Choosing the Best Free WordPress Themes
While we deliberated on the 6 most important parameters to keep in mind while choosing a theme for your new WordPress site in our previous post, it goes without saying that it will always okay to start off with a free theme, especially if the project is low on a budget.
Especially, given the fact that there are so many free business ready, responsive and beautiful themes there in the market today, it is not a problem whatsoever to start off with a free theme.
That got us to thinking, with so many bogus lists out there, filled with spammy affiliate links and based mostly on the higher rates of commissions offered, why not make a list of the 5 best free themes for WordPress in 2020.
Please note that some of these themes might have our affiliate links, where we might get a small commission, but in no way has the decision to choose these themes based on that – what we have rated each theme on is its
- design
- simplistic use and customisation
- ease of set up
- features in the free version
- demo importable sites available
ASTRA
Astra is a new age theme – with focus on speed, being lightweight and ease of use.
PROS
– Fast, fully responsive theme with low page load times
– Supports most major plugins and has a lot of demo sites to import from across various genres
– Custom layout options are there along with LearnDash support
-Upgrade to PRO version is quite cost effective, starting only at 49$
CONS
– Blog styling and Sidebars in the free version are quite banal
– Header layout options are less
Astra is one of the fastest growing themes in WordPress with over 700000+ installs.
So, all in all, the ASTRA theme is a wonderful free starter theme to get started with. The upgrade to the PRO version is also quite easy and starts at only 49$.
OceanWP
OceanWP is one of our favourite themes here at Nascent Rocket. It’s the perfect embodiment of a modern, sleek, multi-purpose, responsive theme.
PROS
– Fully responsive in nature, comparatively fast in page load as well
– Quality and variety of demo sites is awesome; free demos have a lot of depth
– Custom layout options are there; extensions are also quite useful in functionality
-Upgrade to PERSONAL and other premium versions is quite cost effective, starting only at 31$
CONS
– OceanWP looks really good with its premium customisations and extensions, so there is a bit of dependence on some of the premium extensions
OceanWP is one of our favourite themes, as we mentioned earlier, and though there is a slight dependence on Premium extensions, it is only if you want to take your starter site two steps extra.
ZAKRA
Zakra, similar to Astra, is a new age lightweight theme focused on speed and elegant minimalistic design.
PROS
– Fully responsive theme with low page load times
– Demo sites have good range, and suit both business and personal objectives
– Advanced typography as well as more than 7 widget areas (customisable)
-Upgrade to premium versions is very cheap, starting at only 4.99$ monthly.
CONS
– Though free demo imports are good, some can be a bit difficult to customise
Zakra is another modern multi-purpose theme you can look at to drive a variety of functional websites.
Though we like Astra slightly more, and Zakra is very similar, the premium pricing alone makes Zakra a very worthy catch.
HESTIA
Design-wise, Hestia by Themeisle has simply one of the most beautiful UI-s you can ever want from a free WordPress theme.
PROS
– Design is beautiful and modern
– Perfect for both creative and corporate purposes
– Fully responsive and supports all major page builders
– Perfect for startups and small businesses, premium plans start at approx. 49$ annually
CONS
– Most of its best demos are compatible with premium versions
If you are looking for an elegant, design-focused theme for your portfolio or business, look no further – Hestia is your best bet.
SYDNEY
Sydney from aThemes is a modern business website theme, with a lot of features
PROS
– Perfect for small businesses and agencies
– Good number of features in the free version
– Installation and tweaking is easy.
-Upgrade to PRO version is at 59$
CONS
– Design is a bit generic and could be better
– Demo imports not available
For a small business, agency or personal portfolio website, Sydney could be a lovely theme to start operations with.
Happy Building!
Do let us know if we can help, or if you have any questions. We are happy to help!
If you are looking for custom services, do check out our Services tab for solutions. We have tailor made long-term offerings for start-ups, personal projects, SMEs and brands; as well as standalone deployments.