Essential Content Types vs Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields
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
Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #412, ahead of Essential Content Types at #1,262. Over the last 7 days Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields slipped 1 place and Essential Content Types climbed 3 places. Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields has the largest install base, roughly 5× the next: 100K+ active installs against 20K+ for Essential Content Types. Downloads this week: Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields 4,112 and Essential Content Types 788. Ratings: Essential Content Types 3.7★ from 3 and Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields 4.8★ from 418 reviews.
| Metric | Essential Content Types | Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,262 ▲ 3 | #412 ▼ 1 |
| Active installs | 20K+ | 100K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 788 | 4,112 |
| Rating | 3.7★ (3) | 4.8★ (418) |
| Last updated | Jun 16, 2026 | Aug 31, 2026 |
| Current version | 2.6 | 3.3.9.2 |
| Best rank on record | #1,255 | #409 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Apr 2017 | Oct 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
More comparisons
- Essential Content Types vs Custom Post Type UI
- Essential Content Types vs Post Types Unlimited
- Essential Content Types vs Gravity Forms + Custom Post Types
- Essential Content Types vs Posts in Page
- Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields vs Advanced Custom Fields
- Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields vs Meta Box
- Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields vs Secure Custom Fields
- Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields vs Sydney Toolbox
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Essential Content Types or Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields?
By active installs, Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields: 100K+ sites run it against 20K+ for Essential Content Types, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 30, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Essential Content Types or Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields?
Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields, at #412 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Essential Content Types at #1,262. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Essential Content Types or Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields 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.