Basal FSE vs Nature21
Two WordPress themes head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
Nature21 leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #329, ahead of Basal FSE at #1,393. Over the last 7 days Nature21 slipped 9 places and Basal FSE slipped 51 places. Basal FSE has the largest install base: 500+ active installs against 500+ for Nature21. Downloads this week: Nature21 290 and Basal FSE 16.
| Metric | Basal FSE | Nature21 |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,393 ▼ 51 | #329 ▼ 9 |
| Active installs | 500+ | 500+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 16 | 290 |
| Rating | 5★ (1) | no ratings |
| Type | Block theme | Block theme |
| Last updated | May 15, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.4 | 2.2 |
| Best rank on record | #1,186 | #188 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Jan 2024 | Jan 2026 |
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, Basal FSE or Nature21?
By active installs, Basal FSE: 500+ sites run it against 500+ for Nature21, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 17, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Basal FSE or Nature21?
Nature21, at #329 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with Basal FSE at #1,393. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Basal FSE a block theme or a classic theme? And Nature21?
Basal FSE is a block theme, Nature21 is a block 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.