If you’re a developer looking to build a WordPress website from scratch, you may want to consider using a starter theme. A starter theme is a bare-bones WordPress theme that provides you with the essential files and code needed to build a custom WordPress website. By using a starter theme, you can save time and effort by not having to build everything from scratch.
In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the best WordPress starter themes available in 2023, based on our research and analysis of various sources.
Kava
The Kava Theme is a free, multi-purpose WordPress theme developed by Crocoblock. It is designed to be a perfect match with the Elementor page builder and the JetPlugins set, which includes a variety of premium plugins for building custom WordPress websites. The theme comes with a variety of pre-built templates and demos, making it easy to get started with building a professional website. The Kava Theme is highly customizable, with a range of design options and settings available through the WordPress Customizer. It is also optimized for speed and performance, ensuring that your website loads quickly and runs smoothly.
Pro
- modern, clean look
- neatly translated
- many options
- Pro version/extensions not really necessary
- some free demo sites
Con
- extentions quite expensive: 40 for 1site, 130 for 25 sites, 520 for 25sites lifetime
Generatepress
GeneratePress is a popular and versatile WordPress theme that is known for its speed, flexibility, and ease of use. It is a lightweight theme that prioritizes performance and accessibility, making it a great choice for anyone looking to build a fast and responsive WordPress website. GeneratePress is highly customizable, with a range of design options and settings available through the WordPress Customizer. It is also compatible with popular page builders like Elementor and Beaver Builder, allowing you to easily create custom layouts and designs. The theme is available in both a free and premium version, with the premium version offering additional features and functionality.
Pro
- very fast
- clean
- Good element hook system to insert elements in the layout
Con
- slightly more boring designs
- Layout system only works for the main standard page types
OceanWP
OceanWP is a popular and versatile WordPress theme that is known for its flexibility, ease of use, and powerful features. It is a lightweight and highly customizable theme that offers a range of pre-built templates and demos to help you get started with building your website quickly. OceanWP is optimized for performance and speed, ensuring that your website loads quickly and runs smoothly. It is also compatible with popular page builders like Elementor and Beaver Builder, allowing you to easily create custom layouts and designs. The theme is available in both a free and premium version, with the premium version offering additional features and functionality.
Pro
- free in crocoblock package
- ready skins for many themes
Con
- no German translation
Neve
Neve is a popular and fast WordPress theme that is known for its lightweight and mobile-first design. It is a versatile theme that is suitable for a wide range of websites, including blogs, small businesses, startups, agencies, e-commerce shops, and personal portfolio sites. Neve is highly customizable, with a range of design options and settings available through the WordPress Customizer. It is also compatible with popular page builders like Elementor and Beaver Builder, allowing you to easily create custom layouts and designs. The theme comes with a variety of pre-built templates and demos, making it easy to get started with building a professional website. Neve is available in both a free and premium version, with the premium version offering additional features and functionality.
Pro
- some free demo sites
Con
- very minimalistic design
- individual header/footer only with Pro
- 99€ with for unlimited sites
Astra
Astra is a premium WordPress theme for developers. It comes with over 180+ starter themes and ready-made websites to launch a website quickly. The starter themes by Astra are built for different business niches, and you’ll most likely find a perfect demo site to match your requirements.
Pro
- more demo sites
- from agency also ultimate elements inclusive
- per always for unlimited sites
- very fast
Con
- Design slightly simpler than Ocean
- without pro fewer design options
- lifetime license quite expensive
Sage
Sage is a powerful and flexible starter theme for WordPress development. With its Webpack-based setup, Sage enables you to write stylesheets with SASS, proofread your JavaScript for errors, optimize images, enable synchronized browser testing, and more. Sage comes with the latest version of Bootstrap.
_tk Starter Theme
The _tk Starter Theme is another mobile-first WordPress starter theme that delivers the tools you need to build your own site with no fuss and no mess. Based on Underscores and Bootstrap, the theme comes just with the WordPress files and stylesheets you need to build a fully functional website.
Buntington
Buntington is a WordPress starter theme suitable for education or non-profit built on underscore starter theme and can be customized using SiteOrigin page builder and Kirki customizer.
Beans
Beans is an innovative WordPress starter theme for developers. It is highly flexible with responsive content and adaptive images. The theme is SEO friendly and built with an ultimate frontend library to set up and customize your website.
StudioPress Genesis
The Genesis Framework from StudioPress is one of the most famous starter themes in the industry. Largely because Genesis started shortly after WordPress itself was launched, and the advanced features of Genesis quickly attracted a significant and loyal customer base.
WP Bootstrap Starter
WP Bootstrap Starter is a mobile-first WordPress starter theme based on the Bootstrap 4.x framework. The theme comes with a clean and modern design, and it’s highly customizable with the help of the WordPress Customizer.
Understrap
Understrap is a WordPress starter theme that combines the Underscores starter theme and the Bootstrap framework. The theme is highly customizable and comes with a variety of pre-built templates and layouts to help you get started quickly.
Gantry
Gantry is a powerful and flexible WordPress starter theme that comes with a drag-and-drop page builder and a variety of pre-built templates and layouts. The theme is highly customizable and offers a wide range of design options to help you create a unique and professional website.
BlankSlate
BlankSlate is a minimalistic WordPress starter theme that provides you with a clean slate to build your own custom website. The theme comes with no pre-built templates or styles, giving you complete control over the design and functionality of your website.
These are just a few of the best WordPress starter themes available in 2023. Each of these themes offers unique features and benefits that make them suitable for different types of websites and developers. By choosing the right starter theme for your project, you can save time and effort while building a high-quality, custom WordPress website.
In conclusion, when it comes to choosing the best WordPress starter theme for your project, it’s important to consider your specific needs and goals. By doing your research and choosing a theme that meets your requirements, you can save time and effort