Alternative vs Xmag
Two WordPress themes head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
Xmag leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #1,705, ahead of Alternative at #6,850. Over the last 7 days Xmag climbed 14 places and Alternative slipped 12 places. Xmag has the largest install base, roughly 10× the next: 1K+ active installs against 100+ for Alternative. Downloads this week: Xmag 36 and Alternative 7. Ratings: Alternative 5★ from 1 and Xmag 4.4★ from 9 reviews.
| Metric | Alternative | Xmag |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #6,850 ▼ 12 | #1,705 ▲ 14 |
| Active installs | 100+ | 1K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 7 | 36 |
| Rating | 5★ (1) | 4.4★ (9) |
| Type | Classic theme | Classic theme |
| Last updated | Jun 3, 2025 | Jul 12, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.1.2 | 1.3.6 |
| Best rank on record | #6,587 | #1,702 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | May 2018 | Dec 2016 |
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, Alternative or Xmag?
By active installs, Xmag: 1K+ sites run it against 100+ for Alternative, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 26, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Alternative or Xmag?
Xmag, at #1,705 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with Alternative at #6,850. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Alternative a block theme or a classic theme? And Xmag?
Alternative is a classic theme, Xmag 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.