What Are Good Themes for Blogs? A Beginner’s Guide to Choosing the Right One

byMarlinda1

2.4K followers

2 weeks ago

Hey there,

Choosing a WordPress theme can feel overwhelming when you're just starting out. With so many options, how do you know which one will work well, look great, and be easy to use?

Over the years I've tried many themes. Some didn't work, some worked partially and some worked really well. So I want to save you some time with this short roundup of the top five beginner-friendly themes I recommend based on personal experience and community feedback.

For the ones that I use personally, I have included an example site so you can get an idea of what's possible but also remember that all of these themes include a lot of template and customization options for you to get your site just the way you like it.

GeneratePress

GeneratePress is a simple, clean theme that prioritizes performance. It is best for beginners especially if you do not have any technical skills. It’s made for bloggers who want to focus on content without all the design extras and works well with block editors. Since it has a large user base its a bit easier to find support or tutorials if/when needed.

👉🏾 No example site here, but it’s a trusted favorite in the blogging community.

Neve

Neve is lightweight, fast, and great for beginners. What really makes it stand out is its integration with Otter Blocks, a powerful Gutenberg-based page builder that adds:

• 20+ custom blocks for creating beautiful layouts
• Animation features to make your site more engaging
• Visibility conditions so you can control who sees what
• Custom CSS controls for more advanced users
• A library of full-page templates to make setup easy

If you're not a fan of traditional page builders like Elementor or Divi, Neve with Otter is a fantastic solution that works natively with WordPress.

👉🏾 Example site using Neve: Internet Incomes

Astra

Astra is another good theme for new bloggers. It’s fast and has a wide variety of templates you can import to get started quickly.

One thing to note: some of its controls feel a bit dated compared to newer themes. But if you’re looking for a clean layout with great support, Astra is still a very reliable option.

👉🏾 Example site using Astra: Fancy Fur Friends

Blocksy

Blocksy is one of the more modern themes on this list. It has a sleek interface and comes packed with customization options. I’ve personally used it with success, and it's great for bloggers who want more design freedom without needing a premium license right away.

It includes dark mode support, multiple layout styles, and is very responsive on mobile.

👉🏾 Example site using Blocksy: Fun Shores Ahead

Kadence

Kadence is another theme that’s rising in popularity. It offers both free and premium design templates and is often praised for its performance. Some users find it a bit finicky when it comes to customizations, but if you want a visual builder with more bells and whistles, it’s worth exploring.

At the time of this writing, Jay is using it to build for the Live Classes Case Study: 0 to 10k Traffic Blueprint. The example site, is still in the process of being built but the link is below for when it does get completed.

👉🏾 Example site using Kadence: Wedsicle.com

Final Thoughts

Your theme sets the tone for your entire blog. All five of these themes are great starting points and work well for affiliate marketing, content creation, and even eCommerce.

My best advice? Choose a theme that feels intuitive to you and gives you flexibility to grow. Then take time to explore the settings, play with layouts, and make it your own.

You can always switch later but a strong start gives you the confidence to keep going.

Let me know in the comments which theme you're using or planning to try!

~ Marlinda
Internet Incomes | Helping pet lovers and parents turn their passion into online income