Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) vs Custom Field Template (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®)
2.0M+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) has a higher user rating (4.5/5 from 1,428 reviews) and leads in active installations (2.0M+ vs 30K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) has accumulated 69M+ total downloads while Custom Field Template has 1.2M+. Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) has a higher support resolution rate (43% vs 0%).
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) | Custom Field Template | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5/5 | ◄ | 4/5 |
| Total Reviews | 1,428 | ◄ | 24 |
| Active Installs | 2.0M+ | ◄ | 30K+ |
| Total Downloads | 69M+ | ◄ | 1.2M+ |
| Support Resolution | 43% | ◄ | 0% |
| Last Updated | 5 days ago | ◄ | 2 months ago |
| First Released | 2011 | 2008 | |
| Age | 15 years | 18 years | |
| WP Requires | 6.2+ | 2.1+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.4+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 6.8.0 | 2.7.7 |
Rating Breakdown
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®)
Custom Field Template
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) averaged approximately 56,756 daily downloads while Custom Field Template averaged 77.
Recent Reviews
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) Reviews
Must Have Tool
One of the best plugins I’ve used. Makes custom fields super easy to manage. Works smoothly and is very flexible. tnx to devs, really helped in my projects 👍
Flexible Fields Tool
ACF really helps when adding custom fields to posts n pages. Setup is pretty simple and very flexible. Took a little time to learn at first, but works great once you get used to it. Tnkz devs.
I just want to display the content
The back-end set up is great and clearly this is a powerful plugin. However, this plugin requires either the paid version or custom PHP theme to display the content on the front end! There are no bloc
Custom Field Template Reviews
Actively maintained
I’ve been using Custom Field Template on my portfolio site for decades during which it has been actively maintained, as soon as WordPress core is updated, Custom Field Template is if necessary. I see
Useful since many years
very useful plugin This topic was modified 4 years, 1 month ago by aschlemmer.
The best
Exellent plugin
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) or Custom Field Template more popular?
Which has better ratings — Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) or Custom Field Template?
Are Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) and Custom Field Template free?
Which plugin has better support — Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) or Custom Field Template?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.