Head-to-head · October 2026
Advanced Custom Fields (A… vs Meta Shortcode
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Meta Shortcode.
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®)
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) turns WordPress sites into a fully-fledged content management system by giving…
Meta Shortcode
The Meta Shortcode plugin allows you to easily insert meta values into your posts or pages without having to…
| Metric | Advanced Custom Fields (A… | Meta Shortcode |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 2M+ | 10+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 1M | 40 |
| Download trend | -34.1% | +66.7% |
| Rating | 4.5/5 | 5/5 |
| Reviews | 1,440 | 1 |
| Health score | 94/100 | 30/100 |
| Last updated | 4 weeks ago | 14 years ago |
| Tested up to | WP 7.1.3 | WP 3.4.2 |
| Support resolved | 80% | — |
| Requires PHP | 7.4+ | Any |
| First released | Mar 2011 | Nov 2012 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Advanced Custom Fields…Meta Shortcode
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)
- Responsive support — 80% of recent threads resolved
Choose Meta Shortcode if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (10+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 13 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 3.4 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: meta
FAQ
Advanced Custom Fields (A… vs Meta Shortcode: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 8, 2026
Which is better, Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… or Meta Shortcode?
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Meta Shortcode. Choose Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews. Choose Meta Shortcode if you care most about download trend.
Is Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… more popular than Meta Shortcode?
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… is the more popular of the two with 2M+ active installs, compared with 10+ for Meta Shortcode.
Can I use Advanced Custom Fields (ACF… and Meta Shortcode together?
Both plugins cover 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 Meta Shortcode 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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