Best WP vs The Paper Blog
Two WordPress themes head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
The Paper Blog leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #224, ahead of Best WP at #8,036. Over the last 7 days The Paper Blog slipped 24 places and Best WP slipped 12 places. The Paper Blog has the largest install base, roughly 2× the next: 100+ active installs against 50+ for Best WP. Downloads this week: The Paper Blog 31 and Best WP 7.
| Metric | Best WP | The Paper Blog |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #8,036 ▼ 12 | #224 ▼ 24 |
| Active installs | 50+ | 100+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 7 | 31 |
| Rating | no ratings | no ratings |
| Type | Classic theme | Classic theme |
| Last updated | Jan 22, 2026 | Aug 12, 2026 |
| Current version | 2.1.2 | 1.0 |
| Best rank on record | #7,757 | #130 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Jul 2018 | Aug 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, Best WP or The Paper Blog?
By active installs, The Paper Blog: 100+ sites run it against 50+ for Best WP, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 25, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Best WP or The Paper Blog?
The Paper Blog, at #224 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with Best WP at #8,036. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Best WP a block theme or a classic theme? And The Paper Blog?
Best WP is a classic theme, The Paper Blog 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.