The strongest Kirki alternative for most sites is Customizer Export/Import, which lets you export and import Customizer settings without the developer overhead Kirki assumes. For building option panels in code, Redux Framework and CMB2 are the mature choices, giving you full control over theme and metabox settings. We ranked these from our index of 55,000+ WordPress plugins.

Why people switch from Kirki

• Kirki was built for the Customizer, whose role has shrunk in block-based WordPress, so people move to Redux Framework or CMB2 for options that do not depend on it.
• People who only need to move Customizer settings between sites pick Customizer Export/Import instead of a whole framework.
• Developers wanting lighter, code-defined fields move to CMB2, Titan Framework, or Codestar Framework.

Customizer Export/Import – Moving Customizer settings

Customizer Export/Import is a small utility that exports your theme’s Customizer settings to a file and imports them on another site. Against Kirki, it solves the practical problem of transferring settings rather than building option interfaces, so it is far simpler.

What it does not do: it does not create or manage options at all, so it is a companion tool, not a framework replacement.

Choose Customizer Export/Import if you only need to export and import Customizer settings between sites.

Redux Framework – Options frameworks

Redux Framework is a long-established options framework for building theme and plugin settings panels. Against Kirki, it offers a broad, battle-tested field set and does not tie you to the Customizer.

What it does not do: it is heavy for simple needs, has a steeper learning curve, and its development has been uneven at times.

Choose Redux Framework if you need a full-featured options panel framework.

CMB2 – Metaboxes and fields

CMB2 is a developer-focused library for building metaboxes, custom fields, and settings pages in code. Against Kirki, it is lighter, more flexible, and works well outside the Customizer for post meta and options pages.

What it does not do: it is code-first with no visual builder, so it assumes you are comfortable writing PHP.

Choose CMB2 if you want a lightweight code-first library for fields and metaboxes.

titan-framework – Unified options API

Titan Framework offered a single API for admin pages, metaboxes, and Customizer options across themes and plugins. Against Kirki, it aimed to unify several option types under one consistent interface.

What it does not do: it is no longer actively maintained, so it is a risky choice for new projects.

Choose titan-framework if you are maintaining a legacy project already built on it.

codestar-framework – Ready-made option panels

Codestar Framework is an options framework that provides prebuilt fields for metaboxes, settings, and Customizer sections. Against Kirki, it ships a large field set with a quicker setup for admin panels.

What it does not do: it is a smaller project with a narrower community, so support and long-term updates are less assured.

Choose codestar-framework if you want a quick prebuilt options panel with many field types.

When to stay on Kirki

Stay on Kirki if you are actively building themes around the Customizer and rely on its extensive field types and styling helpers. It remains a capable toolkit for Customizer-based options, and if your workflow depends on the Customizer rather than the block editor, replacing it means rewriting working code for little gain.

How we ranked these

Every plugin here is scored by the WPS Score, a single 0 to 10 rating built from 21 signals covering maintenance, support responsiveness, compatibility, performance, and ratings quality across our index of 55,000+ plugins. Rankings are derived from that data, not editorial preference, and no plugin author can pay to change a score. How the WPS Score works.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free alternative to Kirki?

CMB2 is the best free alternative for developers who want to build fields and options in code without depending on the Customizer. Customizer Export/Import is best if you only need to move Customizer settings between sites, and Redux Framework is a free, full-featured options framework.

Is Kirki still maintained and relevant?

Kirki is still maintained, but its focus is the WordPress Customizer, which matters less as block themes and full-site editing become standard. It remains useful for classic themes built around the Customizer. For new projects, many developers now prefer options tools like CMB2 that do not rely on the Customizer.

What is the difference between Kirki and Redux Framework?

Kirki extends the WordPress Customizer with extra field types and styling helpers, so its options live in the Customizer. Redux Framework builds standalone settings panels in the admin, independent of the Customizer. Kirki fits Customizer-centric themes, while Redux suits more complex, self-contained options screens.

The verdict

The best all-round Kirki alternative is Customizer Export/Import for moving settings, but for building options in code CMB2 is the cleaner modern choice, with Redux Framework suiting larger panels. If your theme is built around the Customizer and Kirki already works, staying with it is sensible.