Academy Lite vs TutorStarter
Two WordPress themes head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
TutorStarter leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #97, ahead of Academy Lite at #8,161. Over the last 7 days TutorStarter slipped 1 place and Academy Lite slipped 35 places. TutorStarter has the largest install base, roughly 333× the next: 10K+ active installs against 30+ for Academy Lite. Downloads this week: TutorStarter 424 and Academy Lite 8.
| Metric | Academy Lite | TutorStarter |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #8,161 ▼ 35 | #97 ▼ 1 |
| Active installs | 30+ | 10K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 8 | 424 |
| Rating | no ratings | 4★ (4) |
| Type | Classic theme | Classic theme |
| Last updated | Jun 17, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.1.4 | 4.0.5 |
| Best rank on record | #7,810 | #87 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Mar 2021 | Jun 2021 |
Highlighted cells mark the strongest figure in each row. Rank and installs are from the latest WordPress.org capture; downloads are the last seven captured days.
Ranking history Lower is better
Active installs
Downloads per day
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Academy Lite or TutorStarter?
By active installs, TutorStarter: 10K+ sites run it against 30+ for Academy Lite, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 25, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Academy Lite or TutorStarter?
TutorStarter, at #97 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with Academy Lite at #8,161. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Academy Lite a block theme or a classic theme? And TutorStarter?
Academy Lite is a classic theme, TutorStarter is a classic theme. Block themes are built for the Site Editor; classic themes use the Customizer and widget areas.
Where do these numbers come from?
WordPress.org publishes each theme’s active install count and its position on the popular list. This site records both every day, along with per-day downloads and ratings, so the charts above show how the themes have moved over time rather than a single day.