Minimalist Writer vs NewsCard
Two WordPress themes head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
NewsCard leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #238, ahead of Minimalist Writer at #705. Over the last 7 days NewsCard slipped 3 places and Minimalist Writer slipped 8 places. NewsCard has the largest install base, roughly 7× the next: 7K+ active installs against 1K+ for Minimalist Writer. Downloads this week: NewsCard 145 and Minimalist Writer 25. Ratings: Minimalist Writer 4★ from 1 and NewsCard 4.7★ from 42 reviews.
| Metric | Minimalist Writer | NewsCard |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #705 ▼ 8 | #238 ▼ 3 |
| Active installs | 1K+ | 7K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 25 | 145 |
| Rating | 4★ (1) | 4.7★ (42) |
| Type | Classic theme | Classic theme |
| Last updated | Feb 23, 2026 | Jun 15, 2025 |
| Current version | 1.6 | 1.5 |
| Best rank on record | #587 | #234 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Oct 2022 | Nov 2018 |
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, Minimalist Writer or NewsCard?
By active installs, NewsCard: 7K+ sites run it against 1K+ for Minimalist Writer, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 17, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Minimalist Writer or NewsCard?
NewsCard, at #238 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with Minimalist Writer at #705. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Minimalist Writer a block theme or a classic theme? And NewsCard?
Minimalist Writer is a classic theme, NewsCard 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.