As a WordPress developer, you’ve likely faced a key decision: Should you build a site using ACF Gutenberg Blocks or stick with traditional ACF-based theme templates? Both approaches leverage the power of Advanced Custom Fields (ACF), but they serve different purposes and align with different development workflows.

Let’s break down the two options to help you decide which is the best fit for your next project.

ACF Gutenberg Blocks

This method involves creating custom Gutenberg blocks that are powered by ACF. Instead of editing in a separate meta box, your custom fields become part of the native block editor experience.

Key Advantages:

• A Truly Native Editor Experience: With Gutenberg blocks, your client can see exactly how the content will look on the front end as they are editing. This what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) approach is intuitive and reduces the need for constant back-and-forth between the editor and the live site.
• Enhanced Content Flexibility: Blocks empower clients to build and manage their own page layouts without touching any code. You can create a library of custom blocks—like a hero section, a testimonial slider, or a call-to-action—and the client can mix, match, and reorder them on any page. This is ideal for dynamic sites with a lot of content variation.
• Future-Proof Development: Gutenberg is the future of WordPress. The platform is moving toward a full-site editing experience, and building with blocks aligns your projects with this core direction. Adopting a block-based workflow now will make it easier to adapt to future WordPress updates and features.

Considerations:

• Steeper Learning Curve: Setting up ACF Gutenberg blocks requires a deeper understanding of both ACF and the Gutenberg block registration process. It’s more complex than simply dropping PHP functions into a theme file.

ACF-Based Theme Templates

This traditional approach uses PHP template files within your theme (e.g., page-about.php or single-post.php) and populates them with data from ACF fields. These fields are typically managed in a meta box below the main editor.

Key Advantages:

• Familiar and Fast for Developers: If you’re comfortable with classic PHP and the WordPress template hierarchy, this method is straightforward and fast to set up. It’s a tried-and-true workflow that many developers have used for years.
• Rigid Layout Control: When a design needs to be pixel-perfect and absolutely shouldn’t be altered by the user, theme templates are the way to go. You have complete control over the layout, and a client can’t accidentally break the design by moving or deleting a core section.
• Ideal for Simple, Fixed Layouts: For sites with a very static structure—like a landing page, a portfolio with a consistent project layout, or a brochure site—theme templates offer a simple and efficient solution.

Considerations:

• Less Flexible for Clients: The trade-off for rigid control is less flexibility for the client. They can’t independently rearrange sections or create new layouts. Any major content or design change requires a developer to modify the theme template.
• Feels “Old-School”: As WordPress continues to evolve, this method feels less aligned with the modern, block-based direction of the platform.

My Take: Which One Should You Choose?

The decision comes down to the needs of the specific project and your client.

• Choose ACF Gutenberg Blocks if you’re building a modern, scalable site that needs lots of content flexibility. This is perfect for clients who want to easily manage their own content and layouts without coming back to you for every minor change.
• Stick with ACF Theme Templates if you need speed, simplicity, and rigid control over the layout. This approach is still incredibly valuable for smaller projects with fixed designs or when the client doesn’t need to manipulate the site structure.

Ultimately, it’s not about which method is “better,” but which is the right tool for the job.

As a developer, which approach are you using more often for new projects in 2025?