FLEX Start vs HowCan
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 #900, ahead of HowCan at #7,197. Over the last 7 days FLEX Start slipped 51 places and HowCan slipped 173 places. FLEX Start has the largest install base, roughly 2× the next: 20+ active installs against 10+ for HowCan. Downloads this week: FLEX Start 16 and HowCan 7.
| Metric | FLEX Start | HowCan |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #900 ▼ 51 | #7,197 ▼ 173 |
| Active installs | 20+ | 10+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 16 | 7 |
| Rating | no ratings | 5★ (1) |
| Type | Classic theme | Classic theme |
| Last updated | Sep 22, 2026 | Jun 29, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.0.4 | 2.0.18 |
| Best rank on record | #595 | #5,208 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Sep 2026 | Sep 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, FLEX Start or HowCan?
By active installs, FLEX Start: 20+ sites run it against 10+ for HowCan, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 26, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, FLEX Start or HowCan?
FLEX Start, at #900 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with HowCan at #7,197. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is FLEX Start a block theme or a classic theme? And HowCan?
FLEX Start is a classic theme, HowCan 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.