CMB2
by Justin Sternberg · Forms
Also makes 7 other plugins · 301.3K+ installs across the portfolio →
CMB2 is a metabox, custom fields, and forms library for WordPress that will blow your mind.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
A 89/100
no flags
Active installs
300K+
≈350K estimated
Momentum
+189%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “fields” for “repeatable fields”. “fields” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “repeatable fields” sits at #7 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
89 health vs 65 average across 2,510 Forms plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →5.2%
of downloads still active
At least 300K of 5.7M lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Forms plugin keeps 1.3%, across 1,667 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Forms plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 7 releases in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Excellent listing optimization
Well tuned across the board
Updated 4 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
5.0★ over 91 reviews, smoothed to 4.68★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
38
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.2
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
17%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.1
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| cmb2 | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| metaboxes your tag | #2 | #3 | 0 |
| metabox | #3 | #3 | down 1 |
| mind | #4 | #6 | 0 |
| settings your tag | #12 | #8 | 0 |
| repeatable fields | #7 | #8 | 0 |
| custom metaboxes | #5 | #7 | 0 |
| as metabox | #5 | #9 | 0 |
| jquery | #14 | #9 | 0 |
| fields your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| forms your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| options your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
154 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 9 listed. 145 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 3 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “fields” for “repeatable fields”. “fields” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “repeatable fields” sits at #7 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
- One page off on “settings”. #12 puts you just past the first ten results, where almost all the clicks stop. The gap to close is small.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 374.9K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Actively maintainedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
7
releases in the last 12 months
4d ago
latest release · v2.13.5 · 27 Oct 2026
7
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “300K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 18 months ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.
Install history since 13 Aug 2021
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ suiramus1.5y ago
Thank you for your hard work!One of the best plugin for developers. Simple and effective.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ paknejad1.5y ago
Simple and free and much better than advance custom fields
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Aditya Thok2.5y ago
Powerfull, Simple and Clean
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ nunziorash2.6y ago
Excellent plugin, I’ve always used it
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Anonymous2.6y ago
I love CMB2. I love hooking into functions and extending addons so fields update each other intelligently, while locking out non-admins to sections. Blocks are great, don’t get me wrong, and the extensions to make the, more hookable and meta-integrated is nice, but CMB2 gives you full and complete control, with API documented and dozens of add on plugins out there. Using FacetWP? We have an add on! Need to attach posts? We have an add on? Want to use Shadow Taxonomies to connect posts instead of attaching them and somehow manage to do so dynamically and speedily? Hey buddy. They’ve got you. The power is yours to command. Seeing even a version-matching-tested-up-to update makes me worry far less that this plugin will fall by the wayside. Up next? PHP 8 compat (I hope…)
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ ajanes942.9y ago
…easy to use, nice metaboxes for all post types
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Max Manuel Camiña Azaña4.2y ago
Perfect plugin for metboxes.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ lathieuhiep4.7y ago
Best plugin. Saved a lot of time and effort
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 2.12.0 Enhancements Confirmed compatibility with PHP 8.2 and 8.3, and tested up to WordPress 7.0. [Development] Migrated end-to-end testing from Cypress to Playwright and replaced Grunt with npm scripts for the asset build pipe 2.12.0
- — Version 2.11.0 Enhancements Package updates. Update WordPress Tested up to tag 6.1. Props @RubenMartins ( #1477 ). Add filters for setting object_id and mb_object_type and in do_scripts – Allows overriding by plugins/libs. (Added to su 2.11.0
- — Version 2.10.1 Bug Fixes Fix issue with date picker formatting. Fixes #1448 . 2.10.1
- — Version 2.10.0 Enhancements Sanitize URLs, defaulting to https . Props @paulschreiber ( #1413 ). Establish Cypress E2E Testing. Props @markjaquith ( #1437 ). Updated the JS shiftRows functionality to be simpler, and fix issues with JS 2.10.0
- — Version 2.9.0 Enhancements Added cmb2_tab_group_tabs filter for adding arbitrary menu page urls to the cmb2 tabs, and move tab markup output to separate method, CMB2_Options_Hookup::options_page_tab_nav_output() . Fixes #1407 . Limit 2.9.0
- — Version 2.8.0 Enhancements Added CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md file to meet GitHub Community standards. Props @RubenMartins ( #1331 ). Add ability to define the page-registration admin menu hook priority for options pages. Fixes #1380 . Bug Fixe 2.8.0
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 6 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (2.13.5). Sites still on an older version should update.
- Patched Medium · 5.4 CMB2 <= 2.13.4 - Unauthenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Grouped WYSIWYG Field via Front-End Form ↗2026-10-27 CVE-2026-116761 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.13.4 Patched in 2.13.5
- Patched High · 7.2 CMB2 <= 2.13.1 - Unauthenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting via 'textarea_code' Field ↗2026-10-01 CVE-2026-102772 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.13.1 Patched in 2.13.2
- Patched High · 7.2 CMB2 <= 2.13.0 - Unauthenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting via 'file_list' Field Type ↗2026-10-01 CVE-2026-97336 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.13.0 Patched in 2.13.1
- 2026-09-30 CVE-2026-97270 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.13.0 Patched in 2.13.1
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 115 languages, 15 at 90% or more
Plus 91 more locales with partial translations.
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
4 of 8 pass · checked 30 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ! Says what it does Short description names no action; say what the plugin does for the site.
- ! Has a FAQ No FAQ section.
- ! FAQ asks real questions No FAQ to judge.
- ! Names who it is for One audience phrase ("use this"); say who the plugin is for and what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions WooCommerce, Yoast, Google Maps, Facebook.
- ✓ Headings and lists 7 headings and 7 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 9,271 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 4 of 5 tags appear in the text; "settings" does not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2025-05-13 400K+ → 300K+ down after 2 days in tier
- 2025-05-11 300K+ → 400K+ up after 2020 days in tier
- 2019-10-30 200K+ → 300K+ up after 516 days in tier
- 2018-06-01 100K+ → 200K+ up after 465 days in tier
- 2017-02-21 90K+ → 100K+ up after 52 days in tier
- 2016-12-31 70K+ → 90K+ up after 53 days in tier
- 2016-11-08 60K+ → 70K+ up after 31 days in tier
- 2016-10-08 50K+ → 60K+ up after 52 days in tier
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
- C CMB2 Admin Extension 200+ installs · 4.1★ · 5 shared tags A
- C CMB2 Taxonomy 200+ installs · 4.0★ · 5 shared tags D
-
Custom Global Variables 5K+ installs · 4.4★ · 2 shared tags A - T ThemeKit For WordPress 600+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags
- C CFS Options Screens 400+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags D
-
Intervention 300+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for CMB2 into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/cmb2" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="CMB2 — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> CMB2: 300K+ active installs, 5.0★ (91 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/cmb2
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