In this video, we’ll showcase the 20 best WordPress blog themes for 2017 & 2018.
We’ve reviewed 100’s, if not 1,000s of WordPress themes, taking into account speed,
design, ease of use, mobile responsiveness and functionality to bring you the very best
WordPress blog themes.
Here’s a quick look at a few that made the cut.
We’ll walk you through the aspects where the theme scored well, and let you know the
areas you should be mindful of.
To make life easier, we’ve created a blog post that you can follow along with on the
OHKLYN blog, at ohklyn 0-h-k-l-y-n.com/blog (we’ll add a direct link to the article
in the description below).
There is also a link to our ‘How to Set Up a WordPress Blog’ video for step by step
instructions on how to set up your blog with one of the top featured themes.
As well as a link to discount hosting and a free domain with our affiliate partner bluehost.
If you want to learn more about how we analyze themes, you can check out our article or video
on ‘How to choose a wordpress theme’.
All the links to the themes covered in this video will be in the description box below,
and on the OHKLYN blog post for your reference.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the best WordPress blog themes for 2017
& 2018.
In the top spot, we have Olsen by CSSIgniter.
We liked this theme so much we created a whole tutorial dedicated to getting you up and running
with it.
If you want to follow along check out our ‘How to Set Up a WordPress Blog’ video
which is linked in the description below and can be found on the OHKLYN blog
Cssigniter have some amazing themes, and Olsen is no exception.
This theme will work really well for a fashion, beauty or lifestyle blog, but could also be
used in a number of other scenarios.
The main page has a ton of different widgets, layouts, and navigation options to really
customize the look of your blog.
This theme has a real elegance to it, and manages to include a huge amount of content,
information, and features, without feeling cluttered.
Overall we scored this theme a 9 out of 10.
Despite having a slightly slower page load speed compared to some of the other themes
on this list, Olsen excels in terms of design, ease of use, mobile responsiveness and functionality.
From a design perspective, the visuals are stunning.
The contrast between black, white and full-color images create a very interesting and pleasant
viewing experience.
A gold hover state adds a dash of sophistication, with the default typefaces complementing each
other very nicely.
A classy serif for the main headings and sans-serif for the main text, navigation, buttons and
other bits of information works really well together – The padding, whitespace and lines
that are used, also allows more breathing room for content.
E-commerce is fully integrated into the Olsen theme through WooCommerce, and includes a
“Grouped Products” feature that is simple, yet effective.
All the functionality you would expect in a premium theme is included in the Olsen theme,
as well as some special features such as “lookbooks”, which allow you to show off collections, perfect
for the fashion, beauty or lifestyle blogger.
In addition to that, there is also the ability to feature products within posts, and easily
and stylishly include links to affiliate partners or sponsored placements.
Olsen translates almost perfectly to mobile, including the shop functionality, making this
a very well rounded theme and a perfect candidate for your next blog theme.
In second place, we have ‘The Voux’
Although it may not be for everyone or certain types of blogs, The Voux is an elegant, beautifully
crafted and functional WordPress blog theme that we have fallen in love with.
It has numerous layouts for you to choose from, allowing your creativity and design
style to really shine through.
If you run a food, lifestyle or fashion blog, The Voux may be the perfect fit.
Expect elegant visuals and animations.
We scored ‘The Voux’ a 9 out of 10 overall, and it pretty much killed it in all categories,
scoring an 8 out of 10 for speed and ease of use.
A 9 out of 10 for Design and functionality.
And a perfect 10 for mobile responsiveness, as it is one of the few themes where the mobile
experience is even better than the desktop.
Although a page load speed score of 8 out of 10 may not seem like an overly impressive
score, in this case, it is!
That’s because this site isn’t one of the leanest on this list.
It has a lot of features and uses a lot of media, and still manages to score a perfect
“A” in regards to browser caching, minimizing redirects and request size, as well as avoiding
bad requests.
This proves that the developers put a lot of work into rounding off the edges.
The Voux has a pretty standard navigation menu.
However, it expands in a functional and easy to use mega menu.
It loses some points because of the confusing use of infinite scrolling in article pages
and despite being an image-reliant blog, has no zoom options.
That being said, we had to dig deep to find anything wrong with this design.
Sharp colors are used beautifully on top of images to create some interesting contrasts.
The typography is elegant and also utilizes bright colors to highlight quotes and keep
your eyes engaged.
To enhance the elegance, images softly fade when you hover over them and most menus also
have soothing animations.
The Voux provides built-in e-commerce functionality leveraging WooCommerce.
The simple shopping experience should allow you to sell any kind of product.
For all the bloggers out there, it’s good to know that social media is integrated into
every single detail of this theme.
Every page and every piece of content can be shared, liked or pinned.
Rounding out the top three, is ‘The blogger’
Aptly named, TheBlogger is a good all-rounder.
It performs well above average in most departments and overall scored an 8 out of 10.
The minimalist look and feel of this theme might make you think it is lightweight, but
it has one of the biggest feature ranges and customization options in this list.
This theme is towards the bottom of the list in terms of of speed, however, just like Olsen,
this theme makes up for its low score in this area with its tasteful design and array of
features.
The developers should put more work into browser caching where it scored dismally low compared
to the straight A’s it got in other departments.
Despite all its features, TheBlogger still has a very simple and easy-to-use design.
It features a standard mega menu that allows for easy navigation between sections.
The shopping section is really well done with a simple number box to increase quantity and
a nice tab design to switch between product information.
The image sliders functionality is also easy-to-use which is great for bloggers!
We’re a fan of simplicity in design, and TheBlogger nailed this!
The design overwhelmingly makes use of black artifacts on a white backdrop – Images in
turn have white typography or shapes on them.
This gives the design plenty of breathing space.
The theme also makes good use of some parallax in its images.
This theme completely changes its appearance for mobile.
You’d almost not recognize it if you didn’t know it was the same theme.
Our only concern is the very shallow navigation that can make you scratch your head a bit
on how to get to a certain page.
The developers pride themselves on giving their clients a huge amount of customization
options and include one of the biggest pre-set layout ranges you will see in this list.
There are also a bunch of custom widgets supporting different social media platforms like Instagram
and Facebook.
All images also have lightbox support, so you can zoom in till your heart’s content.
The next WordPress theme is Foodica
We scored this theme an 8 out of 10 overall, with it’s design, ease of use, and mobile
responsiveness really standing out.
Foodica just missed out on our top 3, but could easily make it in any other list.
If the name hasn’t given it away, this blog theme is all about food!
It has great article templates for recipes and ingredient lists.
The design is also clean and elegant, with good use of white space and modern, readable
fonts.
It is easily one of the most attractive themes in this list.
All the color layout options play well into the food topic, and features simply and easy
to use navigation.
eCommerce enabled with extensive widgets and features, Foodica is ‘the theme’ to use
if you’re running or starting a food blog.
The next WordPress theme is Writing, which earned an 8 out of 10.
This theme is a picture of simplicity.
Interestingly, this blog theme seems to be geared towards artisans.
With it’s minimal and clean design encouraging readers to indulge in the content, this theme
is ideal for sharing your handiwork, creativity, or prose with the world.
What lets this theme down slightly is it’s slower page load speed, and it’s limited
features.
Although, just like Foodica, it uses white space and standard navigation really well
to provide an easy-to-use experience.
This theme is a shining example of minimalism.
The next WordPress theme is Paperbag
Scoring an overall 8 out of 10, this theme has somewhat of a hipster vibe.
This theme comes from the same creators as Olsen and shares most of its merits.
It shares the same features, navigation and is all round very similar.
Unfortunately, this includes having a slower page load speed, compared to some of its peers.
Olsen has the upper hand when it comes to design, however, large readable fonts, and
a wide range of layouts are a huge plus.
This theme has a lot of the features you would want in a blog theme including a number of
custom widgets, easy social media and newsletter integration and a clean and minimal design.
Unlike the Olsen theme, Paperbag doesn’t include eCommerce integration.
So if that’s important to you, go with Olsen instead.
The next WordPress theme is The Chatter
We gave this theme an overall rating of 8 out of 10.
The Chatter is a good looking blog theme.
Every font, color, and graphical element feels suave and sophisticated.
It’s also intuitive and very easy to use, and includes some unique blog features.
This is a well balanced theme and runs off The Core, Themefuse’s theme infrastructure
that allows for easy customization, and advanced features.
When you purchase this theme you get access to a number of other layouts and designs as
part of their core offering.
The mobile experience is also fantastic in that it’s not just a resized version, but
they solve some smaller display problems in unique ways, with great navigation.
The next WordPress theme is Supergrid Boasting an overall score of 8 out of 10 this
theme features a fully responsive and adaptive grid layout which is quite unique.
Perfect for a lifestyle, magazine, or viral news style blog.
These types of blogs can often seem tacky, however, Super Grid brings some style to the
genre.
There aren’t many layout options, but it does what it’s meant to do, and as far as
Grid layouts go, this one is a winner.
E-commerce is available and the shopping experience is straightforward.
It offers plenty of space for advertising and has a unique tag cloud feature.
It also adapts well to mobile screens.
With a minimal design that really brings your content into focus, there is nothing to complain
about – Its simplistic nature also makes it the fastest blog theme on this list.
The next WordPress theme is It’s a Wrap
This is a unique theme, scoring an 8 out of 10
This one is for is for all the vloggers out there.
Tesla themes dramatic and visually appealing style seems to suit the entertainment industry
perfectly.
Wrap, or it’s a wrap would be an ideal blog theme for a vlogger, or someone focusing on
the movie or entertainment industry.
This theme features a number of unique layouts, all of which are straight to the point, yet
flexible and deal well with video elements and images.
There is also a unique ‘submit your video’ feature, which allows users to submit video
content.
Because they kept it simple the theme responds well on other displays to provide a consistent
user experience.
The next WordPress theme is The Motion
We graded this theme 8 out of 10 overall.
As you can see this theme scored reasonably well across all categories, our only concern
is that the design isn’t overly inspiring.
It’s very square and to the point, however, we realize that may suit certain types of
blogs and design styles.
It’s one of the few blogs on this list dedicated to video content and has some specific features,
for example, a YouTube-ish widget next to videos which highlights related videos and/or
the next videos in the series, which is great if you’re in the vlogging, education, or
digital product space.
It also supports WooCommerce, to easily integrate an online store.
The next WordPress theme is MyBlog
Which scored an 8 out of 10.
MyBlog is lightning fast and is in the top 3 for page speed.
It does depend slightly on which design you choose, for example, the gaming skin understandably
performs a little worse.
All of the styles feel like the use of color and typography needs an update and some refinement.
Other than that though, the navigation, layout options, and mobile responsiveness all tick
the box.
This theme includes eCommerce functionality and comes with a number of pre-defined layouts
to get up and running quickly.
The next WordPress theme is Relive
This theme earned an overall grade of 8 out of 10
The look of this theme is nothing short of spectacular.
It’s one of the few themes that has very little white space, but manages to pull it
off!
As you can expect with all the imagery, it’s a little slower than some of its counterparts.
Relive however, would make an excellent travel and experience blog.
It doesn’t have much in terms of functionality, and it’s not really geared towards bloggers
that want to run an online shop.
However, for any of the thrill seekers, adventurers, and explorers out there, this theme is worth
a look.
The only small fault with the design is that some links aren’t clickable for the whole
area, only the text is clickable, which is an easy fix if you know a little CSS.
We are putting together a CSS fundamentals course for WordPress at the moment, which
could help skill you up in this space.
To learn more head to courses.ohklyn.com and sign up to our newsletter to be notified and
receive a discount.
The next WordPress theme is BuzzBlog, which scored 7 out of 10 overall
What we like about this theme is that it’s one of the only themes on this list with zoomable
images!
It’s another theme that leans towards that hipster vibe, and features a one-click demo
content import tool which is an awesome feature.
It’s a very cool theme, but feels a little washed out.
We don’t love the textured backgrounds but they do add a little character, similarly
the choice of gray doesn’t quite feel right, however, the good news is, this can be easily
customized.
BuzzBlog gets points for having e-commerce support, a bunch of features, and some pretty
hover animations.
The next WordPress theme is Brixton
We gave this theme a 7 out of 10.
This theme has a very modern / trendy vibe that would be a perfect match for a fashion,
beauty, lifestyle, high-end travel, or shopping blog.
It has a real elegance and sophistication to it, with its minimalistic design and nice
use of CSS animation and general styling.
What lets this theme down is its page speed, and lack of features, namely eCommerce support.
Other than that though, it’s an attractive and eclectic theme with a number of layout
options, widgets, and styles to choose from.
The next WordPress theme is The Essence
With a score of 7 out of 10, This theme had the potential to be great, but unfortunately
settled for good.
With an elegant and feminine design this theme does a lot of things right, and looks great
on all devices.
The navigation is solid and has some unique elements.
The theme also comes with a number of custom widgets and features, which helps to really
customize your blog.
However, the lack of hover states on links, buttons, and images leave you feeling a little
emotionally detached.
These things can easily be fixed with some custom CSS, but they really should have thought
about this.
The lack of eCommerce integration may present a challenge for some, although if you can
get over this, and happen to know a little CSS, then this theme could be the one.
The next WordPress theme is Divi
Divi is lower down on the list than it actually deserves with a score of 7 out of 10.
It could potentially be a very good blogging WordPress theme, in fact it’s the theme
we’re using on the OHKLYN blog at the moment.
The keyword however, is potentially.
Divi is a multi-purpose theme, and is really suited more towards building websites, rather
than stand-alone blogs.
That being said, Divi is one of the most popular themes around, and has a huge community of
followers and contributors, which means you get access to support forums, layouts and
designs, and tutorials.
One of the best things about Divi is it’s intuitive page builder and mobile responsiveness.
The next WordPress theme is BloggingBox
We gave this theme an overall score of 7 out of 10
This theme comes with a number of layout options tailored towards a news, travel, or fitness
oriented blog.
BloggingBox is a more informal and light-hearted blogging theme, however the design feels a
little heavier compared to other options on this list, which we recognize may suit certain
users.
One thing we really like about this theme is that it integrates with, and allows you
to share content on almost any platform you can think of, even GitHub!
This theme responds well on mobile, and is compatible with WooCommerce, which adds to
its appeal.
The next WordPress theme is Rosemary
This theme earned an overall rating of 7 out of 10
It’s mobile responsiveness is by far this theme’s best attribute.
Like The Voux, its mobile experience is even better than the desktop version.
Unlike The Voux however, it doesn’t have that many features and it doesn’t have any
e-commerce support.
Other than that, it’s a relatively easy-to-use theme with a clean and simple design.
The text in paragraphs feels a little too small, which is an easy fix in the customizer
settings.
There is also very little in the way of animations, which makes it feel a little too static.
Once again though, if you know a little CSS, this is an easy fix.
The next WordPress theme is ViralPro
This theme is a little different and earnt a 7 out of 10.
It is geared exclusively towards Viral news blogs.
If you don’t run this kind of blog, then we’ll cover off on this one quickly!
For what it does, it does well.
This theme is not meant to be attractive, but to get people to click and read articles.
It scores reasonable well for speed, ease of use, mobile experience, and functionality
and includes a number of features and widgets tailored to this niche.
It doesn’t have eCommerce functionality built in, and isn’t likely to win any design
awards, but it is effective.
Rounding out the top 20 is Modern Studio Pro, with an overall score of 7 out of 10
StudioPress create beautiful themes and this one is no exception.
They are synonymous with clean and modern design.
The biggest issue with Modern Studio Pro, despite it being a bit of a lightweight in
terms of features (for example, no eCommerce support), is that it’s ranked towards the
bottom of the list in terms of page speed.
Other than that flaw, it’s easy-to-use, has tasteful navigation, and looks great on
all devices.
It embraces the minimalist approach, with great use of white space, typefaces, and hover
states.
Everything feels sophisticated and considered.
Alright, well that completes our review of the 20 best WordPress Blog Themes for 2017
& 2018.
Hopefully, you found something you like - or will discover something in the process of
exploring some of the theme providers covered in this video.
Remember you can find the links to all of the themes covered in this video in the description
box below, or on the OHKLYN blog at ohklyn o-h-k-l-y-n .com.
We’ll also provide a list of our preferred WordPress theme providers, so that you can
explore their themes further, and find the right theme for you.
If you liked this video, hit the like button, and to learn more about blogging, WordPress,
or digital marketing remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel and sign up for our
newsletter at OHKLYN o-h-k-l-y-n .com - and until next time, happy blogging.