Secure Custom Fields vs Smart Custom Fields (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Smart Custom Fields has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 20 reviews) while Secure Custom Fields leads in active installations (70K+ vs 50K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Secure Custom Fields has accumulated 361K+ total downloads while Smart Custom Fields has 346K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Secure Custom Fields | Smart Custom Fields | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.7/5 | ► | 4.9/5 |
| Total Reviews | 59 | ◄ | 20 |
| Active Installs | 70K+ | ◄ | 50K+ |
| Total Downloads | 361K+ | ◄ | 346K+ |
| Support Resolution | 0% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 week ago | ◄ | 2 weeks ago |
| First Released | 2024 | 2014 | |
| Age | 2 years | 12 years | |
| WP Requires | 6.2+ | 6.4+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.4+ | 7.4+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 6.8.2 | 5.0.7 |
Rating Breakdown
Secure Custom Fields
Smart Custom Fields
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Secure Custom Fields averaged approximately 1,850 daily downloads while Smart Custom Fields averaged 451.
Recent Reviews
Secure Custom Fields Reviews
Excellent plugin
Excellent plugin, works smoothly with the system, great with Elementor
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
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
Smart Custom Fields Reviews
very simple and great
very simple and great
Great simple product but needs update
This is a great, simple product, but it hasn’t been updated for four months. At this time it has a critical vulnerability and needs to be updated.
image
How can we display image field, like ACF: <?php $image = get_field(‘hero_image’); ?> ” alt=”<?php echo $image[‘alt’]; ?>” /> SCF: <?php echo SCF::get(‘img’)[0]; ?> isn’t work.
More Meta Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as Secure Custom Fields and Smart Custom Fields
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Secure Custom Fields or Smart Custom Fields more popular?
Which has better ratings — Secure Custom Fields or Smart Custom Fields?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.