Depending on the type of hosting you are using for your WordPress site (WordPress.com hosting or Self hosting) you have access to 50+ free themes to use on your website. Here are a few to explore. I always recommend playing around with multiple themes to see which one you like the best. WordPress makes this easy to do by clicking on the “Customize” menu item. You can preview your website in different themes and only apply the new theme if and when you want to.

 

On a WordPress.com website the “Customize” button can be found next to Themes in the menu.

 

On a self-hosted WordPress site the “Customize” menu item is under “Appearance” or on the “Themes” page where you can see all the themes you already have installed.

 

Where to find themes?

On a WordPress.com site you can find themes on your Theme page. You can also view this link with out being logged in if you want to get an idea of the themes available to you with a WordPress.com website. On a self-hosted WordPress website you can find themes anywhere. Here are some themes available to you. You can also find themes by other companies by just doing a Google search. Be aware that some of these themes you have to pay for but there are free ones out there too. If you are willing to pay for themes make sure you find a company that has good support incase you have any questions. ThemeForest.com is a great place to start. They have great customer support and a large selection of themes.

Which one is best for me?

If you are just starting out I would suggest you find a simple theme, one that doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles. It also depends on what you plan on using your website for. There are lots of themes out there so just take your time and look at the demos.

WordPress’ Twentys Themes

I always like to start with the basics. Each year WordPress puts out a theme of their own. These tried and true themes are great for any user level. I do have to admit sometimes they aren’t the best. I particularly do not like the Twenty Fourteen Theme but you might. In the screenshots below you will see how this website looks in each of these themes. I am using the Live Preview option from the Customize/Theme menu mentioned above. Because I am using the Live Preview you will see little blue edit pencil icons next to parts of the content. This is part of the Live Preview and not how the website will show to your viewers.

Twenty Ten

Twenty Eleven

Twenty Twelve

Twenty Thirteen

Twenty Fourteen

Twenty Fifteen

Twenty Sixteen

Twenty Seventeen

 

A Few More…

As you probably have seen by now there are a TON of options out there. If the WordPress Twenty do not fit what you are looking for then take a look around and see if there is something else out there for you.

Here are five more to get you started on your journey to find the perfect theme.

Ixion
Radcliffe 2 *BONUS* this theme is for Beginners so it had YouTube videos on how to use the theme.
Dara
Scratchpad
Shoreditch

 

Let me know in the comments below if you find any other themes that you think would be perfect for sharing with the rest of the class. 🙂