◦ Comprehensive security
◦ 24/7 support
WordPress Guide → Theme → Free
7 best WordPress free themes
Free doesn’t have to mean bare-bones or boring. The right free blog theme can still deliver speed, mobile optimization, and the style you need to grow your audience.
Let’s compare some of the best free blog themes available for WordPress in 2025—plus tips on how to pick the right one.
Free WordPress blog themes, side-by-side
Here’s a quick comparison of the top free blog themes, including what they’re best suited for and their standout features.
| Theme | Best For | Standout Features | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astra | Fast-loading personal blogs | Lightweight, pre-built starter sites, WooCommerce support | Free |
| Kadence | Custom layouts for bloggers | Header/footer builder, global typography controls | Free |
| Neve | SEO-focused blog design | AMP-ready, responsive, works with Elementor | Free |
| Blocksy | Modern Gutenberg blogging | Clean UI, Gutenberg-optimized, fast performance | Free |
| Ashe | Lifestyle and food blogs | Minimalist layout, Instagram integration, WooCommerce ready | Free |
| Hemingway | Text-focused writing | Two-column layout, clean typography, simple customization | Free |
| GeneratePress | Performance-driven sites | Lightweight, accessibility-ready, modular design | Free |
1. Astra
Astra is one of the most popular and flexible free WordPress themes available, and it’s perfect for bloggers who want speed and simplicity without sacrificing design. It’s built for performance and works seamlessly with page builders like Elementor, Spectra, and Beaver Builder.
With dozens of importable starter sites—even in the free version—you can go from install to publishing in minutes.
- Lightweight and optimized for performance
- Pre-built blog templates available for free
- WooCommerce compatibility
- Regular updates and large user community
Best for: Fast-loading personal blogs
Starting at: Free
2. Kadence
Kadence is a highly customizable WordPress theme that doesn’t lock features behind a paywall like many others. The free version includes a header and footer builder, global color palette, and tight integration with Gutenberg. It’s perfect for bloggers who want to tweak every detail of their layout.
- Drag-and-drop header and footer builder
- Custom layout options, even in free version
- Mobile-friendly and lightweight
- Works with Gutenberg and major page builders
Best for: Custom layouts for bloggers
Starting at: Free
3. Neve
Neve offers a modern, minimal look with a strong focus on speed and SEO. Its design is perfect for writers who want a clean space for content that also performs well across devices. Neve supports AMP out of the box and plays well with Gutenberg, Elementor, and Brizy.
- AMP-ready and mobile-first
- Seamless integration with page builders
- Fast load times and SEO-ready
- Multiple blog layout options
Best for: SEO-focused blog design
Starting at: Free
4. Blocksy
Blocksy is one of the newest themes to gain traction, and it’s especially strong when used with the Gutenberg editor. It’s designed for modern blogs that want eye-catching visuals and interactive design, all without sacrificing speed.
- Live preview customizer
- Built with Gutenberg in mind
- Clean, responsive, and fast
- Dark mode and header layout options
Best for: Modern Gutenberg blogging
Starting at: Free
5. Ashe
Ashe is a great option for lifestyle, food, and travel bloggers who want a simple, elegant design. It offers a clean layout with featured slider support, WooCommerce compatibility, and even an Instagram feed widget in the free version.
- Clean, minimal layout with slider
- Mobile-friendly and retina-ready
- Sidebar and multiple layout options
- Instagram and WooCommerce ready
Best for: Lifestyle and food blogs
Starting at: Free
6. Hemingway
Hemingway is a minimalist theme that focuses on clean typography and readability. With a classic two-column layout and no extra fluff, it’s ideal for writers, essayists, and bloggers who want their content to speak for itself.
- Minimalist design focused on content
- Responsive and retina-ready
- Built-in block styles and post formats
- Simple setup with limited customization
Best for: Text-focused writing
Starting at: Free
7. GeneratePress
GeneratePress is built for performance. It’s one of the fastest WordPress themes available and fully accessible. The free version is lightweight and modular, making it a great foundation for any kind of blog—especially if you plan to scale later with premium add-ons.
- Extremely lightweight and fast
- Accessibility and WCAG compliant
- Modular design for easy customization
- Page builder friendly (Elementor, Gutenberg, etc.)
Best for: Performance-driven sites
Starting at: Free
What to look for in a free WordPress blog theme
Not all free themes are created equal. Look for these key features when choosing one for your blog.
- Performance: A theme should be lightweight and optimized for fast loading times. Slow sites hurt SEO and user experience.
- Responsiveness: It must work well on mobile devices. Responsive design ensures your content is readable on all screen sizes.
- Ease of customization: Many free themes offer built-in customizer support or compatibility with page builders, letting you change colors, fonts, and layouts without code.
- Ongoing support and updates: Check when the theme was last updated. A well-maintained theme stays compatible with the latest WordPress version and plugins.
- Gutenberg and block support: Newer themes work seamlessly with the WordPress block editor. This makes layout creation much easier for non-coders.
- Plugin compatibility: Look for themes that integrate well with plugins you’ll likely use, such as SEO tools, forms, or ecommerce plugins.
Next steps for free WordPress blog themes
Free blog themes can give you a clean, modern foundation without any upfront investment. With the right one, you can launch quickly and build an audience right away.
If you’re starting fresh, choose a theme that supports the block editor and performs well on mobile. If you’re redesigning, make sure it plays nicely with your existing plugins and content structure.
Ready to upgrade your WordPress experience? Professional hosting improves speeds, security, and reliability for a website and a brand that people find engaging and trustworthy.
Don’t want to deal with server management and maintenance? Our fully managed hosting for WordPress is the best in the industry. Our team are not only server IT experts, but WordPress hosting experts as well. Your server couldn’t be in better hands.
Click through below to explore all of our hosting for WordPress options, or chat with a WordPress expert right now to get answers and advice.
Additional resources
How to change WordPress themes the right way and avoid potential problems→
We’ll go over some reasons why you may want to switch to a new theme and how to prepare your website. Then, we’ll show you a few ways to change your WordPress theme.
7 best SEO WordPress theme →
Explore the best SEO-friendly WordPress themes designed to boost your site’s visibility, speed, and search engine rankings.
Best free WordPress themes ranked by real performance→
We’ll show you how pairing the right theme with high-performance WordPress hosting – like the plans offered by Liquid Web – can transform your site into a speed machine!