Dispatch vs Newspaper Press
Two WordPress themes head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
Newspaper Press leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #826, ahead of Dispatch at #4,212. Over the last 7 days Newspaper Press slipped 53 places and Dispatch slipped 18 places. Dispatch has the largest install base, roughly 8× the next: 400+ active installs against 50+ for Newspaper Press. Downloads this week: Dispatch 1,431 and Newspaper Press 27.
| Metric | Dispatch | Newspaper Press |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #4,212 ▼ 18 | #826 ▼ 53 |
| Active installs | 400+ | 50+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 1,431 | 27 |
| Rating | 5★ (29) | no ratings |
| Type | Classic theme | Classic theme |
| Last updated | Jun 9, 2026 | Aug 9, 2026 |
| Current version | 4.12.2 | 1.0 |
| Best rank on record | #4,130 | #485 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | May 2015 | Aug 2026 |
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, Dispatch or Newspaper Press?
By active installs, Dispatch: 400+ sites run it against 50+ for Newspaper Press, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 16, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Dispatch or Newspaper Press?
Newspaper Press, at #826 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with Dispatch at #4,212. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Dispatch a block theme or a classic theme? And Newspaper Press?
Dispatch is a classic theme, Newspaper Press 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.