Column Shortcodes vs ACF Columns (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Column Shortcodes has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 134 reviews) and leads in active installations (60K+ vs 5.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Column Shortcodes has accumulated 894K+ total downloads while ACF Columns has 52K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Column Shortcodes | ACF Columns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | ◄ | 4.5/5 |
| Total Reviews | 134 | ◄ | 10 |
| Active Installs | 60K+ | ◄ | 5.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 894K+ | ◄ | 52K+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 3 years ago | ► | 1 year ago |
| First Released | 2012 | 2017 | |
| Age | 14 years | 9 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.8+ | 4.7+ | |
| PHP Requires | false+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 1.0.1 | 1.2.5 |
Rating Breakdown
Column Shortcodes
ACF Columns
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Column Shortcodes averaged approximately 37 daily downloads while ACF Columns averaged 12.
Recent Reviews
Column Shortcodes Reviews
Basic column shortcode, I’m sure there are better ones out there.
I only use this because it’s what my client already had installed and they’ve been using it for years. When I asked why I can’t align content vertically within a column I was simply told, “it can’t do
Perfect
Perfect plugin! Thanks a lot.
Easy to use
Simple and easy to use, that is the reason I like it.
ACF Columns Reviews
Very useful plugin
I’ve used this plugin for years and it’s always worked great
Awesome little plugin!
Really great little plugin. Deserves to be looked after. Many thanks!
Simply do the job
Great plugin to organise ACF back-end !
More Column Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as Column Shortcodes and ACF Columns
Make entire columns, sections and containers clickable in Elementor — improve navigation and user experience with just one link.
Easily equalize the height of columns or any collection of elements.
Turbo charge your posts admin for any custom post type with sortable filters and columns, and auto-registration of metaboxes.
Adds a column to any post type edit screen with the featured image if it exists.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.