Meta Box 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.
At a glance
Meta Box leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #128, ahead of Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields at #412. Over the last 7 days Meta Box held its place and Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields slipped 2 places. Meta Box has the largest install base, roughly 5× the next: 500K+ active installs against 100K+ for Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields. Downloads this week: Meta Box 46,685 and Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields 4,224. Ratings: Meta Box 4.8★ from 165 and Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields 4.8★ from 418 reviews.
| Metric | Meta Box | Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #128 ▬ | #412 ▼ 2 |
| Active installs | 500K+ | 100K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 46,685 | 4,224 |
| Rating | 4.8★ (165) | 4.8★ (418) |
| Last updated | Oct 20, 2026 | Aug 31, 2026 |
| Current version | 5.15.3 | 3.3.9.2 |
| Best rank on record | #124 | #409 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Nov 2011 | 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
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- Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields vs Sydney Toolbox
- Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields vs Custom Post Type UI
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Meta Box or Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields?
By active installs, Meta Box: 500K+ sites run it against 100K+ for Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 29, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Meta Box or Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields?
Meta Box, at #128 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields at #412. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Meta Box or Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields alternatives to each other?
Yes. All of them are custom fields plugins, so a site would normally run one of them. The figures above show which one more WordPress sites choose and how that has changed over time.
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.