Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses… vs Custom Meta Widget (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses…
90K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Custom Meta Widget has a higher user rating (5/5 from 23 reviews) while Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses… leads in active installations (90K+ vs 8.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses… has accumulated 1.8M+ total downloads while Custom Meta Widget has 218K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses… | Custom Meta Widget | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.9/5 | ► | 5/5 |
| Total Reviews | 89 | ◄ | 23 |
| Active Installs | 90K+ | ◄ | 8.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 1.8M+ | ◄ | 218K+ |
| Support Resolution | 67% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 5 days ago | ◄ | 8 years ago |
| First Released | 2010 | 2011 | |
| Age | 16 years | 15 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.7+ | 2.8+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.4+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.4.5 | 1.5.1 |
Rating Breakdown
Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses…
Custom Meta Widget
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses… averaged approximately 1,893 daily downloads while Custom Meta Widget averaged 4.
Recent Reviews
Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses… Reviews
Nice Free Plugin
Good free plugin. I hope it will soon be able to automatically recognize phone numbers
Been using it for years!
I’m actually impressed that it’s still free.
Excellent plugin and support
Excellent plugin and support. Highly recommended.
Custom Meta Widget Reviews
good……
but only one custom link can be added 🙁
Semplice e essenziale
Un plugin semplice e leggero, ma utilissimo e essenziale per un sito. Grazie!
Great convenience!
I didn’t need to do anything else other than activating the plugin. The meta menu with Feeds and WordPress.org link where gone. Thank you!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses… or Custom Meta Widget more popular?
Which has better ratings — Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses… or Custom Meta Widget?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.