wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “custom fields”
wp.org orders by popularity, so a plugin a host bundled onto millions of sites, or a big-brand one that's slow and mediocre, can sit at the top. Our ranking is built to answer a different question: which of these is actually worth installing. How this works →
For “custom fields”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 20. 5 plugins are pushed down for signals wp.org ignores: errors, a host-installed base, or removal risk.
wp.org search ranks on
Install count (uncapped), the raw star average, freshness, and support. Popularity dominates, so the biggest install base usually wins regardless of how it got there.
We add
A cap on the install boost, volume-weighted ratings, and signals wp.org can't see: whether it throws errors on current PHP, whether the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
Custom Field Template shows at wp.org #14 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 30K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 24 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Simple Custom Post Order places #11 on merit, 4.8★ from 587 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) 2M+ · 4.5★ (1440) heavy footprint
wp.org #1 2 
Pods – Custom Content Types and Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (418)
wp.org #2 ↑1 3 
Secure Custom Fields 100K+ · 4.8★ (69) heavy footprint
wp.org #3 ↓1 4 
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2143)
wp.org #7 ↓2 3 too low 5 
Product Addons for Woocommerce – Product Options with Custom Fields 30K+ · 4.9★ (474)
wp.org #8 3 too low 6 
Advanced Custom Fields: Font Awesome Field 90K+ · 4.9★ (36)
wp.org #4 2 too high 7 
Table Field Add-on for ACF and SCF 50K+ · 4.9★ (60)
wp.org #5 ↑6 2 too high 8 
Flexible Checkout Fields for WooCommerce – WooCommerce Checkout Manager 80K+ · 4.7★ (296)
wp.org #9 ↓2 1 too low 9 
Advanced Custom Fields: Extended 100K+ · 4.8★ (132)
wp.org #10 ↓1 1 too low 10 S Smart Custom Fields 50K+ · 4.9★ (21) heavy footprint thin reviews
wp.org #6 4 too high 11 Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (587)
wp.org #17 ↓4 6 too low 12 
Custom Post Type UI 1M+ · 4.6★ (276)
wp.org #12 ↑5 13 
Advanced Product Fields (Product Addons) for WooCommerce 50K+ · 4.8★ (284)
wp.org #19 ↑1 6 too low 14 
Checkout Field Editor (Checkout Manager) for WooCommerce 400K+ · 4.9★ (1056)
wp.org #23 ↓5 9 too low 15 
Custom Post Types and Custom Fields creator – WCK 10K+ · 4.7★ (97) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #11 ↓1 4 too high 16 
Custom Permalinks 100K+ · 4.1★ (116)
wp.org #16 17 
Meta Field Block – Display Custom Fields for ACF, Meta Box and More 10K+ · 5.0★ (57) not PHP-current
wp.org #15 ↑5 2 too high 18 
Custom Fields for Gutenberg 1K+ · 4.9★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↑2 5 too high 19 
PPOM – Product Addons & Custom Fields for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.5★ (283) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #18 ↓7 1 too high 20 Custom Field Template 30K+ · 4.0★ (24) thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↑2 6 too high 21 
Image Aspect Ratio Crop Field for Advanced Custom Fields 20K+ · 4.8★ (26)
wp.org #22 ↑1 1 too low 22 
Custom Checkout Fields for WooCommerce 500+ · 4.8★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #24 2 too low 23 
Custom field finder 2K+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↑2 3 too high 24 
Advanced Custom Fields: Typography Field 3K+ · 4.6★ (5) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #21 3 too high Merit ranking caps the install boost at 1M (wp.org leaves it uncapped), replaces the raw star average with a volume-weighted Bayesian score and a Wilson lower bound, and keeps wp.org's own freshness and compatibility decays. Method from the plugin-directory source; see Meta Trac #8298. Positions are tracked daily from the first visit to a keyword, so the small arrows show movement since tracking began.