Dazzling vs NewsMachine
Two WordPress themes head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
Dazzling leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #1,372, ahead of NewsMachine at #2,398. Over the last 7 days Dazzling slipped 17 places and NewsMachine slipped 19 places. Dazzling has the largest install base, roughly 20× the next: 2K+ active installs against 100+ for NewsMachine. Downloads this week: Dazzling 189 and NewsMachine 37.
| Metric | Dazzling | NewsMachine |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,372 ▼ 17 | #2,398 ▼ 19 |
| Active installs | 2K+ | 100+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 189 | 37 |
| Rating | 4.6★ (52) | no ratings |
| Type | Classic theme | Classic theme |
| Last updated | Oct 2, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Current version | 2.3.0 | 1.1.5 |
| Best rank on record | #1,351 | #1,663 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Mar 2014 | Jun 2025 |
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, Dazzling or NewsMachine?
By active installs, Dazzling: 2K+ sites run it against 100+ for NewsMachine, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 26, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Dazzling or NewsMachine?
Dazzling, at #1,372 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with NewsMachine at #2,398. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Dazzling a block theme or a classic theme? And NewsMachine?
Dazzling is a classic theme, NewsMachine 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.