Essential Free WordPress Themes for 2019 – HappyThemes

Don’t overlook the wide world of free WordPress themes. There was once a time when such themes lagged behind their premium counterparts. In recent years, though, things have changed.

It’s entirely possible to get a great WordPress theme for free in 2019. In fact, for sites of a certain size, there is really no need to invest in a premium theme. The best free themes out there offer an array of features and looks previously hidden behind considerable paywalls. If it’s been a while since you’ve shopped free themes, you may be surprised at what you find.

At the end of the day, though, these are the essential free WordPress themes of 2019.

We start with a free WordPress theme that can be used in so many different ways.

Agama is described as a multi-purpose layout, and that’s absolutely what you get here. This responsive theme boasts some versatile (yet accessible) layout options. It’s basic form even looks like a premium theme (even though there is a premium upgrade available).

Unless you’re going for something very specific that another theme specializes in, then you really can’t go wrong with giving Agama a shot.

Clean, responsive, and versatile are three qualities you typically look for in a WordPress theme. Airi checks all of those boxes.

Airi is primarily designed for smaller operations and individuals. It features a clean layout that helps ensure that content remains the star of the show. Along with that ample space, you’re given access to some nice interface options that offer expanded interaction opportunities.

This is a great theme for those looking for more of a blank space to make their own.

You can’t underestimate ease-of-use when you’re talking about a free WordPress theme. After all, free WordPress themes aren’t often sought after by professionals. They’re for individuals and smaller organizations looking for something simple.

This is where Astra comes into play. With its easy build interface and pre-made options, it’s one of the most accessible WordPress themes that you’re likely to find. It’s also quite good looking (if perhaps a little plain without some customization).

Astra is a fantastic way to get a blog or portfolio off-the-ground and looking good in just a short amount of time.

Flash is more than just a name. This incredibly responsive free WordPress theme shouldn’t give you any trouble when it comes to user accessibility.

Yet, where this theme really stands apart is via its customizability. Actually, the use of custom widgets here is something of a rare treat for a free WordPress theme. You don’t often see a free theme afford you such opportunities for creative customization.

That makes Flash one of the best choices in this class if you’re looking to make your theme your own.

Looking for a modern magazine theme that doesn’t sacrifice performance? GreatMag could just be what you’ve been searching for.

GreatMag’s layout is certainly among the top of its class in this particular field. Its grid design helps put both media and text in prominent positions. That means that it effectively supports a variety of magazine types and layouts.

Add some incredible widget support on top of it all, and you’ve got a brilliant little free magazine theme for new users and maybe even some vets.

Don’t underestimate the appeal of a one-page WordPress theme. They may seem limited, but they’re often the perfect vehicle for relaying certain information.

Hestia is one of the best one-page free WordPress themes out there. It’s got style to spare, and it offers you a surprising amount of freedom in terms of the final design. That said, this theme emphasizes performance above all else, and that’s absolutely what you get from it.

This is one of the most popular free WordPress themes of its type for a good reason. It’s a great blend of minimalism and performance.

Just Read offers you about what the name suggests. It’s a free WordPress theme that focuses on minimizing distractions and maximizing space for writing.

That makes it an excellent option for small blogs or even portfolios that are trying to focus on text. Just Read may be simple, but it actually stands out due to its lack of modern interface encumbrances. You’d be surprised how eye-catching it is while you’re browsing.

Yet, it’s Just Read’s performance and general functionality that makes it an easy recommendation for the right kind of user.

The online magazine theme is one of the most popular out there. They’re not only usually incredible to look at, but they genuinely excel at relaying sometimes complicated amounts of information.

Madd Magazine is particularly good at that last part. With its grid-based layout, it perfectly emulates the basic design of some of the world’ most popular websites. Honestly, you won’t even be able to tell that it’s a free theme.

This SEO-optimized website is a tremendous solution for everyone looking to start the next great online magazine.

There’s a reason why speed and responsiveness are so highly valued amongst WordPress site builders. You can always customize a site to your liking. Ensuring that a theme is truly fast and responsive is another matter entirely.

That’s one of the reasons why Neve is so beloved. This free theme is designed with mobile integration in mind, which means that it’s also designed to be incredibly fast. This theme is also surprisingly customizable, so don’t expect to sacrifice too much in that department.

Still, this is a theme that we primarily recommend if you’re looking for speed and reliability above all else.

When it comes to multipurpose themes, it’s really hard to go wrong with OceanWP.

Simply put, this is one of the most versatile free WordPress themes on the market. There are very few elements of this theme that can’t be modified in some way. What that means is that it’s not really a theme meant for any one kind of design style. That can be intimidating, but whatever look you’re going for, OceanWP will likely wear it well.

It certainly doesn’t hurt that OceanWP runs well and looks good on mobile. Put it all together, and you’ve got a theme that fits just about any need.

It’s not easy to find a great free WordPress theme designed for professionals and businesses. To be honest, at a certain point, you’re usually better off going premium.

However, OnePress does present a compelling alternative. This wonderfully designed theme is one of the cleanest that we’ve seen in terms of eliminating clutter. That also means that its fast and responsive. While not the most customizable option, features like a slider do help lend this theme some flair.

Mainly, though, you want to consider this theme for its cleanliness and how it scales well with modest-sized business needs.

Minimalism is more than a buzzword for free wordpress themes. It’s often how such themes manage to stay stylish and functional despite a lack of nicer features. It’s why so many free WordPress themes users opt for a minimalistic look.

Orfeo is certainly one of the better minimalistic themes that you’ll find. The key here is customization. Orfeo presents you with a simple and elegant canvas and then lets you decide how you’re going to fill it out. This helps ensure that your site won’t too closely resemble others running this theme.

Orfeo’s combination of simple and customizable certainly make it worth a look.

While you want more professional-minded themes to emphasize functionality, that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have some style. The best professional themes will make that first introduction that you’re not there to make in person.

That’s where Sydney really sets itself apart among free WordPress themes. It boasts one of the best “first look” layouts you’ll find among themes in this class. Thanks to a variety of layout and font options, you’ll also easily be able to get this theme to look exactly the way that you want it to.

For freelancers and small businesses, this really needs to be one of the first free WordPress themes that you consider.

We love a good multipurpose theme, but there’s something to be said for a theme that does one thing especially well. In the case of Vlogr, that one thing is video blogs and similar uploads.
Vlogr puts individual video posts front-and-center. This makes it more of a companion to a video upload platform than an effective standalone site. However, considering that most uploaders aren’t looking for a standalone site, this is a tremendous companion option.

Vlogr’s functionality is limited, but it’s quite impressive for what it is.

A great store is another one of those things that you don’t typically expect from free WordPress themes. When that’s what you’re looking for, you tend to go with other options.

Zigcy Lite is one of the few free WordPress themes that actually emphasizes the store experience. With its clean layout and wonderful store customization options, it’s entirely possible to run a successful online store via this free theme.

Larger businesses may want to look elsewhere, but you will be shocked by how well this free store theme works.