Gemma vs Kanso
Two WordPress themes head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
Kanso leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #1,418, ahead of Gemma at #3,796. Over the last 7 days Kanso slipped 23 places and Gemma climbed 17 places. Kanso has the largest install base, roughly 3× the next: 300+ active installs against 100+ for Gemma. Downloads this week: Kanso 20 and Gemma 11.
| Metric | Gemma | Kanso |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #3,796 ▲ 17 | #1,418 ▼ 23 |
| Active installs | 100+ | 300+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 11 | 20 |
| Rating | no ratings | 5★ (2) |
| Type | Block theme | Block theme |
| Last updated | Jan 11, 2026 | Nov 22, 2024 |
| Current version | 0.9.9 | 1.0.5 |
| Best rank on record | #3,708 | #1,308 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Aug 2023 | Aug 2024 |
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, Gemma or Kanso?
By active installs, Kanso: 300+ sites run it against 100+ for Gemma, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 26, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Gemma or Kanso?
Kanso, at #1,418 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with Gemma at #3,796. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Gemma a block theme or a classic theme? And Kanso?
Gemma is a block theme, Kanso is a block 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.