Do Regular WordPress Users Need Custom Fields?

If you’ve ever played around with WordPress, you might have stumbled upon Custom Fields and thought, “Wow, this looks like an advanced feature! Maybe I can use it to add extra details to my posts.”

Then reality hits: You add a Custom Field, but nothing shows up on your site.

Wait… what? Isn’t this supposed to be a built-in feature? Why would WordPress let you create Custom Fields if they don’t even display by default?

That’s the question we’re going to explore today. Do regular WordPress users actually need Custom Fields, or are they just a relic from the past, useful only for developers and plugins?

What Are Custom Fields & Why Do They Exist?

Custom Fields were introduced in WordPress as a way to store extra metadata for posts, pages, and custom post types. Think of them as invisible sticky notes attached to your content that you (or your theme/plugins) can use to display additional information.

For example, imagine you’re running a book review blog and want to store extra details like:

Author: “George Orwell”
Publication Year: “1949”
Rating: “4.8/5”

You could manually create a Custom Field for each of these values and assign them to a post. But here’s the catch:

🚫 WordPress won’t show them anywhere unless you manually modify your theme’s PHP code!

And let’s be honest—if you’re not a developer, you probably have no idea where to put this:

<?php echo get_post_meta(get_the_ID(), 'book_author', true); ?>

No built-in way to display your fields? What’s the point, then?

Why Custom Fields Don’t Make Sense for Regular Users

The biggest issue with WordPress’s built-in Custom Fields is that they’re hidden away in the admin panel and useless unless you know how to code or install extra plugins.

Here’s why they don’t work for most people:

1️⃣ You can’t display them without coding

There’s no Gutenberg block, no widget, no setting—nothing that lets you use them visually.
If you want to display a field, you must write PHP or use a plugin.

2️⃣ Plugins already handle this better

WooCommerce, SEO plugins, and page builders all use Custom Fields—but in a way that’s actually useful to users.
Instead of making you manually create fields, they provide nice UI panels for managing extra data.

3️⃣ They feel outdated compared to modern CMS features

In most modern website builders (like Webflow, Shopify, or even some WordPress page builders), adding extra data is intuitive and doesn’t require coding.
WordPress’s default implementation feels like a forgotten feature from the early 2000s.

4️⃣ They confuse new users

A beginner might see the “Custom Fields” option and think they can just type something and it’ll magically appear on their page.
When nothing happens, it leads to frustration and wasted time.

So Why Are Custom Fields Still Around?

If Custom Fields are so clunky, why hasn’t WordPress removed them? Because, believe it or not, they’re still very useful—just not for everyday users.

🔹 Plugins use them behind the scenes

WooCommerce, Yoast SEO, and WP Rocket store extra data (like _price, _yoast_wpseo_title, _cache_status) in Custom Fields.
You don’t see them, but they power a lot of WordPress functionality.

🔹 They’re essential for developers

If you’re coding a custom WordPress theme, you can use Custom Fields to add extra post data without relying on heavy plugins.

🔹 They work well for API integrations

If your site pulls in data from an external source (like product prices or event dates), Custom Fields can store and display that info dynamically.

How WordPress Could Make Custom Fields Actually Useful

Right now, Custom Fields in WordPress feel like a half-baked feature—great in theory, frustrating in practice. If WordPress wanted to make them user-friendly, they could:

✅ Integrate them into Gutenberg

Imagine a “Custom Field” block where you can easily select and display fields without needing PHP.

✅ Let users insert fields in widgets or menus

A simple dropdown to insert a Custom Field into sidebars, footers, or anywhere on the page.

✅ Add an option to automatically display Custom Fields in posts

A setting that lets users choose which fields should appear at the end of a post/page.

Until then, if you’re not a developer, you’re better off ignoring Custom Fields entirely and using a plugin like Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) instead.

Final Verdict: Should Regular Users Bother with Custom Fields?

🔹 If you’re a developer → Yes, they’re powerful and flexible.
🔹 If you’re using plugins like WooCommerce or Yoast SEO → You’re already benefiting from them, but you don’t need to touch them manually.
🔹 If you’re a regular WordPress user → No, don’t waste your time.

Instead of messing around with WordPress’s outdated Custom Fields:

Use ACF if you want a user-friendly way to manage them.
Use Elementor, WPBakery, or other page builders to display extra data without code.
Use WooCommerce or SEO plugins, which already handle metadata efficiently.

Bottom line: If you’re not writing code, you don’t need WordPress Custom Fields. Let plugins do the work for you!

Binary Handshake