So you’re in the market for a WordPress block theme.
You’re ready to explore the wonderful world of full site editing but don’t know where to start.
Full site editing starts and ends with the theme.
Get that choice right and the rest is easy!
We have 20 WordPress block themes here that we think you’ll love.
Some are free, some you’ll need to pay for.
All provide a great experience along with the ease of use and the beginner-friendly nature WordPress is known for.
Classic vs. Block Themes – What’s the Difference?
There are a few differences between classic themes and block themes.
Here’s a quick comparison:
| Feature | Block Theme | Classic Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Flexibility | Customize everything, including header, footer and navigation. | Theme dependent but can be very flexible, or not. |
| Ease of use | Easy to customize once you know how they work. | Theme dependent. Astra is incredibly easy to use but not all classic themes are. |
| Editing | Via WordPress site editor | Block editor, page builder or theme’s own builder. |
| Technology | HTML | PHP and HTML |
| Performance | Fast, depending on theme quality. No page builder = faster performance | Fast once optimized. Depends on theme quality and page builder. |
| Blocks and block patterns | Uses blocks and block patterns | Most themes use blocks and block patterns |
| Styling | Styled via the WordPress site editor | Styled via theme controls or page builder |
The themes themselves are very similar.
It’s how you use them that’s different.
No need for a page builder, no special requirements.
Just install the template into WordPress and customize it using the built-in site builder.
Once you get the hang of it, we bet you’ll never go back!
Do You Need a Page Builder With Block Themes?
You don’t need to use a page builder with a block theme. You can customize literally everything from within the WordPress site editor.
While website builders like Spectra have minimal performance penalty, other page builders can slow down page load times.
You don’t get any performance hit with full site editing, which is why we built Spectra One.
More on Spectra One in a moment…
20 Best WordPress Block Themes
We tried each of these 20 best WordPress block themes and selected them based on design, ease of use and how flexible they were.
If you’re in a hurry, these 3 block themes are the cream of the crop:
| Theme | Number of installs | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Spectra One | 7,000+ | Designed to be any website for any use. |
| Neve FSE | 8,000+ | Small businesses, freelancers and most uses. |
| Twenty Twenty-Four | 1+ million | Best used for simple websites or for practice. |
Just a quick note on downloads and ratings – Don’t let low numbers put you off. WordPress block themes are still in their infancy so you won’t see huge numbers for a little while yet.
Spectra One
| Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Active Installs | 7,000+ |
| Price | Free |
Spectra One is our own WordPress block theme.
It’s our first full site editing theme (but not the last!) and we’re rightfully proud of it.
Even though it’s relatively new, it has already been downloaded over 7,000 times and has lots of five-star reviews.
It has a similar feel to the Astra WordPress theme, but is also unique.
It’s fast, fully compatible with the site editor and includes all the blocks and elements you’ll need to build a website.
Key features:
- Fully compatible with FSE and the WordPress site editor
- Well-designed theme with flexible layouts
- Customizable and flexible
- Designed for performance and ease of use
- Fully responsive and SEO-friendly
Best For…
Spectra One is designed to be any website for any use. It is structured for a typical small business but could easily be customized for any type of site.
What Could Be Improved?
We think Spectra One is a pretty well-balanced FSE theme, although we are continuously improving it.
Why It’s on Our List
First off, Spectra One is on our list because it’s our FSE theme.
However, if we genuinely didn’t think it was any good, it wouldn’t be here.
It is fast, flexible and fully immersive, all the characteristics we look for in a theme.
Design With Style
Spectra One carries our distinct purple branding but can be changed completely using the Styles setting within the site editor.
Check out some of the options available:
Dark design done well.
Engaging with color.
Seeing pink.
Feeling blue.
Who needs templates when you can change the look and feel of your site with the click of a button?
Learn more about Spectra One in this video:
Twenty Twenty-Four
| Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Active Installs | 1+ million |
| Price | Free |
Twenty Twenty-Four is the base theme that’s included with WordPress. You’ll need imagination to envision it as a full site though.
Twenty Twenty-Four is a showcase of what’s possible with FSE and ideal for practicing rather than use in real life. At least in our opinion anyway!
Key features:
- Created by Automattic and comes with WordPress
- Lightweight and very flexible
- Good foundation to build something unique
- Ideal for practicing on when learning FSE
- It’s free
Best For…
We think the Twenty Twenty-Four theme is best used for simple websites or for practice. If you want to learn FSE without breaking your main theme, use this to do it.
What Could Be Improved?
Like most free block themes, Twenty Twenty-Four is a little barebones and will need vision to turn it into something useful.
As the reviews show, this can put people off.
Why It’s on Our List
Twenty Twenty-Four is on our list because it’s the forerunner and is also pretty good if you have the patience.
Neve FSE
| Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Active Installs | 8,000+ |
| Price | Free |
Neve FSE is the full site editing version of the ever-popular classic Neve WordPress theme.
The colors, typography and layout in the demo is pretty good but not exactly inspiring.
It works well and is very flexible though.
Fortunately, as this is a WordPress block theme, you can literally turn it into anything you can imagine.
Key features:
- Neve block theme for full site editing
- Nice design with classic business layout
- Easy to visualize the end result
- Well-reviewed with great feedback
- Performs well with a good web host
Best For…
Neve FSE is a great block theme for small businesses, freelancers and most uses.
What Could Be Improved?
The design is a little vanilla and doesn’t exactly inspire. Some more engaging versions might be good.
Why It’s on Our List
Neve FSE is on our list because we highly recommend the Neve classic theme and know that Themeisle, (the people behind it) are quality developers.
Bricksy
| Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Active Installs | 1,000+ |
| Price | Free/$59 per year |
Bricksy is designed around the travel niche and uses lively colors with vibrant contrast colors, lots of images and whitespace.
It’s a well-designed template that could work for any image-heavy website.
The design is almost playful, the choice of colors and layout welcomes you in and almost dares you to explore further to see what you might find. That’s incredibly hard to accomplish.
Key features:
- Free and premium versions
- Playful design
- Ideal for vacations and image-heavy websites
- Great color choices and layouts
- Performs well and loads quickly
Best For…
We think Blocksy would suit portfolio websites, vacation or travel blogs and image-heavy site types.
What Could Be Improved?
The free demo could provide a better idea of what’s possible as the theme is actually pretty good.
Why It’s on Our List
Blocksy is on our list because of that playfulness. It’s also fast and offers a lot of scope.
Foodie Blocks
| Rating | No ratings yet |
| Active Installs | 300+ |
| Price | Free/$69 per year |
While Foodie Blocks is designed as a food blog theme, you could easily customize it for any type of use.
The design is friendly, open and engaging. It almost welcomes you and encourages you to scroll, which is what we look for in a theme.
The structure is simple, with minimal navigation, straightforward hero section where food is the star and a traditional blog layout down below.
Key features:
- Free and premium options
- Nice layout with minimal navigation
- Effective hero area
- Designed for food but could be used for anything
- WPZoom are highly regarded developers
Best For…
We think Foodie Blocks could work for any type of blog with a little work.
What Could Be Improved?
Even though we like the hero section, it doesn’t do much to engage new visitors.
Why It’s on Our List
We like Foodie Blocks because it’s a no-nonsense blog theme that works well and offers huge scope for customization.
Catch FSE
| Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Active Installs | 500+ |
| Price | Free |
Catch FSE is a lively business template with both a dark and light version. The showcase uses the dark version, which we think is very effective.
Combined with a great layout and vibrant contrast colors, the theme has a great energy that engages right away.
The light version does a similar thing but with slightly less impact.
Key features:
- Dark and light design options
- Vibrant contrast colors engage immediately
- Flexible enough to be any type of website
- Includes block patterns and template parts
- Demo version looks great
Best For…
We think Catch FSE would work well for any organization that wants to make an instant impact.
What Could Be Improved?
It may just be our experience, but Catch FSE doesn’t seem to load as fast as other WordPress block themes in this list.
Why It’s on Our List
The design. It’s vibrant, has great energy and engages immediately.
Raft
| Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Active Installs | 10,000+ |
| Price | Free |
Raft is a WordPress block theme from ThemeIsle, designed for FSE but also compatible with page builders so you get the best of both worlds.
We suggest thinking of Raft as a foundation. The design is basic to say the least but is well-built and has the backing of a respected developer.
It will take more work to make it look unique, but could be well worth it.
Key features:
- Foundation theme from a respected developer
- Good layout with calm colors
- Loads fast and performs well
- Also supports page builders
- eCommerce support
Best For…
We think Raft is best for practicing block editing and for anyone that wants to use a solid foundation to build their own web presence.
What Could Be Improved?
We consider this a barebones foundation theme, while good, it will take work to make it something you’ll be proud of.
Why It’s on Our List
It’s on our list because it is well built, performs fast and gives you the option of using a page builder if you want to.
Ollie
| Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Active Installs | 2,000+ |
| Price | Free |
Perhaps we like Ollie because it has a very similar design language to Spectra One. It’s wholesome, welcoming and ably demonstrates that it could be any type of website you like.
It does stand on its own though.
It’s a very competent theme that loads quickly and offers a lot of scope to build a site for business, leisure or something completely different.
Key features:
- Good design that’s friendly and welcoming
- Could be tweaked to suit almost any use
- Free theme with paid tools
- Performs well
- 7 layouts to choose from
Best For…
Ollie could be great for businesses or websites that like the friendly, welcoming vibe.
What Could Be Improved?
The theme is great but the message around what the paid tools offer is a little vague.
Why It’s on Our List
Ollie is on our list of best WordPress block themes because it’s well designed and has wide appeal.
Jaxon
| Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Active Installs | 4,000+ |
| Price | Free |
Jaxon is an eCommerce theme that embraces full site editing. The demo uses dark design but it would be easy to make it lighter and more universal.
The demo is very well put together and showcases products, features testimonials and all the elements a successful eCommerce store would feature.
All created using the WordPress site editor.
Key features:
- FSE eCommerce design
- Nice layout with typical eCommerce features
- Light version and full color control
- Can function as a full store or site with a store
- Comes with block patterns and styling options
Best For…
Jaxon is best suited to being a store. It has everything in place to be tweaked and personalized and is ready to sell.
What Could Be Improved?
While we like it, the dark design isn’t to everyone’s taste so a light version might make a better showcase.
Why It’s on Our List
Jaxon is on our list because it’s one of the best free WordPress block themes for eCommerce around right now.
Blockpress
| Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Active Installs | 2,000+ |
| Price | Free |
Blockpress has one of the better demos on WordPress.org. It’s clear a lot of effort has been put into making it shine.
The design reflects a business website but is capable of being a blog, store or something else. It’s smart, modern and delivers that warm welcome we want from a theme.
It’s lightweight and loads quickly too, which is a bonus!
Key features:
- Smart, modern FSE theme
- Great demo gives you a full picture of what’s possible
- Could support multiple types of website
- Loads fast and aces speed tests
- Could support an eCommerce website
Best For…
Blockpress could be any type of website you want.
What Could Be Improved?
It’s hard to criticize Blockpress as it’s a great FSE theme.
Why It’s on Our List
It’s on our list because it’s almost as good as Spectra Pro and could deliver an excellent visitor experience.
Automobile Repair Blocks
| Rating | No yet rated |
| Active Installs | 60+ |
| Price | Free/$40 |
Automobile Repair Blocks is a relatively new WordPress block theme at the time of writing. It’s a smart theme that could cater to the auto trades, contractors and any small business.
The colors grab attention immediately and set the scene for engagement.
Essential information is front and center, making this ideal for small businesses, tradespeople or contractors that want to share contact information fast.
Key features:
- Colors and layout really stand out
- Ideal for small businesses, contractors or trades
- Shares essential information quickly
- Lots of scope to tell your story down the page
- Very customizable theme
Best For…
We think Automobile Repair Blocks could be perfect for small businesses.
What Could Be Improved?
A light version of the theme alongside the dark version might be less polarizing and show the quality better.
Why It’s on Our List
It’s on our list because it’s a great showcase for the smaller business and is exactly the style contractors and service businesses like.
Fork
| Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Active Installs | 3,000+ |
| Price | Free/$40 |
As the image says, Fork is a clean, minimal FSE theme that could be used for almost anything.
It’s a good theme with a basic demo which doesn’t quite do it justice.
The classic layout could be tweaked infinitely, while the calm colors and nice contrasts can be changed however you like using the WordPress site editor.
Key features:
- Clean, minimal design
- Flexible enough to be turned into anything
- Regularly updated
- From a reliable developer
- Could support eCommerce
Best For…
We think Fork would work best for freelancers, designers and those who like minimalist web design.
What Could Be Improved?
The theme works well within its minimalist brief so we think it’s good as it is.
Why It’s on Our List
The demo is a little lackluster but the theme itself is great. It could work in many situations while loading fast and delivering quality.
Frost
| Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Active Installs | 2,000+ |
| Price | Free |
Frost has a largely monochrome demo that provides the foundation on which you could build something better.
The core design is built for small businesses, with demo pages for pricing, links, and about. Each is simple and no-nonsense but showcases what the theme is capable of.
The theme is smooth, loads quickly and has a lot of scope for experimentation, which is why we like it.
Key features:
- Simple, no-nonsense WordPress block theme
- Easy to set up a business site with included demo pages
- Loads quickly and performs smoothly
- Demo gives a better idea of what’s possible than some
- Includes some business-oriented block patterns
Best For…
While Frost could be used for anything, the demos and block patterns are built for business.
What Could Be Improved?
The theme works well but the design will need a little work to make it really sing.
Why It’s on Our List
Frost is on our list because it’s one of the more complete business themes for full site editing.
Greenshift
| Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Active Installs | 3,000+ |
| Price | Free/From $39 per year |
Greenshift is one of the best WordPress block themes here. There’s a real eye for design in the demo and you really could build everything with it.
It also has one of the better demos that showcases the theme to its best.
There’s a dark and light version, lots of blocks and features, readymade header and footer patterns and more.
Key features:
- Great design with some nice touches
- Dark and light versions available
- Includes block styles and header and footer patterns
- Excellent demo
- Loads quickly
Best For…
We think Greenshift would be ideal for creative businesses or startups that want to make a splash.
What Could Be Improved?
There’s little we would do differently or improve upon.
Why It’s on Our List
Greenshift is on our list because it could be all things to all types of websites. It’s almost as good as Spectra One.
Prime FSE
| Rating | Not yet rated |
| Active Installs | 300+ |
| Price | Free |
Even though Prime FSE markets itself as a blank canvas, it’s easy to see what’s possible with it from the demo.
The design is calm, competent and helps you build authority from the outset.
Even though it’s minimalist, it’s easier to envision what you could create and how you could put a site together using the site editor.
Key features:
- Great showcase of minimalist design
- Lots of features for a variety of websites
- Readymade block patterns included
- Regularly updated
- Performs quickly and smoothly
Best For…
Prime FSE would be great for new or small businesses that like the calm aesthetic.
What Could Be Improved?
We think the theme could be improved by something that would grab the attention of the first time visitor.
Why It’s on Our List
Despite being a ‘safe’ design, Prime FSE offers a lot of scope to build something outstanding.
Riverbank
| Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Active Installs | 4,000+ |
| Price | Free |
Riverbank is a soft, feminine web design that would lend itself to blogs and creative sites.
The design is calm, relaxed and engaging, making you want to explore further, which is harder than you might think to pull off.
While you would likely change the demo to suit your brand, if you could retain that, you have a significant advantage over the competition.
Key features:
- Calm, relaxed design itself for creative websites
- Color, layout and typography all match nicely
- Lots of scope to build many types of website
- Compatible with page builders as well as FSE
- Smooth flow down the demo page
Best For…
We think Riverbank would work best for creatives and creative blogs.
What Could Be Improved?
There’s little we would change about Riverbank as we like it just as it is.
Why It’s on Our List
Riverbank is on our list of best WordPress block themes because it’s different from the norm and evokes a completely different feeling.
Clove
| Rating | Not yet rated |
| Active Installs | 90+ |
| Price | Free |
Clove has a similar feel to Riverbank but with a little more artistic flair in the demo. It’s another relaxed design ideal for creative uses.
The demo on WordPress.org doesn’t give much away but visit the website and you’ll see a well-designed demo that could work as an eCommerce store, artist’s portfolio or something else entirely.
It’s a very engaging design!
Key features:
- Relaxing and enjoyable to visit
- Calm, relaxing aesthetic
- Classic theme updated for FSE
- Compatible with page builders and WooCommerce
- Regularly updated
Best For…
We think Clove would be best for creatives, hobbyist websites and stores.
What Could Be Improved?
The last update broke some features, which was a shame. It works properly now though.
Why It’s on Our List
Clove is on our list because we liked the classic version and it’s more creative than the usual.
Tuition Coaching Center
| Rating | Not yet rated |
| Active Installs | 10+ |
| Price | Free/$39 |
The Tuition Coaching Center template brings us firmly back to business. It’s a corporate-style design with a lot to offer.
The demo is set up for online learning so could work for online tutors, events, weddings or something similar with a little work.
But, as you can see from the demo, it could easily be turned into a small business website with minimal effort.
Key features:
- Set up for education but could become anything
- Corporate design so could work for business too
- Responsive and loads quickly
- Free and premium version available
- One of the better education-based FSE templates
Best For…
Education, schools, colleges, tutors and similar, but could be tweaked to be more corporate.
What Could Be Improved?
The top navigation could be better but it works fine as it is.
Why It’s on Our List
Tuition Coaching Center is on our list because of its flexibility and because it showcases more formal design while remaining engaging.
Frosty Cake
| Rating | Not yet rated |
| Active Installs | 90+ |
| Price | Free/$39.99 |
Frosty Cake is a fun free WordPress block theme with a premium version. It’s colorful, engaging and makes a great first impression.
It’s hard to gauge the design without being seduced by images of cake, but once you see past that, you’ll see a competent design that could work for food blogs, eCommerce sites and bakeries or confectioners.
We like this design as it’s a lot of fun!
Key features:
- Fun design for food businesses and blogs
- Could be a blog, website or store
- Lots of nice design touches
- Store elements are engaging
- Compatible with WooCommerce
Best For…
Frosty Cake is ideal for food businesses, blogs and stores.
What Could Be Improved?
It would be difficult to use this theme with another niche without losing its character.
Why It’s on Our List
Few other WordPress block themes in our list offer such fun factor!
FSE Fashion Designer
| Rating | Not yet rated |
| Active Installs | 40+ |
| Price | Free/$40 |
FSE Fashion Designer has been set up to showcase a blog, company website or clothing store. We think it succeeds in all those things.
It’s a great design with a large hero image, useful top navigation and sections for a blog, company services and an online store.
It’s a very accomplished design that could really sing with a little work.
Key features:
- Flexible design that could fulfill many purposes
- Compatible with WooCommerce and page builders
- Loads quickly and scrolls smoothly
- Shouldn’t require much work to make it usable
- Supports shortcodes
Best For…
We think FSE Fashion Designer is best for any fashion-related website, although it could be customized for anything.
What Could Be Improved?
The free version doesn’t come with all elements, so you’ll need to pay if you want more advanced options.
Why It’s on Our List
FSE Fashion Designer is on our list because of its flexibility. The demo design is good enough to use as is too.
The Benefits of Block Themes
Block themes have a few advantages that make them an exciting area of WordPress to work in.
Benefits include:
- Edit your site without code – Just like classic themes, block themes let you create whole websites without touching a single line of code.
- Ease of use – Build and customize any page from within WordPress without having to learn new tools.
- Total control over pages – FSE lets you customize the header, footer, navigation and elements other themes don’t.
- No need to use page builders – Page builders are amazing, but FSE themes are edited from within the WordPress site editor.
- Potentially better performance – Good quality FSE themes can load faster, require fewer plugins to work and have no extra code added by page builders.
- Fully responsive – Mobile is the future of the web and FSE fully supports mobile and different screen sizes.
Block themes are also the future direction of WordPress, so there’s that too…
Should Astra Users Be Worried about FSE?
This is a question we hear a lot on our channels. It’s a legitimate question that deserves a straight answer.
No, Astra users should not be worried about FSE.
Having read this far, you could be forgiven for thinking we’re all in on full site editing.
That’s not true.
We think it’s an amazing technology and it has a bright future, but we are still dedicated to improving and developing Astra for the foreseeable future.
Full site editing is another way to build websites. It is not (yet) taking over from classic themes.
FSE will eventually take over, but that’s far into the future and we foresee being able to use both types of theme for many years to come.
This video says it all:
Conclusion
So there you have it. Our list of the 20 best WordPress block themes.
We have tried to include a wide range of designs for every conceivable purpose and think we have most uses covered.
We naturally think Spectra One is the best of the bunch but appreciate every theme in the list for what it offers.
What do you think? Are you ready to embrace full site editing? Do any of these themes inspire your creativity? Do you have an FSE theme to share?
Tell us about it in the comments below!
WordPress Block Theme FAQs
Here are a few answers to the most common questions we see on the topic of block themes:
How are block themes different from classic themes?
Block themes are different from classic themes because they allow you to customize everything, including the header, footer, navigation and sidebar. The Astra theme has this ability but many classic themes do not. Block themes are also mainly HTML, whereas classic themes use PHP.
What are block themes on WordPress?
Block themes for WordPress are a different way to use templates. They won’t replace classic themes but do offer a different way of working. It’s still a theme you install into WordPress and customize to make it look good, but how it goes about it is different. The user experience remains the same, which is the most important thing.
What is the most popular WordPress theme?
The most popular theme for WordPress is Astra. It has over 2.4 million downloads and is one of the highest rated themes of all time. Spectra One is also a popular WordPress block theme, with thousands of downloads and many five star reviews.
Is Neve a block theme?
Neve FSE is a block theme, Neve is a classic theme. Both deliver a very similar user experience and share many of the same designs, you just use them in different ways. We like the Neve FSE theme which is why it features in our best WordPress block theme list.
Should I switch to a block theme?
Switching to a block theme is a personal choice. Block themes won’t replace classic themes for a while yet so you have the option. Much will depend on what you want to achieve and how you want to achieve it. We recommend trying both and sticking with what you like best.
Abhijeet Kaldate is the co-founder and CRO of Brainstorm Force. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for getting things done, Abhijeet oversees the company's operations, managing key areas such as HR, marketing, design and finance.
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