- Key Takeaways
- 1. Be Theme
- 2. Kalium – Creative Theme for Professionals
- 3. Pro
- 4. Newspaper
- 5. Uncode – Creative Multiuse WordPress Theme
- 6. TheGem – Creative Multi-Purpose High-Performance WordPress Theme
- 7. Houzez
- 8. The Core
- 9. ListingPro Directory WordPress Theme
- 10. XStore – Responsive WooCommerce Theme
- Summing Up
- Frequently Asked Questions about Top WordPress Themes
Key Takeaways
- Premium WordPress themes can greatly simplify the process of creating a responsive website, allowing businesses to focus on creating an engaging user experience. The top themes listed include Be Theme, Kalium, Pro, Newspaper, Uncode, TheGem, Houzez, The Core, ListingPro Directory, and XStore.
- Each of these WordPress themes offers unique features and capabilities. For instance, Be Theme offers over 300 pre-built websites that cater to different business niches, while Kalium is an award-winning theme ideal for creative agencies, bloggers, or online store owners. On the other hand, ListingPro Directory is the perfect solution for creating a directory site like Yelp or Zomato.
- Selecting a top WordPress theme requires considering key features such as responsiveness, SEO-friendliness, customization options, speed, compatibility with popular plugins, and regular updates. While free WordPress themes can be a good starting point, they often lack the advanced features and support offered by premium themes.
This article was sponsored by BAWMedia. Thank you for supporting the partners who make SitePoint possible.
Web design trends change over the years. Some trends come and go. Others become permanent fixtures.
Such is the case with responsive websites. The number of Internet shoppers that primarily rely on mobile devices has grown. The need for retina-ready, responsive websites has grown as well — almost in lockstep.
Some time ago, a responsive website could give any business a competitive advantage. Today, a responsive website is imperative if a business wishes to have an online presence.
Fortunately, most premium WordPress themes make creating a responsive website a breeze. This includes the ThemeForest products highlighted here.
You don’t have to worry about what’s needed. Any of these themes will ensure your website pages will display correctly on all devices. You can focus entirely on creating an engaging UX.
These top themes make it easy to do that.
1. Be Theme
Every website project has its challenges. If your work involves creating websites for a diverse clientele, purchasing a multipurpose WordPress theme such as Be Theme usually makes the most sense.
Be Theme is a premium theme in terms of its features, performance, and support — and its selection of more than 300 pre-built websites has you covered. They address more than 30 different business niche categories, and the most common website types as well – portfolios, blogs, eCommerce sites, and one-page websites.
Finding the right theme for a given business or niche typically takes but a few minutes. Since they are customizable, it’s easy to convert a close fit into a perfect match. It takes a single-click to install a theme, saving you even more time.
Thanks to Muffin Builder, the Options Panel, shortcodes, and a host of other core features, you’ll find building a responsive website is an easy task, with no need to write code.
2. Kalium – Creative Theme for Professionals
Kalium is another multipurpose theme you should check out. It’s a creative theme designed by professionals. While it was also designed for professionals, you don’t have to be an experienced web designer to use it. Kalium is easy to use, responsive, requires no coding, and includes a host of demo sites, layouts, shortcodes, premium plugins, and other special features you’ll need to build award-winning websites. Especially noteworthy is the large collection of shop layouts.
A recipient of several best-in-industry awards, and a web-building tool that currently enjoys ThemeForest’s top rating, you can be confident of providing your clients with products that will meet or exceed their expectations. Kalium is an especially good choice if your clientele consists largely of creative agencies, bloggers, or online store owners.
3. Pro
Some WordPress themes force you into a trial-and-error approach to website building — one that can lead to substandard results and lower productivity.
Pro offers a better way. This responsive WP theme was designed for those who prefer following a logical, building-block web design approach. Pro’s approach is centered around 3 primary building blocks, a Header Builder, a Content Builder, and a Footer Builder. These, in turn, are supported by secondary building blocks (presets) and a host of design elements and options.
The principle behind the Header Builder is “if you can think of it, you can create it”. The Content Builder’s drag-and-drop feature is easy to use, and its workflow optimization features are designed to give your productivity efforts a helping hand. Footers are seldom works of art, or significant contributors to a site’s UX — but with the Footer Builder, you can change that!
One more thing: You can work with Pro from your browser.
4. Newspaper
What is the best approach when building a responsive news or magazine website? You can struggle with a multipurpose theme, or you can choose a dedicated WordPress theme, with features designed for the publishing industry. Newspaper is the best-selling template for the publishing industry, providing a powerful frontend page builder, drag-and-drop functionality, elements for landing pages, premium widgets, intelligent ads, and beautiful layouts.
With 48+ ready-made demos that focus on subjects like technology, arts, sports, health, food or architecture, any website can be built without coding skills.
5. Uncode – Creative Multiuse WordPress Theme
Uncode has everything needed to build responsive award-winning websites. Other premium WordPress themes can say the same, so what makes Uncode different? One reason is that this pixel-perfect theme provides an ideal solution to a web designer tasked with creating high quality portfolios or blogs for extremely picky clients.
One of its most useful capabilities is the centered mobile menu feature — a feature greatly favored by the mobile crowd.
6. TheGem – Creative Multi-Purpose High-Performance WordPress Theme
TheGem is aptly named. This multipurpose theme is an ideal choice for building creative websites, business websites, one page or multipage websites, portfolios, or blogs. TheGem offers more than 70 unique multi-purpose concepts, an array of stunning demo pages, plus flexible page layouts.
No coding is required, and all the elements, layouts, and styles you pick can be freely combined. The package even comes with a ready-to-launch fashion store!
7. Houzez
With this specialty theme, its super-easy to create a website that even the most demanding real estate agent or agency would fall in love with, and do so in record time.
Houzez’ features range from radius and advanced search capabilities and geolocations, to listings options, payment options, and memberships.
8. The Core
The Core is a great choice if your clientele largely consists of business and corporate types. Still, this multipurpose, responsive WordPress theme is flexible and versatile enough to be able to claim that if you can envision it, you can build it.
The Core comes with two great offers: a) you can take it for a free test spin, and b) if you purchase hosting from one of The Core’s hosting partners, this theme, complete with installation and demo import, is yours free of charge.
9. ListingPro Directory WordPress Theme
Anyone wishing to create an online directory service will often discover that finding a theme suitable can be quite a challenge, and nothing short of a specialty theme will get the job done. Don’t worry! ListingPro Directory WordPress theme is the hands-down solution for building a directory site like Yelp or Zomato. It’s not only the #1 best-selling WordPress directory theme, but it also happens to be the only end-to-end WordPress directory solution on the face of the earth!
10. XStore – Responsive WooCommerce Theme
Building an online shop from scratch is the hard way, and the results are not always the best. The more that’s involved, the more that can go wrong. XStore, with its 70+ good-to-go shops, accompanied by specialized page layouts, Visual Composer, and all the eCommerce-oriented plugins you’ll need, is a faster and easier approach that will give you much better results.
XStore is also responsive, a mandatory feature in today’s online retail environment.
Summing Up
A good way to get your 2018 design efforts off to a roaring start is to make sure you have the very best tools to work with. By picking one of these premium themes, you’ll have made that happen.
Whether it’s a multipurpose or more specialized theme you need, you can’t make a bad choice. It’s simply a matter of checking out the WP themes that appeal to you and finding the best match for your needs. Happy hunting!
Frequently Asked Questions about Top WordPress Themes
What are the key features to look for in a top WordPress theme?
When choosing a WordPress theme, it’s important to consider several key features. Firstly, the theme should be responsive, meaning it automatically adjusts to different screen sizes. This is crucial for ensuring your website looks great on all devices. Secondly, the theme should be SEO-friendly to help your website rank higher in search engine results. Other important features include customization options, speed, compatibility with popular plugins, and regular updates for security and functionality improvements.
Are free WordPress themes a good choice?
Free WordPress themes can be a good choice for those on a budget or just starting out. However, they often lack the advanced features and customization options found in premium themes. Additionally, free themes may not offer dedicated support or regular updates. It’s important to choose a free theme from a reputable source to ensure it’s secure and well-coded.
How can I customize my WordPress theme?
Most WordPress themes offer a range of customization options. These may include changing the color scheme, fonts, and layout, adding your logo, and creating custom menus. Some themes also include a drag-and-drop page builder for easy customization. Always check the theme documentation for specific instructions on how to customize the theme.
What is a child theme in WordPress?
A child theme in WordPress is a sub-theme that inherits all the functionality, features, and style of its parent theme. Child themes are a safe way to modify a WordPress theme without affecting the original theme. This means you can update the parent theme without losing your modifications.
How often should I update my WordPress theme?
It’s recommended to update your WordPress theme whenever a new version is released. Regular updates ensure your theme remains compatible with the latest version of WordPress, includes the latest features, and is secure against any known vulnerabilities.
Can I use a single WordPress theme on multiple sites?
Yes, you can use a single WordPress theme on multiple sites. However, each site will require its own license if you’re using a premium theme. Always check the theme’s license agreement for specific details.
How can I make my WordPress theme load faster?
There are several ways to make your WordPress theme load faster. These include using a good hosting provider, optimizing images, minimizing CSS and JavaScript files, using a caching plugin, and limiting the number of plugins installed on your site.
What is a WordPress theme framework?
A WordPress theme framework is a code library used as a foundation for creating your own themes. It provides a set of standards for theme developers to follow, ensuring consistency and best practices. Using a theme framework can speed up the development process and provide a robust base for your theme.
Can I change my WordPress theme without losing content?
Yes, you can change your WordPress theme without losing content. However, you may need to reconfigure some settings and reassign menus and widgets. It’s always a good idea to backup your site before changing themes.
How can I preview a WordPress theme before installing it?
WordPress allows you to live preview a theme before installing it. From your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Themes > Add New. Browse or search for a theme, then click the “Preview” button to see how it looks on your site.