Meta Box vs Advanced Custom Fields: Extended (2026)

Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.

Meta Box

Meta Box

4.8(162)

500K+ active installs

Free

Updated 5 days ago
View Meta Box
VS
Advanced Custom Fields: Extended

Advanced Custom Fields: Extended

4.8(132)

100K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 month ago
View Advanced Custom Fields: Extended

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Meta Box has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 162 reviews) and leads in active installations (500K+ vs 100K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Meta Box has accumulated 23M+ total downloads while Advanced Custom Fields: Extended has 2.4M+. Advanced Custom Fields: Extended has a higher support resolution rate (0% vs 0%).

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.8/5Meta Box
Advanced Custom Fields: Extended4.8/5
Total Reviews
162Meta Box
Advanced Custom Fields: Extended132
Active Installs
500K+Meta Box
Advanced Custom Fields: Extended100K+
Total Downloads
23M+Meta Box
Advanced Custom Fields: Extended2.4M+
Support Resolution
0%Meta Box
Advanced Custom Fields: Extended0%
Last Updated
5 days agoMeta Box
Advanced Custom Fields: Extended1 month ago
First Released
2011Meta Box
Advanced Custom Fields: Extended2019
Age
15 yearsMeta Box
Advanced Custom Fields: Extended7 years
WP Requires
6.5+Meta Box
Advanced Custom Fields: Extended4.9+
PHP Requires
7.4+Meta Box
Advanced Custom Fields: Extended5.6+
Business Model
FreeMeta Box
Advanced Custom Fields: ExtendedFree
Latest Version
5.11.4Meta Box
Advanced Custom Fields: Extended0.9.2.3

Rating Breakdown

Meta Box

4.8/5(162 reviews)
5
91%
4
5%
3
1%
2
1%
1
2%

Advanced Custom Fields: Extended

4.8/5(132 reviews)
5
94%
4
2%
3
1%
2
0%
1
4%

Recent Reviews

Meta Box Reviews

by jameshgordy

Does everything without taking much space

I love this as an alternative to ACF – it’s much more intuitive and takes a healthier modular approach; much more adaptable when working with various frameworks and much better gui for the non technic

by alamea

Best Performance and works with Breakdance Visual Builder

The performance is impressive, and the plugin is constantly maintained. It’s especially nice that it works seamlessly with Breakdance Visual Builder. Thanks to sample code from Metabox (thanks for the

by zentyx

Outstanding Plugin and Incredible Support!

MetaBox has been a game-changer for my WordPress development workflow. The usability is intuitive and highly functional — everything just makes sense and works seamlessly. What truly sets MetaBox

Advanced Custom Fields: Extended Reviews

by Coditive

Effortless Gutenberg Block Creation

We love the simplicity of using Advanced Custom Fields: Extended to build custom Gutenberg blocks. It offers powerful features and seamless integration, making it easier than ever to create dynamic co

by 14oangus

Excellent Support

Both times when I needed support, Konrad was quick to point out the cause and provide detailed explanation and solution. The plugin is awesome but what stands out is the support quality. It gives me c

by gspowart

Excellent support

Great, detailed support from Konrad on my very specific issue.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Meta Box or Advanced Custom Fields: Extended more popular?
Meta Box has 500K+ active installations while Advanced Custom Fields: Extended has 100K+. Meta Box is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Meta Box or Advanced Custom Fields: Extended?
Meta Box has a 4.8/5 rating from 162 reviews, while Advanced Custom Fields: Extended has a 4.8/5 rating from 132 reviews.
Are Meta Box and Advanced Custom Fields: Extended free?
Meta Box is free and Advanced Custom Fields: Extended is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Meta Box or Advanced Custom Fields: Extended?
As of April 2026, Meta Box has a 0% support resolution rate while Advanced Custom Fields: Extended has a 0% rate.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Meta Box was last updated 5 days ago and Advanced Custom Fields: Extended was last updated 1 month ago.

Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.