Ah, choosing a WordPress theme. It sucks, doesn’t it? There are thousands of options, and nearly as many opinions as to which theme is best. In this list, I’ve given you my choice of the best WordPress themes of 2018. I feel like specifying the year is important, because themes are constantly changing, and I’m sure by the end of 2018 I’ll have some new ones to add to this list.
You’ll probably notice that there are only four themes on this list. These are the themes that I find myself coming back to over and over again for various reasons. I feel confident recommending them as the very best WordPress themes out there.
A few things I want to make clear upfront:
- This list is in order, with my favorites at the top.
- In general, I believe that the simpler the theme, the better. As you get into more complicated themes, you tend to see slower site load times, more plugin conflicts, steeper learning curves, and more headaches when it comes to redesigning your site. That said, complex themes do fill an important need in the market, so I’ve included a couple at the end of my list.
Foodie Pro by StudioPress
My very favorite theme framework is Genesis by StudioPress. Genesis is a well-coded, fast and simple framework that is a dream for developers and site owners.
I’d really recommend any of the Genesis themes sold by StudioPress, but Foodie Pro is my favorite and has really earned it spot at the top of the best WordPress themes list. Don’t let the name fool you; this theme works extremely well outside of the food and restaurant space.
In addition to being easy to use, I just love the airy, light feel of Foodie Pro. It gives ample space for imagery, while keeping the core focus on your content.
The downside of this theme, for some users, is that it is relatively basic. You won’t find any visual builders or complicated layouts and animation. That said, you can easily extend the functionality of your site via plugins if there is something specific you are looking to achieve.
Market by Restored 316
For feminine WordPress themes, I usually recommend Restored 316. Founded by Lauren Gaige, these themes are also built on my fave Genesis framework.
You can’t go wrong with any of their themes, but Market is a particular favorite of mine. It supports WooCommerce, which makes it an excellent choice if you think you might be moving into e-commerce in the near future.
I’m not a huge fan of pastel, super-girly themes, but I feel that Market does a good job of incorporating just a touch of femininity in a minimalistic design. I’ve also found that you can really control the amount of femininity in this theme by switching up the images to fit your needs.
Enfold by Kriesi
I have a love/hate relationship with the Enfold theme.
For many clients with small budgets, this theme works extraordinary well. Enfold has a huge variety of demo sites, and if one fits what you are looking for, it’s super simple to import the demo, replace the demo content with your own, and be on your way. The support offered by the theme developer is outstanding, and they even support minor customizations, which is a huge plus.
However, you should be aware that this is a heavy, full-featured theme. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort, you’ll find that you can do a lot of cool things on your site with this theme. Personally, I’ve found that the Visual Composer that Enfold uses is so complicated that users tend to hire a developer or switch themes to something a little more intuitive.
Divi by Elegant Themes
I really struggled with whether or not to include Divi on the best WordPress themes list. In the end, I decided that Divi really is the best theme in certain cases.
Divi is meant for the DIY-er who has lot of time to devote to their website and is relatively tech-savvy. Divi uses the powerful, and very complicated, Divi Builder. This means that you are able to really take control of every aspect of your website, if you’re willing to learn the ins and outs of working with Divi.
However, before you go the Divi route, you should know that Divi doesn’t always play nice with other plugins. Although Divi includes a wide range of layouts and functionality, some plugins tends to break the Divi builder. Not always, but occasionally. Be sure you’re happy being constrained by this theme before you take the leap.
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