In October 2024, WordPress.org forked Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) into a new plugin called Secure Custom Fields (SCF). What was once a simple question — “which custom fields plugin should I install?” — suddenly became complicated. ACF is still a commercial product from WP Engine. SCF is now the default installed from wordpress.org. And a third option, Field Forge, offers modern architecture with full compatibility with both.
This guide is a complete, honest breakdown of ACF vs SCF vs Field Forge. What each actually is. What happened with the fork. Which one to choose for your situation. And how to migrate if you pick the wrong one the first time.
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) was created by Elliot Condon in 2011 as a free WordPress plugin. It became the de facto standard for adding custom fields to WordPress posts and pages. Over a decade, it accumulated 2 million+ active installs and a massive third-party ecosystem.
In 2022, Elliot sold ACF to WP Engine, one of the largest managed WordPress hosts. WP Engine continued developing ACF as a commercial product — ACF Pro is sold separately, the free version remains on WordPress.org.
Everything was normal until 2024.
In September-October 2024, a public dispute erupted between WordPress.org (led by Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of WordPress) and WP Engine over several issues including trademarks, licensing, and financial contributions to WordPress core development. The dispute escalated with lawsuits, blog posts, and community debate.
As part of the conflict, on October 12, 2024, WordPress.org took an unprecedented step: they forked ACF, renamed it “Secure Custom Fields,” and replaced the ACF listing in the WordPress.org plugin directory with the new fork. From that date forward, users searching for “Advanced Custom Fields” on WordPress.org were actually installing SCF.
Users who had already installed ACF Free from wordpress.org saw an automatic update to “Secure Custom Fields” in their WordPress admin. Many didn’t notice immediately — the update looked like any other plugin update. The functionality was identical (since SCF is a direct fork of ACF’s free version at the time).
New users searching for ACF on WordPress.org could no longer find the original ACF listing — they found SCF instead. The commercial ACF Pro remained available from WP Engine’s own site, but the free version was effectively “captured” by the WordPress.org fork.
As of 2026:
The dust is still settling. Developers are divided. Some stay on WP Engine’s commercial ACF. Some switched to SCF for the free option. Some are looking at alternatives like Field Forge. There’s no consensus.
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) is the commercial WordPress custom fields plugin from WP Engine. ACF Pro is paid ($49/year for unlimited personal sites, $249/year for agency with 10 sites). The free version was on WordPress.org until October 2024.
acf_register_block_type(), Local JSON — all are in Pro tier.wp_postmeta for storage, which creates N+1 query problems on large sites.Secure Custom Fields (SCF) is the WordPress.org fork of ACF created in October 2024. It’s free, distributed via WordPress.org, and maintained by WordPress.org volunteers. It uses the exact same data format and template function API as ACF (it’s a direct fork).
get_field(), same have_rows(), same visual builder.acf_register_block_type()) were not in the free version and aren’t in SCF either.wp_postmeta, inherits the same performance ceiling.SCF does NOT have Repeater, Flexible Content, Options Pages, or other ACF Pro features. If your site currently uses ACF Pro features and you switch to SCF, those features won’t work. You’ll either need to:
This is the single biggest gotcha with SCF adoption. Many users don’t realize until after switching.
Field Forge is a commercial WordPress custom fields plugin built from scratch for 2026. It’s not a fork of ACF. It has its own codebase, its own storage architecture, and its own feature set. But it ships with a full ACF compatibility layer so code written for ACF (or SCF) keeps working after migration.
Built by Avakode (a small team of WordPress developers), Field Forge is part of a broader plugin suite called Forge Suite (alongside Lang Forge for multilingual, SEO Forge for SEO, and Form Forge for form building).
wp_fieldforge_values table, not wp_postmeta. 3–10x faster queries on large sites. This is the #1 technical differentiator.get_field(), have_rows(), get_sub_field(), acf_register_block_type() support. Theme code written for ACF or SCF keeps working after migration.| ACF (commercial) | SCF (free fork) | Field Forge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $49-$249/yr | Free | $35-$169/yr |
| Owner / maintainer | WP Engine | WordPress.org volunteers | Avakode |
| Storage | wp_postmeta | wp_postmeta | Custom indexed table |
| Performance on large sites | N+1 queries | N+1 queries | 3-10x faster |
| Repeater field | Pro only ($49+) | No (not in fork) | Included (paid plans) |
| Flexible Content | Pro only ($49+) | No (not in fork) | Included (paid plans) |
| Options Pages | Pro only ($49+) | No (not in fork) | Included (paid plans) |
acf_register_block_type() |
Pro only ($49+) | No (not in fork) | Included (paid plans) |
| Gallery field | Pro only ($49+) | No (not in fork) | Included (paid plans) |
| Clone field | Pro only ($49+) | No (not in fork) | Included (paid plans) |
| AI schema generation | No | No | Yes (unique) |
| TypeScript generation | No | No | Yes (unique) |
| GraphQL generation | Via WPGraphQL for ACF | Via WPGraphQL for ACF | Native auto-registration |
| ACF compat layer | Native | Native (same API) | Yes (compat layer) |
| Schema versioning | No | No | Yes (unique) |
| One-click migration tools | No | No | Yes for ACF/SCF; Meta Box, CMB2, Carbon Fields, Pods, and Toolset are beta/manual mapping targets |
| Commercial support | Yes (WP Engine) | No (community) | Yes (priority email) |
| Active development | Yes (WP Engine team) | Slow (volunteer) | Yes (Avakode team) |
| Third-party ecosystem | Huge | Inherits ACF’s | Smaller, growing |
wp_postmeta storageRecommended: Stay on ACF Pro. Don’t migrate for the sake of it.
Recommended: Use SCF. Free and fine for simple sites.
wp_postmetaRecommended: Use Field Forge. The best modern option in most scenarios.
Time: 15–60 minutes for most sites.
Same process as ACF → Field Forge. SCF uses the same data format, so the same importer works.
Not recommended. You’ll lose Pro features (Repeater, Flexible Content, Options Pages, etc.) that don’t exist in SCF. Most real sites rely on these.
If you really want to do this: you’d need to rewrite your theme to avoid using any Pro-only features. Much more work than migrating to Field Forge.
Simple. SCF data works with ACF Pro since they share the same format. Install ACF Pro, deactivate SCF, Pro features become available again.
Field Forge’s compat layer works in the other direction too. If you migrated to Field Forge and decided you want to go back to ACF, install ACF, deactivate Field Forge, your theme code continues to work because both plugins implement the same template functions.
Is SCF “the real ACF” now?
SCF is a fork, not a continuation. WP Engine still owns and develops the original ACF commercially. WordPress.org’s fork is its own project. Neither is “the real ACF” — they’re two different plugins that share a common history.
Will my ACF Pro license still work?
Yes. If you purchased ACF Pro from WP Engine, it continues to work. WP Engine is still actively developing ACF Pro and supporting customers.
Can I use ACF Pro features with SCF?
No. SCF does not include Repeater, Flexible Content, Options Pages, Gallery, Clone, or other ACF Pro features. If you need these, use commercial ACF Pro or Field Forge.
Will the ACF/SCF dispute be resolved?
Unknown. As of 2026, the situation remains unresolved. WP Engine and WordPress.org are in ongoing legal and philosophical disagreement. Users can’t rely on a resolution happening soon.
Is Field Forge safer than picking sides in the ACF/SCF dispute?
Field Forge is a different plugin with its own team, its own license, and its own roadmap. It’s not a fork of ACF and isn’t involved in the WP Engine / WordPress.org dispute. Users who want to stay out of the politics can use Field Forge without picking a side.
Does Field Forge have all the features ACF Pro has?
Yes. Every ACF Pro feature is in Field Forge’s paid plans: Repeater, Flexible Content, Group, Clone, Options Pages, Gallery, Relationship, Post Object, User, Taxonomy, acf_register_block_type(), Local JSON Sync. Plus unique features ACF doesn’t have: AI schema generation, TypeScript generation, GraphQL auto-registration, custom table storage, schema versioning.
Will my ACF-using theme break if I migrate to Field Forge?
No. Field Forge’s compat layer implements the full ACF template function API. Your get_field(), have_rows(), get_sub_field(), and acf_register_block_type() calls keep working.
Is Field Forge compatible with third-party ACF plugins?
Most yes. If the third-party plugin uses ACF’s public template functions, it works with Field Forge via the compat layer. If the third-party plugin uses ACF’s internal hooks or REST API specifically, you may need adjustments.
Can I run multiple custom fields plugins at the same time?
Only during migration. Long-term, run one custom fields plugin. Running ACF + SCF, or ACF + Field Forge, creates duplicate data and configuration confusion.
The ACF/SCF fork is a genuinely messy situation. There’s no single right answer — it depends on your specific needs, budget, and philosophical alignment with WordPress.org’s governance model.
Our recommendation for most WordPress sites in 2026:
Whatever you choose, understand that all three options share the same fundamental API (template functions like get_field()). If you pick wrong, migration to any other option is relatively painless because the code you write is portable.
Get Field Forge — from $35/year →
14-day refund. One-click migration from ACF or SCF. Theme code stays compatible.
Still deciding? Read the Complete ACF / SCF to Field Forge Migration Guide →