Express Store vs Specia
Two WordPress themes head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
Specia leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #1,071, ahead of Express Store at #7,425. Over the last 7 days Specia climbed 2 places and Express Store slipped 8 places. Specia has the largest install base, roughly 67× the next: 2K+ active installs against 30+ for Express Store. Downloads this week: Specia 513 and Express Store 9.
| Metric | Express Store | Specia |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #7,425 ▼ 8 | #1,071 ▲ 2 |
| Active installs | 30+ | 2K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 9 | 513 |
| Rating | no ratings | 4.7★ (86) |
| Type | Classic theme | Classic theme |
| Last updated | Oct 3, 2026 | Aug 13, 2026 |
| Current version | 24.3 | 23.0 |
| Best rank on record | #7,194 | #1,071 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Oct 2023 | Nov 2016 |
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, Express Store or Specia?
By active installs, Specia: 2K+ sites run it against 30+ for Express Store, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 27, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Express Store or Specia?
Specia, at #1,071 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with Express Store at #7,425. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Express Store a block theme or a classic theme? And Specia?
Express Store is a classic theme, Specia 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.