If you’re looking for some really good WordPress blog themes but you don’t care to spend hours sifting through the thousands of free options on WordPress.org, then I’ve got great news – you don’t have to! Why? Because I did it already. Call me a sucker for tedious tasks or maybe I’m just obsessed with hunting down really good WordPress themes, but either way, you’re in luck because I’m going to share twelve of my favorites in a moment.
For each one, I’ll highlight its key features, show you what it looks like on a laptop and mobile device, and I’ll also offer some advice on why you may want to use it to build your next blog.
Before I get into the list, I want to first mention our own in-house theme, Neve. We’ve put our expertise and passion into developing this theme, and we truly believe it’s one of the best free options available. That opinion continues to be validated by market opinion, as it’s one of the most popular themes in the official directory (with 5,179,366 total downloads so far).
I didn’t want to include it on the list below and rank it among the competition since there’s some inherent bias in doing that, but I encourage you to check it out separately and see why so many other websites use it.
My handpicked selections 🏆
1. Bard
I’m going to set the list off with Bard. This theme immediately stood out from the pack due to its very visual layout. You can see for yourself above how it commands attention on both laptop and mobile. This makes it an ideal choice for any kind of blog that wants to showcase eye-catching imagery. Health and fitness, food, travel, fashion, wedding, and photography blogs all come to mind.
Key features ⚙️
- Fullscreen slider, header image, Instagram slider widget, footer menu, and more.
- The theme’s structure and code are optimized for search engines.
- Many different kinds of layout options to display your content.
If you want to build a WordPress blog that looks good and functions well, but you don’t want to spend money on a theme, then the free version of Bard makes an excellent choice. On the other hand, if you’re looking for additional features – such as one-click demo imports – then you’ll want to consider investing in the Pro version.
Upgrade available? ✅ ❌
✅ Bard Pro costs $29.99 as a one-time fee and can be used on one blog. If you need it for multiple sites, then you’ll want to opt for the unlimited site license, which is a one-time charge of $89.99.
2. OceanWP
Another great theme to consider for your next blogging site is OceanWP. Not only is it clean and easy to use, but it also includes a developer-friendly codebase ripe for customization.
Key features ⚙️
- A jam-packed extension library means you can enhance the theme’s functionality without code.
- Lets you edit settings for tablets and mobile devices.
- Works with most popular page builders (such as Elementor and Beaver Builder.)
Given its ease of use out of the box, and the scope for customization, OceanWP could be the ideal WordPress theme for blogging.
Upgrade available? ✅ ❌
✅ OceanWP Starter extensions bundle starts at $35 per year and Ocean Ecommerce plans start at $34 per year.
3. Astra
Next up, Astra is great for building an easy and customizable website. It offers a beautiful simplicity for showcasing content, as well as for selling products online.
Key features ⚙️
- It’s extendable through premium add-ons.
- The theme is AMP-compatible, meaning it’s mobile-friendly out of the box.
- For online stores, Astra is also WooCommerce-ready.
Compared to other free WordPress blog themes, Astra’s large library of free blog templates (pre-built sites) makes finding the ideal look and feel for your blog site a cinch. Overall, Astra is a great theme for blogs wishing to also delve into ecommerce. While the theme is free, there is a…
Upgrade available? ✅ ❌
✅ Premium version, ranging from $49.00 to $149 per year.
4. Rishi
A multipurpose theme at the core, Rishi can make for a great WordPress blogging theme thanks to its pre-built templates that you can easily tweak and turn into a fully functional blog.
Key features ⚙️
- Optimized to load fast.
- Pre-built starter sites for blogging.
- Compatible with the WordPress block editor, Elementor, WooCommerce, and more.
- Drag-and-drop header and footer builder.
Rishi comes with four free blog and magazine templates, offering basic blogging features for simple/minimalist blogs. If you are not happy with the free package, you can always buy the premium version of the theme.
Upgrade available? ✅ ❌
✅ The premium version of Rishi starts at $49 per year for one blog. It includes premium starter sites and advanced blogging extensions.
5. Pliska
Pliska is a gorgeous theme that comes with five pre-built block patterns to make it easier to build your blog. Apart from the aesthetic design and customization options, the Pliska theme loads fast and is optimized for search engines with built-in schema markup.
Key features ⚙️
- Fully compatible with the block editor but also supports all the popular page builders.
- Site visitors can switch between light and dark mode with a single click.
- Meets Level AA web content accessibility guidelines so visitors with disabilities will have no issues using your blog.
If you are looking for design flexibility and some unique features, you might want to try this theme. The fact that you can choose between three page layouts with different header options and mega menu functionality is also a plus.
Upgrade available? ✅ ❌
✅ If you are interested in unlocking additional block patterns and getting access to more than 1000 Google fonts, then you can upgrade to the premium theme. It costs $59.99 annually or $219.99 if you want lifetime access.
6. Poseidon
As a Greek-God-inspired blog theme, this option is near-perfect for showcasing your content – especially if you also use crisp and captivating visuals. It offers a full screen image carousel, offset by plenty of negative space. This makes Poseidon great for mixed-content blogs, as the inherent design lets your posts and pictures shine.
Key features ⚙️
- It provides a full screen carousel.
- Design is crisp and simple.
- Easy on the eyes due to the use of negative space.
Of course, Poseidon is a free WordPress blog theme. However, you can also get a…
Upgrade available? ✅ ❌
✅ Premium version starts at €49.00 for one blog. The higher level plans depend on the number of blogs needed and the level of support.
7. Hemingway
This theme features a two-column design that’s well-suited for blog sites. It is clean, with a simple layout that draws attention to your content over everything else.
Key features ⚙️
- Clean two-column design.
- Full-width header image with a parallax scrolling effect.
- Plenty of customization for all but the most complex requirements.
This theme is perfect for many types of blogging sites, simply because it’s clean enough for simple blogs, but also extensible for more complex sites.
Upgrade available? ✅ ❌
❌ Unlike many of the WordPress themes for blogs on this list, Hemingway does not have a premium version. This makes it a good choice for bloggers on a budget.
8. Olsen Light
If you’re looking to create a lifestyle blog (for niches such as fashion or travel,) Olsen Light is a great choice. As well as its plethora of customization options, it also integrates with a number of bundled custom widgets to help give you almost everything you need to create your site.
Key features ⚙️
- Highly customizable and easy to use.
- Compatible with most popular page builders.
- Default design that offers a “high-end sheen” to blogs.
Olsen Light is a great way to create a website that’s well-designed and sophisticated. We’ve already mentioned lifestyle blogs, but it’s also a great choice for professional blogs, such as those featuring product or restaurant reviews.
Upgrade available? ✅ ❌
✅ For regular updates and premium support, you’ll want the premium version, which costs $34.30 per year. Given the functionality under the hood, this is a very reasonable price for a blog theme of this caliber.
9. Blogcards
This is another excellent WordPress theme that’s tailor-made for blogs. In fact, the entire design is made to keep the focus on your blog posts, with each post being nestled inside its own card – hence the name of the theme.
Key features ⚙️
- Translate into any language you wish using the included .pot files.
- Child themes are a breeze to set up, with all functions and files pluggable and easy to work with.
- Site visitors can toggle between light and dark mode with one click.
This theme will have your blog up and running in no time so that you can dive straight into writing your content and growing your audience.
Upgrade available? ✅ ❌
❌ Given its simplicity, you’d expect a premium version to be available. However, Blogcards is one of those simple WordPress blog themes that’s intentionally simple by design. It’s not because the developers are keeping the good stuff locked away behind a paywall.
10. Ashe
Ashe works really well for all kinds of blogs, including personal, lifestyle, food, travel, and fashion. It can even work as a foundation for a more corporate blog. Its out-of-the-box design is also visual enough to support a photography blog. Overall, it’s a versatile choice.
Key features ⚙️
- Adapts to any kind of device screen, from mobile phones to high resolution Retina displays.
- Display up to three eye-catching linked images under header area.
- Left and right widgetised areas that can be globally enabled and disabled.
Ashe is ideal for WordPress beginners because it’s easy to use and also works perfectly with all major drag and drop page builders like Elementor, Beaver Builder, Visual Composer, SiteOrigin, and Divi. So regardless of which page builder you’d like to use with it, you’ll be good to go.
Upgrade available? ✅ ❌
✅ If the free version of this blog theme isn’t enough for you, there are two premium plans to choose from that unlock additional features. For one site, a license will cost $29.99, while an unlimited site license will cost $89.99.
11. Minimalist Blogger Lite
This blog theme features a simple, minimalist design, and has a unique default look when compared to other WordPress blog themes. Its elegant layout is designed for photography, blogging, and magazine sites.
Key features ⚙️
- A minimalist design great for text-focused blogs.
- Customizable header so you can change your logo, text, and background color
- The theme is compatible with WooCommerce.
Overall, Minimalist Blogger works well for image-heavy blogs that prefer a black and white color palette. Photos and images will definitely pop off the page with this theme. As for pricing, the Lite version is obviously free, but there is a premium option available.
Upgrade available? ✅ ❌
✅ Minimalist Blogger is part of a family of themes offered by Superb Themes. They have two pricing options which unlock access to all of their premium themes, including this one. You can choose to pay annually, which currently runs $59 a year, or you can pay a one-time fee of $129 for lifetime access.
12. Blogmate
Last but not least, Blogmate is a theme that is made for social sharing. The default design borrows elements from popular social and video channels, which is a great way to make your new audience feel like they’re in a familiar place. Although it’s very bright and colorful out of the box, it’s also highly customizable so you can change the candy colors to whatever you want.
Key features ⚙️
- One-click demo imports make it easy to start with a look you want.
- Seamless integration with Gutenberg and all popular page builders.
- Boxed width design with a subtle animated background pattern.
Overall, Blogmate is ideal for dynamic news sites, online magazines, blogs of various kinds, and creative sites.
Upgrade available? ✅ ❌
✅ As with many of the other themes on our list, there’s also a premium version of Blogmate available. Your options are: Support for one site at $59; support for three sites for $99; and support for unlimited sites for $169. All plans include one year of support and updates. If you wish to continue receiving support and updates then you must renew each year.
Conclusion 🧐
When it comes to building a website for your blog, there are many different free WordPress themes to choose from. Some of the best are simple, mobile-friendly, and customizable. Regardless, with the right theme, you’ll have your blog up and running in no time.
For example, with Bard you have a very aesthetic, highly-customizable option. On the other hand, themes like Blogcards and Minimalist Blogger are perfect for simple blogs wishing to showcase content without fuss. Of course, which one you choose will depend on your personal tastes and what features you’re looking to get out of it. For example, some people prefer having access to free WordPress blog templates, while others don’t mind creating their layouts from scratch. Ultimately, you will have to decide the best blog theme for you.
Once you pick your theme, 🎨 you can follow our guide on how to safely change your WordPress theme, as well as some steps to take before and after changing your theme.
Do you have any questions about any of these free WordPress blog themes? Ask away in the comments section below!
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