Table of contents
Pages in WordPress: static and timeless contentPosts in WordPress: dynamic, time-sensitive contentCustom post types: flexible structures for unique contentPages vs posts vs custom post types: quick comparisonHow to create and manage custom post typesSEO and performance impact of each content typeChoosing the right content type for your website goalsGetting startedAdditional resources
Get the industry’s fastest WordPress hosting◦ 99.99% uptime
◦ Comprehensive security
◦ 24/7 support
Explore options

WordPress Guide → Post → Vs Page Vs Post Vs Custom Post Type

WordPress page vs post vs custom post type

If you’re building a WordPress site and feeling confused about pages, posts, and custom post types, you’re not alone. These are the foundation of how content is organized—but they serve very different purposes.

Let’s walk through what makes each content type unique, how they work together, and how to choose the right one for your next project.

Get fast, reliable hosting for WordPress

Power your site with the industry’s fastest, most optimized WordPress hosting

WordPress.org hosting

Pages in WordPress: static and timeless content

WordPress pages are used for content that doesn’t change often and isn’t part of a time-based series. They’re perfect for the core structure of your site.

When to use a page

Use a page for evergreen information that visitors will want to find easily from your main menu. Common examples include:

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Services or Pricing

Key features of pages

Pages are ideal for content you want to highlight long-term, not rotate out of view.

  • Timeless: No publish date displayed and no chronological sorting.
  • Hierarchical: You can nest pages inside other pages (parent/child relationships).
  • No taxonomy: Pages don’t use tags or categories.
  • Not in blog feeds: They don’t show up in RSS or post archives.
  • Navigation-friendly: Pages are usually added to menus and headers.

Posts in WordPress: dynamic, time-sensitive content

Posts are the original blogging feature in WordPress, designed for news, updates, and regularly published content.

When to use a post

Use a post when you’re publishing content that’s part of a series or needs to show up in date-based archives. Great use cases include:

  • Blog articles
  • Product updates
  • Company announcements
  • Industry news

Key features of posts

Posts help keep your site fresh and are great for SEO, especially when you’re targeting long-tail keywords.

  • Chronological order: Automatically sorted by publish date.
  • Taxonomies: Organized using tags and categories for better browsing.
  • Included in feeds: Show up in blog pages, RSS feeds, and post loops.
  • Comments: Usually allow user interaction through comments.
  • Archive-ready: Easily grouped by month, category, or tag.

Custom post types: flexible structures for unique content

Custom post types (CPTs) are the most powerful way to expand WordPress beyond basic blogs and pages. They let you create fully separate content areas for things like portfolios, events, or products.

When to use a custom post type

Choose a CPT when your content doesn’t logically belong in pages or posts, and when it needs its own set of features. Common examples include:

  • Real estate listings
  • Team member bios
  • Product catalogs
  • Testimonials
  • Courses
  • Recipes

Key features of custom post types

CPTs are perfect for sites that need structure beyond what WordPress offers out of the box.

  • Custom fields: Add extra input areas using plugins like ACF (Advanced Custom Fields).
  • Custom templates: Use theme files to display them differently than posts or pages.
  • Custom taxonomies: Create new categories or tags just for that CPT.
  • Menu placement: Can be shown or hidden from the admin dashboard.
  • Flexible display: Control how they’re shown using template hierarchy or page builders.

Pages vs posts vs custom post types: quick comparison

Here’s a side-by-side look at how they differ:

FeaturePagePostCustom Post Type
Use CaseStatic contentBlog/newsSpecialized content (e.g., products)
Hierarchy SupportYes (Parent/Child)NoOptional
Categories/TagsNoYesOptional/custom
RSS FeedNoYesOptional
CommentsUsually disabledUsually enabledOptional
Chronological OrderNoYesOptional

How to create and manage custom post types

You can create CPTs with code or with plugins, depending on your comfort level.

Method 1: Use a plugin

If you’re not a developer, plugins make it easy to create CPTs with no coding at all.

  • Custom Post Type UI: Popular and beginner-friendly with support for taxonomies.
  • Pods: Includes built-in support for custom fields and relationships between CPTs.

Both options let you set menu names, slugs, and archive behavior with just a few clicks.

Method 2: Add CPTs manually with functions.php

For advanced users or developers, add a register_post_type() function to your theme’s functions.php or a custom plugin. Here’s a simplified example:

function register_portfolio_post_type() {
  register_post_type('portfolio', [
    'labels' => ['name' => 'Portfolios'],
    'public' => true,
    'has_archive' => true,
    'supports' => ['title', 'editor', 'thumbnail']
  ]);
}
add_action('init', 'register_portfolio_post_type');

This gives you full control over behavior and integration with theme files.

Enhancing CPTs with custom fields and taxonomies

For richer data, pair CPTs with:

  • ACF (Advanced Custom Fields): Add fields like images, links, ratings, and more.
  • register_taxonomy() function: Create custom filtering options like “Event Type” or “Course Level.”

These tools help you make the WordPress admin more intuitive for clients or team members.

SEO and performance impact of each content type

The way you structure content affects how it ranks in search engines and how efficiently your site loads.

Pages often perform well for core navigation and branded search terms, like “Your Company + Contact.” These static pages are typically short and focused, which helps avoid thin content penalties—but they don’t benefit from freshness signals since they aren’t regularly updated.

Posts are ideal for SEO strategies that rely on content marketing. Because they’re chronological and frequently updated, posts benefit from Google’s preference for fresh content. They also allow for detailed keyword targeting, internal linking through tags and categories, and appear in RSS feeds—all of which help boost visibility.

Custom post types offer strong SEO potential when structured properly. You can define custom slugs, enable archives, and use schema markup to optimize them for search. However, CPTs can also introduce performance issues if they’re overused or created with bloated plugins. To maintain performance, it’s essential to use clean code, enable caching, and manage queries efficiently.

Choosing the right content type for your website goals

Not sure which one to use? Answer these questions to narrow it down:

  • Is the content time-sensitive or regularly updated?
     → If yes, use a post.
  • Is this an evergreen resource or navigation page?
     → If yes, use a page.
  • Do you need custom fields, sorting, or archives for this content?
     → If yes, use a custom post type.
  • Does this content type need its own layout or user experience?
    → Custom post type is likely the best fit.

Ready to get started?

Get the fastest, most secure WordPress.org hosting on the market.

All WordPress hosting