Custom Settings vs. Custom Metadata in Salesforce: Which One Should You Use?

Salesforce provides multiple ways to store configuration data, but two of the most commonly used options are Custom Settings and Custom Metadata. While they may seem similar at first glance, they serve different purposes and have key differences in terms of deployment, accessibility, and performance.

Let’s dive deeper to understand which one is best suited for your needs.

1. What Are Custom Settings?

Custom Settings in Salesforce function like custom objects but are optimized for storing reference or configuration data that can be accessed efficiently in Apex without requiring SOQL queries.

Types of Custom Settings:

• List Custom Settings: Stores static data accessible to all users in the organization.
• Hierarchy Custom Settings: Provides user- or profile-specific settings.

Key Features of Custom Settings:

✅ No SOQL required (improves performance)

✅ Supports user-specific or profile-specific configurations

✅ Data is cached, ensuring faster access

🚫 Not deployable via metadata API (requires Data Loader or manual data migration)

When to Use Custom Settings?

• When you need user-specific or profile-specific configurations
• To store frequently accessed org-wide settings
• To improve performance by reducing SOQL queries

2. What Is Custom Metadata?

Custom Metadata is similar to Custom Settings but is stored as metadata rather than data records. This makes it deployable across environments and useful for application configurations.

Key Features of Custom Metadata:

✅ Deployable and packageable like other metadata components

✅ No SOQL required (improves performance)

✅ Data is stored as metadata (does not count against org storage limits)

✅ Can be referenced in validation rules, flows, and formulas

🚫 Does not support hierarchy-based configurations

When to Use Custom Metadata?

• When you need deployable configurations across multiple orgs
• To store reference data that should be included in managed packages
• To replace hardcoded values in Apex, flows, or validation rules

3. Custom Settings vs. Custom Metadata: A Quick Comparison

4. Choosing the Right One for Your Use Case

• If you need user-specific settings, go with Custom Settings (Hierarchy Type).
• If you need deployable configurations, Custom Metadata is the better choice.
• If you need faster access and don't require deployment, Custom Settings are more efficient.
• If you want to reference data in validation rules or flows, only Custom Metadata supports this.

Both Custom Settings and Custom Metadata have their own advantages. The key is understanding your use case and selecting the best option accordingly.

Let's dive deeper with an example.

Imagine you are running a coffee shop, and you want to store some important information like the price of coffee, store opening hours, and available discounts. In Salesforce, you have two ways to store such data:

☕ Custom Settings – Think of this like a whiteboard in your shop. You can quickly change the prices or offers on the whiteboard, and your staff can see it right away. But if you open a new branch, you’ll need to manually write the same details there too.

📦 Custom Metadata – This is like printing a price list and sharing it across all your branches. If you update the price list in one place, it automatically updates in all locations. It’s more structured and can be included in official documents, making it easier to share.

Key Differences:

• Custom Settings: Easy to access and change but doesn’t transfer easily between Salesforce environments.
• Custom Metadata: Harder to edit manually, but can be deployed across different Salesforce orgs like a system update.

When to Use What?

• Use Custom Settings if different users or locations need different settings.
• Use Custom Metadata if you want consistent data across all environments and easy deployment.

Hope this makes sense! Let me know if you need more clarification. 🚀

I’m passionate about sharing Salesforce knowledge and helping professionals optimize their implementations. Follow me for more insights on Salesforce best practices and development strategies. Let's connect on LinkedIn and discuss more! 🚀 You can also follow SFDC Learning to learn more about Salesforce.