Head-to-head · October 2026
Advanced Custom Fields (A… vs Display Custom Fields
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Display Custom Fields.
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®)
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) turns WordPress sites into a fully-fledged content management system by giving…
Display Custom Fields
This plugin allows you to display the value of a custom field on a page or post. Permitted values are raw…
| Metric | Advanced Custom Fields (A… | Display Custom Fields |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 2M+ | 10+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 1M | 48 |
| Download trend | -36.5% | +37.1% |
| Rating | 4.5/5 | 5/5 |
| Reviews | 1,440 | 1 |
| Health score | 97/100 | 30/100 |
| Last updated | 4 weeks ago | 12 years ago |
| Tested up to | WP 7.1.2 | WP 3.9.40 |
| Support resolved | 100% | — |
| Requires PHP | 7.4+ | Any |
| First released | Mar 2011 | May 2014 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Advanced Custom Fields…Display Custom Fields
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 4 weeks ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
Choose Display Custom Fields if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (10+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 12 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 3.9 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: custom fields meta
FAQ
Advanced Custom Fields (A… vs Display Custom Fields: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 5, 2026
Which is better, Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… or Display Custom Fields?
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Display Custom Fields. Choose Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews. Choose Display Custom Fields if you care most about download trend.
Is Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… more popular than Display Custom Fields?
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… is the more popular of the two with 2M+ active installs, compared with 10+ for Display Custom Fields.
Can I use Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… and Display Custom Fields together?
Both plugins cover custom fields and meta, 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 Display Custom Fields 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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