PluginSift

Create Block Theme vs Theme Test Drive (2026)

Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.

Create Block Theme

Create Block Theme

4.5(40)

20K+ active installs

Free

Updated 3 weeks ago
View Create Block Theme
VS
Theme Test Drive

Theme Test Drive

3.9(50)

8.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 8 years ago
View Theme Test Drive

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Create Block Theme has a higher user rating (4.5/5 from 40 reviews) and leads in active installations (20K+ vs 8.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Create Block Theme has accumulated 400K+ total downloads while Theme Test Drive has 520K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.5/5Create Block Theme
◄
Theme Test Drive3.9/5
Total Reviews
40Create Block Theme
►
Theme Test Drive50
Active Installs
20K+Create Block Theme
◄
Theme Test Drive8.0K+
Total Downloads
400K+Create Block Theme
►
Theme Test Drive520K+
Support Resolution
0%Create Block Theme
Theme Test DriveN/A
Last Updated
3 weeks agoCreate Block Theme
◄
Theme Test Drive8 years ago
First Released
2022Create Block Theme
Theme Test Drive2008
Age
4 yearsCreate Block Theme
Theme Test Drive18 years
WP Requires
6.8+Create Block Theme
Theme Test Drive2.3+
PHP Requires
7.4+Create Block Theme
Theme Test Drivefalse+
Business Model
FreeCreate Block Theme
Theme Test DriveFree
Latest Version
2.9.0Create Block Theme
Theme Test Drive2.9.1

Rating Breakdown

Create Block Theme

4.5/5(40 reviews)
5
80%
4
5%
3
5%
2
3%
1
8%

Theme Test Drive

3.9/5(50 reviews)
5
62%
4
10%
3
4%
2
0%
1
24%

Recent Reviews

Create Block Theme Reviews

by Anatoliy Dovgun

A good solution for WordPress developers and not only.

I have been using this plugin since its inception.The first versions lacked functionality, there was a conceptual change in the paradigm and approach, now it is a very convenient solution for configur

by himecas

ブロックテーマを扱う際は必須のプラグイン

ブロックテーマで構築する際は、必須で入れるべきプラグインといえます。 ブロックテーマの複製やエクスポートが簡単に行えて便利です。

by stemsrus

Feature Request: Add file being modified by Create Block Theme

This post is more about a feature request than a rating which I think would be helpful to its users. Using Create Block Theme (CBT), I typically “Save Changes to Theme”. When I click “Save Chang

Theme Test Drive Reviews

by angeljs

Breaks my active theme

Although I badly need a plugin such as this, once I tried it, all of my settings and widgets from my active theme were reverted and I had to put my site into maintenance mode while I spent 20 minutes

by MC3

Useful plugin

Seems to work OK with 4.6.1 but it would be good if the developer could conform and update “officially” as it were. I’m finding this plugin invaluable for sites with pupblic-facing themes that are inc

by carlostalaga

works fine

nice and simple solution to test a theme. be careful with widgets and custom settings for other plugins. thanks

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Create Block Theme or Theme Test Drive more popular?
Create Block Theme has 20K+ active installations while Theme Test Drive has 8.0K+. Create Block Theme is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Create Block Theme or Theme Test Drive?
Create Block Theme has a 4.5/5 rating from 40 reviews, while Theme Test Drive has a 3.9/5 rating from 50 reviews.
Are Create Block Theme and Theme Test Drive free?
Create Block Theme is free and Theme Test Drive is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Create Block Theme or Theme Test Drive?
Support resolution data is not available for all plugins. Check each plugin's WordPress.org support forum for current response quality.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Create Block Theme was last updated 3 weeks ago and Theme Test Drive was last updated 8 years ago.

Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.