PluginSift

Meta Box vs Sydney Toolbox (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
Sydney Toolbox

Sydney Toolbox

2.3(15)

60K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 year ago
View Sydney Toolbox

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 60K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Meta Box has accumulated 23M+ total downloads while Sydney Toolbox has 2.5M+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.8/5Meta Box
◄
Sydney Toolbox2.3/5
Total Reviews
162Meta Box
◄
Sydney Toolbox15
Active Installs
500K+Meta Box
◄
Sydney Toolbox60K+
Total Downloads
23M+Meta Box
◄
Sydney Toolbox2.5M+
Support Resolution
0%Meta Box
Sydney ToolboxN/A
Last Updated
5 days agoMeta Box
◄
Sydney Toolbox1 year ago
First Released
2011Meta Box
Sydney Toolbox2016
Age
15 yearsMeta Box
Sydney Toolbox10 years
WP Requires
6.5+Meta Box
Sydney Toolbox4.0+
PHP Requires
7.4+Meta Box
Sydney Toolboxfalse+
Business Model
FreeMeta Box
Sydney ToolboxFree
Latest Version
5.11.4Meta Box
Sydney Toolbox1.36

Rating Breakdown

Meta Box

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

Sydney Toolbox

2.3/5(15 reviews)
5
27%
4
7%
3
0%
2
0%
1
67%

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

Sydney Toolbox Reviews

by defdas2

Break my site

Break my site, fighting all the time

by bogger1234

Works as it should

I installed Sydney Toolbox on WordPress 5.7 with my Sydney theme and it works flawlessly. I can confirm the plugin is fixed and replaces my old toolbox plugin. I can recommend this plugin. Thank you f

by jeh6421

4 months since last review, still broke

crashes your website if enabled

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Meta Box or Sydney Toolbox more popular?
Meta Box has 500K+ active installations while Sydney Toolbox has 60K+. Meta Box is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Meta Box or Sydney Toolbox?
Meta Box has a 4.8/5 rating from 162 reviews, while Sydney Toolbox has a 2.3/5 rating from 15 reviews.
Are Meta Box and Sydney Toolbox free?
Meta Box is free and Sydney Toolbox is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Meta Box or Sydney Toolbox?
Support resolution data is not available for all plugins. Check each plugin's WordPress.org support forum for current response quality.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Meta Box was last updated 5 days ago and Sydney Toolbox was last updated 1 year ago.

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