When it comes to creating a successful blog on WordPress, choosing the right theme is crucial.

But with countless options available, it can be overwhelming to make a decision.

In this article, we’ll look at 15 of the best WordPress blog themes and highlight the key features of each. We’ll also discuss which factors to consider when selecting the perfect theme for you.

Now, let's delve right into the top WordPress blogging themes.

1. Astra

Astra is one of the most popular free WordPress blog themes, with over 1.6 million active installs.

Astra is a lightweight and fast-loading multipurpose theme that can be used for both blogs and websites.

The free version gives you access to starter sites, custom widgets, unlimited color options, and more.

As far as free blogging WordPress themes go, it's one of the best in terms of offering flexibility and customization of design without needing to upgrade to the Pro version.

The Pro upgrade does provide additional features, such as a custom header and footer builder. Plus, if you want to sell physical or digital products through your blog, the premium version also offers a WooCommerce integration. 

What We Like

• The lightweight nature of Astra offers excellent loading speeds
• Pre-built WordPress blog layouts make it easy to start, even for beginners
• It offers a drag-and-drop editor but also allows you to edit your website code

2. Neve

Neve is a super-fast WordPress theme from Themeisle that’s great for blogs and small business websites.

If you're looking to start a personal blog on a budget but still want advanced options usually only found with a premium theme, Neve is a great choice.

The free version is incredibly comprehensive and comes with an array of blog layouts, custom widgets, custom colors, an infinite scroll option, and more.

The Pro upgrade adds features such as a WooCommerce integration, which allows you to incorporate an online store. As well as Elementor page builder support, post layouts, responsive design options, etc.

What We Like

• Fast loading speeds on a standard install
• Lots of pre-built templates suitable for fashion blogs, travel blogs, lifestyle blogs, etc.
• Customizable theme, even a white-label option on the Agency version

3. Hello Elementor

The Hello Elementor theme is specifically designed to work seamlessly with the Elementor page builder. This combination gives you complete control over creating your website.

Image source: WordPress.org

The theme offers a wide range of pre-built templates with responsive layouts and blocks that can be easily customized. It also allows you to create your own designs from scratch by using the drag-and-drop interface in Elementor.

Hello Elementor prioritizes mobile responsiveness, ensuring your blog posts look great on any device. As mobile-friendliness is a ranking factor for Google, this is a major bonus from an SEO perspective.

What We Like

• Huge amount of flexibility in terms of modern design and blog page layouts
• Works seamlessly with Elementor

4. OceanWP

OceanWP is a free and versatile WordPress theme for blogs, magazine sites, and business sites. It’s one of the most popular themes on the market with over 700,000 active installs.

Image source: WordPress.org

The free version comes with features such as pre-built layouts, custom widgets, infinite scroll, full-screen backgrounds, and more.

It’s a good choice for bloggers who want to focus on content creation while still having access to advanced customization options.

The Pro version also adds extra features such as Elementor page builder support and a WooCommerce integration. So you can create an online store if you need to.

What We Like

• Highly customizable blog page designs and layouts
• Fast loading speeds on both mobile and desktop devices

5. Divi

Divi is a feature-packed theme from Elegant Themes that comes with its own page builder and editing system.

The Divi Builder allows you to customize any page or post without needing to write any code. With it, you can add text, images, videos, and many other elements that help make your blog stand out.

Plus, it also offers premade layouts to get you started right away.

The included Divi Theme Customizer allows you to customize every aspect of your design quickly and easily with real-time previews. And the mobile design options give you full control over how your blog looks on different devices.

What We Like

• The Divi Builder and Theme Customizer make creating a unique blog design easy
• Ability to create custom post types and archives for displaying specific types of content

6. GeneratePress

GeneratePress is a lightweight, flexible theme that offers an array of customizable options for personal blogs.

Image source: WordPress.org

It comes with built-in support for popular page builders like Beaver Builder and Elementor. So you have complete control over how your site looks and functions.

The theme also includes a variety of custom widgets, including Instagram feeds, sliders, and post grids. Which can be used to make your blog more dynamic.

Plus, the minimalist design makes it easy to create an eye-catching site without sacrificing performance or speed.

GeneratePress is perfect for food blogs thanks to its ability to display recipes easily. It also provides responsive design capabilities to ensure your posts look great on any device.

What We Like

• Beginner-friendly interface for those with limited design experience
• Provides a lot of documentation with detailed guidance on how to make the most of the theme

7. Hemingway

Hemingway is one of a number of free blogging WordPress themes that’s good for authors who want to showcase their work with a minimal, elegant design.

Image source: WordPress.org

Hemingway comes with a drag-and-drop builder that allows you to customize your blog page layouts without any coding skills. You can also easily add featured images, slider galleries, and other elements to make your posts stand out.

The theme also includes several post formats that can be used to create different types of content such as audio, video, and image galleries. To keep your readers engaged with fresh, exciting content.

And Hemingway is fully responsive and looks great on any device. It also offers several color schemes that you can use to give your blog a unique look.

What We Like

• Drag-and-drop builder for creating custom page layouts without any coding skills
• Multiple post formats to create different types of content
• Fully responsive design that looks great on any device
• Several color schemes to give your blog a unique look

8. Thrive

Thrive is a good choice for bloggers who want to create a modern, professional website without sacrificing performance or speed. With its sleek and minimal design, you can be sure that your content will stand out and look great on any device.

The themes (there are a few) also come with several customization options such as custom fonts, colors, headers, footers, and more—so you can easily make your blog look unique.

Additionally, it includes several page layouts, such as grids, masonry-style galleries, and even full-screen slideshows. So you have plenty of flexibility when creating your blog posts.

What We Like

• Modern and professional design that looks great on any device
• Custom fonts, colors, headers, and footers so you can easily make your blog look unique
• Several page layouts
• Optimized for SEO and mobile devices

9. Newspaper

Newspaper is a modern and versatile WordPress theme with an impressive range of features. It’s a good choice for any blogger looking to create a visually stunning and engaging news-style website.

Newspaper is highly customizable and comes with several pre-built layouts. So you can easily create beautiful pages with just a few clicks.

Plus, it includes over 80 custom widgets that allow you to add various elements like social media feeds, contact forms, and more without any coding knowledge.

This theme also works with several page builders such as Beaver Builder, Elementor, Divi Builder, Visual Composer, WPBakery Page Builder, and Site Origin Page Builder. So you can easily create complex post layouts and designs.

What We Like

• Highly customizable design with several pre-built layouts and custom widgets
• Over 80 custom widgets for adding various elements without any coding knowledge
• Fully responsive design that looks great on any device

10. MorningTime

MorningTime has a minimal design that really showcases your content. Making it good for bloggers (especially journalists) who want a modern site.

Image source: WordPress.org

The theme comes in both a Lite and Pro version.

What sets MorningTime apart from other themes is its incredibly flexible layout options. You can easily customize the header, footer, blog page, and more without any coding skills.

You can also choose from numerous color schemes and font combinations to give your blog a unique look.

And it includes several pre-built layouts, such as full-width posts, two-column posts, and grid galleries. So you can create stunning posts with just a few clicks.

What We Like

• Fully customizable design with several colors and font combinations
• Numerous layout options for creating beautiful posts quickly and easily
• Pre-built layouts such as full-width posts, two-column posts, grid galleries, and more

11. Soledad

Soledad is a popular WordPress theme specifically designed for online magazines.

It comes with over 250 pre-built demo designs—from food blogs to fitness sites—so you can easily find the perfect look for your blog. Plus, it gives you several color options, custom fonts, and more.

The theme uses Open AI technology with its Pencil AI SmartContent Creator. This allows you to generate post titles and even AI images based on your target keywords. 

The theme also includes a live blog plugin. Which helps you get real-time updates for news articles during events. 

What We Like

• Over 250 pre-built demo designs for finding the perfect look for your blog
• Uses Open AI technology to help you create unique content
• Plugin that automatically provides updates as events happen

12. Authority Pro

Authority Pro is designed to give your blog an authoritative look, with plenty of options for customizing your site quickly and easily.

For starters, Authority Pro comes with several pre-built layouts that allow you to create stunning posts without any coding skills.

What sets Authority Pro apart from other themes is its perfect blend of minimalist design and advanced features.

Authority Pro also uses the Genesis framework. 

What We Like

• Several pre-built layouts for creating stunning posts without any coding skills
• Minimalist design with modern graphics for creating a professional website
• Fully responsive layout that looks great on any device

13. Writing

Not surprisingly, Writing is one of the best WordPress blog themes for writers. 

Image source: Colorlib

This multipurpose theme includes several custom widgets and features such as post layouts, custom colors, and premium versions of popular page builders. With Writing, you can easily create beautiful posts with just a few clicks.

Plus, it looks great on any device. So your readers can access your blog anytime, anywhere. 

The theme also comes with a WooCommerce integration. So you can easily create an online store to start selling products or services from your blog.

What We Like

• Fully customizable design with multiple color options
• WooCommerce integration for creating an online store
• Easy to use—even for beginners

14. Writee

Writee combines elegant design with powerful features.

Image source: WordPress.org

This multipurpose theme includes several pre-built layouts and features such as post layouts, custom colors, and premium versions of popular page builders. 

Unlike many premium themes, the free version allows for a WooCommerce integration, allowing you to monetize your blog with your own merchandise. 

But there are a few blogger-essential features that are only available with the pro version. Like author pages and boxes, social-like widgets, and a dark theme. 

What We Like

• Simple, easy-to-use theme with flexible design options 
• Attentive customer service and support

Ensure Strong SEO Performance with Any Blog Theme

Determining for yourself which WordPress theme is best for blogging is a key step in building a successful blog.

Keep in mind that your choice of WordPress blog theme has implications for things like page speed and mobile performance. Which affects your SEO performance. 

But even if you opt for a free theme that doesn’t have as many SEO-friendly features, there’s still a lot you can do to drive visibility. Like by implementing on-page SEO (improvements to your webpages to satisfy both users and search engines). 

One of the best ways to do this is to strategically incorporate keywords in a way that matches users’ search intent. Which is the reason behind a searcher’s query.

And aligning with search intent is crucial. Because it ensures your content meets users’ expectations. Making your content more likely to resonate with them.

You can find relevant keywords for different types of search intent using Keyword Magic Tool.

Let’s say your blog is focused on home decor and design. And you’re eager to educate a wide audience.

Open the tool, enter a broad term related to your business, and click “Search.”

This will bring up a list of related keywords.

Now, click the “Intent” drop-down, select the box next to “Informational,” and click “Apply.” Which will show only informational keywords—meaning keywords people search when they’re trying to gain information about a topic.

You’ll notice that there are more than 6,000 terms with a combined volume of over 900,000 searches per month. So, you clearly have some good options to choose from.

Browse the list to find a keyword that’s relevant to your particular niche. You can then create an informational blog post around it.

And remember to incorporate your keyword into places like your title tag, subheadings, and body copy.