Fascinate vs FLEX Start
Two WordPress themes head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
FLEX Start leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #843, ahead of Fascinate at #1,432. Over the last 7 days FLEX Start slipped 53 places and Fascinate climbed 3 places. Fascinate has the largest install base, roughly 50× the next: 1K+ active installs against 20+ for FLEX Start. Downloads this week: Fascinate 35 and FLEX Start 14.
| Metric | Fascinate | FLEX Start |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,432 ▲ 3 | #843 ▼ 53 |
| Active installs | 1K+ | 20+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 35 | 14 |
| Rating | 5★ (2) | no ratings |
| Type | Classic theme | Classic theme |
| Last updated | Jul 16, 2026 | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.1.6 | 1.0.4 |
| Best rank on record | #1,339 | #595 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Jul 2019 | Sep 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, Fascinate or FLEX Start?
By active installs, Fascinate: 1K+ sites run it against 20+ for FLEX Start, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 23, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Fascinate or FLEX Start?
FLEX Start, at #843 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with Fascinate at #1,432. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Fascinate a block theme or a classic theme? And FLEX Start?
Fascinate is a classic theme, FLEX Start 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.