Looking for a Secure Custom Fields alternative? Field Forge offers commercial support, AI features, and modern architecture — fully compatible with SCF code.
| Feature | Field Forge from $35/yr | Secure Custom Fields (SCF) |
|---|---|---|
| Distribution | ✗ | ✗ |
| Developer entity | ✗ | ✗ |
| Storage | ✗ | ✗ |
| Template function API | ✗ | ✗ |
| Code portability | ✗ | ✗ |
| AI schema generation | ✓ | ✗ |
| TypeScript generation | ✓ | ✗ |
| GraphQL generation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Schema versioning | ✓ | ✗ |
| Commercial support | ✓ | ✗ |
| Roadmap certainty | ✗ | ✗ |
| Free tier | ✓ | ✓ |
Secure Custom Fields (SCF) is the WordPress.org fork of Advanced Custom Fields created in October 2024 during the WP Engine / WordPress.org dispute. If you’ve installed a plugin called “Advanced Custom Fields” from wordpress.org since late 2024, you’re actually running SCF. It’s free, maintained by WordPress.org, and uses the same data format as the original ACF.
Field Forge is a commercial alternative with modern architecture, AI features, and priority support. Fully compatible with SCF code (the ACF compat layer works for both), cheaper than ACF, and the clear path forward for anyone who wants more than a free fork.
| Field Forge | Secure Custom Fields (SCF) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $35/year (Personal) to $169/year (Agency) | Free |
| Distribution | WordPress.org (free) + commercial | WordPress.org only |
| Developer entity | Avakode (commercial) | WordPress.org Foundation (non-profit) |
| Storage | Custom table (3–10x faster) | wp_postmeta (legacy) |
| Template function API | ACF-compatible via compat layer | ACF-compatible (it’s a fork) |
| Code portability | Theme code from ACF or SCF keeps working | Theme code from ACF keeps working |
| AI schema generation | Yes | No |
| TypeScript generation | Yes | No |
| GraphQL generation | Yes | No |
| Schema versioning | Yes | No |
| Commercial support | Yes (priority email) | Community forums only |
| Roadmap certainty | Commercial roadmap | Dependent on WordPress.org volunteer efforts |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes (100% free) |
To understand Field Forge vs SCF, you need to understand what SCF is and how it got here.
Before October 2024: Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) was a commercial WordPress plugin owned by WP Engine (acquired 2022). The free version was on wordpress.org. The paid “ACF Pro” was sold by WP Engine. Everything was normal.
October 2024: A dispute between WP Engine and WordPress.org / Matt Mullenweg over licensing, trademark, and control escalated. WordPress.org forked the ACF free version, renamed it “Secure Custom Fields,” and replaced it in the plugin directory. Users installing “Advanced Custom Fields” from wordpress.org started getting SCF instead.
Now (2026): ACF Pro still exists as a commercial product from WP Engine. SCF is the free wordpress.org fork, maintained by WordPress.org contributors. Users are divided between staying on commercial ACF, using free SCF, or looking for alternatives.
For a deeper dive on the fork and what it means, see our ACF vs SCF vs Field Forge guide.
Let’s start with honesty: SCF is a legitimate, free option. It has real advantages:
No subscription, no license key, no annual renewal. For small sites, freelancer projects, or hobby WordPress installations, free is hard to beat.
SCF is a direct fork of ACF. The data format is identical. The template functions (get_field(), have_rows(), etc.) are the same. If your team knows ACF, they already know SCF.
Installation via the WordPress plugin directory. Auto-updates through the standard WordPress update mechanism. No separate account, no license verification.
Maintained by WordPress.org contributors, not a commercial entity. For users who prioritize open-source community governance, SCF fits that model.
For sites where these advantages matter more than modern features or performance, use SCF. It’s free, it works, and it’s supported by the WordPress community.
Field Forge is the right choice when any of the following apply:
SCF is community-supported via wordpress.org forums. Response times are whatever volunteers can manage. For production sites — especially agency-managed client sites — you often need paid priority support with one-business-day response times.
Field Forge provides this in every paid plan.
SCF is a fork of ACF frozen at the fork point. It doesn’t have:
Field Forge has all of these.
SCF is maintained by WordPress.org volunteers. There’s no commercial entity with a roadmap commitment. Future development depends on community contributions. For critical infrastructure, this uncertainty is a risk factor.
Field Forge has a commercial roadmap with regular releases and a team focused on maintenance. We’re accountable to paying customers.
SCF uses wp_postmeta for storage, inheriting ACF’s N+1 query problem on archive pages and complex repeaters. Sites with 1,000+ posts or heavy repeater use will hit performance walls.
Field Forge’s custom table storage makes the same queries run 3–10x faster.
SCF has no TypeScript or GraphQL generation. Headless WordPress with SCF requires either writing types by hand or using a separate plugin for GraphQL integration.
Field Forge’s native TypeScript and GraphQL generation, plus WPGraphQL auto-registration, makes headless workflows dramatically easier.
SCF offers no migration tool from other custom fields plugins. If you want to consolidate ACF or SCF projects onto one plugin, Field Forge gives you a direct importer. Meta Box, CMB2, Carbon Fields, Pods, and Toolset projects can often be moved with mapped post-meta scripts, but those sources are still beta/manual verification rather than a guaranteed one-click path.
Field Forge has verified one-click importers for ACF and SCF, with beta/manual migration paths for the other custom-field ecosystems.
Because SCF uses the same template function API as ACF (it’s a fork, after all), Field Forge’s ACF compatibility layer works unchanged. Code using get_field(), have_rows(), get_sub_field(), and acf_register_block_type() keeps working after migration — whether your code was originally written for ACF or for SCF doesn’t matter.
Total time: 15–45 minutes for most sites.
Field Forge: 32 field types.
SCF: same as ACF at fork time, ~30 field types.
Roughly equal.
Field Forge: modern three-panel drag-drop with AI generation button.
SCF: inherits ACF’s builder from the fork point (2014-era UI).
Field Forge is more modern.
Field Forge: custom indexed table.
SCF: wp_postmeta.
Field Forge wins on performance.
Field Forge: AI schema generation with 12 templates + AI fallback.
SCF: none.
Field Forge wins.
Field Forge: TypeScript generation, GraphQL SDL, WPGraphQL auto-registration.
SCF: none.
Field Forge wins.
Field Forge: $35/yr Personal to $169/yr Agency.
SCF: free.
SCF wins on pure cost.
Field Forge: priority email support, 1 business day response.
SCF: wordpress.org community forums, best-effort response.
Field Forge wins for paid sites.
Field Forge: commercial roadmap with regular releases.
SCF: volunteer-driven, uncertain.
Field Forge wins for roadmap certainty.
Field Forge: free version is GPL-licensed on wordpress.org; paid version is commercial.
SCF: 100% free, wordpress.org maintained.
SCF wins for pure open-source preference.
When deciding between SCF and Field Forge, the real question is: how important is free vs supported?
If free is the top priority and you’re willing to accept slower performance, no AI features, no headless tooling, and community support, use SCF. It’s a legitimate choice.
If you want the features SCF doesn’t have and are willing to pay $35–$169/year for them, use Field Forge.
You don’t have to commit forever. Because Field Forge’s compat layer works with both ACF and SCF code, you can switch back to SCF later if Field Forge isn’t working for you. The template functions you’ve been using will keep working.
Some developers feel strongly that WordPress plugins should be free and community-supported, not commercial. If that’s your position, SCF aligns with your values and Field Forge doesn’t.
For what it’s worth: Field Forge’s free version is on wordpress.org with the same GPL license as SCF. Our paid version is a commercial product, but nothing in the free version is artificially crippled — it’s the full plugin with feature gating on AI, TypeScript generation, and advanced features that take developer time to maintain. Paying customers are the reason we can afford to develop those features.
We’re not “against” open source. We’re trying to build a sustainable business that maintains a WordPress plugin long-term. Different model, not opposed to SCF.
What’s the difference between ACF and SCF?
ACF is the original commercial plugin owned by WP Engine. SCF is the free WordPress.org fork created in October 2024. They share the same data format and template function API. ACF continues to be developed commercially by WP Engine; SCF is maintained by WordPress.org volunteers.
Is SCF going to keep working long-term?
Probably yes, since WordPress.org has a strong interest in keeping it alive. But there’s no commercial entity with a roadmap commitment, and future features depend on volunteer contributions. For critical production sites, this is a factor worth considering.
Will I lose data migrating from SCF to Field Forge?
No. The migration is non-destructive — SCF’s data stays in wp_postmeta during and after migration. Field Forge copies the data into its own storage without modifying the source. If Field Forge doesn’t work out, you can reactivate SCF and your site falls back to the original data.
Can I use SCF and Field Forge at the same time?
Only during migration. Long-term, only one should be active — running both would mean two sources of truth for field values and potentially duplicate field groups in the admin.
Does Field Forge have a free version like SCF?
Yes. Field Forge Free is on wordpress.org with basic features. The paid plans unlock AI, TypeScript/GraphQL generation, and advanced features.
Will Field Forge become SCF-compatible if SCF changes its format?
Yes. We track SCF’s releases and update the Field Forge compat layer accordingly. If SCF makes breaking changes, Field Forge users get updates to handle them.
What about WPGraphQL for ACF? Does it work with SCF and Field Forge?
WPGraphQL for ACF works with both ACF and SCF (since SCF is a fork). With Field Forge, you don’t need WPGraphQL for ACF at all — Field Forge has native WPGraphQL integration that auto-registers types on activation.
Get Field Forge — from $35/year →
14-day refund. One-click SCF importer. Theme code stays compatible. Modern architecture, AI features, and priority support.
ACF is the original commercial plugin owned by WP Engine. SCF is the free WordPress.org fork created in October 2024. They share the same data format and template function API. ACF continues to be developed commercially by WP Engine; SCF is maintained by WordPress.org volunteers.
Probably yes, since WordPress.org has a strong interest in keeping it alive. But there’s no commercial entity with a roadmap commitment, and future features depend on volunteer contributions. For critical production sites, this is a factor worth considering.
No. The migration is non-destructive — SCF’s data stays in wp_postmeta during and after migration. Field Forge copies the data into its own storage without modifying the source. If Field Forge doesn’t work out, you can reactivate SCF and your site falls back to the original data.
Only during migration. Long-term, only one should be active — running both would mean two sources of truth for field values and potentially duplicate field groups in the admin.
Yes. Field Forge Free is on wordpress.org with basic features. The paid plans unlock AI, TypeScript/GraphQL generation, and advanced features.
Yes. We track SCF’s releases and update the Field Forge compat layer accordingly. If SCF makes breaking changes, Field Forge users get updates to handle them.
WPGraphQL for ACF works with both ACF and SCF (since SCF is a fork). With Field Forge, you don’t need WPGraphQL for ACF at all — Field Forge has native WPGraphQL integration that auto-registers types on activation.
Every feature included. Every plan. Starting at $35/yr.