Gambit vs Simple Writer
Two WordPress themes head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
Gambit leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #1,401, ahead of Simple Writer at #3,201. Over the last 7 days Gambit climbed 20 places and Simple Writer climbed 7 places. Gambit has the largest install base, roughly 3.3× the next: 1K+ active installs against 300+ for Simple Writer. Downloads this week: Gambit 29 and Simple Writer 13.
| Metric | Gambit | Simple Writer |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,401 ▲ 20 | #3,201 ▲ 7 |
| Active installs | 1K+ | 300+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 29 | 13 |
| Rating | 4.6★ (9) | no ratings |
| Type | Classic theme | Classic theme |
| Last updated | Jun 14, 2026 | Dec 23, 2025 |
| Current version | 2.1.3 | 1.0.9 |
| Best rank on record | #1,391 | #3,092 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Nov 2016 | Feb 2021 |
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, Gambit or Simple Writer?
By active installs, Gambit: 1K+ sites run it against 300+ for Simple Writer, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 21, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Gambit or Simple Writer?
Gambit, at #1,401 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with Simple Writer at #3,201. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Gambit a block theme or a classic theme? And Simple Writer?
Gambit is a classic theme, Simple Writer 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.