Gist vs Xmag
Two WordPress themes head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
Xmag leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #1,723, ahead of Gist at #2,362. Over the last 7 days Xmag climbed 15 places and Gist slipped 3 places. Xmag has the largest install base, roughly 1.3× the next: 1K+ active installs against 800+ for Gist. Downloads this week: Xmag 44 and Gist 27. Ratings: Gist 5★ from 2 and Xmag 4.4★ from 9 reviews.
| Metric | Gist | Xmag |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #2,362 ▼ 3 | #1,723 ▲ 15 |
| Active installs | 800+ | 1K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 27 | 44 |
| Rating | 5★ (2) | 4.4★ (9) |
| Type | Classic theme | Classic theme |
| Last updated | Feb 26, 2026 | Jul 12, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.1.9 | 1.3.6 |
| Best rank on record | #2,277 | #1,712 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Mar 2018 | Dec 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, Gist or Xmag?
By active installs, Xmag: 1K+ sites run it against 800+ for Gist, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 18, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Gist or Xmag?
Xmag, at #1,723 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with Gist at #2,362. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Gist a block theme or a classic theme? And Xmag?
Gist is a classic theme, Xmag 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.