Head-to-head · September 2026
Advanced Custom Fields (A… vs CMB2
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… comes out ahead, winning 4 of 7 head-to-head checks against CMB2.
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®)
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) turns WordPress sites into a fully-fledged content management system by giving…
CMB2
CMB2 is a developer’s toolkit for building metaboxes, custom fields, and forms for WordPress that will blow…
| Metric | Advanced Custom Fields (A… | CMB2 |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 2M+ | 300K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 1.5M | 152.9K |
| Download trend | +3.5% | +309% |
| Rating | 4.5/5 | 5/5 |
| Reviews | 1,440 | 91 |
| Health score | 97/100 | 93/100 |
| Last updated | 2 weeks ago | 2 days ago |
| Tested up to | WP 7.1.2 | WP 7.1.2 |
| Support resolved | 100% | — |
| Requires PHP | 7.4+ | 7.4+ |
| First released | Mar 2011 | Sep 2014 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Advanced Custom Fields…CMB2
Choose Advanced Custom Fields (A… if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- One of the most-used plugins on the web — 2M+ active sites
- Loved by users — 4.5/5 from 1,440 reviews
- Actively developed — last update 2 weeks ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- Responsive support — 100% of recent threads resolved
Choose CMB2 if…
You care most about download trend, rating and last updated.
- Proven at scale on 300K+ active sites
- Loved by users — 5/5 from 91 reviews
- Actively developed — last update 2 days ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- Momentum — downloads up 309% vs the previous 30 days
Both compete in: fields
FAQ
Advanced Custom Fields (A… vs CMB2: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 26, 2026
Which is better, Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… or CMB2?
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… comes out ahead, winning 4 of 7 head-to-head checks against CMB2. Choose Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews. Choose CMB2 if you care most about download trend, rating and last updated.
Is Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… more popular than CMB2?
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… is the more popular of the two with 2M+ active installs, compared with 300K+ for CMB2.
Can I use Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… and CMB2 together?
Both plugins cover fields, so most sites only need one. Running two plugins that do the same job can cause conflicts and slow your site down — pick the one that fits best and remove the other.
Are Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… and CMB2 free?
Yes. Both are free to download from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Either may also offer paid upgrades from its developer.
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