Magazine Builder vs NewSpare
Two WordPress themes head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
NewSpare leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #291, ahead of Magazine Builder at #4,114. Over the last 7 days NewSpare slipped 18 places and Magazine Builder climbed 23 places. NewSpare has the largest install base, roughly 4× the next: 400+ active installs against 100+ for Magazine Builder. Downloads this week: NewSpare 141 and Magazine Builder 9.
| Metric | Magazine Builder | NewSpare |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #4,114 ▲ 23 | #291 ▼ 18 |
| Active installs | 100+ | 400+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 9 | 141 |
| Rating | no ratings | no ratings |
| Type | Block theme | Block theme |
| Last updated | Feb 2, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.9 | 4.2.9 |
| Best rank on record | #3,764 | #98 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Nov 2023 | Mar 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, Magazine Builder or NewSpare?
By active installs, NewSpare: 400+ sites run it against 100+ for Magazine Builder, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 25, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Magazine Builder or NewSpare?
NewSpare, at #291 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with Magazine Builder at #4,114. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Magazine Builder a block theme or a classic theme? And NewSpare?
Magazine Builder is a block theme, NewSpare 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.