PluginSift

Meta Box vs Secure Custom Fields (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
Secure Custom Fields

Secure Custom Fields

4.7(59)

70K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 week ago
View Secure Custom Fields

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 70K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Meta Box has accumulated 23M+ total downloads while Secure Custom Fields has 361K+. Secure Custom Fields has a higher support resolution rate (0% vs 0%).

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.8/5Meta Box
◄
Secure Custom Fields4.7/5
Total Reviews
162Meta Box
◄
Secure Custom Fields59
Active Installs
500K+Meta Box
◄
Secure Custom Fields70K+
Total Downloads
23M+Meta Box
◄
Secure Custom Fields361K+
Support Resolution
0%Meta Box
Secure Custom Fields0%
Last Updated
5 days agoMeta Box
◄
Secure Custom Fields1 week ago
First Released
2011Meta Box
Secure Custom Fields2024
Age
15 yearsMeta Box
Secure Custom Fields2 years
WP Requires
6.5+Meta Box
Secure Custom Fields6.2+
PHP Requires
7.4+Meta Box
Secure Custom Fields7.4+
Business Model
FreeMeta Box
Secure Custom FieldsFree
Latest Version
5.11.4Meta Box
Secure Custom Fields6.8.2

Rating Breakdown

Meta Box

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

Secure Custom Fields

4.7/5(59 reviews)
5
93%
4
0%
3
0%
2
0%
1
7%

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

Secure Custom Fields Reviews

by sibony88

Excellent plugin

Excellent plugin, works smoothly with the system, great with Elementor

by createscape

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

by boykottke

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Meta Box or Secure Custom Fields more popular?
Meta Box has 500K+ active installations while Secure Custom Fields has 70K+. Meta Box is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Meta Box or Secure Custom Fields?
Meta Box has a 4.8/5 rating from 162 reviews, while Secure Custom Fields has a 4.7/5 rating from 59 reviews.
Are Meta Box and Secure Custom Fields free?
Meta Box is free and Secure Custom Fields is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Meta Box or Secure Custom Fields?
As of April 2026, Meta Box has a 0% support resolution rate while Secure Custom Fields has a 0% rate.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Meta Box was last updated 5 days ago and Secure Custom Fields was last updated 1 week ago.

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