The 5 Most Popular WordPress Themes of All Time

As of August, one in five websites was running on WordPress, a W3 Techs Web technology survey found. The key to WordPress’s success lies in its unbeatable cost (many themes are free), high level of customization and ease-of-use. You don’t have to be a Web expert to figure this platform out, and you can tailor the experience to meet your needs for blogging, e-commerce, portfolio display and more.

Twenty Ten

WP’s default theme launched in April 2010 and is still its most popular. Twenty Ten offers a clean, fresh page layout that accommodates your needs for specialization with two sidebar widget areas and four footer widget areas. The free Twenty Ten also offers:

• Default two-column layout (this can be changed)
• Multiple formatting styles for posts
• A customizable header and background image
• Drop-down navigation
• Right-hand sidebar
• Infinite scroll
• Featured image header and featured images support

Photo by ame247 via Flickr

Twenty Eleven

As the name suggests, Twenty Eleven launched in 2011 and went on to become the second most popular WP theme. Twenty Eleven offers a high degree of customization over color, link color, layout, header, and background. Other attributes of this theme include:

• One- or two-column layout
• Left or right sidebar
• Fixed or flexible width
• Custom navigation menu
• Featured image header and featured images
• Multiple formatting styles for posts
• The ability to “stick” a post to the top of the page, so readers see it first
• Infinite scroll

Photo by ame247 via Flickr

Wu Wei

Minimalists and others who enjoy a clean, sparse design have made Wu Wei the third most popular WP theme since its June 2010 launch. Wu Wei offers a white and gray color scheme and a corresponding dark color scheme. Wu Wei’s header and background are customizable. The free theme also offers:

• Fixed page width
• Two-column design
• Customizable background and header
• The ability to “stick” a post to the top of the page, so readers see it first
• Customizable navigation menu
• Infinite scroll
• Multiple formatting styles for posts

Photo by ame247 via Flickr

Twenty Twelve

WordPress’s free Twenty Twelve theme has become the fourth most popular theme since its launch in August 2012. The theme offers a fully responsive page design, which allows your website to adapt to any screen size. Twenty Twelve also delivers:

• Customizable front page template
• Multiple formatting options for posts
• Flexible page width
• One- or two-column layout
• Right-hand sidebar
• The ability to “stick” a post to the top of the page, so readers see it first
• Customizable navigation menu
• Customizable background and header
• Featured images

Photo by ame247 via Flickr

Linen

The fifth most popular WP theme launched in April 2011 and costs $79. Linen takes on a magazine-style appearance and allows a high level of customization. Linen’s features include:

• Customizable header and background color or image
• Choice of 7 accent fonts and 8 body fonts
• Featured image and featured post tools
• Full-width and left-sidebar page templates
• Thumbnail image support
• Featured post slider
• Infinite scroll

Photo by ame247 via Flickr