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Calculated fields for ACF

By wundermatics

Developer Tools & Customization / Code Snippets & Custom Code

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

Calculated fields for ACF Review - In-Depth Analysis

Adds formula fields to Advanced Custom Fields for simple math operations.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.94/10

User Rating

4.1/5 (based on 14+ reviews)

Active Installations

1,000+

Update Frequency

Below Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

1 / 10 (Very Low Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

This plugin adds formula fields to Advanced Custom Fields, allowing users to perform simple mathematical calculations based on field values. The calculations are updated dynamically via AJAX while editing posts in the backend and on frontend forms.

It requires Advanced Custom Fields version 5.0 or later and works with both the Pro and standard versions. The plugin supports frontend forms created using the acf_form() function.

Users can define formulas that reference other fields in the same field group, and it supports various mathematical operations and functions. Conditional operators and rounding functions are also available for more complex calculations.

Comparing to Alternatives

Calculated fields for ACF offers a niche functionality for calculated fields within ACF but faces competition from several well-established plugins in the custom fields space.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Integrates directly with Advanced Custom Fields for calculated fields.
Simple to use for backend calculations.
No known security vulnerabilities.
Free to use without a paid tier.
Lightweight and focused on a specific feature set.

Weaknesses

Lacks frontend calculation support out of the box.
No active development or recent updates, leading to compatibility issues.
Limited support and responsiveness from developers.
No pro version or advanced features available.

User Sentiment Analysis

With a 4.1 average rating from 14 reviews, most users appreciate the plugin's core functionality, but a significant minority report issues primarily related to frontend support and lack of updates.

Positive highlights

"Awesome!" - TroyMcClure
"Good but not working on frontend" (noted as a limitation) - wael_elsaid
"How to fix front-end issue" workaround shared by elyfornoville
"Runs perfectly on the backend" - yazid21

Common complaints

Plugin does not work on the frontend as expected.
Recent versions have broken existing calculations causing data issues.
Lack of developer support and unresponsiveness to queries.
No updates for several years leading to PHP compatibility problems.

Weaknesses

Frontend functionality is missing or broken.
Plugin appears abandoned with no recent updates.
Compatibility issues with newer PHP versions.
Poor support and communication from maintainers.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users who need simple calculated fields within ACF on the backend and are comfortable applying workarounds for frontend limitations.

Not ideal for

Users requiring reliable frontend calculations, active support, or compatibility with the latest PHP versions should consider alternative plugins.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version provides basic calculated field functionality integrated with ACF without any cost.

Final Verdict

Calculated fields for ACF delivers useful backend calculation features integrated with ACF and is free to use, making it attractive for simple use cases. However, its lack of frontend support, absence of updates, and poor developer responsiveness significantly limit its reliability and suitability for production environments.

Users needing robust, actively maintained solutions with frontend capabilities should explore the listed alternatives. While this plugin fills a niche, its current state suggests caution and readiness to troubleshoot or switch to better-supported options.