Darken vs VisualBlocks
Two WordPress themes head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
Darken leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #1,483, ahead of VisualBlocks at #3,472. Over the last 7 days Darken slipped 25 places and VisualBlocks slipped 30 places. Darken has the largest install base, roughly 2× the next: 200+ active installs against 100+ for VisualBlocks. Downloads this week: Darken 15 and VisualBlocks 8.
| Metric | Darken | VisualBlocks |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,483 ▼ 25 | #3,472 ▼ 30 |
| Active installs | 200+ | 100+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 15 | 8 |
| Rating | no ratings | 5★ (2) |
| Type | Block theme | Block theme |
| Last updated | Mar 24, 2025 | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.0.0 | 1.0.3 |
| Best rank on record | #1,351 | #3,266 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Mar 2025 | Feb 2024 |
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, Darken or VisualBlocks?
By active installs, Darken: 200+ sites run it against 100+ for VisualBlocks, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 25, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Darken or VisualBlocks?
Darken, at #1,483 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with VisualBlocks at #3,472. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Darken a block theme or a classic theme? And VisualBlocks?
Darken is a block theme, VisualBlocks 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.