Multipurpose Startup vs Overlay
Two WordPress themes head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
Overlay leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #616, ahead of Multipurpose Startup at #8,092. Over the last 7 days Overlay climbed 2 places and Multipurpose Startup climbed 6 places. Overlay has the largest install base, roughly 40× the next: 2K+ active installs against 50+ for Multipurpose Startup. Downloads this week: Overlay 54 and Multipurpose Startup 14. Ratings: Multipurpose Startup 5★ from 1 and Overlay 4.9★ from 49 reviews.
| Metric | Multipurpose Startup | Overlay |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #8,092 ▲ 6 | #616 ▲ 2 |
| Active installs | 50+ | 2K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 14 | 54 |
| Rating | 5★ (1) | 4.9★ (49) |
| Type | Classic theme | Classic theme |
| Last updated | Oct 12, 2026 | Jan 14, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.4.4 | 2.0.11 |
| Best rank on record | #7,677 | #613 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Sep 2018 | Sep 2019 |
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, Multipurpose Startup or Overlay?
By active installs, Overlay: 2K+ sites run it against 50+ for Multipurpose Startup, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 26, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Multipurpose Startup or Overlay?
Overlay, at #616 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with Multipurpose Startup at #8,092. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Multipurpose Startup a block theme or a classic theme? And Overlay?
Multipurpose Startup is a classic theme, Overlay 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.