Journal Book vs The Paper Blog
Two WordPress themes head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
The Paper Blog leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #196, ahead of Journal Book at #322. Over the last 7 days The Paper Blog slipped 18 places and Journal Book slipped 4 places. The Paper Blog has the largest install base: 100+ active installs against 90+ for Journal Book. Downloads this week: Journal Book 57 and The Paper Blog 44.
| Metric | Journal Book | The Paper Blog |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #322 ▼ 4 | #196 ▼ 18 |
| Active installs | 90+ | 100+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 57 | 44 |
| Rating | no ratings | no ratings |
| Type | Block theme | Classic theme |
| Last updated | Aug 28, 2026 | Aug 12, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.0.0 | 1.0 |
| Best rank on record | #172 | #130 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Aug 2026 | Aug 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, Journal Book or The Paper Blog?
By active installs, The Paper Blog: 100+ sites run it against 90+ for Journal Book, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 17, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Journal Book or The Paper Blog?
The Paper Blog, at #196 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with Journal Book at #322. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Journal Book a block theme or a classic theme? And The Paper Blog?
Journal Book is a block theme, The Paper Blog 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.