Meta Box vs Secure Custom 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 Secure Custom Fields at #424. Over the last 7 days Meta Box held its place and Secure Custom Fields climbed 9 places. Meta Box has the largest install base, roughly 5× the next: 500K+ active installs against 100K+ for Secure Custom Fields. Downloads this week: Secure Custom Fields 47,181 and Meta Box 46,685. Ratings: Meta Box 4.8★ from 165 and Secure Custom Fields 4.8★ from 69 reviews.
| Metric | Meta Box | Secure Custom Fields |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #128 ▬ | #424 ▲ 9 |
| Active installs | 500K+ | 100K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 46,685 | 47,181 |
| Rating | 4.8★ (165) | 4.8★ (69) |
| Last updated | Oct 20, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 |
| Current version | 5.15.3 | 6.9.7 |
| Best rank on record | #124 | #424 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Nov 2011 | Nov 2024 |
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
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- Meta Box vs MB Custom Post Types & Custom Taxonomies
- Meta Box vs Sydney Toolbox
- Secure Custom Fields vs Advanced Custom Fields
- Secure Custom Fields vs Pods - Custom Content Types and Fields
- Secure Custom Fields vs Advanced Custom Fields: Extended
- Secure Custom Fields vs Custom Field Template
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Meta Box or Secure Custom Fields?
By active installs, Meta Box: 500K+ sites run it against 100K+ for Secure Custom Fields, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 29, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Meta Box or Secure Custom Fields?
Meta Box, at #128 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Secure Custom Fields at #424. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Meta Box or Secure Custom 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.