As web developers, we like to create a lot of things from scratch. For different reasons: it will do exactly what you want it to do, you can put your name on something (this is always a nice feeling), and so on. Sometimes there is no need to reinvent the wheel. If a thing works don’t question it or change it.

I’ve been using Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) for years. It has to be the most used WordPress plugin by us when it comes to custom themes and projects created from scratch. This plugin just doesn’t have any kind of downside. I love it!

But recently, WordPress.org forked ACF and created Secure Custom Fields (SCF). And guess what? It has all the properties and options that ACF has, including the option to create blocks only using SCF and connect them to SCF fields – same as ACF does. The best part? It comes free with no premium version.

Introduction

If you’ve been following the WordPress ecosystem lately, you might have noticed some chaos surrounding Advanced Custom Fields. In October 2024, WordPress.org made an unprecedented move: they forked ACF and created Secure Custom Fields (SCF).

Side note: I know this didn’t happen that recently, but I didn’t pay too much attention at that time and never got around to test SCF back then. Only a few months ago I started testing it out in actual real projects. I just didn’t want to test out a new thing in projects and environments that were already created with ACF and were working fine.

This wasn’t just a simple copy-paste job. WordPress.org addressed a critical security issue and removed commercial upsells, creating a completely free, community-driven alternative. The result? A plugin that offers identical functionality to ACF’s free version but with enhanced security and a non-commercial approach.

For us developers, this means we now have a choice. And as someone who’s recently started working with SCF, I can tell you it’s a serious contender.

Migration from ACF to SCF

Here’s the good news: migrating from ACF to SCF is practically seamless.

Since SCF is a direct fork of ACF’s free version, all your existing field groups, fields, and data will work exactly the same. The database structure is identical, the PHP functions are the same, and even the JSON export/import files are compatible.

How to Migrate

  1. Backup your site (you should be doing this anyway, right?)
  2. Install SCF from the WordPress plugin repository
  3. Deactivate ACF (SCF will automatically deactivate ACF to prevent conflicts)
  4. Test everything – your field groups should appear exactly as they were

That’s it. No data migration needed. No field remapping. It just works.

Things to Watch out for

  • ACF Pro users: Since SCF includes all ACF Pro features (Repeater, Flexible Content, Clone, etc.), WordPress.org designed it this way specifically to ensure a smooth migration for all users. You can switch from ACF Pro to SCF without losing any functionality – they wanted everyone to migrate seamlessly.
  • Custom code: Any custom code using ACF functions will continue to work since SCF maintains the same function names.
  • Plugin compatibility: Some plugins specifically check for ACF. Most of these have been updated to support SCF as well.

Pro vs Con: ACF vs SCF

Both plugins are excellent. But there are some key differences.

ACF Pros

  • Proven track record – ACF has been around for over a decade with millions of active installations
  • Extensive documentation – Years of tutorials, articles, and community knowledge
  • Third-party integrations – Many plugins and themes are built specifically for ACF
  • Familiar interface – Most WordPress developers already know ACF inside and out

ACF Cons

  • Owned by WP Engine – Some developers are concerned about a single company controlling such a critical plugin
  • Commercial focus – The free version is great, but some features are locked behind the Pro version
  • Update mechanism – Since the fork, ACF updates come directly from WP Engine, not WordPress.org

SCF Pros

  • Completely free – No premium version, all features included
  • Community-driven – Developed and supported by the WordPress community
  • Security-focused – Created specifically to address security concerns
  • WordPress.org official – Hosted on the official WordPress plugin repository
  • Identical functionality – Works exactly like ACF with enhanced security and community focus
  • Active development – Regular updates with new features and security enhancements
  • Complete feature set – All field types, blocks, and integrations you expect

SCF Cons

  • Newer – Less proven track record compared to ACF’s decade-plus history
  • Smaller community – Fewer existing tutorials and third-party resources (though this is changing fast)

Why choose SCF?

1. It’s free (like, really free)

No premium version. No upsells. No hidden costs. All features are included out of the box.

2. Community over corporation

SCF is developed by the WordPress community, for the WordPress community. No single company controls its future.

3. Security first

SCF was created specifically to address security concerns. The WordPress security team is directly involved, and you can see the focus on security in every update.

4. All the features you need

SCF includes everything you need:

  • Over 30 field types
  • Field groups and repeaters
  • Flexible content fields
  • Options pages
  • Custom post types and taxonomies
  • Gutenberg block creation (yes, this works exactly like ACF!)
  • JSON export/import
  • And much more

5. Future-proof

With WordPress.org behind it and automatic updates through the official repository, SCF is positioned to be the long-term solution for custom fields in WordPress.

6. Official documentation

Want to dive deeper? Check out the official SCF documentation:
Secure Custom Fields Handbook

I’ll be honest, this documentation could’ve been a little more in depth. I feel like it only touches a few points, I get that devs are familiar with ACF already, but this should get an update.

Gutenberg integration: SCF vs ACF

One of the most powerful features of both ACF and SCF is their integration with the Gutenberg editor. You can create custom blocks that leverage your custom fields, giving your clients an amazing editing experience.

The Similarities

Both ACF and SCF offer:

  • Custom block creation using PHP templates (no React required!)
  • Field connection to blocks
  • Block preview in the editor
  • Block validation and settings
  • Block categories and icons

The Differences

Honestly? Not much. Since SCF is a fork, the Gutenberg block functionality is practically identical. The main difference is in the namespace and some internal function names, but from a developer’s perspective, it works the same way.

My Experience with SCF

I’ve been using SCF for a few months now on several projects.

  • It works exactly like ACF (because it basically is ACF)
  • No learning curve if you know ACF
  • The security improvements are noticeable
  • The community is growing fast
  • All my existing ACF code works without changes

The Verdict: For new projects, I’m using SCF. For existing ACF projects, I’m migrating to SCF as I update them.

Final Thoughts

Bottom line: Both are excellent, but SCF gives you everything ACF offers – including all Pro features – with better security, community support, and no commercial strings attached.

Now go try SCF for yourself and see what you think. I have a feeling you’ll like it.