Core Blog vs Mantra
Two WordPress themes head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
Mantra leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #639, ahead of Core Blog at #5,390. Over the last 7 days Mantra climbed 1 place and Core Blog slipped 2 places. Mantra has the largest install base, roughly 50× the next: 5K+ active installs against 100+ for Core Blog. Downloads this week: Mantra 178 and Core Blog 9.
| Metric | Core Blog | Mantra |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #5,390 ▼ 2 | #639 ▲ 1 |
| Active installs | 100+ | 5K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 9 | 178 |
| Rating | no ratings | 4.5★ (72) |
| Type | Classic theme | Classic theme |
| Last updated | Jan 26, 2025 | Feb 6, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.0.11 | 3.3.4 |
| Best rank on record | #5,239 | #633 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Aug 2021 | May 2011 |
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, Core Blog or Mantra?
By active installs, Mantra: 5K+ sites run it against 100+ for Core Blog, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 25, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Core Blog or Mantra?
Mantra, at #639 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with Core Blog at #5,390. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Core Blog a block theme or a classic theme? And Mantra?
Core Blog is a classic theme, Mantra 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.