5 Best WordPress Custom Post Type You Should Know

 Ever wondered how they are made & why they look so difference than the typical blog posts?

Welcome to the world of WordPress custom post type. A fresh installation of WordPress comes with some default post types; they are –

• Posts,
• Pages,
• Menu Items,
• Attachments,
• Links, etc.

Besides these regular post types, WordPress also allows you to add content in your own type. This custom content type is called ‘Custom Post Types.’ You can use custom post types to add different types of content like product review, recipe, testimonial, team member, etc.

Why Should You Use Custom Post Types?

I am sure some of you are thinking why the hell should I bother with this thing; I have got plenty on my plate already!
Well, if you are content with what you have, that’s okay. But what if you want more? What if you want to add more information in your posts in a structured way?
Let me give you an example before it gets too complicated. Let’s say, you are creating a recipe website. Unless you have chosen a premium theme that comes with a dedicated recipe post type, how will you add new recipes to your site?
Use the regular posts?
That’s one way to do it. But using a custom post type for the recipe will let you add ingredients, steps, time, user review, image gallery, etc. You can also create a dedicated area for the custom post types. Now that’s something useful, right?

Best Custom Post Type WordPress Plugins

While it is possible to create custom post types manually, that will require more than basic understanding of PHP. If you don’t have that expertise and simply don’t want to go through the hassle, you can use the custom post type plugins.
I have hand-picked the best custom post type plugins for you. Let’s see which they are, shall we?
1. Post Type Builder – WordPress Custom Post Types

This powerful WordPress plugin lets you create custom post types and custom taxonomies. The intuitive drag and drop interface allows you to complete the whole process without writing any code. For the custom post types, you can enable regular features like the title, description, categories, tags, featured image, excerpt, etc.
Post Type Builder lets you use custom taxonomies for each custom post type. You can choose from the ready-made options to create custom taxonomies. The meta box builder feature of the plugin lets you create fully customizable meta boxes for your custom post type. You can choose from the available input types – text, text area, select, radio, checkbox, dropdown, image, link, etc.
2. CustomPress

Developed by WPMU Dev, CustomPress is an excellent WordPress plugin for creating custom post types, custom fields, and unlimited taxonomies. By using the plugin, you can create custom post type for different types of requirements like movies, real estate listings, art galleries etc.
The new custom post types could be enhanced by adding custom fields. You can choose from text boxes, drop-down menus, checkboxes and radio buttons. Each field could be customized separately. The custom post types and their tags and categories will work perfectly in any WordPress theme.
You will also find options to add dashicon to your custom post types. The post types could also be exported to other websites. You can get the CustomPress plugin by paying $19 per month or by becoming a member for $24.5 per month. Members get unlimited access to all themes, plugins and professional support.
3. Custom Post Type UI

With more than two hundred thousand active installs, Custom Post Type UI is a very popular WordPress plugin for creating and managing custom post types. Once you install and activate the plugin, it will create a new menu item titled ‘CPT UI’.
To add a new post type, go to CPT UI > Add/Edit Post Types. In that page, you will find basic options like the slug, singular and plural label, description, menu name, etc. Then, you can provide the text for various actions like Add New, Add New Item, Edit, View, Search, etc. From the ‘Supports’ section, you can choose which sections to include. Available options include Title, Editor, Comments, Author, Featured Image, Author, Revisions, etc.
It is possible to add new taxonomies by going to the CPT UI > Add/Edit Taxonomies page. You can also import and export the post types to and from other websites.
4. Types

Types is another highly popular custom post types plugin for WordPress. This one also has more than two hundred thousand active installs. This plugin allows you to create custom post types, custom taxonomies, and fields.
Once you have installed and activated the plugin, you will find a list of all the post types in the Types > Post Types page. To add a new post type, click the ‘Add New Custom Post Type’ button. In the resulting page, you will find separate fields for customizing the post type.

Besides the regular options like the post type name, slug, and description, you can choose a custom icon and customize the labels for different actions. From the ‘Custom Post Properties’ section, you can choose to enable basic options like title, editor, comments, excerpt, featured image, etc. for the post type. Similarly, you can create custom taxonomies and fields from the ‘Custom Taxonomies’ and ‘Custom Fields’ sub-menus.
5. Custom Post Type Maker

Custom Post Type Maker is a simple but effective WordPress plugin. Though this plugin does not come with extensive options like the other ones of this list, it still does the job perfectly. If you are looking for a no-nonsense solution for creating custom post types, you can rely on this one.
Once you install and activate the plugin, it will create a new menu item titled ‘Post Types’. To create a new post type, go to Post Types > Post Types and click the ‘Add New’ button. In the resulting page, you will find all the options for your custom post type.
Besides the regular options, Custom Post Type Maker comes with several advanced options too. For example, you can hide the post type from the menu, and the search results. Then, there are the options to choose editing options for the post type. You can create custom taxonomies by going to the Post Types > Taxonomies and clicking the ‘Add New’ button.
Bonus Plugin: Custom post type switcher

So, after reading this if you added few new custom post type like ShoutMeLoud and want to move few of your posts from default “posts” type to newly created post type, Custom post type switcher plugin is your best friend. Using this plugin, you can also convert a blog post into a page or a page into a blog post.

Are you taking advantage of WordPress custom post type feature?

Features like custom post types have made WordPress more powerful. Having the power to create any website and to publish the posts in customized formats are advanced level options for any platform. And the custom post plugins described above allow you to do that in WordPress.
Do you use custom post types in your WordPress site? If yes, which plugin do you use? Let me know in the comments.