CMB2 vs Secure Custom Fields (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, CMB2 has a higher user rating (5/5 from 91 reviews) and leads in active installations (300K+ vs 70K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. CMB2 has accumulated 5.0M+ total downloads while Secure Custom Fields has 361K+. Secure Custom Fields has a higher support resolution rate (0% vs 0%).
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | CMB2 | Secure Custom Fields | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 5/5 | ◄ | 4.7/5 |
| Total Reviews | 91 | ◄ | 59 |
| Active Installs | 300K+ | ◄ | 70K+ |
| Total Downloads | 5.0M+ | ◄ | 361K+ |
| Support Resolution | 0% | 0% | |
| Last Updated | 2 years ago | ► | 1 week ago |
| First Released | 2014 | 2024 | |
| Age | 12 years | 2 years | |
| WP Requires | 3.8.0+ | 6.2+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.4+ | 7.4+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.11.0 | 6.8.2 |
Rating Breakdown
CMB2
Secure Custom Fields
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, CMB2 averaged approximately 561 daily downloads while Secure Custom Fields averaged 1,850.
Recent Reviews
CMB2 Reviews
Super useful!
Thank you for your hard work!One of the best plugin for developers. Simple and effective.
Simple and free and much better than advance custom fields
Simple and free and much better than advance custom fields
Powerfull
Powerfull, Simple and Clean
Secure Custom Fields Reviews
Excellent plugin
Excellent plugin, works smoothly with the system, great with Elementor
do not use this plugin
The owners of this plugin used poor methods when they stole the plugin repository for ACF, and renamed it Secure Custom Fields, instead of forking and starting a new plugin. At the time they also too
Great fork
Yeah, it’s a fork. Yeah, it kills WP Engine’s business model. But that’s precisely why it’s necessary: WP Engine built a business for a very long time based on free software with truly useful extens
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is CMB2 or Secure Custom Fields more popular?
Which has better ratings — CMB2 or Secure Custom Fields?
Are CMB2 and Secure Custom Fields free?
Which plugin has better support — CMB2 or Secure Custom Fields?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.