Blog Build vs Ilex
Two WordPress themes head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
Blog Build leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #1,720, ahead of Ilex at #8,111. Over the last 7 days Blog Build slipped 2 places and Ilex climbed 4 places. Blog Build has the largest install base, roughly 3.3× the next: 100+ active installs against 30+ for Ilex. Downloads this week: Blog Build 25 and Ilex 12.
| Metric | Blog Build | Ilex |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,720 ▼ 2 | #8,111 ▲ 4 |
| Active installs | 100+ | 30+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 25 | 12 |
| Rating | no ratings | no ratings |
| Type | Classic theme | Classic theme |
| Last updated | Aug 31, 2026 | Aug 4, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.1.0 | 2.4.3 |
| Best rank on record | #986 | #7,699 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Jul 2025 | May 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, Blog Build or Ilex?
By active installs, Blog Build: 100+ sites run it against 30+ for Ilex, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 23, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Blog Build or Ilex?
Blog Build, at #1,720 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with Ilex at #8,111. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Blog Build a block theme or a classic theme? And Ilex?
Blog Build is a classic theme, Ilex 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.