I Built OpenFields ( Free Alternative to ACF for WP )

#wordpress #tooling #showdev #opensource

You know that moment when you're building a WordPress site and think, "I really don't want to pay for ACF Pro"? Yeah, me too.

So I built OpenFields.

It's a modern, completely free custom fields plugin for WordPress that does everything ACF does – without the price tag or vendor lock-in. And honestly? It's been way more fun building this than I expected.

The Problem I Was Solving

Custom fields are essential for WordPress development. But if you want repeaters, conditional logic, or anything beyond the basics, you're looking at ACF's pricing model. Nothing wrong with ACF – it's solid. But I wanted something that:

✅ Is 100% free (no premium tiers hiding behind paywalls)
✅ Is open source (you own your tool, not the other way around)
✅ Uses an API that feels familiar if you've used ACF
✅ Actually feels modern to build with

So yeah, I decided to build it myself.

The Visual Builder

Drag and drop fieldsets together. No code needed. Add fields, organize them, set rules – all in a beautiful React interface. It's the kind of UX that makes you actually want to use it.

All the Field Types

Text, textarea, select, radio, checkbox, switch, repeater, groups, relationships... I could list them all but you get it. The important ones are all there.

Conditional Logic That Actually Works

Show or hide fields based on other field values. Set it up in the UI, it just works. No "I configured this but it's acting weird" nonsense.

Location Rules

Display your fieldsets exactly where you need them:

On specific post types
For certain user roles
On taxonomies
Custom conditions

The API (Yes, It's Familiar)

If you've used ACF, you already know how to use OpenFields. Same functions, same logic:

// Get a field value
$price = get_field('price');

// Loop through repeater rows
if (have_rows('team_members')) {
    while (have_rows('team_members')) {
        the_row();
        echo get_sub_field('name');
    }
}