TLDR;
This video presents Darrel Wilson's top 10 WordPress themes for 2023 and beyond, based on weeks of testing. Each theme is summarized with its key features and strengths. The list includes themes suitable for various purposes, from blogs and e-commerce sites to portfolios, and caters to different levels of user experience, from beginners to developers.
- Top Picks: Ohio, Flock, Essentials, Rishi, and Bloxy are highlighted for their unique features and overall value.
- Page Builders: The video considers themes that work well with Gutenberg, Elementor, Divi, and Brizzy page builders.
- Recommendations: The video also recommends syron web hosting as a reliable option for WordPress sites.
Intro [0:00]
Darrel Wilson introduces a video where he presents the top 10 WordPress themes for 2023 and beyond. He and his team tested dozens of themes, exploring their features to narrow down the list. In this video, each theme will be summarized in 2-3 minutes, highlighting their features and what makes them stand out. Darrel encourages viewers to like the video, share their favorite themes in the comments, and request detailed reviews of specific themes. He also promotes Elementor and Divi template kits, offering lifetime access for $99.
Theme 1 [1:48]
The Spectra One theme is designed for use with the Gutenberg editor, aiming to simplify the design process. It recommends installing the Spectra Builder plugin, which provides access to columns, rows, and other elements. The theme allows users to enable specific block extensions and offers options for templates, version control, and performance integrations. It includes various design options like navigational styles, page templates, and patterns. The Spectra One plugin also offers a scroll-to-top feature and allows users to adjust the layout, content width, and element justification. Responsive settings enable hiding specific sections for different devices, similar to Elementor. Users can make blocks sticky and change HTML elements. The theme also offers display conditions to show specific blocks to certain users based on their operating system or browser. The Spectra One theme provides unique blocks and styles, simplifying website creation. While there is no provision for a theme builder, upgrading the Spectra One plugin unlocks features like a pop-up builder, loop builder, and dynamic content. Darrel rates this theme 8 out of 10, praising its helpfulness with Gutenberg but noting the need for more features.
Theme 2 [4:47]
The Ohio theme is presented as a creative and modern WordPress theme, suitable for showcasing projects and portfolios. It includes unique elements and styles, along with stunning demos. Upon installation, the dashboard provides access to the registration system, status, and support articles. The demo importer allows users to import templates directly onto their websites. While mainly geared towards portfolios and projects, it can also be used for blogs or e-commerce websites. The theme settings are robust but can be initially overwhelming. Ohio offers seven different unique menu styles, including a vertical menu, along with basic options like logo upload and page layouts. It features a theme builder that allows assigning specific headers and footers for individual pages or categories, but creating one from scratch requires Elementor Pro. Each page and section has options for enabling preloaders, dark toggle mode, and a color mode switcher, which allows customizing the light and dark mode colors. The Ohio theme includes five different blog post layouts and offers 20 different modules, including a custom Elementor blog module with six styles. It excels in portfolio settings, offering various display options with tilt effects and drop shadows. Darrel rates this theme 9 out of 10 for its portfolio capabilities and creative design. It is available on ThemeForest for a one-time payment of $59.
Theme 3 [7:50]
The Flock theme is described as an underrated WordPress theme with a beautiful dashboard that provides access to the theme customizer, template kits, tutorials, and system status. It offers various template kits that can be imported with one click, catering to different needs. Users can also import specific blocks and add them to their template library. The theme includes a general tab for layouts and typography, along with unique animation styles for page loading. A pre-loader can be added by selecting a logo. The appearance tab allows changing global colors and adding a website frame with a specific color. Unique skins are available for video player elements, audio player modules, and pagination. The Flock theme has a contact form option that integrates with the modules, allowing users to build custom contact forms. While the theme customizer lacks a header and footer builder, it offers a builder for the Elementor page builder, allowing users to import and customize headers and footers. The Flock theme is suitable for building blogs, offering several styles and layouts for blog pages and single post pages. It includes 10 unique layout styles, a grid layout, and options for displaying post info and author details. Various load more options are available for blog archive pages, along with styling options for the sidebar. The post options allow displaying a sidebar on either side, adjusting the content style, and using a light box. The theme offers 30+ elements for the Elementor page builder, along with a scroll-to-top button, breadcrumbs, and a custom 404 page. It also includes a custom login page, maintenance mode, and a coming soon page. The WooCommerce options are limited, mainly allowing adjustments to the sidebar and providing a standard layout for shop and single product pages. The pro version offers more WooCommerce customization options. Page options allow adjusting header templates, title bar settings, background style, and sidebar layouts for each page. The pro version costs $39 for one website and includes 80+ more templates, header layouts, a modernized product page, and a diverse portfolio page. Darrel rates this theme 9 out of 10, noting the lack of copyright for images in the demo importer and the need for more templates, which the pro version addresses.
Theme 4 [11:33]
The Astra theme is highlighted as the most popular WordPress theme on wordpress.org, known for its 250+ templates that can be easily imported. These templates work with Elementor, Beaver Builder, Gutenberg, and Brizzy, although Brizzy needs to be enabled in the general options. The theme features a simple header and footer builder with drag-and-drop elements and a canvas mode for mobile devices. Transparent menus are available in the free version. The general options include typography settings for up to six headers, global colors for changing the website's color scheme, and a button feature for globally changing button styles. It also offers a scroll-to-top feature, spacing options for Gutenberg, and smooth scroll. Astra provides container options for pages, posts, blog pages, and archive pages. The blogging features allow hiding or showing elements like comments, categories, authors, date, and time. However, it lacks design options, offering only one generic blog layout and a limited single post page with no image size adjustment in the free version. Darrel finds Astra lacking for blogging features but considers it a solid foundation for beginners. The e-commerce features are basic, allowing adjustments to the shop page by adding rows, columns, and showing/hiding elements. The single product page is limited to adjusting the container layout and sidebar. Astra offers annual and lifetime pricing plans, with templates and Astra Pro sold separately. The basic Astra Pro plan includes only Astra Pro, while the essential plan includes templates, and the growth bundle includes all Astra plugins, themes, and templates, along with future products. Darrel rates the Astra theme 8 out of 10, praising its stable code quality, fast performance, and SEO-friendliness, but noting its shortcomings in features.
Theme 5 [14:20]
The Rishi theme was recently removed from wordpress.org but is still available for free download on their website. It offers around 25 starter templates for various niches like agencies, software companies, and photography websites. Users can import single pages or entire packs. To access all features, users need to activate extensions like cookie consent, reading progress bar, and social sharing. The theme customizer is structured by general options, post pages, and WordPress defaults. The header and footer builder is intuitive and user-friendly, with more elements available in the free version. The footer builder follows the same format as the header builder. Rishi supports up to six tags for independent customization and includes SEO options like a separator and breadcrumbs. The theme offers four different layouts for designing the blog and archive page, allowing users to adjust the page title, alignment, and style. The single post page allows adjusting the size of the featured image and customizing the post meta and title. One notable template is the affiliate marketing template, which allows users to create affiliate marketing blog posts. The e-commerce features provide layouts like left sidebar, right sidebar, or full width for the single product page. Cool options include enabling a light box and zoom effect, but product width cannot be adjusted. The performance tab includes a built-in optimizer for lazy load and excluding specific images. Rishi is ideal for building basic websites, with the pro version offering advanced blogging features like ad blocker, multiple author credibility, sticky promo, and affiliate disclosure. The Rishi theme offers three different plans: personal for $49, professional for $99, and agency for unlimited websites for $149, with lifetime plans also available. Darrel rates the Rishi theme 10 out of 10, praising the many free features and the additional features available in the pro version.
Recommendation [17:39]
Darrel recommends syron web hosting as a fast and reliable option, noting that it has been tested for the last 6 months. The test recorded only 34 minutes of downtime over 6 months with a 99.99% uptime. Sites load at around 1.5 seconds with syron. syron allows users to adjust PHP levels and memory limits to accommodate WordPress themes. A link to syron is provided in the video description, offering a free domain upon signup. The grow big plan is recommended for hosting unlimited domains.
Theme 6 [19:09]
The Essentials theme is described as one of the most underrated themes, personally used by Darrel on his website. Upon installation, a setup wizard prompts users to choose their page builder (Elementor or WP Bakery) and recommends installing plugins. Users need to link their pixord account to activate the theme. The theme offers starter templates with modern and professional designs. Users can import templates directly onto their website. The theme options can be confusing for first-time users, with popups, headers, and footers serving as the theme builder. Users can apply different headers on various pages and import pre-made templates from Elementor. Custom headers can be built from scratch using their header builder and assigned to various pages. Custom popups can be built with triggers like exit intent and scroll. The import demo section offers popups, mega menus, portfolios, and WooCommerce products. The Essentials theme includes modern elements for the Elementor page builder, with access to blocks from demo websites in the Elementor library. It offers 30+ elements with styling options for each module. The theme options include general requirements, sidebars, cookie consent, and a custom 404 page. Users can display a banner at the top of their website for sales. The Essentials theme offers several blog layouts and post styles. It works great for portfolios, offering four different styles, and supports e-commerce websites with unique styling for products. Darrel rates this theme 10 out of 10, suggesting the addition of a table of content element for the blog.
Theme 7 [22:58]
The Divi theme has been a popular WordPress theme for a long time, known for its visual drag-and-drop page builder that beginners can learn quickly. Divi comes with more than 1,700 templates. The pricing offers lifetime access for unlimited domains for $249, making it ideal for web designers. Upon installation, users need to activate their license to access the templates. When creating a page, users can start from scratch, import a pre-made template, or clone a website. Users select the number of columns and then select a module. Each module has three styling tabs: content, design, and advanced. The key difference with Divi is the absence of a left sidebar, providing a visual representation of the website in real time. Users can add icons, backgrounds, and import images. Divi includes features like copy and paste and find and replace. Divi has its own theme builder, commerce builder, and dynamic content. The theme builder allows creating custom headers and footers on various parts of the website. Users can create their own shop page using Divi from the ground up, and the Divi theme also has its own product builder. Conditions can be set for all products, specific categories, or just one product. Divi has more than 230 template kits available with more than 1,700 template pages. The Divi theme has a drag-and-drop builder, theme builder, blog post builder, WooCommerce builder, and a visual builder. Purchasing Divi also grants access to the Bloom plugin for email capture forms and the Monarch plugin for social sharing. Darrel rates this theme 10 out of 10, noting the bright future for this theme as it develops and stabilizes.
Theme 8 [26:12]
This section discusses a combination of the Hello Elementor theme and the Brizzy page builder. The Hello Elementor theme is a blank canvas theme, while Brizzy acts as a theme. The Brizzy page builder is user-friendly, with a variety of blocks that simplify website creation. Users can insert a block and design it. Brizzy offers various elements that can be dragged anywhere on the website. Custom headers and footers can be created in the free version by making a row global and adding it to every page. In the pro version, users can set the condition on the entire website. The blocks on the website can be reordered, and the styling can be changed. It also has options like a role manager, maintenance mode, and a template saving area. Darrel rates the Hello Elementor theme 7 out of 10, as it is just a blank canvas. He rates Brizzy 8 out of 10, noting that its development has been slow but it remains a popular page builder.
Theme 9 [27:54]
Bloxy is a multi-purpose theme that works with all page builders, especially Elementor and Gutenberg. Upon starting with Bloxy, users are prompted to install the Bloxy companion, which provides access to starter sites, extensions, and plugins. Bloxy offers starter templates for Elementor, Brizzy, and Gutenberg, ranging from basic websites to blogs to e-commerce websites. The Bloxy theme customizer has a clean format with sections for general options, post types, pages, and core, and it comes with a dark mode. Bloxy has unique layouts where users can adjust the max size, content area spacing, and narrow container width. The free version allows adjusting and designing buttons in the general options and includes options for breadcrumbs. Bloxy generates its own breadcrumbs on the blog page, making them visible and easier to customize. It also has features like scroll to top and a website frame. Bloxy has a simple header builder where users can drag elements onto the header builder. Clicking on the elements provides design options for each element. It also comes with canvas mode for designing headers for mobile devices. The footer with Bloxy works the same as the header. The blogging features with Bloxy have a beautiful format and a customizable sidebar with four styles. Users can adjust the post structure with four layouts and hide specific elements on the blog page. Bloxy offers two different post title styles. Bloxy has several different page structures, making it ideal for all page builders. Bloxy also has unique features that allow designing the author page. It has a special extension for affiliate marketing with a product reviews feature. The WooCommerce features in the Bloxy theme have several different styles for displaying products. Users can adjust the rows, columns, or add a sidebar. It also gives two different titles for product pages, and the single product page allows hiding features like the reviews, star rating, and meta. The Bloxy theme also comes with a login page. Darrel rates the Bloxy theme 10 out of 10, noting that it offers so much in the free version and is a multi-purpose theme for any type of website.
Theme 10 [31:25]
The Elementor Royal kits theme is dedicated to the Elementor page builder, lacking theme customization options except for basic defaults. Upon installation, users are prompted to install the Royal Elementor add-on plugin, which provides all the features and integrates with the theme. Users can search various elements and temp kits, with about 30 kits available. The Elementor Royal kit comes with 50+ new elements for the Elementor page builder, some of which are available in the pro version of Elementor, while others are unique like an Instagram feed or image hotspot. When using Elementor, users can import pages and blocks, many of which are in the pro version. One feature in the style section is the ability to add particles and Parallax to every background. In the advanced tab, users can use the sticky section to make any element sticky and use custom CSS using the Royal add-ons plugin. The theme has its own custom theme builder, allowing users to make custom headers, footers, archive pages, single post pages, product pages, and shop pages using the free theme builder. However, specific conditions for each section require upgrading to the pro version. The theme builder allows building custom parts of the website and displaying them with specific conditions, overriding the theme settings. While creating a custom header, users can create a mega menu using all the elements in the free version. The theme builder also supports custom product pages from scratch. Users can design the shop page or any page using the custom elements. Custom popups can be made in the free version, but specific conditions require upgrading to the pro version. The pro version comes with 90+ elements for the Elementor page builder, allows using the theme builder on all aspects of the website, and provides access to the conditions. The pro version is affordable, costing $30 a year or $60 for a lifetime. Darrel rates this theme 8 out of 10, liking the idea behind it but noting that some might argue it is hijacking the Elementor page builder.
Honorable Mentions [34:26]
Darrel shares some honorable mentions that didn't make the top 10 list. The Neve theme has always been solid but hasn't added any noticeable features over the past year. The Cadence theme is very similar to the Bloxy theme, with no discernible differences. Darrel believes Cadence got too much inspiration from the Bloxy theme. The Green Shift theme is a block-based theme for Gutenberg with its own builder and cool block-based elements. However, Darrel experienced fatal errors and PHP problems while using the theme. The Bricks theme is not intuitive enough for the average web designer and is more suitable for web developers who want to edit the CSS and div lines.