Highlights · computed from our daily tracking data
- Challenger currently ranks #6424 in the WordPress.org popular themes list.
- Its best position in our tracking is #6215, first reached on Jul 24, 2026.
- Active installs have held steady at 100+ since we began tracking it in July 2026.
- The latest release, v1.20, shipped on Oct 27, 2026 (6 days ago) — release #21 since the theme joined the directory in 2018.
Ranking history
Ranking history — data table
| Date | Ranking history |
|---|---|
| 2026-11-02 | #6424 |
| 2026-10-31 | #6422 |
| 2026-09-24 | #6313 |
| 2026-08-31 | #6273 |
| 2026-07-31 | #6262 |
Latest reading of each month from our daily snapshots; the chart holds the full daily history.
Active installs
Active installs — data table
| Date | Active installs |
|---|---|
| 2026-11-02 | 100 |
| 2026-10-31 | 100 |
| 2026-09-24 | 100 |
| 2026-08-31 | 100 |
| 2026-07-31 | 100 |
Latest reading of each month from our daily snapshots; the chart holds the full daily history.
Downloads per day
Downloads per day — data table
| Date | Downloads per day |
|---|---|
| 2026-10-15 | 1 |
| 2026-09-30 | 1 |
| 2026-08-30 | 1 |
| 2026-07-29 | 1 |
| 2026-06-23 | 1 |
| 2026-05-08 | 1 |
| 2026-04-10 | 1 |
| 2026-03-20 | 1 |
| 2026-02-21 | 1 |
| 2026-01-21 | 1 |
| 2025-12-29 | 1 |
| 2025-11-27 | 1 |
| 2025-10-28 | 1 |
| 2025-09-26 | 2 |
Latest reading of each month from our daily snapshots; the chart holds the full daily history.
Details
| Author | Ben Sibley |
|---|---|
| Current version | 1.20 |
| Versions released | 21 |
| Last updated | 2026-10-27 |
| Added to directory | 2018-07-13 |
| Requires WordPress | — |
| Requires PHP | 5.4+ |
| Type | Classic theme |
| First tracked here | 2026-07-23 |
Description
Challenger is a premium-quality theme for modern blogs, podcasts, and vloggers. As a fully responsive theme, your website will look awesome on laptops, tablets, and mobile devices. The design is simple and minimalist with special attention paid to the typography for maximum readability. The free Challenger theme includes a diverse feature set including 4 widget areas, 50+ social media icons, and a completely customizable header section for email list building. Use it for a business, niche news magazine, or professional blog. Challenger is also fully compatible with the new Gutenberg post editor. View the fully setup live demo here: https://www.competethemes.com/demos/?theme=Challenger
Frequently asked questions
How many websites use Challenger?
WordPress.org reports 100+ active installs.
How popular is Challenger?
As of November 2, 2026, Challenger ranks #6424 in the WordPress.org popular themes list. Its best position in our tracking is #6215.
When was Challenger last updated?
Challenger was last updated on October 27, 2026 (version 1.20). It has shipped 21 releases in total.
Who makes Challenger?
Challenger is developed by Ben Sibley. It joined the WordPress.org theme directory in July 2018.
