Free WordPress Themes

SIxty-five WordPress Themes that are Free to use - No Strings Attached

4 minutes
Free WordPress Themes

WordPress is one of the most commonly used CMS and blogging platforms used on the internet. It enjoys a sizable market share as the platform of choice for over 40% of all sites on the internet today. I personally run several sites that are hosted using the WordPress platform. WordPress came into existence in 2003 as a simple blogging platform created by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little. It was built on an earlier project called b2/cafelog. WordPress quickly gained popularity due to its ease of use and flexibility. Over the years, it has evolved from a tool for bloggers into a powerful content management system (CMS) capable of building virtually any kind of website. Its open-source nature and a vast library of plugins and themes have made it a favorite for individuals, businesses, and developers alike.

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One complaint regarding the current WordPress ecosystem revolves around the cost of building a site with every add-on and theme requiring a subscription. On many Reddit and other forums users complain about being nickeled and dimed by the various plugins and themes they want to use. They ask - what themes and plugins are available that are free to use?

I understand the need to support development of good tools with commercial products and that these products often offer support that a free, open-source tool cannot provide. If you are running a large site or plan to scale quickly then you need to be investing in the tools that can support your future plans. However if you are a hobbyist, non-profit or other organization that cannot afford the costs of various commercial addon's and themes, then you too are more than likely looking for the same sort of information.

Good news! During the summer of 2024 I decided to try to answer this question and compiled a list of sixty-five themes (both traditional and Full Site Editing - aka: block themes) that you can use for free. In addition these themes are offered as free premium themes - many are open-source. This means no more nagging you to upgrade the theme to the pro version!

At the time the research was done the production version of WordPress was 6.62. Obviously the platform continues to be upgraded. Many of these themes will work with the current 6.x version of WordPress without issue. I always recommend backing up your site before applying a new theme.

Let me say that again - back up your site before applying a new theme. If you need a good backup tool then look at the sister article to this one - TBD. If you want to experiment with a theme then try using a temporary Word Press environment like ZipWP.. Note that some of these themes may recommend a plugin for optimal operation - in all cases these are optional. I have made notes on the themes that recommend additional addons. Themes listed are classic unless specifically noted as a Block Theme.

  1. Activello (suggests a free WP Import Plugin – not required)
  2. GO from GoDaddy.com
  3. Ollie – (Block Theme)
  4. SemPress
  5. Pixova Lite (requests a non-free plugin by a 3rd party – not required)
  6. Vantage
  7. Auberge
  8. Mesa (Block Theme)
  9. Pineapple (Block Theme)
  10. Zino (Block Theme)
  11. Sparkling (Recommends Kali Forms – not required)
  12. Blaskan
  13. Dazzling
  14. Newspaper X (recommends installing an importer and importing sample data – optional)
  15. Travelify
  16. Hemingway
  17. Unite (wedding theme)
  18. Photozoom
  19. Verbosa
  20. Lovecraft
  21. Rowling
  22. Chronus
  23. Clearbook
  24. Gemma (Block Theme)
  25. Harrison
  26. Maxwell
  27. Occasio
  28. Ambitio (Block Theme)
  29. Charta (Block Theme)
  30. Driven (Block Theme)
  31. Lawson (Block Theme)
  32. Smartcube (Block Theme)
  33. Ankur (Block Theme)
  34. Hakoniwa (Block Theme)
  35. Inkling (Block Theme)
  36. Kigen (Block Theme)
  37. Prime FSE (Block Theme)
  38. Taza (Block Theme)
  39. The Canvas (Block Theme)
  40. Aeonium (Block Theme)
  41. Basal FSE (Block Theme)
  42. Frost (Block Theme)
  43. Indite
  44. Paira
  45. Receptar
  46. Michelle
  47. Modern
  48. Reykjavik
  49. ClubBlocks (Block Theme)
  50. Dark Pastel (Block Theme)
  51. MonoWP (Block Theme)
  52. Twenty Twenty-four (Block Theme)
  53. Twenty Twenty-Three (Block Theme)
  54. Twenty Twenty-Two (Block Theme)
  55. Twenty Twenty-One
  56. Twenty Twenty
  57. Twenty Nineteen
  58. Twenty Seventeen
  59. Twenty Sixteen
  60. Twenty Fifteen
  61. Twenty Fourteen
  62. Twenty Thirteen
  63. Twenty Twelve
  64. Twenty Eleven
  65. Twenty Ten

Let me know which one is your favorite. Also - do you know of a theme that is fully unemcumbered? Let me know and I will add it to the list.

About the author

Brad Moore

Brad Moore

Brad Moore is an on-again, off-again web developer; hobbyist programmer; writer; blogger; deacon and Sunday school teacher. He lives with his wife along the Ohio river in Kentucky, USA. He has three grown kids and one cat named Arthur.