16 of the (Actual) Best Simple WordPress Themes for 2021

When a client approaches you with big ideas for a new WordPress website, it’s easy to get swept up in the exciting vision they have. Or in the latest WordPress theme they want to adopt. Or the trendiest conversion-generating plugin they heard about.

One of the benefits of working with the WordPress content management system is that you can turn any vision you have into an engaging website.

That said, does “engaging” mean building a website that’s overloaded with images, content, animations, and more?

Of course not!

In the following post, we’re going to take a look at some of the best simple WordPress themes. Don’t worry. I’ve made sure they check off all the other criteria you look for in a quality WordPress theme. These, however, prioritize simplicity and ease of use above all things.

Why Simple Is Best in WordPress Web Design

Your job in building a WordPress website is to create an engaging and memorable experience for visitors. But, sometimes, the simplest experience is all you really need to get the job done.

Why risk potentially overwhelming visitors with anything other than that?

That said, simple WordPress themes aren’t just “simple” because they’re basic in design. There are a number of ways to evaluate the simplicity of a WordPress theme, so keep these points in mind as you set about choosing one for your website:

Minimalism

When someone describes a WordPress theme as simple, it’s typically because of the minimalism of the design and functionality of it. In other words, it includes only the essentials but does not fail to deliver results.

Why choose to work with a WordPress theme that’s so basic in nature though?

Well, for one, you can always add more if you need to later on. (It’s much easier to add new elements than to take them away and reconfigure the site around the void.)

💣 A simply designed #WordPress theme allows for clearer pathways to #conversion. Without distractions, there’s no question about where to go or what to do. Simplify, simplify, simplify! Click To Tweet

In addition, the absence of excess makes it much easier to ensure the mobile website is a truly responsive experience.

This quote is everything from Code in WP

Using a responsive WordPress theme won’t be the magic solution to make your site successful all on its own, but at the same time, not using a responsive theme is like shooting yourself in the foot and then trying to run a marathon.

As a reminder, all websites need to be responsive in 2021 and beyond. A simple WordPress theme will help ensure you have this since complex structures and oddly-sized content or typography won’t likely be present within it.

Management

Consider your workflow as it pertains to designing a website. If you’re a web developer, it would be nice to offload most of your design work to a WordPress theme. But that’s not always a given when you work with more complex WordPress themes.

In this case, complexity refers more to the options available within a WordPress theme. I’m sure you’ve seen them before. The multipurpose theme touts 30+ page templates, 10 different homepage layouts, and a slew of navigational design options.

Tuts+ sums this up well:

Having a lot of options is great but it can also be overwhelming, especially for beginners who just want to get their site up and running as quickly as possible.

You might also run into the theme developer that’s simplified the design to one or maybe a few choices. The excess, in this case, would come from the dozen or so WordPress plugins included in the theme package. So, not only do you now have to manage the WordPress theme, but you have to decide which of the plugins to use and then manually update them since they don’t come directly from the source.

Think of your WordPress theme much the same as you would a freelancer. You’re paying them to take some work off of your hands, right? Then why would you spend countless hours making decisions and implementing customizations to the configuration anyway?

If you use a simple WordPress theme, most of the work is going to be done for you.

Usability

There’s also the end user usability aspect to think about. In other words, do you want to adopt a seemingly simple WordPress theme, only to find out post-launch and handoff that the client is unable or unwilling to use it? Granted, you’ll take care of most of this if you handle ongoing maintenance for them, but what about in all other circumstances?

Should a complex WordPress theme be left in your client’s hands? And what about the ones that come with page builders that are too difficult for the layman to use?

You don’t want clients to be 100% dependent on you, especially for things like publishing a blog post or tweaking their bio’s headshot. If you make the WordPress website such an unfriendly place to work in, you have no one to blame but yourself when the client refuses to create new content for it or keep information updated.

Performance

Of course, don’t forget to consider how your choice of WordPress theme can affect the overall performance of the site.

All of these things can have an adverse effect on a WordPress website’s speed:

• Themes with unused templates and files.
• Themes with plugin bundles for extraneous functionality or features.
• Bloated page builder plugins.

Poorly-made WordPress themes themselves will cause performance levels to drop, too. But you know that already. Just be mindful of what that “stuff” that comes in your theme will do to your site as well.

Simpler is always better in this case.

Best Simple WordPress Themes for 2021

Choosing a WordPress theme is one of the first steps you take after onboarding a client and kicking off a new website project. The only problem with this step, though, is that there are thousands of them out there.

Kristen Baker of HubSpot writes:

Whether you need a theme to display your photography, manage your online store, complete a variety of different tasks, showcase your writing, or share your creative work, there is a simple WordPress theme option that could work for you.

So, they are out there, we just need to minimize the amount of work you have to do to find the right one.

Below, I’ve categorized the best simple WordPress themes into buckets that will make the decision-making process even easier for you.

Best Simple WordPress Themes with High Conversion Traits

To build a WordPress website without the hope of visitors converting in some way, shape, or form seems crazy, doesn’t it? Blogs need subscribers. Social communities need members. Businesses need customers. If your brand is online, then you’re trying to amass a following for some reason.

But just because you have a simple and nicely-designed WordPress theme to work with doesn’t mean it’ll necessarily help increase conversion rates.

So, what we need to look for here are themes that have high conversion traits. In other words, these are designs that will most seamlessly push your visitors through the conversion funnel.

1. Hestia Pro

Hestia Pro* is a material design theme for startups, businesses, portfolios, eCommerce, arts and much more. This beautiful theme is only a one-page parallax layout but it will easily make your content stand out.

Hestia Pro may be a minimalist theme, but it’s also one of the simplest themes around that incorporates WooCommerce*. You can even set up your entire WooCommerce store in just a few minutes. Hestia Pro’s neat and clean presentation means a clearer message, more sales and a highly accessible site.

With Hestia Pro’s live customizer*, fine-tuning your website is as easy as pie. You can make just about any change you’d like and see those changes happen in real-time. You can change colors, design details and much more.

It also just so happens that Hestia Pro is fully compatible with the most popular page builders out there.

And there are way more pros than what we’ve mentioned here*. It’s hard to imagine anybody going wrong by choosing Hestia Pro as their simple WordPress theme.

And did we mention the support you get with the theme? All support tickets are handled within 8 hours* which is something you don’t see often. Solid support means you have help when you need it!

And then there are the terrific reviews Hestia Pro has earned*. People seem to love how simple this theme is for both developers and end users!

2. Getwid Base

3. Launchkit

This is Launchkit. Unlike other simple WordPress themes on this list, this one was built specifically to help developers create landing pages. These are pages you use for the express purpose of conversion.

This is a good choice if:

• You have a singular product or service you are trying to sell.
• You don’t want to have to think much about developing a conversion pathway.
• You also don’t want to have to spend too much time thinking through what sort of navigation or pages are needed for a site of this type.

4. Typology

Typology is minimalism at its finest. If you’re looking for a simple blog theme that’s sure to offer the best reading experience while still wowing readers, this is it.

This is a good choice if:

• You want to use colors and typography to populate your website. This means having a strong color palette and brand messaging on your side.
• You’re well-versed in formatting content so that it’s scannable and readable.
• You have no need for images on this blog and would rather focus on producing high-quality content.

Best Simple WordPress Themes for Online Publications and Blogs

Aigars recently said this on the ColorLib blog:

The main focus for minimalist themes is on your own content instead of design elements…

He’s right. By using a WordPress theme that is decluttered right from the start, you provide visitors with a clean interface to ingest content from. And when your goal is to turn those visitors into readers — and maybe even subscribers — you don’t want an over-the-top design or multitude of widgets to get in the way.

That’s why, when you’re in the business of building online publications like magazines or blogs, you should use one of the following simple WordPress themes:

5. Brixton

Like many premium WordPress themes, Brixton allows you to choose the base template you want to work from. Regardless of which themed blog template you choose, it’s sure to be minimal in design.

This is a good choice if:

• You build websites for bloggers, magazines, newspapers, or other websites with a major editorial component.
• You don’t necessarily want to skimp on supporting blog content and widgets, but you still want the design to be lighter and easy to navigate.
• You prefer a bolder typography style that’s still clean and easy to read.

The newest 4.0 update of Brixton also has a ton of new features. It now integrates seamlessly with Revolution Slider, is way faster and much more.

And Brixton users have given it some terrific reviews!

6. BrookBrook brands itself as a “unique” WordPress theme. I think that’s because it exudes a lot of style while still having a traditional blog presentation.

This is a good choice if:

• You want to infuse your blog with extra elegance and style. This is especially nice if it’s for a fashion or food blog.
• There is a heavy social media component to the person or brand behind the blog, but you don’t want it to overwhelm the content.
• You want to make the most of the space you have without over utilizing the screen.

7. Michel

Michel is a beautifully designed WordPress theme for bloggers. Barely-there dividers and brilliant-looking images add a distinct touch to the design.

This is a good choice if:

• You want lots of wide open white space on the blog.
• You want some variety in layout choices.
• You want pre-made post templates, so you don’t have to do much work to create custom post types.

And it’s received some great testimonials about how beautiful the theme are as well as the great support they provide!

8. Read WP

Read WP is a super minimalist WordPress theme for bloggers. Although you can add complexity to the design with a sidebar and masonry grid, this might be best left as it was intended.

This is a good choice if:

• You’re publishing content of a highly technical or philosophical nature. In other words, distractions are not encouraged.
• You want to give your clients some leeway on how the page is laid out but would prefer to keep it very basic.
• You want something simple and easy to use for your own site. It comes with a portfolio template that would lend itself well to designers and other creatives.

Best Simple WordPress Themes for Creatives

One of the things about WordPress themes built for creatives is that they are going to include a multitude of media files. It’s the nature of the work they do and the whole purpose of building an agency or portfolio website.

Since images can cause problems for loading times when not properly optimized, you have to be very careful in selecting a WordPress theme for creatives. Not only should it be simple in design (so it’s easier to focus on your awe-inspiring samples), but it should be lightweight so as not to disrupt loading speeds any more than it has to.

Here are some safe and simple options to choose from:

9. Adios Portfolio

Adios is a premium WordPress theme you can use to build professional portfolios. With 10+ different minimalist homepage layout options and lightning fast loading times, it’s no wonder this simple theme is so popular.

This is a good choice if:

• You build portfolio websites for clients and want a variety of portfolio types (i.e. image, video, product, etc.) to work with.
• You have striking images that can populate the portfolio and communicate your message with few words.
• You like some flexibility in how you lay out your content, but not too much.

Adios has some killer features that come built into this minimalist theme. Many of them really are required if you want to take a website to the next level.Plus it’s gotten a ton of great reviews. It seems like the people who use this theme really enjoy it!

10. Air.

As you might imagine, a theme called “Air.” is going to evoke a certain feeling straight out the gate. This lightweight portfolio and shop theme works well for freelancers and agencies alike.

This is a good choice if:

• You’re not afraid to play with lots of open space.
• You plan on selling your work through the website and want a simply designed shop built into the theme.
• You’re confident in letting your images do the talking on your behalf.

Air also has a variety of menu options to choose from. They’re all extremely well-designed and easy to navigate for any website visitor. Simplicity at its best!

And then there are the robust features that come with Air. There’s so much you have control over in such a simple theme.

Finally there are the brilliant reviews! People love the clean, modern feel and quick support.

11. PILE

PILE is a self-ascribed “unconventional” WordPress portfolio theme. That’s because it isn’t afraid to go bold with what little content appears in it.

This is a good choice if:

• You want your portfolio to have a cool edge that makes it stand out from the crowd.
• You’re okay with adopting animated transitions so long as everything else is kept simple and lightweight.
• You don’t want your portfolio or blog to follow the typical layout patterns.

The PILE theme is more expensive than the rest of the themes here but perhaps it’s for good reason. Here are their 3 cornerstones that explain why this theme can take you far.

They’re also fully WooCommerce-integrated. So if you want to incorporate an online shop, you’re in luck!

Did we mention their support is top-notch? They stand behind their theme fully and want to make sure people who purchase it have a great experience with it.

And the reviews! This one really speaks volumes to the design, functionality and value.

12. ROUA

Like its hipster namesake, ROUA is a premium theme that’s trying very hard to be different while still adopting accepted trends. No matter how you feel about the word “hipster”, you’re sure to appreciate the understated simplicity of this design.

This is a good choice if:

• You want to limit your decision-making. This theme only comes with three “templates”.
• You or your client aren’t much of a writer and would prefer to use images and illustrations to convey your message.
• You have digital or physical creative work to sell.

ROUA also has a minimal look on mobile devices! It’s not just responsive, but designed with the very highest functionality in mind. While this theme has been built to be minimal, ROUA manages to retain a specific “unique feel” that is simply different from other simple themes you’ll find online.

And RUOA has some great customer testimonials! People seem to love the feature set, overall design and customer support.

Best Simple WordPress Themes for Any Business

It’s difficult to do a write-up like this and not get into all of the different kinds of business niches you might build websites for.

I thought about including a list of multipurpose WordPress themes that had “simple” templates to cover a wide range of business types. However, those kinds of themes go against the whole point of this article. Most of them have dozens of templates to choose from and almost always come with a set of plugins that require installation. And we don’t want that.

So, I’ve chosen a small handful of basic WordPress themes that I think would be suitable for businesses in general.

13. Angle

Angle is a sharp-looking and yet very simple WordPress theme for businesses. Take note of the various sections and pages included in the demo so you can get a sense for the versatility in this singular theme.

This is a good choice if:

• You hadn’t planned on using images and just wanted bold colors, typography, and illustrations to do the work.
• You need flexibility in building business websites for clients and want the versatile page and section examples included in this theme.
• You’re in need of a theme that utilizes the very trend flat and asymmetrical design trends.

Angle has a feature-rich visual composer so you can create detailed pages quickly and easily.

It even comes with extensive video documentation so you can easily install, maintain and make changes to your Angle theme.

Angle theme is also fully responsive. No matter what device or browser people use to visit your website, they’ll have a phenomenal experience.Want to customize your Angle theme to make it really unique? The good news is that Angle comes with extensive options to personalize your website.Need to add a portfolio to your site? Angle allows for truly unique portfolio set up, including a variety of shapes to make yours stand out from the crowd.Did I mention one-click set up? Import all the demo content with literally one click so you don’t have to spend hours building your website from scratch.Then there’s the retina display. Your site will look high-definition and crisp for all your visitors, giving you an air of professionalism.And people have left glowing reviews about the code quality, customer support and overall design.

14. Atmosphere Pro

Genesis Themes tends to do a great job building themes for developers that want something simple to start from, and Atmosphere Pro is no exception.

This is a good choice if:

• You don’t want to have to worry about responsiveness, performance, or security. Genesis Themes has already optimized its theme with these SEO-friendly attributes.
• You want to section off big blocks of space but leave a lot of open space around them.
• You have a good mix of content and lookalike imagery to populate the website with.

Atmosphere Pro has some insane features and functionality. This is the kind of exceptional work we expect from StudioPress and the Atmosphere Pro theme gets top marks.

15. MH Magazine

MH Magazine is a premium WordPress theme from MH Themes. You can use this simple theme across multiple client websites and one purchase gives you access to all the various templates! The theme is clean, modern, and perfect for your editorial site’s needs.

This is a good choice if:

• You have a traditional concept for an online publication that doesn’t require too much customization.
• You intend on building a full magazine or newspaper experience but want to keep the design toned down.
• You want to monetize your website.

As Adelina Tuca said:

Some themes – and especially the best minimalist WordPress themes available out there – come with the most beautiful and elegant of designs.

That said, let’s take a look at what sort of simple premium themes are available for WordPress.

16. ForumPress

ForumPress is a minimalist forum-building WordPress theme that comes from a team of developers who’s been crafting themes since 2011.

It features all the tools you need to build a powerful forum powered by bbPress, including the ability to create multiple forums with a beginner-friendly back-end interface.

This is a good choice if:

• You’re looking to setup a community forum, customer support forum, or a branded community.
• You want to offer a smooth user experience where people can create user profiles, search topics fast, and discuss and reply to threads more easily.
• You want to be able to personalize the theme and customize the design to match your brand.
• You want a forum theme with a responsive design that looks great across all types of devices and platforms.
• You want a theme that’s compatible with all popular WordPress plugins and lets you automatically update the theme with just one click.

Buy ForumPress for $99

What About WordPress Starter Themes?

WordPress starter themes are a bit different from simple WordPress themes, as John Hughes explains in this Torque article. While they are technically very simple in nature, they’re meant to be used more like a framework that you build from.

So, if your goal is to get a simple WordPress theme that takes care of nearly every aspect of the design out of the box, and it’s easy to manipulate, use one of the ones above. If you require something that allows for more customization, but you don’t want to go the route of creating a child theme and then gutting the parent, use a WordPress starter theme.

Best Simple WordPress Themes That Are Free

You might assume that the best simple WordPress themes for business are only available for a premium. In fact, you can find many high-quality themes for free that will do the trick, as ColorLib suggests.

💵 Although you might not immediately look to free #WordPress themes for your clients, keeping a few in mind is a good idea to maintain an economical option. Dollar, dollar bills, ya'll. Click To Tweet

These free simple WordPress themes could come in handy when building a personal website, a non-profit website, or one for any other type of business that’s cash-strapped:

17. Baskerville

Baskerville is a free theme designed by Anders Noren. Although it’s labeled as a “theme for hoarders”, it’s really just a blogger’s theme. Plain and simple.

This is a good choice if:

• You have a lot of blog posts to share as the masonry layout is an efficient way to display it all.
• You have a number of contributors who write for your blog and you want to give them their own highlighted spot.
• You expect there to be a strong social media and on-site commenting response from visitors.

Wrapping Up

One of the nice things about using simple WordPress themes is that you’re guaranteed a minimal base design and features that are sure to delight visitors. It also means you won’t have to step blindly into a new theme and, later, be blindsided by a complex backend that’s difficult to manipulate and definitely not client-friendly.

That said, do take time to experiment with the simple WordPress themes we’ve recommended above before you buy. We strongly recommends testing the demos before committing to a new theme. And it’s a great idea:

Ultimately, minimalist themes require you to get your hands dirty by testing out the demo sites. That way, you’ll recognize the right solution when you find it.

After all of this, if your client insists on having you build a website that’s more complex in nature, or they’ve brought along a theme that isn’t as simply designed as the ones below, that’s fine. I would just urge you to make sure you have a fast WordPress theme to work with, at the very least. If you start with a poor base for your website, it’ll be very difficult to remedy the underlying cause of your performance problems down the road.

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