Whether you plan to set up your business website, personal blog, portfolio, or eCommerce store, you need a fast WordPress theme that loads quickly even on low-bandwidth internet connections, so users have a good experience. In this article, we shortlist the characteristics of the fastest WordPress themes and handpick five of the fastest-loading templates to help you design a responsive website.
With thousands of paid and free templates on the market, identifying the best fastest WordPress themes is challenging. That is why we tested some of the most popular quick-loading themes to help you make up your mind. But before diving into the list, here’s a quick overview of how you can test WordPress themes for speed. Let’s go!
How to Measure the Speed of a WordPress Theme?
The best way to measure the speed of a WordPress theme is to install and test it on your website. If you plan to switch to a new theme, we recommend using a dummy site for running the tests. You can use a WordPress speed test tool like GTMetrix or PageSpeed Insights to test the theme’s performance.
Start by installing your shortlisted theme on the WordPress test site without adding media or customizing templates. Run the website on a speed-testing tool to analyze the theme’s performance. Both GTMetrix and PageSpeed Insights provide quantitative data to help you measure page load times and identify areas of improvement.
For example, GTMetrix provides a performance score, which summarizes a page’s visual stability, loading performance, and interactivity. The tool also measures the time it takes to fully load a webpage, checks the page size, and counts the number of HTTP requests sent to fetch all the page files.
PageSpeed Insights works similarly. The tool provides an overall score combining speed index, time for interactivity, and a few other factors. Fast WordPress themes should ideally load within 4.30 seconds. However, the lower, the better!
Top 5 WordPress Fastest Themes
Here are the top five fastest WordPress themes in 2024. We compared the key features, pros, and cons to help you make up your mind.
Hello Elementor
Hello Elementor is one of the fastest WordPress themes currently on the market. The lightweight template has a total page file size of just 21KB, making it one of the fastest-loading templates. The theme loads in 0.9 seconds and has a GTMetrix performance score of 99%.
Key Features
- 100+ Readymade Designs: The Hello Elementor Website Kit features over 100 premade templates you can import and customize in minutes.
- Customizable Headers and Footers: From color, font, and logo to header and footer, you can customize every part of the website easily.
- WooCommerce Builder: Create personalized shopping experiences and edit your store using Elementor’s full potential.
- Optimized for Speed: The Hello Elementor theme uses clean codes that consume fewer server resources, meaning your website loads quickly.
- Fully Compatible: The theme is compatible with all popular managed WordPress hosting plans.
Pros
- You can build any website you desire
- It offers a responsive user experience
- The theme is RTL-ready for languages like Arabic and Hebrew right out of the box
- You can use the drag-and-drop builder to customize page elements easily
- The theme loads in the blink of an eye and requires just 6KB of resources
Cons
- Limited customization options are available
Neve
Neve is a multipurpose WordPress theme with a 98% GTMetrix performance score. The lightweight theme has a total page file size of 32.4 KB and offers over 30 premade templates that you can import and customize in minutes.
Key Features
- Customizable Layouts: You can customize the theme using the intuitive drag-and-drop editor and monitor changes on the front end in real-time.
- Header and Footer Builder: Customize headers and footers using new components, transparent menus, and tons of excellent features.
- 100+ Premade Templates: Import and customize premade templates without technical know-how.
- Page Builder Compatibility: The theme is compatible with Divi and Elementor WP page builders.
- Translation and RTL-ready: The theme is RTL-ready and supports all the popular global languages.
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Pros
- The Neve theme is SEO-friendly right out of the box. You can further improve SERP rankings using a WordPress SEO plugin.
- The theme uses clean codes and is optimized for speed
- You can import and start customizing premade templates within minutes
- Neve features a powerful, user-friendly, and responsive mega menu
- The theme is mobile-ready and AMP-compatible
Cons
- The design quality of some of the templates could have been better
OceanWP
OceanWP is one of the fastest WordPress themes in 2024. It has a GTMetrix performance score of 95% and loads within 1.6 seconds. The theme is user-friendly and compatible with popular enterprise WordPress hosting plans and the premium plan comes with over 100 premade starter sites.
Key Features
- Full User Control: Take complete control over your website from a unified dashboard.
- Uses Clean Codes: The theme uses clean codes that consume fewer server resources, meaning your website loads quickly.
- Regularly Updated: Add new features, manage existing functionalities, and prevent security vulnerabilities with regular updates.
- SEO-friendly: OceanWP is optimized to improve your website’s SERP rankings. Monitor key performance indicators and optimize your marketing strategy using built-in tools.
- Fully Responsive: The theme is mobile-friendly, meaning it works flawlessly across devices, from smartphones to desktops and everything in between.
Pros
- The theme is compatible with all popular third-party plugins, such as WordPress analytics widgets, performance extensions, etc.
- The theme is regularly updated according to the latest WAI-ARIA guidelines
- The built-in customization options ensure the website performs flawlessly across devices
- The theme is well-documented, simplifying life for amateur webmasters
- Premium clients get 24/7 support
Cons
- Mobile performance could be better
WPAstra
WPAstra is one of the fastest WordPress themes on the market. With a GTMetrix score of 98%, the theme is pretty popular with WP users. The total file size is just 43.6 KB, which is surprisingly efficient considering the theme packs several fantastic features.
Key Features
- Accessibility-ready: Astra follows the latest WCAG 2.0 standards and meets AA levels, which is crucial for usability.
- Compatible with Page Builders: The theme is compatible with all popular WordPress page builders like Gutenberg and Beaver Builder.
- Seamless WooCommerce Integration: Astra comes with WooCommerce-compatibility, so you can set up and manage your online store easily.
- Drag-and-Drop Builder: Simply drag and drop elements to your desired spot using the intuitive visual builder.
- Live Editing: You can edit blocks and page elements and track changes in real-time.
Pros
- The theme uses JavaScript instead of jQuery for improved site performance
- Astra is a feather-light WP theme that weighs barely 50 KB
- The default theme loads in just 0.5 seconds
- The theme has one of the largest collections of pre-built websites
- You can easily customize every part of your site from the header to the footer and everything in between
Cons
- The free version offers limited features
GeneratePress
GeneratePress is an optimized premium WordPress theme that is designed for speed. The theme comes with 50+ premade website templates and is feature-packed right out of the box.
Key Features
- Performance-oriented: The lightweight theme is built for speed. It uses clean codes and lacks dependencies.
- Global Compatibility: GeneratePress is compatible with all top-rated page builders and WordPress plugins.
- Clean Codes: The theme is built to the highest coding standards for stability, security, and compatibility.
- Premade Templates: The theme comes with 50+ pre-built website templates that let you start building your website in minutes.
- Block-based Builder: GeneratePress features a powerful block-based theme builder so you get complete freedom to build your site.
Pros
- The theme has 100% PageSpeed scores
- The theme is flexible and scalable, which makes it ideal for diverse uses
- You get complete documentation to help set up and manage the theme
- Premium users get dedicated support
- It follows the latest WCAG 2.0 standards
Cons
- The free plan does not come with the block builder
Conclusion
That concludes our list of the five fastest WordPress themes in 2024. We compared the key features, pros, and cons to help you choose better. But if you are still confused, we recommend trying a few to make up your mind. Don’t forget to install the themes on a demo site to avoid messing up your primary website.
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FAQ
Which is the fastest WordPress theme in 2024?
WPAstra, Hello Elementor, and Neve are the three fastest WordPress themes in 2024. You should compare them to find which is best for your business.
How do I find the fastest WordPress theme for my website?
We have handpicked the top five fastest WordPress themes to help you make an informed choice. You should try them yourself before making up your mind.
How can I make my WordPress theme faster?
You can combine WordPress analytics, speed tester, SEO, and performance plugins to track and improve the overall performance of your WordPress website.
Do WordPress themes affect site load times?
Yes, an unoptimized WordPress theme can drastically reduce page load speed, affecting your website’s user experience and SERP rankings.
Which is the best WordPress theme for me?
The best WordPress theme is the one that meets all your needs. So, compare the top-rated themes to find one that suits you best.
