These are the 14 Most Popular WordPress Themes for Websites and Online Stores

1. What is a WordPress theme or WordPress template?
2. Where can you find the themes in WordPress?
3. These 17 criteria you should pay attention to when choosing a WordPress theme
4. These are the 7 best paid WordPress themes
5. Ideal for start-ups

WordPress is the CMS solution on the market. Accordingly, it is often used by companies, bloggers and private individuals to implement their own internet presence. Here, WordPress offers you a lot of features and plugins - for beginners and experts equally. One area that you encounter directly after choosing the domain are the themes.

And because WordPress is so popular, there is an incredibly huge selection of WordPress themes. It is difficult to find the right template without hours of browsing. If you are currently faced with this search and want to save your time, you are in the right place. We have compiled the 14 best WordPress themes for you and will show you all the criteria you should consider when choosing the right theme - So much to say: Appearance is definitely not decisive.

What is a WordPress theme or WordPress template?

A theme is first the visual interface of a website with all its subpages; also called frontend. Behind this, all administrative functions take place, which in turn is called backend. Working with WordPress gives you the advantage of not having to design a theme yourself and having to program all the functions. The Content Management System provides numerous designs that you can use immediately. In addition, there is an equally large number of developers who provide WordPress templates. But theme is not the same as theme and so you have to consider a lot before you randomly use a WordPress theme.

First and foremost, there is the difference between free and premium themes. But in both cases it is the General Public License (GPL) that determines which themes are suitable for WordPress. This allows you to use, modify and even distribute the respective theme, for example if you are creating a website for someone else. All templates provided by WordPress run under the GPL, but not all external providers. Our listed WordPress themes below you can use without any reservations.

Where can you find the themes in WordPress?

Once you have signed up for WordPress and linked it with your domain, which you previously registered with a WordPress hosting provider of your choice, it is time to search for the perfect WordPress theme. You will find a large selection behind the “Add Theme” button, which you will find in the left WordPress menu under “Design”.

Behind this menu item you will also find externally installed WordPress themes.

In any case, we recommend that you create a Child Theme from the Parent Theme - the original theme. If the template gets an update, it does not overwrite your changes to the Child Theme. It would be really annoying if the work was in vain and in the worst case you still suffer loss in sales.

These 17 criteria you should pay attention to when choosing a WordPress theme

Choosing a WordPress template that is nice to look at but otherwise offers no great added value is definitely not the right choice. That's why we did some brainstorming and collected the most important criteria that you should base your choice of WordPress theme on. One thing is definitely clear: Theme is not the same as theme.

• Determine the type of website: Basically, you start by finding out what kind of website you want or need. Should an online store be created and integrated? Will it be a one-pager? Do you need a WordPress theme for a landing page? Or do you want to run wild on every page of your website individually? Once you know that, there are still two more points to consider before you can check out the first WordPress templates: Which functions and plugins do you need?
• Find the matching functions: WordPress themes come along with a lot of functions and are provided for use. Each one has a different focus and accordingly different functions. So first define which functions your WordPress theme should bring with it. For example, all colors should be customizable so that you can reflect your corporate design, media elements such as videos be displayed or certain effects be used. Just ask yourself which functions of a theme help to keep a user at the bar; regardless of whether your website is a marketing funnel, a simple business card or an online shop.
• The setup of the WordPress theme should be within your knowledge: Page builders like WPBakery, Elementor or Beaver Builder make customizing your website design easy. Not every WordPress theme comes with a page builder and if you don't have development skills, a page builder is a must. Otherwise, you have to deal with CSS, HTML5 and Co. or hire a developer.
• Compatibility of the plugins: The great thing about WordPress is that you don't have to be able to program. Plugins help you to use your website as a tool - for example as a marketing channel or for the Google ranking adventure. The important thing is only that you make clear before going through WordPress themes which plugins you need. So you can check if the theme of your choice is compatible with them. Basically the motto is anyway: Less is more. Because the more plugins you install, the slower the loading times can become and this annoys Google and can harm your SEO.
• The loading times must not be affected: Since at least June 2021, Google has been trying to ensure that the performance of a website is critical for good ranking. So anyone who still has long loading times after the Page-Experience update including the Core Web Vitals will belong to the ranking losers in the future.
• Pay attention to the User-Experience (UX): All users* want the perfect experience on a website. Of course, it is impossible for you to make everyone happy. Some prefer minimalist themes without much fuss, others celebrate each and every effect. Your goal must be to keep the bulk of the traffic on your site for as long as possible and eventually turn it into a newsletter subscriber, customer or member. A WordPress theme doesn't do all the work, but it can support good content. To find out what works well with your target audience, you should take a closer look at your successful competitors. Then it's not about copying, but about being inspired and at best doing even better.
• Flexibility à la responsive WordPress themes: One part of the UX focuses on making sure your website displays properly on any device in any size. Responsive WordPress themes are therefore a must. After all, the number of mobile users is increasing every year. It would be a shame to lose customers because your website is not displayed correctly on smartphones and tablets.
• Determine the ideal budget: There are free WordPress themes and there are those that cost money. As with the difference between Lite and Full Access Apps, the difference is also noticeable in themes due to a different range of services. Find out first what your budget allows.
• Support is existential: First and foremost, you should pay attention to good support from the developer, which is usually only reserved for premium themes. This gives you a contact person in case your WordPress theme should fail. In addition, there are forums on the Internet for many popular premium providers that can help you with questions. Our recommendation is to spend money and buy a WordPress theme. If your website is merely a business card, a free WordPress theme is usually sufficient.
• Test the demos: Before you put a theme in the shopping cart, most serious providers offer you a preview of your WordPress theme. Try the theme first before you get rid of your money.
• Only buy from reputable theme providers: That should go without saying. Since the WordPress theme market also harbors untrustworthy developers, we feel obliged to explicitly point this out. Here you should pay attention to typical signs of untrustworthy websites: Check the imprint, the reviews, text errors or whether an “https” can be read in the URL line.
• Supported language: 99 % of the themes on the online market are in English. However, you must make sure that the WordPress theme supports German, if this is the language area in which your website should move.
• Trouble-free transmission is crucial: Often you change your opinion about the look of the website over time. In that case, a new WordPress theme must be available quickly. To avoid complicating the move unnecessarily, it is best to make sure that the theme can be transferred smoothly and is compatible with existing plugins.
• Bet on uniqueness: As mentioned at the beginning, beauty is not everything in a WordPress theme, but it should be unique and is therefore not to be neglected. If a user sees the same theme more often, his interest will quickly disappear. Customize your WordPress template individually for your website or use one that has not been used frequently. This can be measured, among other things, by the number of downloads and reviews. Otherwise, the WordPress theme should be changeable.
• Optically the WordPress theme must match your business: Avoid the common mistake of choosing the theme solely according to your taste. Of course, this is also relevant. However, don't forget that the website is for your target group, not for you. If you use a design-technically outstanding theme that says "marketing agency", but you have craftsmen as customers, it can backfire. So find a middle way between your taste and that of your target group.
• SEO-compliant: As already mentioned in relation to the Core Web Vitals, your theme has to make Google happy. But not only with fast loading times, but also with other important aspects. Your WordPress template should therefore be SEO-compliant on the way and support you in this. There are special ones like Yoast or RankMath, which are installed directly in the WordPress backend.

And what is now the best WordPress theme? There is not one answer to this according to the criteria. Rather, there are 14 and even these are only a well-selected overview from us. It simply depends on your personal requirements for a template for WordPress.

These are the 7 best paid WordPress themes

After we have clarified what criteria you should pay attention to when choosing your WordPress template, we will introduce you to seven paid WordPress themes here that you can use to create and design your website or online shop individually.

1. Astra by Brainstorm Force - The Speedy Gonzales among the themes

Since Astra 3.0 was released, it is not only one of the most purchased WordPress themes, but also one of the fastest. Since it's all about page speed according to Google, the template from the house of the same name was able to score well. In addition, it is through the page builders Elementor or Beaver Builder changeable and can therefore be adapted to your project without any problems. Astra also has very appealingly designed layouts.

Cost: 47 US dollars per year / 249 US dollars once for a lifetime license

Advantages of Astra as a WordPress theme:

• Speed (only in combination with fast hosting)
• Integration of many plugins and page builders
• Suitable for many purposes: E-commerce, blogs, services, freelancers etc.
• Multilingual support

2. Shapeshift by ThriveThemes - The Conversion Star

ThriveThemes must not be missing in our list of the best WordPress themes. The developer puts a clear focus on conversion in his themes. Shapeshift should be your first choice to turn your target audience into customers. It comes with its own Thrive Theme Builder, which offers numerous templates and makes customizing templates child's play. Although the design aspect is not neglected with Shapeshift, the focus is definitely on simplicity and the quick construction of a website without programming knowledge. According to ThriveThemes this is done on average in under 15 minutes. Experience has shown that this time is only achieved once you have got used to the Thrive Theme Builder. Better take a little more time, it should be good.

The downside is the high subscription price of the Thrive Suite, in which the entire theme package is provided. On the other hand, you get an all-round package that leaves nothing to be desired.

Cost: 228 US dollars per year

Advantages of ThriveThemes as a WordPress theme:

• Fast construction of websites, especially suitable for beginners
• Large selection of graphic elements/blocks
• Fast loading times (in combination with fast hosting)
• Versatile in use, however less suitable for photographers or creative people

3. Oshine by Brandexponents - Ideal for freelancers

This theme has everything that freelancers or a start-up need for a meaningful website. You can present your portfolio including references and other important information in a clear way. Oshine offers more than 50 templates for this, which you can use directly without having to craft a lot. If you still want to adjust the WordPress theme to your taste or your corporate identity, an easy-to-use page builder is at your disposal. Font and colors can be adjusted in no time. In addition, the Oshine theme gets regular updates.

Cost: 59 US dollars

Advantages of Oshine as a WordPress theme:

• Numerous templates are supplied for immediate use
• Easy-to-use page builder
• Compatible with many well-known plugins
• Support and updates are guaranteed
• Relatively cheap WordPress theme, perfect for freelancers

4. SmartMag by ThemeSphere - The magazine theme

If your goal is to publish a magazine or a blog, the SmartMag theme comes in handy; after all, there are other uses for a website. The focus of the WordPress template is the start page, where current or popular posts are displayed through pictures within a slide show. 15 different designs - from elegant to conspicuous to minimal - are included with the purchase of the license. More are added regularly. No matter what your topic is, the right interface is ready to go, without you having to adjust much. The Smart Studio of ThemeSphere helps you to make your page more personal with a selection of blocks.

Cost: 59 US dollars

Advantages of SmartMag as a WordPress theme:

• A cheap theme, which is however suitable for a certain purpose
• Despite many elements it has a good performance
• Large selection of ready-to-use blocks that can be inserted into existing designs as desired with drag-and-drop
• Installing a shop is also possible

5. Divi by ElegantThemes - Makes all website visions come true

Divi is one of the most popular themes in the WordPress universe. Why this is so becomes clear quickly: it doesn't need any programming skills, is so flexible that it is suitable for any business and is equipped with both a page builder and a theme builder. This allows you to not only customize your surface, but also the effects and elements.

No matter what you have in mind for a perfect theme, Divi makes it reality. At the same time, it scores with excellent loading times and extensive support. Normally, with a WordPress theme you can't change everything in the frontend, Divi is an exception. It gives you free hand in the design and delivers a large selection of elements with it. The all-round package is rightly well paid by the developer.

Cost: 89 US dollars per year / 249 US dollars once for a lifetime license

Advantages of Divi as a WordPress theme:

• Complete design freedom
• Excellent support from the developer
• Pleasant loading times
• Can be customized in detail without programming knowledge

6. Uncode by Undsgn - The theme for creative people

After five plain and business-oriented themes, we show the creative among you with Uncode an optimal solution. The name is program here, as well as the possibilities to present you and your works. The Uncode theme has already made over 85,000 users happy and due to its flexibility in terms of design, it can be optimally adapted to your wishes.

So if your aim is to explain less with many words, but rather with images, videos and other media content, you should take a look at Uncode. Of course, the page speed will not be as optimal as with other themes that have less to load, but it is also absolutely okay in this case. Otherwise, we wouldn't recommend this WordPress theme to you.

Cost: 59 US dollars (including 6 months of support, you can buy additional support)

Advantages of Unicode as a WordPress theme:

• Ideal for creative people who want to present their works
• Numerous demos are included
• Especially suitable for bloggers

Decent loading times

7. Neve by Themeisle - The diverse theme in the form of 80 demos Start-ups watch out: Neve

gives you everything you need. It is super fast, can be adjusted with almost all well-known page builders and comes with more than 80 demos. With Neve, unnecessary frills are dispensed with, but as a result, a detailed editing of the WordPress theme is not possible. For this reason, it is so ideal for start-ups.

After all, the creation of a website should take little time, but should still reflect the soul of the company - too philosophical? In other words: Neve is easy to use, so that it can grow steadily with the start-up, and since it sets on minimalism, excellent page speed will result.Cost:

59 US dollars (Personal) / 99 US dollars (for online shops) / 159 US dollars (for freelancers and agencies)

• Advantages of Neve as a WordPress theme:
• Fast loading times
• Compatible with every page builder
• Comprehensive range of demos that is expanded monthly

Ideal for start-ups

These are the 7 best free WordPress themes

In addition to the paid WordPress themes, there are also a lot of free WordPress themes. With them you can design your website, your blog or even your online store. We present seven recommendable free WordPress themes here.

1. Ample by ThemeGrill - Minimalism par excellenceWho says that good WordPress themes always have to cost something, is wrong. Ample

is the best example for free WordPress themes. If you need a clearly designed website to start, you can use the theme well. It has few elements, which are beneficial for the page speed, but at the same time ensure that you don't spend too much time adapting the theme. Ample is therefore particularly suitable for freelancers who want to briefly present their services. Support is provided in the form of a well-led forum.

• Advantages of Ample as a free WordPress theme:
• Minimalistic design
• Ideal for freelancers and creatives
• Easily adjustable

Good support via forum

2. Ashe by WP Royal - The blog with shop integrationWith Ashe

you get the ideal theme to set up a blog. Large pictures and a minimalist look underline every word you write. In addition, many plugins can be combined with the free WordPress theme. You can design with many well-known page builders like Elementor or SiteOrigin. The theme also supports the integration of a WooCommerce shop.

• Advantages of Ashe as a free WordPress theme:
• Simple, but nice to look at layout
• Specially for bloggers and influencers
• SEO functions and shop possibilities available

Compatible with numerous plugins

3. GeneratePress by Tom - Focuses on the essentialsWho needs fast and simple and free is best served with GeneratePress . With a simple design, the important things of your business are pointed out - and that at a fabulous speed. It works with any page builder and is also suitable for beginners. As a developer

in you have many possibilities, but there are also various templates available. With more than 1.5 million downloads, GeneratePress is definitely one of the most popular free templates for WordPress. The page speed values are certainly not entirely innocent of this, after all these are more important than ever for Google.

• Advantages of GeneratePress as a free WordPress-Theme:
• Very fast loading speed
• Compatible with every page builder

Numerous templates are ready to be used immediately

4. Airi by aThemes - The all-rounderThis WordPress theme is a multi-purpose weapon. Whether you need a company site, set up an online shop or want to advertise your portfolio as a freelancer, Airi offers you the ideal conditions for this. You can make some adjustments to the areas, fonts and elements with the Elementor Page Builder. With the WooCommerce

plugin you can also bring your products to the woman and man without having programming skills. Numerous demos also help you to get started.

• Advantages of Airi as a free WordPress theme:
• Compatible with Elementor and WooCommerce
• Easily implementable customization options
• Numerous demos are contained

Suitable for almost all purposes for which a website is needed

5. Storefront by WooThemes - The effective online shop themeIf you have an online shop as a goal, you also need a suitable WordPress theme for it. Storefront

is oriented towards the WooCommerce plugin, which gives you a great basis for a shop. For this, the design was limited to essential elements and played less with effects.

The result offers SEO functions and the integration of other WooCommerce plugins, which are important to make your customers happy. However, those who want to customize the layout further have to buy this option from WooThemes. Otherwise, only the accent colors, header and footer can be adjusted.

• Advantages of Storefront as a free WordPress theme:
• Ideal basis for an online shop
• Despite fewer effects and design applications designed appealingly

Compatible with other useful plugins like Card-Tab and Product-Sharing-Icons

6. OnePress by FameThemes - The best one pager theme without much frillsAs the name already suggests, OnePress

is a one pager theme. If you need to present your company or yourself on the net, it is perfect for you. For this, the free WordPress theme offers you simple possibilities to adjust the respective areas to your needs.

Users can go to the respective area via the menu. Scrolling is beautified by a parallax effect. In the end, with OnePress you get a professionally, but plainly designed theme. Only the accent colors, header and footer can be adjusted in this WordPress template.

• Advantages of OnePress as a free WordPress theme:
• Simple onepager Wordpress theme
• Nice looking effects

Areas are easily adjustable

7. Receptar by WebManDesign - The digital recipe bookReceptar

is a completely different kind of free WordPress theme than the ones mentioned so far. At least that's what the homepage of the theme says. For bloggers, Receptar offers a visually appealing alternative to the many standard themes.

Appealing effects and large images can make many users enthusiastic for more - namely your contributions. Of course, the free WordPress theme is predestined to present grandma's best-of recipes, but who is creative can also make use of the unique layout in a different way.

• Advantages of Receptar as a free WordPress theme:
• Unique homepage template
• Adjustable with the Beaver Page Builder
• Especially suitable for bloggers