Best Free WordPress Themes in 2023

Let’s face it: finding dependable and high-quality free WordPress themes is difficult.

That’s why we spent months testing hundreds of themes before selecting the top free WordPress themes based on flexibility, code structure, and frequency of updates.

All of the following themes are SAFE to use.

They provide a powerful and impressive website that can be created in minutes with no prior experience.

Themes are ideal for use on blogs, personal, corporate, e-commerce, and portfolio websites. 

Whatever.

Simply plug in (and COMPLETE your page today).

How To Pick The Best Free WordPress Theme

How do you wade through 10,000 free WordPress themes? Yes, many WordPress themes exist.

Let me let you in on a little secret: you don’t.

But that’s where we come in, creating the ultimate theme collection with multiple sub-sections (see quick access above) covering various niches to ensure there’s something for everyone.

We focused on multiple theme characteristics to ensure dependability, so you don’t have to think too hard, just act:

• Mobile-friendliness: Because mobile accounts for more than half of all web traffic, a theme must be completely responsive. It is also an SEO ranking factor that you should be aware of.
• Updates and support: Checking updates and support was our second ranking factor. (Old themes are not permitted.) A frequently updated theme will be compatible with the most recent WordPress and PHP versions. In terms of support, a free theme does not necessarily provide one-on-one assistance, but it does require extensive documentation and an active support forum.
• Customizations: Even a free WordPress theme must be somewhat customizable. We added themes that you can brand and customize so you can be proud of your online presence.

Still, have reservations? Here is a comprehensive guide to selecting the best theme for you.

Let’s take a look at the best free WordPress themes that can compete with most premium options.

The Best Free WordPress Themes 2023

Whether you’re looking for the best WordPress themes for business, the best WordPress themes for blogs, or simply a beautiful and affordable website for any purpose, these powerful themes are worth a look:

1. Astra

Astra Theme Stats:

• Downloads: 2+ million
• Rating: 5/5
• Page speed: 1.2s (Pingdom test)
• Best for: Any type of website
• Price: Free (or $49/year for the pro version with a $239+ lifetime deal)

Astra Theme Key Features:

• A feather-light theme that requires less than 50 KB resources.
• Seamless integration with Gutenberg.
• Awesome pre-built websites.
• Advanced header and footer customizing options.
• Seamless WooCommerce integration.

Astra is one of the most powerful free themes available on the market right now. It’s a versatile tool that can be tailored to any niche or industry.

You can use the many starter templates to customize and brand your website.

Astra’s default compatibility with Block, Elementor, and Beaver Builders is something we like. (There are even optimized demos!)

Astra is also small (less than 50KB), ensuring high performance on all devices (fast loading and responsive).

2. OceanWP

OceanWP Theme Stats:

• Downloads: 900,000+
• Rating: 5/5
• Page speed: 1.37s (Pingdom test)
• Best for: Any professional website
• Price: Free (premium starts at $43/year)

OceanWP Key Feature:

• Seamless integration with Elementor.
• Built with speed and SEO in mind for top ranking on search engines.
• Feature-rich Theme panel.
• RTL and translation-ready theme.
• The extensible codebase for developers.

With OceanWP, you gain access to an ocean of opportunities. The abundance of features in this free WordPress theme impressed us.

It even outperforms many premium themes! I know it sounds ridiculous, but it’s SO true. You’ll see if you try it.

While OceanWP is already powerful, the free Ocean Extra plugin takes it to the next level.

It’s also adaptable to any developer or beginner project, so there’s something for everyone.

Its compatibility with major drag-and-drop page builders makes it simple to create landing pages. Furthermore, the theme incorporates fantastic WooCommerce features such as Off Canvas Filter, Quick View, and so on.

3. GeneratePress

GeneratePress Theme Stats:

• Downloads: 600,000+
• Rating: 5/5
• Page speed: 1.07s (Pingdom test)
• Best for: Any type of website
• Price: Free (with $59/year for pro or $249 for life)

Key Features: 

• Built on valid HTML and CSS.
• Custom theme layouts.
• Over 60 color options and dynamic typography.
• Easily importable demo sites to save hours of site development time. 
• Translated over 25 different languages.

Because of its free and open-source nature, GeneratePress is one of the most solid foundations for any WordPress website.

Enjoy its customizability and scalability as you approach website creation and business development with ease.

Begin with any of the predefined demos to save time. GeneratePress is also speed, mobile, and SEO optimized.

Best of all, it gives you control over your site’s elements. You can, for example, change the size, padding, and margin of the site elements. It also allows you to disable specific elements on specific pages across your site.

You can always upgrade to Pro if you ever need more from GeneratePress.

4. Shapely

Shapely Theme Stats:

• Downloads: 200,000+
• Rating: 5/5
• Page speed: 1.68s (Pingdom test)
• Best for: One-page business and agency websites
• Price: Free

Key Features:

• Well-coded, beautifully designed, and secured theme.
• Incredibly fast (proven with different speed testing tools).
• Advanced typography and multiple color options.

Shapely is an excellent free WordPress theme. This product is both functional and beautiful, combining high functionality with stunning graphics.

It will significantly enhance your web development process.

Despite its niche nature, the product is applicable to all areas of activity. Contact Form 7, Google Analytics, Yoast SEO, and Gravity Forms will be compatible with your website. For those who set up personal stores with WooCommerce, online merchandising can be a steady source of income (you can also check out our list of the best WooCommerce WordPress themes). No coding or specialized knowledge is required!

Shapely also offers extensive documentation, video tutorials, and knowledgeable support staff.

5. Kandence

Kendence Theme Stats:

• Downloads: 300,000+
• Rating: 5/5
• Best for: Business and personal websites
• Price: Free ($129+ per year for pro)

Key features:

• Easy customization
• In-built header and footer builder
• Smooth 3rd-party plugin integration

As soon as we started reviewing Kadence, we were blown away by its modern design.

We couldn’t stop ourselves from diving deeper and discovering a powerful solution for many WordPress websites.

Note: Kadence is best suited for businesses and should not be used to start a blog. However, it is ideal for local/small businesses, online courses, agencies, and personal brands, to name a few.

Kadence’s simple integration with Elementor, WooCommerce, LearnDash, bbPress, and many other popular plugins appeals to us.

If you want to create a really stylish website, Kadence is your go-to solution.

6. Blocksy

Blocksy Theme Stats:

• Downloads: 200,000+
• Rating: 5/5
• Page speed: 608ms (Pingdom test)
• Best for: Any type of website
• Price: Free (annual plans from $49, lifetime plans from $149)

Key features:

• Optimized for Gutenberg,
• Built-in WooCommerce

Blocksy is ready to work its magic in creating various websites for various projects.

It was designed with Gutenberg and WooCommerce in mind to ensure smooth operation even for inexperienced users. However, we discovered that it also works well with Elementor, Beaver Builder, Brizy, and other popular page editors.

As a result, Blocksy is a simple-to-customize free WordPress theme with excellent layout, header, footer, and sidebar options.

Create a professional business page or go personal with a blog; Blocksy allows you to do both.

7. Zakra

Zakra Theme Stats:

• Downloads: 80,000+
• Rating: 5/5
• Best for: Business, personal, and eCommerce websites
• Price: Free (or $48.30+ for annual, $139.30 for lifetime)

Key features:

• 10+ starter sites
• regular updates
• wide and box layout

Zakra is a free WordPress theme with a multi-purpose approach and ten starter sites. It’s best for business-related tasks, but you can still use Zakra to create a blog.

If you want to add an online store to your website, the quick WooCommerce integration makes that possible as well.

Yes, Zakra is suitable for everyone!

Furthermore, its high flexibility allows for simple configurations to tailor the design to your specific requirements. It can be integrated with all of the popular WordPress builders, translated, and expanded with third-party plugins.

8. Divi (Premium)

Divi Theme Stats:

• Downloads: 800,000+
• Rating: 4.9/5
• Best for: Any website
• Price: $89/year or $249 for a lifetime

Key features:

• 200+ elements
• 2,000+ layouts
• In-built theme builder

Divi is the most popular WordPress theme that has ever been released. It is not free, but it is far superior to anything else available, making it well worth the cost.

This extraordinarily adaptable and extensible alternative is suitable for any idea you can think of.

When it comes to Divi, there is no such thing as impossible.

There is an infinite number of page layouts and features to mix and match.

With that in mind, march confidently towards the SUCCESSFUL creation of a professional WordPress website, as Divi promises.

9. Hello Elementor

Hello Elementor Theme Stats:

• Downloads: 1+ million
• Rating: 4.5/5
• Page speed: 1.92s(Pingdom test)
• Best for: Everyone who enjoys working with the Elementor page builder
• Price: Free

Key features:

• Highly customizable
• Lightweight
• Open source

If you like the Elementor page builder, there is no better free WordPress theme than Hello. Hey, it’s Elementor, so it should be obvious.

While Elementor is already a powerful solution with extensive customization options, Hello takes it a step further.

But it’s not just the design that’s great and adjustable; Hello’s extremely small size (only 6KB!) is also optimized for the best performance and user experience.

Get creative and create a website tailored to your preferences – for free!

10. Qi Theme

Qi Theme Stats:

• Downloads: 9,000+
• Rating: 4.5/5
• Best for: Any type of business website
• Price: Free ($49+ for single and $99+ for unlimited sites)

Key features:

• Multiple starter websites,
• Modern design,
• Elementor page builder

Qi Theme is the ultimate free WordPress theme, offering over 100 demos. It can be used for anything, including blogs, portfolios, business websites, and eCommerce.

Yes, it’s one of the more impressive free theme options we discovered. It even outperforms many premium ones!

It comes in a small package that ensures quick loading and high performance. Even though Qi Theme is very simple to use, it comes with insightful video tutorials and excellent documentation, making it ideal for beginners.

Qi Theme can help you organize your projects, whether you have one or a hundred. (You even get FREE STOCK images!)

FAQ About Free WordPress Themes

Final Words

That concludes the list of the best free responsive WordPress themes for 2023. 

We can assure you that all of these themes are excellent choices for your website. Because all of the themes mentioned above are fantastic and you may find it difficult to select the best free WordPress theme for your website.

So, here are some suggestions.

To begin, you must understand the concept of your website.

Choose a magazine-based theme, for example, if you want a magazine/news-based site. The best themes for this are ColorMag and MagazineX.

Similarly, Cenote is a good choice for a blogging site. 

The theme is designed to provide you with the best blogging experience possible.

Similarly, if you want to create a comprehensive online learning website, go with Online Education or eLearning.

If you’re still unsure, go with a multipurpose theme like Zakra. It’s a one-stop shop for any type of website. It provides 80+ ready-to-use starter sites for almost every niche.

Also, see the ultimate list of the best WordPress themes and templates, which includes both free and paid themes. Also included is our ultimate collection of the best WordPress plugins for adding extra features to your site!

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