Catch Evolution vs Pen
Two WordPress themes head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
Pen leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #745, ahead of Catch Evolution at #2,161. Over the last 7 days Pen slipped 7 places and Catch Evolution slipped 8 places. Pen has the largest install base, roughly 2× the next: 2K+ active installs against 1K+ for Catch Evolution. Downloads this week: Catch Evolution 62 and Pen 54. Ratings: Catch Evolution 4.9★ from 34 and Pen 5★ from 49 reviews.
| Metric | Catch Evolution | Pen |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #2,161 ▼ 8 | #745 ▼ 7 |
| Active installs | 1K+ | 2K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 62 | 54 |
| Rating | 4.9★ (34) | 5★ (49) |
| Type | Classic theme | Classic theme |
| Last updated | May 26, 2026 | Apr 3, 2025 |
| Current version | 4.2.2 | 1.4.8 |
| Best rank on record | #2,146 | #713 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Sep 2013 | May 2019 |
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, Catch Evolution or Pen?
By active installs, Pen: 2K+ sites run it against 1K+ for Catch Evolution, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 24, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Catch Evolution or Pen?
Pen, at #745 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with Catch Evolution at #2,161. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Catch Evolution a block theme or a classic theme? And Pen?
Catch Evolution is a classic theme, Pen 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.