Essential Content Types vs Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields
- Essential Content Types vs Gravity Forms + Custom Post Types
- Essential Content Types vs Posts in Page
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Custom Post Type UI or Essential Content Types?
By active installs, Custom Post Type UI: 1M+ sites run it against 20K+ for Essential Content Types, according to WordPress.org figures captured on September 12, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Custom Post Type UI or Essential Content Types?
Custom Post Type UI, at #50 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Essential Content Types at #1,264. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Custom Post Type UI or Essential Content Types 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.