The most popular WordPress themes in 2026 fall into two groups: free themes with the most active installations on WordPress.org, and premium themes with the most sales on ThemeForest. This guide ranks both using public numbers we checked on 14 November 2026, explains what those numbers do and do not tell you, and helps you decide whether a popular theme is the right theme for your site.
For free themes we used active installations from the official WordPress.org themes API, which counts sites currently running the theme, rounded to bands such as 500,000+. For premium themes we used the total sales count shown on each ThemeForest item page, which counts licences sold since launch, not sites running the theme today. The two numbers are not directly comparable. We list them separately and note the last update date, because popularity means little if a theme has stopped receiving updates. We earn nothing from these links.
Free: active installs from WordPress.org. Premium: total sales and regular licence price from ThemeForest item pages. All checked 14 November 2026. Installs and sales are not directly comparable.
| Theme | Price | Popularity | Last update |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astra | Free | 1,000,000+ installs | 12 Nov 2026 |
| Hello Elementor | Free | 1,000,000+ installs | 3 Nov 2026 |
| Twenty Twenty-Five | Free | 1,000,000+ installs | 20 May 2026 |
| Kadence | Free | 500,000+ installs | 6 Nov 2026 |
| GeneratePress | Free | 500,000+ installs | 1 Dec 2025 |
| Avada | $69 | 1,075,414 sales | 28 Oct 2026 |
| BeTheme | $69 | 337,514 sales | 20 Oct 2026 |
| The7 (Classic) | $69 | 337,483 sales | Dates conflict |
| Enfold | $59 | 272,482 sales | Dates conflict |
| Flatsome | $59 | 270,756 sales | 22 Sep 2026 |
| Bridge | $69 | 224,502 sales | 17 Oct 2026 |
| Salient | $60 | 171,940 sales | 22 Oct 2026 |
Ranked by active installations on WordPress.org, 14 November 2026.
Version 4.14.3, updated 12 November 2026, rated 98/100 from 6,558 ratings. The largest starter template library among free themes and support for every major builder. View Astra.
Version 3.5.2, updated 3 November 2026, rated 84/100 from 131 ratings. Popular because it is the official base theme for Elementor users. View Hello Elementor.
Version 1.5, updated 20 May 2026. As the current default theme, it is active on many new installs. View Twenty Twenty-Five.
Version 1.6.0, updated 6 November 2026, rated 98/100. View Kadence.
Version 3.6.1, updated 1 December 2025, rated 98/100 from 1,428 ratings. View GeneratePress.
Version 4.2.8, updated 26 October 2026, rated 98/100 from 5,721 ratings. View OceanWP.
Version 2.1.62, updated 13 November 2026, rated 100/100 from 874 ratings. View Blocksy.
Version 4.2.19, updated 6 November 2026, rated 94/100. View Neve.
Ranked by total sales on ThemeForest, checked 14 November 2026.
$69 regular licence, 4.78 stars from about 26.6K reviews, updated 28 October 2026, by ThemeFusion. View Avada.
$69, 4.82 stars from about 7.1K reviews, updated 20 October 2026, by muffingroup. View BeTheme.
$69, 4.75 stars from about 9.3K reviews, by Dream-Theme. The page labels this version The7 Classic, a legacy release no longer tested against new major WordPress or PHP versions, and its update dates conflict, so check before buying. View The7.
$59, 4.79 stars from about 11K reviews, by Kriesi. The item table says updated 6 October 2026 but the newest changelog entry we saw was dated 9 October 2025. View Enfold.
$59, 4.83 stars from about 8.2K reviews, updated 22 September 2026, by UX-themes. The best-known WooCommerce theme on the list. View Flatsome.
$69, 4.74 stars from about 7K reviews, updated 17 October 2026, by QODE. View Bridge.
$60, 4.82 stars from about 6.9K reviews, updated 22 October 2026, by ThemeNectar. View Salient.
A large user base usually means more tutorials, more third-party compatibility testing and a developer with resources to keep updating. It does not mean the theme is the fastest, the simplest or the best fit for your niche. Older best sellers carry years of features, which can make them heavier and harder to learn. Total sales also include sites that have since moved to another theme. Use popularity as a safety signal, then judge fit, speed and design on the demo.
OrdainIT makes niche themes such as Buconz for business, Sassty for SaaS and AI and Sorex for portfolios. We check speed and demos before release and include free installation and lifetime updates.
The list of the most popular WordPress themes has shifted over the last few years. Older premium multipurpose themes built huge sales totals during the 2010s, when buyers wanted one theme with every feature. Since then, lighter free themes with optional pro add-ons, such as Astra, Kadence, GeneratePress and Blocksy, have grown quickly, helped by page builders and the block editor. Block themes, starting with the yearly default themes, now ship on many new installs. If you compare today’s active installs with lifetime sales, you can see that the market has moved towards flexible, lighter bases plus a builder, while long-standing premium themes keep loyal users and agencies that know them well.
Free popular themes are usually freemium: the base theme is free, and advanced headers, more starter sites, WooCommerce extras and priority support come with a paid upgrade. Premium marketplace themes charge once for a regular licence, typically $59 to $69 for those above, which includes future updates and six months of item support, with support extensions sold separately. Many also bundle paid plugins such as sliders or builders; those bundled copies often update only through the theme. Budget for support renewals and any premium plugins you will need, not just the headline price.
We will recheck installs, sales and update dates for the most popular WordPress themes regularly and update this page with the new date. Numbers on WordPress.org and ThemeForest change daily, so always confirm on the official page before you decide.
Most of the premium best sellers above are multipurpose themes with dozens of demos and their own builders or bundled page builders. That breadth is why they sell, but it also means a learning curve: theme options panels, bundled plugin updates and demo-specific settings. Before buying, open two or three demos close to your design, check how pages are built in the back end if a live admin demo is offered, and read the documentation index to see how much is covered. Ten minutes on the documentation often tells you more than the sales count.
Among free themes, Astra, Hello Elementor and Twenty Twenty-Five each have 1,000,000+ active installs. Among premium themes, Avada has the most ThemeForest sales at over 1,075,000.
Not necessarily. Popularity signals stability and support, but the best theme is the one that fits your site and stays fast with your content.
They tend to receive regular security updates, but only if you keep them updated and buy from official sources.
A regular licence covers one end product. Sales volume keeps prices low; support renewals and extended licences cost extra.
Start free if a free theme covers your needs. Choose premium when you need ready demos, advanced builders or dedicated support. See our best free WordPress themes guide.
Chosen a theme or template? The OrdainIT team, which designs and builds its own WordPress themes and templates, can also get your website live. Pick a fixed-price service:
Want a design to start from? Browse OrdainIT WordPress themes, each with free installation and lifetime updates, or see all WordPress services. Not sure what you need? Contact OrdainIT for a free, no-obligation quote.
See OrdainIT’s themes and customer ratings on OrdainIT’s ThemeForest profile.
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