10+ Awesome Free WordPress Themes You Should Check Out

In the world of website design, WordPress is a household name. It’s a content management system (CMS) powers millions of websites, including some of the most popular ones worldwide. 

While there are many paid WordPress themes, there are also plenty of great free ones. This article will look at 10 awesome free WordPress themes you should check out.

What is a WordPress theme? 

A WordPress theme is a collection of files that work together to produce a graphical interface with an underlying unifying design for a weblog. 

These files are called template files. 

In fact, this Theme modifies the way the site is displayed without modifying the underlying software. 

Although there are thousands of available WordPress Themes, creating a custom WordPress Theme from scratch is not a difficult task. If you have an idea for how your weblog looks, you can create exactly what you want with just a little time and effort.

But why create when you can get the best ones for free?

How to pick the best free WordPress theme

We have good and bad news if you are looking for a free WordPress theme. 

The great thing is there are tons of high-quality themes to choose from, but the downside is picking one can be overwhelming since there’s so much choice!

To help you out, here are some of the things you should look for:

a) Mobile-friendliness

When selecting a theme, it’s important to choose one that is mobile-friendly. 

Most people use their phones and other devices when they browse the web, so you want your website to look great on those smaller screens too! 

You can check if a theme looks good on mobile using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test. 

All you need to do is enter your URL and hit “Test now” – simple as that! 

If the test comes back with errors, we recommend finding another option since this could negatively impact your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) ranking and user experience.

b) Compatibility With Plugins & Widgets

One of the best things about WordPress is that it is highly customizable, and you can use plugins or widgets to add extra features to your site. 

However, not all themes are compatible with every plugin, so it’s important to check before you install anything! 

A quick Google search should tell you whether there are any known issues, but if in doubt, reach out to the theme developer for more information – they will be able to help you out.

c) Regular Updates

When a new version of WordPress comes out, some themes may need to be updated to work properly with the new software. That’s why it’s essential to choose a theme that is regularly updated by the developer – this way, you can be confident that your site will always look its best and function as it should do. 

You can check how often a theme is updated by looking at the “Changelog” tab on its page (if one exists). 

Alternatively, you could contact the developer directly and ask them!

d) Documentation & Support

If you’re not a tech-savvy person, then choose a theme that comes with good documentation. 

This way, if you ever need help setting something up or run into any problems, you can refer to the docs for guidance. 

It is also worth checking what kind of support the theme developer offers – some may only provide support through a forum, while others might offer one-to-one help via email or live chat.

e) Customizations

Another thing to consider is how much control you want over the look and feel of your site. 

If you are happy for someone else to design everything, then a pre-made theme could be perfect for you, but if you want more freedom to make changes, then a customizable option might be better. 

Customizable themes usually come with their own options panel where you can change things like colors, fonts, layouts, etc., without editing any code!

Read also: How to Pick the Perfect WordPress Theme.

That said, let us look at some of the best free WordPress themes for beginners.

1). Shapely

Quick facts:

• Downloads: 100,000+
• Rating: 5/5
• Page speed: 1.88s (Pingdom test)
• Key features: Responsive and flat design, one-page layout, WooCommerce compatibility, translatable
• Best for: One-page business and agency websites
• Price: Free

If you are looking for a 5-star free WordPress theme, look no further than Shapely. 

With 100,000 downloads and a Pingdom test page speed of 1.88s, this responsive and flat design theme is perfect for your needs. 

Plus, its one-page layout and WooCommerce compatibility make it easy to use and customize.

The Shapely WordPress theme is a great way to start with a responsive and flat design. 

The theme is also retina ready to look great on high-resolution devices. 

Additionally, the WordPress Customizer support allows you to easily customize the look and feel of your site without editing any code. 

And then there’s WooCommerce support means that you can easily add eCommerce functionality to your site.

2). Astra

Quick facts:

• Downloads: 1.6+ million
• Rating: 5/5
• Page speed: 1.4s (Pingdom test)
• Key features: Optimized for performance, 200+ demo websites, easy customization
• Best for: Any type of website
• Price: Free (or $49/year for the pro version with a $239+ lifetime deal)

Astra is the perfect free WordPress theme for those who want to create beautiful, fast-loading websites without having to code. 

With Astra, you can easily customize your website without touching a single line of code. 

Astra is also made for page builders such as Elementor and Beaver Builder, so creating pages is super easy and fast. 

With Astra’s super-fast performance (loading in just 0.5 seconds!), you won’t have to worry about slowing your website.

3). GeneratePress

Quick facts:

• Downloads: 400,000+
• Rating: 5/5
• Page speed: 1.09s (Pingdom test)
• Key features: Open-source, translated into 25+ languages, scalable
• Best for: Any type of website
• Price: Free (with $59/year for pro or $249 for life)

If you’re looking for a free WordPress theme that’s fast, lightweight, and easy to use, GeneratePress is a perfect choice. 

With a page size of just 7.5kb and two HTTP requests, it is one of the most efficient themes on the market. 

Plus, it’s completely free and open source. 

And if you ever encounter any problems, their unrivaled support team is always there to help.

4). One Page Express

Quick facts:

• Downloads: 10,000
• Rating: 5/5
• Notable features: video and slideshow background, ready-to-use content sections
• Best suited for: one-page WordPress websites
• Price: freemium (from $79/year or $169 for a lifetime license)

One Page Express free WordPress theme is perfect for anyone looking for a customizable, responsive design with plenty of features. 

With 600 Google Fonts, video and slideshow backgrounds, and predefined designs for both header and content sections, you can create a unique look for your website. 

Over 50 predefined content sections (30 in the free version) make adding new content easy without starting from scratch.

5). Blocksy

Quick facts:

• Downloads: 90,000+
• Rating: 5/5
• Page speed: 808ms (Pingdom test)
• Key features: Optimized for Gutenberg, built-in WooCommerce
• Best for: Any type of website
• Price: Free (annual plans from $49, lifetime plans from $149)

The Blocksy is another best free WordPress theme, the perfect choice for anyone looking for a fast, responsive, and Gutenberg-ready theme. 

This theme is perfect for online stores or international businesses with eCommerce and translation support. 

It has many features, including lazy loading, ensuring your website loads quickly, even on slower devices, without wasting server resources. 

The child theme makes it easy to customize your site without editing code. And the one-click importer makes it quick and easy to start your new site.

Read also: Secrets To Success: Running a Successful Online Store in the UK.

6). Mesmerize

Quick facts:

• Downloads: 40,000+
• Rating: 5/5
• Notable features: 30 page-content sections, gradient overlays
• Best suited for: various kinds of websites
• Price: freemium (from $79/year or $169 for a lifetime license)

If you are looking for a free WordPress theme that will mesmerize your visitors, look no further than the Mesmerize theme. 

With its predefined designs for both header and content sections, free Font Awesome icon library, and responsive out-of-the-box functionality, it is easy to see why this theme is one of the most popular on the market. 

And with its easily customizable layout, you can make each site section look exactly how you want it to.

7). PopularFX

Quick facts:

• Downloads: 100,000+
• Rating: 4.5/5
• Notable features: pre-made templates, integrated drag-and-drop page builder
• Best suited for: various types of websites
• Price: freemium (from $59/year)

PopularFX is the perfect WordPress theme for anyone looking to create a beautiful website. 

With Pagelayer, you can easily drag and drop elements to create stunning pages. 

And there are over 70 unique design elements to choose from, and full integration with WooCommerce means you can start selling immediately. 

Its responsive design ensures your site looks great on all devices, and the quickest way to get support is by submitting a ticket. 

So why wait? Get started today with PopularFX!

8). Responsive

Quick facts:

• Downloads: 30,000+
• Rating: 4.5/5
• Notable features: WP Auction integration, LearnDash LMS integration, hover effect
• Best suited for: all kinds of websites
• Price: freemium (from $23.50/year or $139 for a lifetime license)

When you need a theme that is going to load fast and keep your visitors happy, you need Responsive free WordPress theme. 

AMP-ready, this WP theme is designed to load quickly with minified assets and optimized database queries. 

Plus, with plenty of ready sites included, you can launch your site in no time. 

And because they use high-coding standards for WordPress and W3C, you can be confident that your site will look great and function perfectly.

9). Genesis

Quick facts:

• Notable features: plenty of child theme options
• Best suited for: all kinds of websites
• Price: freemium ($360/year)

Genesis free WordPress theme is the perfect way to start your blog or WooCommerce store. 

Mobile responsive and packed with features, the Genesis Framework makes it easy to start with Gutenberg Block Editor. 

You can easily upload your branded logo image and customize the theme’s settings and colors to create a truly unique experience for your customers. 

Above all, Genesis is accessibility ready, which means that your store/blog will be accessible to everyone, regardless of ability.

10). Newsup

Quick facts:

• Downloads: 30,000+
• Rating: 5/5
• Key features: Great support, sidebar with tabs, predefined headers and footers
• Best for: Any news site
• Price: Free (pro version starts at $59 for a single site license)

The Newsup free WordPress Theme is the perfect way to show off your content clean and organized manner. 

This theme has many features that make it easy to customize, including Demo Content. It is translation-ready, multi-content layout, and has multi-category color. 

The theme is plugin-compatible and has clean loading, making it a breeze. 

And with posts section advertisements and custom widgets, you can easily monetize your site.

FAQ About Free WordPress Themes