The term “good” depends a lot on what kind of site you’re building (blog, portfolio, shop, business, etc.), your budget (free vs premium), and how much customization you want.
What makes a good WordPress theme
Here are the traits you should look for:
| Feature | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Lightweight / fast loading | A bulky theme can slow your site, hurting SEO and user experience |
| Responsive / mobile-friendly | Many visitors will use phones or tablets |
| Clean, well-coded & maintained | Regular updates and good code reduce security risks |
| Plugin / page builder compatibility | So you can extend features (e.g. WooCommerce, Elementor) |
| Customization options | To adapt colors, layouts, header/footer, etc. without heavy coding |
| Good support & documentation | For help when things go wrong |
Best themes emphasize speed, modular design, full site editing (FSE), and plugin compatibility.
Top WordPress themes you may want to try
Here are several themes that often appear in “best of” lists. They span free, freemium, and premium options.
| Theme | Best for / highlights | Things to check / trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Astra | Very popular, lightweight, good starter templates, strong free version | The free version is limited; the pro add-ons unlock more layout controls |
| Divi | Full visual builder built in, flexible, many prebuilt layouts | Slightly heavier than minimal themes; steep learning curve |
| GeneratePress | Clean, performance-oriented, good developer option | The free version is pretty basic; premium gives more control |
| Kadence | Modern, good balance of features and speed | Might still need add-ons for niche features |
| OceanWP | Good multipurpose theme, lots of demos | As you add more extensions, performance can be impacted |
| Neve | Block / Gutenberg & speed focus | Premium needed for advanced header/footer controls |
| Blocksy | Built with modern block / FSE in mind | Some niche elements require add-ons |
| Avada | Very feature-rich, lots of customization, strong for business sites | Big feature set can slow things; more complexity |
What is the right choice for your project
- If you’re building an eCommerce store: Ensure the theme has strong WooCommerce support.
- If you need visual, drag-and-drop control: Divi, Kadence, or Astra + Elementor are good bets.
- If performance / SEO is a priority: Go with lightweight options like GeneratePress, Astra, or Neve.
- If you like full site editing / block themes: Look for themes built around FSE (Blocksy, Neve, etc.).
- If you’re on a budget: Start with free versions of the themes above. Many are already quite usable for basic sites.