If you’re starting with WordPress, it may seem natural to assume that if a free WordPress theme looks like what you had in mind for your website, it’s a good fit. Unfortunately, it’s not quite that simple. That’s why, in today’s post, we’ve outlined a solid checklist of criteria you can use to ensure that the free WordPress themes you’re considering are a solid choice. We’ve also listed what we believe to be the best free WordPress themes currently available this year.
How To Choose the Best Free WordPress Theme (What to Look For)
With WordPress, you get a free, compelling, and impressively flexible platform for building websites, blogs, shops, and more online. But with that power and flexibility comes a certain amount of unavoidable complexity. The complexity has increased over time and, if ignored, could provide a lackluster user experience for WordPress theme users and put their sites at risk of security breaches, search engine penalties, and myriad other issues or inconveniences, big and big and small.
When choosing the best free WordPress theme for your website, you need to research beforehand. This will ensure you get a quality product that meets an ever-rising development standard as the WordPress platform matures. Here are some things to look for in a quality free WordPress theme:
1. Ongoing Development
WordPress hasn’t become so complex that amateurs cannot create and maintain quality tools and resources like themes and plugins. But it’s not easy. Not everyone capable of producing a theme is also capable of maintaining and supporting it at a sufficiently high level for it to be considered a good option for users.
2. Good Reviews
This is the best indication that a theme author has passed the first big filter of “serious ongoing development.” The longer they’ve offered their theme and the more indicators of positive social proof, the better. The most important are the number of five-star reviews, downloads, “last updated” date (it should be recent), open support requests, and user community strength, to name a few.
3. Security
Don’t worry; you don’t have to be a cybersecurity expert to be reasonably assured of your WordPress theme’s adherence to security best practices. The easiest way to do this is to download your free WordPress theme from the official WordPress Repository. This way, you don’t have to worry about whether or not the theme you’re considering is reasonably secure. It has already passed a reliable quality assurance process if it’s on the repository. Above and beyond these measures, some of the best WordPress themes will contract WordPress security experts to audit their themes independently.
4. Browser Compatibility
If this isn’t clearly stated in the repository listing or on the theme author’s website, it’s always worth running browser tests before committing to a theme. Primarily if the theme does not provide easy-to-use responsive and mobile design options.
5. WordPress Plugin Compatibility
The real power of WordPress is unlocked with Plugins. Plugins are software designed and developed to extend what you can do with WordPress (like opening an online store with WooCommerce) or improve existing core features (like optimizing your pages for search with Yoast SEO). See our list of essential WordPress Plugins for some great examples. Then, make sure that any theme you consider will work with all of the plugins that will be essential to your website.
6. Compatibility with Popular Page Builders
If a WordPress theme is in the official repository, then the good news is that it’s already compatible with the most widely used page builder in the world- WordPress’s native Block Editor. However, there are more mature and advanced builders that many WordPress users still prefer to use instead of or in addition to the block editor. It’s a good idea to start with a theme that is compatible with all or some of the leading page builders, like Divi, Elementor, Beaver Builder, etc., is a good idea.
7. Translation and Multilingual Ready
Since most of the world does not speak English, a fundamental requirement of WordPress themes in 2024 should be that folks can use it in their language. And, while they’re at it, they can also offer their content to others in multiple languages. Several WordPress translation plugins could help them with that!
8. Accessibility-Ready
Over the last few years, there seems to have been an increased awareness of the importance of accessibility on the web. As our lives increasingly move online, the question of, “Can I interact with this website?” or “OK, but how do I create a website?” can also be stated, “Am I able to participate in society equally?” Developers whose themes have met a set of minimum accessibility requirements can label their themes “accessibility-ready” in the WordPress Repository
9. Good User-Experience Design
This one is a bit tricky. Ultimately, what matters most is finding the user experience good—not some reviewer. However, I’ve discovered that terrible user-experience design tends to show up in theme reviews and its popularity. Beyond that, it’s crucial that when you use a theme that makes sense, you can locate critical features quickly and achieve your design goals. This might require testing on a local install with dummy content if you want to be sure you like working with one theme over another.
10. Product Support
With free themes, this usually means a community forum and documentation. Which is fine if the documentation is up-to-date and robust enough to be helpful. You can typically expect live chat and email support for themes you pay for, much like our support for Divi.
11. High-Quality Mobile Responsiveness
Responsiveness has been considered an absolute must for quality WordPress themes for years. And that’s still true today. However, we’ve moved beyond responsiveness as an impressive feature. Now, not only should a theme be responsive, but it should either be completely mobile optimized out of the box or provide design features that make optimization possible by the user.
12. Pre-Made Design or Design Features
A good WordPress theme should consider deeply the design elements its intended users need to create a functional WordPress website. For example, suppose the theme is for an online shop. In that case, it should include deep integration with WooCommerce (or another eCommerce platform) and consistent styles for any elements the plugin or service will add to the website. Such as shop pages, product pages, cart pages, account pages, etc.
As you can see, this is a pretty high bar. The theme authors who tend to create free WordPress themes that meet these criteria are not inexperienced amateurs. They’re either very talented and hard-working amateurs or companies and individuals who use their free theme to add users to the top of their business funnel—moving them toward a premium product or service that adds significant utility to their free theme offering. This is a good thing! It means that their efforts are sustainable, and you’re likely to get a better product, a more supportive user community, better official support, and all of the other benefits couched in the criteria above.
The 11 Best Free WordPress Themes for 2024
Subscribe To Our Youtube Channel
If considering the above criteria while browsing endless lists of free WordPress themes seems daunting, we don’t blame you! That’s why we put this short list together consisting of themes we checked against the standards we’ve just outlined. Unfortunately, not every theme listed meets every single criterion. However, we’ve tried to highlight those instances so you can assess whether it’s worth missing one thing in favor of something else.
1. Astra
🥇 Best Free WordPress Theme Overall
Astra has been a powerhouse in the WordPress theme arena (not just the free WordPress theme space) for years, and the numbers bear this out. According to the official WordPress Repository, Astra has an impressive 1 + million active installs! Because of this, we’ve deemed Astra the best free WordPress theme for new users. So, what has made this free theme so popular?
First and foremost, it starts with a solid base of features and code quality. As with the other themes on this list, it ticks all the criteria listed above. It has feature after feature packed into it, making it great for building any type of website. Yes, that means it’s great for blogs, business sites, and, with the Pro version, eCommerce sites as well.
A Theme For Any Site
Beyond the essential criteria that Astra meets, it’s a perfect option for folks interested in creating a WooCommerce shop. Their integration with WooCommerce is deep and highly recommended by eCommerce industry leaders. The Astra team also provides an extensive and growing library of website starter templates optimized for the default block editor, Elementor, Beaver Builder, and Brizy.
What We Like About Astra
- Speed and Performance: Astra distinguishes itself with its high-speed performance. It is one of the most lightweight themes available, requiring less than 50 KB of resources and boasting a load time of approximately 0.5 seconds.
- Customization Options: Astra provides a broad range of customization options that do not require coding. This includes access to pre-built website demos, customizable layout settings, and various header options.
- Page Builder Compatibility: Astra is compatible with all major page builders, such as Elementor, Beaver Builder, and the default block editor.
- SEO-Friendly: Designed with SEO in mind, Astra incorporates Schema.org code and is Native AMP ready, features that significantly benefit search engine rankings.
- WooCommerce Integration: The theme offers comprehensive integration with WooCommerce. This allows users to create sophisticated and fully functional online stores effortlessly.
What Could Be Better
- Learning Curve: While Astra is user-friendly, its vast features might present a learning curve for beginners.
- Advanced Customizations: One might need to upgrade to the Pro version for specific advanced customizations.
🥇 Why We Picked It
We recommend Astra for its impressive balance of performance and flexibility. The theme’s lightweight nature ensures swift loading times, which is crucial for user experience and SEO. Its extensive customization options cater to novices and experienced designers, making it versatile for various website projects.
Who is Astra Best For?
Astra is an excellent choice for many users, from bloggers and small business owners to eCommerce sites and portfolio creators. Its compatibility with various page builders and WooCommerce makes it particularly suitable for those looking to create professional, high-performing websites with ease. The theme’s flexibility and extensive template library cater to virtually any website requirement, making it a go-to choice for beginners and experienced developers alike.
Community Reviews and Ratings
Astra has garnered high user praise, reflected in its 5-star rating on the WordPress theme directory. Users particularly appreciate its speed, customization options, and compatibility with various page builders. While some users note a learning curve, the overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive, highlighting Astra’s effectiveness and versatility.
Pricing
Astra offers a free version with robust features for basic website-building needs. For advanced features and customization, the Pro version starts at $59 per year, with a lifetime license option available starting at $299.
2. OceanWP
🥈 Best for Flexibility and Performance
OceanWP is one of the most popular free WordPress themes in the WordPress Repository, with over 700,000 active installs. And looking at it from the outside, it certainly looks like that popularity is well earned. It ticks all of the boxes for our criteria above. It also comes with 15 free website demos and eight free extensions that you can use to kickstart your website. If you upgrade to their premium offering, you get an additional 88 demo sites and 12 extensions.
The impression you get with OceanWP (and indeed many of these themes) is that you can get started for free without worrying about changing your core WordPress toolkit down the road; you can upgrade to the premium level to meet any new needs that come up for your business or website.
What We Like About OceanWP
- Versatile Use: OceanWP excels in a variety of website types, including blogs, portfolios, and eCommerce sites, showcasing its flexibility.
- Customization Options: The theme offers a high degree of customization with a wide array of choices available in the WordPress Customizer.
- Compatibility with Page Builders: It integrates flawlessly with leading page builders, including Elementor and the WordPress block editor, enhancing design ease.
- Optimized Performance: OceanWP ensures fast loading times and responsive design, providing a smooth user experience across different devices.
What Could Be Better
- WooCommerce Integration in Free Version: Advanced features for eCommerce sites built into the theme are only truly available to pro users.
- Availability of Advanced Features: The free version is limited to only 17 templates/demos, and lacks certain features, such as Instagram feeds, which are reserved for the paid version.
- Complicated Pro Pricing Structure: While the pro version includes a lot more features, its multi-tiered pricing system makes it challenging to know what you need to purchase.
🥈 Why We Picked It
We recommend OceanWP for its remarkable blend of versatility and performance. Its extensive customization options and compatibility with page builders make it flexible for various website projects. Its focus on speed and responsiveness aligns with modern web standards.
Who is OceanWP Best For?
OceanWP is ideal for both beginners and experienced developers. Its ease of use and extensive customization options make it perfect for creating professional websites, blogs, and eCommerce platforms. The theme’s flexibility caters to a wide range of web projects.
Community Reviews and Ratings
OceanWP is highly praised for its user-friendly interface, customizability, and compatibility with page builders. Users appreciate its versatility for different types of websites. The theme has strong community backing and high performance and design quality ratings.
Pricing
OceanWP offers a free version with essential features and the premium bundle, starting at $44 per year, which provides additional functionality and page templates.
3. Hello Elementor
🥉 Best Free WordPress Theme with Page Builder
Users of the Elementor Page Builder will fall in love with the Hello Theme—closing the top 3 of the best free WordPress themes. A proper blank canvas for the famous page builder, the Hello Elementor theme is free to use and download from the WordPress repository. Of all the free WordPress themes that work with Elementor, the Hello Elementor theme is the one that has the tightest integration with the plugin. This is because it is a dedicated free theme built by the creators of Elementor.
You can take your Hello Elementor free theme up several levels by upgrading the Elementor page builder to Pro. With its library of website kits, powerfully advanced modules, and robust support, you can make any website with Hello Elementor and Elementor Pro by your side. However, Hello Elementor is a free theme and can be used with the free version of the Elementor page builder. The Theme’s settings are very lightweight and rely entirely on some form of page builder to do the heavy lifting.
What We Like About Hello Elementor
- Integration with Elementor: Offers seamless and tight integration with the Elementor page builder for those looking to switch to a lighter theme with their favorite page builder.
- Flexibility: Acts as a blank canvas, perfect for custom page building that relies on the page builder plugin.
- Lightweight: Minimalistic and fast for peak website performance—perfect for use with Elementor.
What Could Be Better
- Dependency: Very minimal styling out of the box, forcing you to use a page builder to create functional sites with it.
🥉 Why We Picked It
We chose Hello Elementor for its exceptional compatibility with Elementor, making it an ideal choice for users of this page builder. Its lightweight nature ensures high performance and speed, essential for any website. The theme’s minimalistic approach lets users not worry about theme settings and instead wholly rely on Elementor Pro.
Community Reviews and Ratings
Users appreciate Hello Elementor for its simplicity and deep integration with Elementor. It’s praised for being lightweight and fast, making it a solid choice for performance-focused websites.
Who is Hello Elementor Best For?
Hello Elementor is best suited for users already familiar with or planning to use the Elementor page builder. It’s ideal for those who want a clean, performance-oriented foundation for creating custom designs. The theme benefits developers and designers looking for a flexible, lightweight starting point.
Pricing
Hello Theme is a free theme for the Elementor Page Builder plugin. For advanced features and design templates, there are paid versions of the plugin starting at $59 per year.
4. Kadence WP
Kadence WP is a newcomer to the WordPress Repository (November 2020). It has roared onto the scene, acquiring over 150 five-star reviews and 200,000+ active installations. This theme seems to pack the most power and value into a free version.
In addition to ticking all of our criteria boxes, Kadence WP offers features that usually live on the other side of a premium upgrade. Things like a header and footer builder, global font and color controls, and deep integrations with a wide variety of powerful plugins for eCommerce, e-courses, and much more. You also won’t be disappointed with the sections and patterns library it offers.
What We Like About Kadence
- Robust Feature Set: It offers advanced features typically found in premium themes, such as header and footer builders and global font and color controls.
- Plugin Compatibility: Kadence WP integrates with a wide variety of powerful plugins for eCommerce, LMS, and more.
- Performance: It’s known for its fast performance and lightweight infrastructure, enhancing website speed.
What Could Be Better
- Designs Out of the Box: It could offer more pre-built templates for quicker setup for niche websites.
Community Reviews and Ratings
Kadence WP has garnered high praise for its feature-rich nature and ease of customization. Users appreciate its performance efficiency and plugin compatibility. The theme’s extensive functionality in the free version is highly celebrated for what it offers.
Who is Kadence WP Best For?
Kadence WP is a great choice for website builders and owners who are looking for a fast, versatile, and easy-to-use WordPress theme with powerful customization options. Since it leverages the native block editor to good effect, it requires fewer plugins while still giving site owners plenty to work with.
Pricing
Kadence WP offers a free version with extensive features. For additional premium features, their pricing starts with the “Essentials Bundle” at $149 per year, with other bundles and prices above that.
5. GeneratePress
GeneratePress is a free WordPress theme that is surging in popularity. It is hyper-focused on speed and performance while offering a lot of plugin compatibility. It has gone all-in on the WordPress block editor but supports other significant builders, like Elementor and Beaver Builder.
Their Site Library shows what’s possible with all three options. To gain access, though, you need to upgrade to GeneratePress Premium. Users of GeneratePress can create designs just as unique and appealing. And if they can’t, professionally designed options are always available via an upgrade. Users will notice how GeneratePress automatically extends the existing block editor with new blocks and advanced settings.
What We Like About GeneratePress
- Performance-Oriented: Known for its speed and efficiency, the theme is built to enhance website load times out of the box.
- Compatibility: It works seamlessly with the block editor and major page builders, which makes customizing your site much easier.
- Customization and Site Library: GeneratePress offers diverse design options through its Site Library with premium upgrades.
What Could Be Better
- Accessibility: Currently, it lacks the Accessibility-Ready feature.
- Design Options: More pre-designed demos in the free version could enhance user experience.
Community Reviews and Ratings
GeneratePress receives high praise for its performance and compatibility with page builders. Users value its speed and lightweight design. The theme’s balance between functionality and simplicity is well-regarded, with some desire for more accessible design features.
Who is GeneratePress Best For?
GeneratePress is perfect for users prioritizing website speed and performance. Its compatibility and templates for various page builders make it excellent for beginners and experienced designers. The theme’s simplicity and efficiency make it a perfect choice for various website projects.
Pricing
GeneratePress offers a free version with essential features. For additional premium features, their pricing starts at $59 per year for the yearly plan, with usage on up to 500 websites. There’s also a Lifetime plan available for a one-time payment of $249, providing lifetime access to premium features and support.
6. Neve
Neve by Themeisle is a feature-rich, multi-purpose, free WordPress theme. It’s a suitable theme for any WordPress use case, from eCommerce to blogging to small businesses. In addition to being compatible with the standard block editor with unique blocks, it also works with Elementor, Brizy, Beaver Builder, Visual Composer, SiteOrigin, and Divi. It should also be compatible with any well-coded WordPress plugin.
Where Neve seeks to carve out its unique value amongst the competition seems to be in search engine optimization and page loading speed. It’s responsive and fully AMP optimized so that every page looks good and loads quickly on any device.
What We Like About Neve
- Multi-Purpose: Neve has many starter site templates that make it suitable for various applications like blogging, eCommerce, and small businesses.
- Page Builder Compatibility: The theme works well with the WordPress block editor, Elementor, and other major page builders.
- SEO and Speed: We also like the built-in SEO options and fast page-loading speeds.
What Could Be Better
- More Pre-Designed Layouts: Users might appreciate additional ready-to-use designs in the free version.
- Advanced Features: Some advanced customization options could be more accessible without upgrading.
Community Reviews and Ratings
Neve has generally received positive reviews for its versatility, ease of use, and compatibility with various page builders. Users appreciate its focus on SEO and performance. However, there’s a desire for more diverse pre-designed layouts in the free version.
Who is Neve Best For?
Neve is a great choice for website builders and owners who are looking for a fast, customizable, and versatile theme that can be used for a wide range of projects. It is especially useful for those who want to use a page builder like Elementor to create their website.
Pricing
Neve offers a free version with essential features. For additional functionality and premium features, their pricing starts at $129 per year for the Personal plan, which includes updates and premium support. They also offer higher-tier plans for more extensive usage and additional features.
7. Twenty Twenty-Four
Every year, WordPress.org releases a new free theme intended to showcase the improvements and capabilities of the platform up to that date. It’s a beautiful tradition that provides a valuable resource to the whole community while signaling where the platform is headed. The Twenty Twenty-Four theme is no different.
Twenty Twenty-Four is a WordPress theme that pushes the boundaries for design flexibility and versatility when using base WordPress. The theme is designed with templates and patterns that adapt to various purposes. It emphasizes customization, allowing users to modify colors and typography to suit their style easily. Additionally, Twenty Twenty-Four is fully compatible with the WordPress site editor (previously full-site editor). It leverages new design tools introduced in WordPress 6.4, making it an ideal choice for those looking to utilize the latest WordPress features.
What We Like About Twenty-Twenty-Four
- Versatility: As one of the exclusive free themes released by WordPress directly, it is adaptable for various website types, from portfolios to blogs.
- Design Flexibility: It offers a range of pre-built patterns and style variations for quick customization.
- New Site Editor Features: The theme incorporates the latest WordPress features, leaning heavily into the site editor and pattern infrastructure.
What Could Be Better
- More Advanced Features: Many themes add additional features to WordPress, whereas the 2024 theme is all about fully leveraging already existing features in WordPress.
- Additional Patterns: Expanding the variety of pre-built patterns could make it easier for more users to see themselves using the theme on their projects.
Community Reviews and Ratings
Community feedback for Twenty Twenty-Four highlights its adaptability and ease of use with the latest WordPress features. Users appreciate the theme’s design flexibility, though some express skepticism about a theme focusing exclusively on the WordPress site editor.
Who is Twenty Twenty-Four Best For?
Twenty Twenty-Four is ideal for users seeking a flexible and modern WordPress theme. Its compatibility with the latest WordPress tools makes it suitable for those who want to stay at the forefront of web design trends. The theme is also great for users looking for a versatile and easy-to-customize option for various website projects.
If you love WordPress and the direction it is heading, you should, at the least, spin up a test site and give this theme a test drive.
Pricing
Twenty Twenty-Four is available as a totally free WordPress theme available to all WordPress users. It’s a theme created by the WordPress community for the WordPress community.
8. Storefront
Storefront by Automattic is another example of a free WordPress theme that aims to provide a valuable resource while signaling what’s possible with WordPress. In this case, what’s possible with WordPress and WooCommerce—the leading eCommerce plugin for WordPress, also by Automattic.
Storefront adopts a blank canvas approach. You are functioning like an empty container for your products, so you can add only the design elements your site requires instead of removing default styles first. When you are ready to design your website, you can use the WordPress customizer, a builder plugin, or a child theme. These options span from free to premium.
You also get to take advantage of deep integration with WooCommerce itself and its thriving ecosystem of products. Meaning form meets function in this free theme in a compelling way for anyone whose shop is of utmost importance.
What We Like About Storefront
- WooCommerce Integration: Storefront integrates seamlessly with WooCommerce for seamless eCommerce functionality.
- Flexibility: The theme offers a blank canvas approach for minimalistic designs to be used when creating online stores.
- Customization Options: There are built-in customization options through the WordPress customizer, and the theme integrates with various page builder plugins to take your design to another level.
What Could Be Better
- Design Variety: It could offer more diverse pre-built layouts and styles to create more unique-looking stores.
- Advanced Features: More features for customization without requiring additional plugins. This theme is pretty light in terms of other features.
Community Reviews and Ratings
Storefront is appreciated for its deep integration with WooCommerce and flexible, minimalistic design approach. Users commend its customization capabilities. However, some users desire more diverse design options and advanced features within the theme.
Who is Storefront Best For?
Storefront is ideal for users focused on creating simple WooCommerce-powered stores. Its minimalist design and WooCommerce compatibility make it perfect for first-time online store owners who want a theme that aligns closely with their shop’s functionality.
Pricing
Storefront is an entirely free theme for WordPress and WooCommerce users. It does not have a premium version or explicit upsells, ensuring full access to its features without additional costs.
9. Zakra
Zakra by ThemeGrill is another example of a multi-purpose theme emphasizing builder compatibility and pre-made starter sites. Aside from not being Accessibility-Ready, it ticks all the other criteria boxes outlined above. This makes it an excellent option for a free WordPress theme.
It’s worth noting that among the builders Zakra is compatible with, including the standard editor, there seems to be an emphasis on Elementor, especially regarding the amount and quality of starter sites available. This is excellent news for folks interested in Elementor, but if that’s not you, you might want to ensure you’ll get all the helpful resources you need to get your site up and running.
What We Like About Zakra
- Extensive Demo Collection: Zakra features various website demos (or templates) built with WordPress’ Site Editor, Elementor, and Brizy. These demos can be imported and used on your own site to jumpstart your designs.
- Elementor and WordPress Editor Focus: Most templates are built with Elementor and the WordPress Default Editor, offering a lot of customization abilities with these editors.
- Versatility: Good for multiple website types, including eCommerce, News, Blogs, Portfolios, LMS sites, etc.
What Could Be Better
- Broader Page Builder Support: While Elementor and WordPress Editor are heavily featured, more integration and templates for other page builders would make it usable to a broader user base.
- Diverse Templates: It could expand the variety of templates for non-Elementor users, especially Brizy, the Divi plugin, and other popular frameworks like Beaver Builder and Oxygen.
- Limited Features: The Free version lacks features, particularly with eCommerce and blog features (missing design elements as well).
Community Reviews and Ratings
Zakra is well-received for its wide range of demos and compatibility with page builders like Elementor and the WP block editor, making it highly adaptable for various website types. Users appreciate its versatility for different purposes, including business and e-commerce sites. However, some feedback suggests a desire for more templates for builders other than Elementor, particularly Brizy.
Who is Zakra Best For?
Zakra is an excellent choice for users looking to build diverse websites ranging from business and e-commerce to magazines, blogs, portfolios, and learning management systems (LMS). Its strength in offering a variety of templates through Elementor and the WordPress Default Editor makes it especially suitable for those who prioritize flexibility and ease of customization.
Pricing
Zakra offers a free version with solid features. For advanced options, their pricing plans start at $69 per year for the Pro plan, which includes access to more starter demos and advanced customization options.
10. Blocksy
Blocksy by Creativethemes is a block theme that works well with WordPress’s Full Site Editing and block components. It comes with 28+ starter sites. Its news starter site above is an excellent example of how they’re pushing the boundaries of what can be done with an upgraded block editor regarding complex dynamic layouts.
Under the hood, the Blocksy team emphasizes “the latest web technologies.” With a focus on speed, minimal theme “weight,” and modern browser compatibility. The one critical criterion that seems to be missing from this theme is the Accessibility-Ready tag.
The pro version will give you more advanced header and menu features (like a language switcher and mega menus), conditional display options, and WooCommerce extras.
What We Like About Blocksy
- Page Builder Compatibility: It integrates with WordPress’s site editor, Elementor, Brizy, and others.
- Starter Sites: Users have access to over 28 starter sites for various purposes. Many starter sites can be used with multiple page builders, allowing total flexibility.
- Modern Technology: The theme is built on the latest web technologies for better speed and browser compatibility.
What Could Be Better
- Stability Issues: Major updates, like the 2.0 release, have caused issues for some websites.
- eCommerce Features: The free version has limitations for eCommerce sites, which would require users to upgrade the theme to a pro version.
Community Reviews and Ratings
Blocksy generally receives positive reviews, particularly its integration with the standard site editor and a wide range of starter sites. However, some users have reported stability issues with major release updates.
Who is Blocksy Best For?
Blocksy is ideal for users seeking a modern and versatile theme that is compatible with the out-of-the-box WordPress editor and other leading page builders. Its range of starter sites makes it suitable for various websites, but the pro version is recommended for advanced eCommerce and custom post-type features.
Pricing
Blocksy offers a free version, while the pro version starts at $69 per year for the Personal plan, going up to $149 per year for the Agency plan. There are also lifetime purchase options available starting at $199.
11. Responsive
Responsive by CyberChimps seemingly does it all. It checks our criteria boxes and supports Schema.org microdata, bbPress, BuddyPress, LearnDash, Sensei, and ALL major builders. All of their (100) free starter sites can be used with the standard block editor or Elementor, depending on your preference.
Due to its deep block editor integration and integrations with other powerful plugins, Responsive may be one of this list’s most multi-purpose free WordPress themes.
What We Like About Responsive
- Broad Compatibility: Supports major builders like Elementor, Brizy, Beaver Builder, and more. It also supports plugins like WooCommerce, bbPress, LearnDash, and more.
- Template Variety: Offers 70+ free ready-to-use templates for Elementor & WordPress Block editor.
- Multi-Purpose Use: Suitable for diverse website types, including business, blog, and eCommerce sites.
What Could Be Better
- Enhanced Customization: Adding more advanced customization features directly within the theme would be nice. They offer plugins for this purpose, which requires multiple installations.
- Additional Templates: It would be nice to see templates built for page builders other than Elementor or the WordPress Editor.
Community Reviews and Ratings
Users appreciate Responsive by CyberChimps for its flexibility and wide range of compatibility with various plugins and builders. Users commend its adaptability for different types of websites. Some users, however, wish for more advanced customization options within the theme.
Who is Responsive Best For?
Responsive is suitable for users looking for a multi-purpose theme with a broad range of plugin and builder compatibility. Its adaptability makes it an excellent choice for sites focused on education, forums, and eCommerce, among others.
Pricing
Responsive offers a free version with essential features. For more advanced features, pricing starts at $59 per year for the Personal plan. Paid plans also include access to its Elementor and Block extending components, which are usable when creating pages in either editor.
Comparing the Best Free WordPress Themes
The right theme for your WordPress website will determine the experience you have building your website. Most free themes cover the basics. Some free themes have a freemium model, whereas more advanced features come with a pro version. This can be a good thing, helping new users focus only on the essentials, but it can also be limiting. Here’s a quick look at how these stack up.
Feature Comparison of the Best Free WP Themes
Our top three themes are massively popular. Some have Pro versions that might be tempting (or limiting). Let’s take a look at what they offer.
| 🥇Astra | 🥈 OceanWP | 🥉 Hello Elementor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Free (Pro from $59/yr) | Free (Premium from $44/yr) | Free (Elementor Plugin Required) |
| Customization Options | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Page Builder Compatibility | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| WooCommerce Integration | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Starter Templates | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Performance Optimization | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| SEO Friendly/Settings | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Completely Free | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Active Installations | 1+ million | 700,000+ | N/A |
| Community Rating | 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Read Reviews | 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Read Reviews | 4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Read Reviews |
| Get Astra | Get OceanWP | Get Elementor |
Price Comparison of the Best Free WordPress Themes
While the majority of these themes are free to use, knowing the cost of a potential upgrade is possible. Websites grow with time and often need to unlock more features. The easiest way would be then to upgrade a theme to a pro version instead of switching themes entirely. Knowing a potential price tag will help you determine an appropriate theme that may fit your future budgets.
| Themes | Price | Pro Version | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | Astra | $59/year | ✔️ | Visit |
| 🥈 | OceanWP | $44/year | ✔️ | Visit |
| 🥉 | Hello Elementor | $0 | ❌ | Visit |
| 4 | Kadence WP | $149/year | ✔️ | Visit |
| 5 | GeneratePress | $59/year | ✔️ | Visit |
| 6 | Neve | $129/year | ✔️ | Visit |
| 7 | Twenty Twenty-Four | $0 | ❌ | Visit |
| 8 | Storefront | $0 | ❌ | Visit |
| 9 | Zakra | $69/year | ✔️ | Visit |
| 10 | Blocksy | $69/year | ✔️ | Demo |
| 10 | Responsive | $59/year | ✔️ | Visit |
What are the Best Free WordPress Themes?
No WordPress theme list will ever be complete without talking about Astra. One of the most downloaded themes on the WordPress theme repository, boasting over one million happy, active users can’t be wrong! OceanWP gives many premium features that other themes charge for in its free version. Upgrading your plan means the sky is the limit for you and your website! Lastly, Hello Elementor is a free theme for users who want a strong visual builder to support them as they build their site.
As you may have noticed from the list above, multi-purpose themes with deep builder support and integrations with other essential WordPress plugins have dominated the WordPress theme market even when they cost nothing up front! Another huge trend is adding value with free starter/demo sites where users can jump-start their website-building process. That said, don’t let a flashy demo fool you. Test the themes you are interested in and choose the one you feel most empowers you to do what you need to do.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Before we wrap up, let’s answer some of your most common questions regarding the best free WordPress themes. Did we miss one? Leave a question below, and we will respond!
What is the best free WordPress theme?
Which free WordPress theme is best for SEO?
How can I remove the footer from my WordPress website's free theme?
Are free WordPress themes suitable for eCommerce?
What is the best free WordPress theme for business?
Where can I find the best free WordPress themes?
Are free WordPress themes worth using?
When should you use a paid theme instead of a free theme?
What is the best free eCommerce WordPress theme?
Is the Divi WordPress theme free?
Featured Image via HarisArtz / shutterstock.com
Astra
OceanWP
Hello Elementor
I need a blog where I can also compile a hundred or so family photographs and put up some writing.
This is new to me. Your descriptions are oriented to businesses and people looking for work and I cannot relate to *any* of it.
I have recently switched my website from Wix to WordPress. I have found Ocean WP a bit heavier than the Hello theme when using elementor. I have never tried the DIVI builder. Definitely, I’ll try DIVI once. Thanks for sharing
Good! this post is very beneficial for me, because i’m also a wordpress user since 2014.
Thank you for your guide ! I will test 8. Blocksy with DIVI
Really Awesome Collection For WordPress Users.
In this list astra is the best and lightweight Theme.
huge divi fan! winner
All these are nic WordPress themes
Also look out for suki and KosmosWP. They are real solid picks
Lucida theme is also well-optimized light weight theme. I am currently using this theme on my site.
Hi Nathan.
Thank you for your useful guide about free themes in WP.
I have a doubt . As a Divi fan can I use de Divi builder in all these themes ? Which are the best free themes to make a partner between the theme + Divi builder.
Thank you !!!
You should be able to use Divi with any of these themes. That said, that doesn’t mean that all of them have gone out of their way to make their theme work especially well with Divi. What does that mean? Well it could be simple stuff like making sure to include a fullwidth page template. That way if you choose work with the Divi builder you can create designs that would otherwise have to live within their default page template.
The really good news is that since all of these themes are free; you can download any of them and install Divi to run your own tests.