CMB2 vs Simple Options (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 80). Both are free WordPress plugins. CMB2 has accumulated 5.0M+ total downloads while Simple Options has 5.1K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | CMB2 | Simple Options | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 5/5 | ◄ | N/A |
| Total Reviews | 91 | ◄ | 0 |
| Active Installs | 300K+ | ◄ | 80 |
| Total Downloads | 5.0M+ | ◄ | 5.1K+ |
| Support Resolution | 0% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 2 years ago | ◄ | 13 years ago |
| First Released | 2014 | 2012 | |
| Age | 12 years | 14 years | |
| WP Requires | 3.8.0+ | 3.3+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.4+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.11.0 | 0.1.2 |
Rating Breakdown
CMB2
Simple Options
Download Trends
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
Simple Options Reviews
No reviews yet
More Plugins Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as CMB2 and Simple Options
Redux is a simple, truly extensible, and fully responsive options framework for WordPress themes and plugins. It ships with an integrated demo.
Theme Options UI Builder for WordPress. A simple way to create & save Theme Options and Meta Boxes for free or premium themes.
Improves Polylang by adding per-language support for ACF options pages—each language can have its own option values.
The Options Framework Plugin makes it easy to include an options panel in any WordPress theme. It was built so developers can concentrate on making t …
Plugin that tracks autoloaded options usage and allows the user to optimize them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CMB2 or Simple Options more popular?
Which has better ratings — CMB2 or Simple Options?
Are CMB2 and Simple Options free?
Which plugin has better support — CMB2 or Simple Options?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.