Simplex Magazine 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 #219, ahead of Simplex Magazine at #1,526. Over the last 7 days The Paper Blog slipped 23 places and Simplex Magazine slipped 24 places. Simplex Magazine has the largest install base, roughly 4× the next: 400+ active installs against 100+ for The Paper Blog. Downloads this week: The Paper Blog 33 and Simplex Magazine 15.
| Metric | Simplex Magazine | The Paper Blog |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,526 ▼ 24 | #219 ▼ 23 |
| Active installs | 400+ | 100+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 15 | 33 |
| Rating | no ratings | no ratings |
| Type | Classic theme | Classic theme |
| Last updated | Jan 31, 2026 | Aug 12, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.2 | 1.0 |
| Best rank on record | #1,412 | #130 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Mar 2024 | 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, Simplex Magazine or The Paper Blog?
By active installs, Simplex Magazine: 400+ sites run it against 100+ for The Paper Blog, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 24, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Simplex Magazine or The Paper Blog?
The Paper Blog, at #219 on the WordPress.org popular themes list today, with Simplex Magazine at #1,526. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Is Simplex Magazine a block theme or a classic theme? And The Paper Blog?
Simplex Magazine is a classic 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.