Best Free WordPress Themes: The Master List (2025 Update)

Do you want to build an impressive website without breaking the bank?

This guide will show you the best free WordPress themes available and which one is the perfect fit for your needs.

Here’s what you will get from this article:

Using a free WordPress theme
The best free WordPress themes
Key details of each theme
My final recommendations

Let’s dive in!

Why a Free WordPress Theme

When it comes to themes, the options can be, well, a tad overwhelming. 😥

Premium themes with their flashy features might seem tempting, but sometimes, simplicity is key.

And that’s where free themes come in:

Beginner-friendly: Starting out on a tight budget? Opt for free themes. Save your money for other essential website or business needs.
Quality isn’t compromised: Don’t underestimate free themes; many are created by top developers and designers, offering sleek, responsive designs.
Highly customizable: Most provide ample customization options, allowing you to personalize colors, fonts, and layouts to match your vision.
Community support: Popular free themes have vibrant communities ready to assist. Join forums or groups for quick help with any issues you encounter.

If you’re looking for a solid foundation without the hefty price tag, free themes are your ticket (and many are in the WordPress repository).

They offer a perfect balance of functionality and design, ensuring your website is up and running smoothly.

Best Free WordPress Themes This Year

Free themes are leveling up their game, bringing premium-like features without the price tag.If you’re on the lookout for a modern, user-friendly, and feature-rich theme that you can start with, you’re in for a treat.1. Blocksy ThemeBlocksy might be the best free WordPress theme out there that caters to the modern needs of website design. the most innovative, lightning fast and super charged free wordpress theme

the most innovative, lightning fast and super charged free wordpress theme

It’s engineered to offer blazing-fast load times, scoring impressively with a 95% Google PageSpeed Score and a 100% score on GTmetrix PageSpeed Score.Blocksy (the free version) is actively installed on over 100,000 WordPress sites, showcasing its reliability and user satisfaction.Described as innovative, Blocksy provides a platform where simplicity meets functionality — enabling users to build anything from simple to complex websites effortlessly.With Blocksy, you get the following options in the customizer: customizer options in the blocksy theme

💻 Key features

25+ Importable demo sites: Kickstart your website design by importing any of the 25+ pre-built top-notch demo sites
Detailed customizer options: Control your blog layouts, colors, typography, headers, and footers among others
Header and footer builder: Customize individual header rows and elements to match your brand with the drag-and-drop builder
Page-level controls: Exercise full control over the layout of your posts/pages on an individual level

🔎 Best for

Blogs
Online Stores/E-commerce
Business Websites
Corporate Firms
Landing Pages
Business Agencies

👑 Difference with the pro version

The free version of Blocksy is a powerhouse of features in itself, offering a plethora of customization options and several importable demo sites.

However, for those seeking to extend the theme’s functionality, Blocksy Pro comes in as an add-on plugin providing:

Content blocks (hooks) and custom layouts
Multiple conditional headers, footers, and sidebars
Mega menu support
Advanced WooCommerce features such as off-canvas filters and a floating cart among others

Blocksy continues to make waves in the WordPress theme space with its rich feature set even in its free version, coupled with the option to upgrade to Pro for more advanced functionalities.

Naturally, Blocksy is also one of the best premium WordPress themes out there.

Get Blocksy

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2. Neve ThemeThe Neve WordPress theme is one of the highly-rated and popular free WordPress themes among users. create and grow a website, fast

It’s a multi-purpose theme making it a flexible choice for a variety of WordPress website types.With a perfect 5-star rating on WordPress.org and over 300,000 active installations, it’s a trustworthy and reliable theme for building a professional website.With Neve, you get the following options in the customizer: customizer options in the neve theme

💻 Key features

Page builder plugin compatibility: Works seamlessly with page builders like Elementor, allowing for easy customization and design alterations
Importable demo sites: Provides a variety of demo sites that can be imported to kickstart your website design process
Detailed WooCommerce compatibility: Offers detailed WooCommerce compatibility, though some ecommerce features are restricted in the free version
Header and footer builder: Customize the header and footer of your site with ease using the drag-and-drop builder
Mobile-first design: Has a mobile-first design, ensuring your site looks great and performs well on mobile devices

🔎 Best for

Blogs
Small Businesses
Startups
Agencies
Firms
Ecommerce Shops
Personal Portfolio Sites

👑 Difference with the pro version

The free version of Neve provides a solid foundation with essential theme features like page builder compatibility, importable demo sites, and basic customization options.

However, the premium theme version extends the functionality significantly by offering:

Booster features
White label
Full access to woocommerce features
Additional header/Footer options

The Neve WordPress theme serves as a robust starting point for anyone looking to create a professional online presence without a steep learning curve.

Get Neve

3. Rishi ThemeThe Rishi theme is a relatively new yet rapidly growing WordPress theme known for its stellar speed and performance. home page of the rishi theme

The developers have made speed and performance the top priorities, claiming that websites using Rishi load in less than a second.The theme is described as highly optimized and suitable for various types of businesses and niches due to its rapid load time and free responsive demo content.With Rishi, you get the following options in the customizer: customizer options in the rishi theme

💻 Key features

Optimized for speed and performance: Very lightweight with a default WordPress install being less than 75 KB
Essential performance tweaks: Features like disabling WordPress-generated RSS feeds and self-pingbacks
50+ Ready to import sites: Over 50 templates suited for various niches such as blogs, businesses, corporates, portfolios, and restaurants
Header and footer builder: Facilitates easy creation and customization of headers and footers without the need for coding
WooCommerce ready: Compatibility with WooCommerce for the easy setup of ecommerce stores with various shop layouts and customization options

🔎 Best for

Blogs
Magazines
Businesses
Corporates
Portfolios
Restaurants

👑 Difference with the pro version

The free version of Rishi provides a solid range of features necessary for building a fast website. However, the Pro version takes it a step further by offering more advanced features.

In terms of differences, pro users enjoy benefits like:

Pro starter sites
Desktop off-canvas drawer
Duplicate header/footer items
Advanced blogging
Hooked elements
White label

This theme, serves as a reliable choice for individuals and businesses looking to establish a professional online presence swiftly.

Get Rishi

4. Phlox ThemePhlox is a versatile and stylish WordPress theme known for its powerful features and impressive speed. home page of the phlox theme

It’s a popular multipurpose WordPress theme compatible with popular page builder plugins like Elementor, Site Origin, and WP Bakery.Phlox has over 50,000 active installations, and its flexibility makes it suited for professional website solutions across different niches.With Phlox, you get the following options in the customizer: customizer options in the phlox theme

💻 Key features

Page builder compatibility: Fully compatible with Elementor, Site Origin, and WP Bakery page builders
Wide range of demos: Provides demo sites that can be imported with a single click to fast-track the design process
WooCommerce ready: Fully compatible with WooCommerce, featuring special WooCommerce demos
Header and footer layouts: Offers a variety of header and footer layouts for a personalized look and feel
Professional portfolio features: Comes with professional portfolio features for showcasing your work

🔎 Best for

Blogs
Online Stores
Portfolio Websites
Corporate Websites
Creative Agencies

👑 Difference with the pro version

The free version of Phlox provides a robust set of features for building a professional-looking website.

In terms of differences, pro users enjoy benefits like:

More ready-to-use page templates
Premium elements for Elementor
Premium bundled plugins

Get Phlox

5. Spectra One ThemeThe Spectra One theme is a modern, versatile, and block-based WordPress theme ideal for crafting a visually pleasing site with a professional look. home page of the spectra one

Developed by the same creators of the popular Astra theme, Spectra One is tailored for the WordPress Full Site Editing (FSE) feature for a smooth site editing experience.With this feature, users can design page templates on their site — from the header to the footer — by simply using blocks.With Spectra One, you get the following options on the page editor: page editor options in the spectra one theme

page editor options in the spectra one theme

💻 Key features

Full Site Editing (FSE) support: Design every part of your page using blocks, catering to a variety of content and design needs
Block patterns: Pre-designed block arrangements that can be imported to expedite the design process
SEO optimized: Built with best SEO practices in mind to help rank your WordPress site higher in search engines
Regular updates: Updated regularly to remain compatible with the latest WordPress version

🔎 Best for

Blogs
Portfolios
Small business websites
Personal websites

👑 Difference with the pro version

The Pro version of Spectra, dubbed Spectra Pro, extends the functionality of Spectra One with several advanced features.

Some of these include:

Popup builder
Loop builder
Animation effects
More premium blocks

The Pro version, therefore, is more suited for individuals or businesses that require additional customization and functionality beyond what the free version offers.

Get Spectra One

6. Astra ThemeAstra is a highly popular, lightweight, and customizable WordPress theme, with over 2.4 million users and an average 5-star rating. the most popular theme of all time

It’s versatile, offering design flexibility and speed which are vital for any website or blog.With Astra, you can easily design a website to your liking while ensuring it loads quickly for your visitors.With Astra, you get the following options in the WordPress customizer: customizer options in the astra theme

💻 Key features

Multipurpose theme: Suitable for a wide range of websites including blogs, portfolios, businesses, online stores, and more
Page builder compatibility: Works well with popular page builders like Elementor and Beaver Builder
Pre-built starter sites: Provides pre-built starter sites to help you get started quickly
WooCommerce integration: Fully compatible with WooCommerce, making it easy to set up an online store

🔎 Best for

Bloggers
Small to medium-sized businesses
Online retailers
Portfolio websites
Educational platforms

👑 Difference with the pro version

The free version of Astra is quite robust, providing essential features needed for creating a successful blog, eLearning platform, or online store.

However, upgrading to the Pro version unlocks additional features and functionalities that can significantly enhance your website’s design and performance:

More design options
More layout options
Enhanced typography, colors & backgrounds
Extended woocommerce options
Hooks & filters

Get Astra

7. OceanWP ThemeOceanWP is a free, multipurpose WordPress theme known for its ease of use and many customization options. home page of oceanwp

It’s particularly praised for its WooCommerce integration, making it an excellent choice for online stores.The theme also boasts a high overall quality rating from various reviewers, reflecting its well-regarded status in the WordPress community.With OceanWP, you get the following options in the customizer: customizer options in the oceanwp theme

💻 Key features

Customization: Offers extensive customization options, allowing users to tweak theme panels, headers/footers, typography, etc.
WooCommerce integration: Robust WooCommerce integration, with features like an integrated shopping cart popup and quick-view mode for products
Demo import: Users can import a variety of demo themes to give their website a professional look without starting from scratch
Page builder compatibility: Compatible with various page builders like Elementor, Beaver Builder, and WPBakery, among others
Extensions: OceanWP offers both free and paid extensions to extend the theme’s functionality further

🔎 Best for

Ecommerce websites
Small business websites
Individuals or hobbyists

👑 Difference with the pro version

The free version of OceanWP comes with a few free extensions and demos to enhance your site’s functionality.

OceanWP also has paid plans, which include:

Premium extensions
Pro website templates
Elementor sections library

The premium extensions offer more customization and functionality options, allowing for a more refined and feature-rich website experience.

Get OceanWP

8. Suki ThemeSuki is a multipurpose WordPress theme known for its speed, flexibility, and lightweight nature, making it a preferred choice for different online purposes. home page of the suki theme

Its notable attributes are speed and performance which have made it a favorite among many users.It’s known for being highly customizable according to user needs, and its flexibility of use makes it easy to achieve various design goals.With Suki , you get the following options in the customizer: customizer options in the suki theme

💻 Key features

Complete typography control: Offers control over post title, headings, content paragraph, menu, button, sidebar, and other elements and footer
900 Free fonts: Provides a variety of font settings including thin, italic, bold, upper-case settings, font size, line height, and better spacing
WooCommerce integration: Optimized for WooCommerce, indicating its suitability for ecommerce projects
Lightweight: Known for its lightweight nature which contributes to faster page loading times

🔎 Best for

Multi-purpose websites
Ecommerce projects

👑 Difference with the pro version

The Pro versions come with powerful modules that allow for more advanced customization and functionality.

This includes:

Layout modules
Assets and branding modules

On the bright side, with Suki’s free version, you still have access to over a thousand design options, SEO optimization, and basic WooCommerce integration.

Get Suki

9. CosmosWP ThemeCosmosWP is a dynamic, elegant, and lightweight WordPress theme that empowers you to build unique websites with ease. home page of the cosmoswp theme

Its impressive design, powerful features, and easy customization options make it a solid choice for various website types.The theme boasts a range of creative tools that aim to simplify the design process while still providing flexibility and control.With CosmosWP, you get the following options in the customizer: customizer options in the cosmoswp theme

customizer options in the cosmoswp theme

💻 Key features

Starter sites and demo library: Dozens of professional and beautiful starter sites and demo templates created by skilled web designers
Ecommerce ready: Seamless integration with WooCommerce, providing a robust set of customization options
Header and footer builder: Drag-and-drop functionality to build unique site headers and footers with various customization options
Advanced typography and colors: Over 915+ Google fonts and advanced typography options
Performance and speed: Load times of less than half a second (206ms) on a default WordPress installation
Compatibility: Best fit with Gutenberg and major page builders like Elementor, Beaver Builder, Divi, and Visual Composer

🔎 Best for

Ecommerce websites
Business websites
Blogs
Portfolio websites
Educational websites

👑 Difference with the pro version

CosmosWP’s Pro version essentially provides a broader range of customization options and design elements to enhance your website’s functionality and aesthetics.

It extends the theme with more features including:

Extended header and footer builder
Premium starter demos
Advanced Banner, blog, page, and post layouts
More customization options

Get CosmosWP

10. Kadence WP ThemeKadence WP Theme is a lightweight yet highly featured WordPress theme designed for creating visually appealing, fast-loading, and accessible websites with ease. home page of the kadencewp theme

It’s particularly known for its easy-to-use drag-and-drop header and footer builder that allows you to craft any type of header in a jiffy.

Moreover, Kadence comes with a full library of striking starter templates, which are easily modifiable thanks to intelligent global font and color controls.The theme’s core focus is on providing a modern, performance-oriented user experience without sacrificing usability.With Kadence WP, you get the following options in the customizer: customizer options in the kadencewp theme

customizer options in the kadencewp theme

💻 Key features

Header and footer builder: Enables drag-and-drop customization for headers and footers
Global colors: Manage the color scheme across your website effortlessly
Typography controls: Customize the fonts and typography settings to match your brand’s style
Starter templates: Comes with six fully customizable starter templates to help you get started with your website design
WooCommerce compatibility: Basic WooCommerce features to kickstart your online store

🔎 Best for

Small businesses
Blogs
Portfolio websites
Online stores
Educational websites

👑 Difference with the pro version

While the free version of Kadence is robust and packed with essential features, upgrading to the pro version unlocks a realm of advanced functionalities.

Some notable differences include:

Transparent and sticky headers
Advanced typography settings
Woocommerce enhancements
Support for LMS plugins
Dark mode switcher

Kadence WP Theme’s free version is a great starting point for individuals or small business owners looking to create a professional online presence without a hefty investment.

Yet, if your project demands more advanced features, especially regarding WooCommerce or header/footer customization, the pro version is certainly worth considering.

Get Kadence WP

Using Free Themes in WordPressFree WordPress themes offer a plethora of options for users, regardless of their website needs.From ecommerce to blogging to portfolios, there’s a theme tailored to fit almost every requirement.These themes provide not only an affordable way to create a website but also ensure high quality, speed, and ample customization options.Here’s a table that shows my recommendations:

Needs	Recommended Theme	Explanation
Fast Loading	Blocksy	Achieves 95% on Google PageSpeed and 100% on GTmetrix
Ecommerce	OceanWP	Known for robust WooCommerce integration and ecommerce focused features
Customization	Kadence WP	Comes with drag-and-drop header/footer builder and intelligent global font/color controls
Multipurpose	Astra	Versatile with over 2.4 million users, suitable for a wide range of websites
Business	CosmosWP	Offers creative tools, compatibility with major page builders, and a range of starter sites suitable for business profiles
Blogging	Neve	Known for speed, ease of customization, and has a 5-star rating on WordPress
Portfolio	Phlox	Provides professional portfolio features for showcasing work
SEO Optimization	Spectra One	Designed with best SEO practices in mind, ensuring better ranking in search engines
Lightweight Design	Suki	Known for its lightweight nature, which contributes to faster page loading times
Header/Footer Design	Kadence WP	Known for its easy-to-use drag-and-drop header and footer builder

The best theme for a user ultimately depends on specific requirements, personal preferences, and the desired level of customization.For those who might find the free versions limiting, there’s often a Pro version available with advanced features and functionalities.