Kanso vs Mesa WPEX
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 #1,408, ahead of Mesa WPEX at #3,252. Over the last 7 days Kanso slipped 12 places and Mesa WPEX slipped 35 places. Kanso has the largest install base, roughly 1.5× the next: 300+ active installs against 200+ for Mesa WPEX. Downloads this week: Kanso 15 and Mesa WPEX 11. Ratings: Kanso 5★ from 2 and Mesa WPEX 5★ from 1 reviews.
| Metric | Kanso | Mesa WPEX |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,408 ▼ 12 | #3,252 ▼ 35 |
| Active installs | 300+ | 200+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 15 | 11 |
| Rating | 5★ (2) | 5★ (1) |
| Type | Block theme | Block theme |
| Last updated | Nov 22, 2024 | Sep 29, 2025 |
| Current version | 1.0.5 | 1.0.2 |
| Best rank on record | #1,308 | #3,078 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Aug 2024 | Apr 2023 |
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, Kanso or Mesa WPEX?
By active installs, Kanso: 300+ sites run it against 200+ for Mesa WPEX, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 24, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Kanso or Mesa WPEX?
Kanso, at #1,408 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with Mesa WPEX at #3,252. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Kanso a block theme or a classic theme? And Mesa WPEX?
Kanso is a block theme, Mesa WPEX 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.