WordPress makes it easy to create a website even if you don't know how to code. One of the reasons WordPress is so easy to use is due to the sheer number of themes available.
WordPress themes come in many different styles and for many different website types. In this post, we’ll take a look at the three popular minimalist WordPress themes that you can use to create your website.
Where to Find Premium WordPress Themes
If you’re looking for the best premium minimalist WordPress themes, look no further than Envato Elements. Envato Elements is a subscription-based marketplace that gives you access to thousands of design elements for a low monthly fee. It includes assets such as:
- Professional WordPress themes
- Presentation templates
- Stock photos, fonts, and more.
Another place where you can find premium minimalist WordPress themes is ThemeForest. ThemeForest is a part of Envato Market, a suite of marketplaces catering to various creative needs. Each marketplace offers templates and design assets that you can purchase individually.
Both Envato Elements and Envato Market have WordPress themes with professional features such as:
- Tons of customization options to make the theme reflect your style
- Ideas built into the themes so you don’t have to wonder where to start
- A starting point for your design so you can save time on the design and can spend more time on content
Another benefit of using a premium WordPress theme is that you’ll end up with a website that stands out. So if you want to outshine your competition, a premium WordPress theme from Envato Elements or ThemeForest is the best way to go.
Our Pick: 3 Minimalist WordPress Themes
With that in mind, let’s take a look at what these popular minimalist WordPress themes have to offer in terms of features, strengths and weaknesses, and pros and cons.
Uppercase Minimal Blog Theme
Plenty of features and lots to customize, without being overwhelming ➝
Arnold Minimal Portfolio WordPress Theme
Shines as a portfolio theme, with lots of layout options ➝
Lekker Minimal WordPress Theme For Portfolios
Well-documented theme with excellent minimalist design ➝
1. Uppercase Minimal Blog Theme
First up, we have the Uppercase minimalist WordPress theme for blogs. The theme includes multiple demos and a unique ability to toggle on the dark mode with a single click of a button.
Main Features
The Uppercase theme stands out not with its minimal design but also behind-the-scenes simplicity. You won’t find tons of unnecessary features with this theme. However, that doesn’t mean that the Uppercase theme is lacking in options. On the contrary, main features of this theme include:
- The ability to toggle on the dark mode on the front end and the backend of your site
- Extensive customization options for typography, colors, header, individual posts and pages
- Tons of built-in options such as sharing buttons, extra Gutenberg blocks, social media integration, header and footer scripts, and more
- The ability to insert ads or additional content directly below blog posts
- Multi-level mega menu, sticky navigation, and sticky sidebar
- Numbered pagination and infinite load
Thanks to the options above, you won’t need to install additional plugins and overload your WordPress website. Everything you need to run a blog is included with the theme so you can get your blog set up quickly.
Ease Of Use
The theme is easy to use. It follows the same standard installation process and once you activate it, you’ll see a notice in your dashboard prompting you to install and activate necessary plugins. After that, you can begin customizing the theme using the built-in WordPress customizer.
This means you can easily change fonts, colors, import a different demo, change the header settings, and more. There are also plenty of options to change individual page layouts. For example, you can choose between 10 different archive page layouts as well as 11 different layouts for the homepage.
It’s worth mentioning that the Uppercase theme doesn’t come with a page builder of any sort. This means all the post and page editing is done through the Gutenberg editor which removes the overwhelm and makes the Uppercase theme beginner-friendly.
Pros And Cons
The Uppercase theme is a great choice if you’re looking for a feature-rich theme that doesn’t overwhelm with too many choices. It gives you the right amount of customization options without going overboard. In addition to that, all of the features included are features built with bloggers in mind so you won’t have to worry about features or layouts you’ll never use bogging down your server. It’s also worth mentioning that the theme is well-documented.
While the theme gives you plenty of customization options, keep in mind it doesn’t come with a page builder plugin. That means you won’t get full control over how your pages and posts are laid out so this theme might not be the best choice if you want to customize every aspect of your blogging website.
2. Arnold Minimal Portfolio WordPress Theme
The Arnold theme from ThemeForest is a minimal WordPress theme designed with portfolios in mind. You’ll find 11 different demo concepts and a page builder that makes it possible to see the changes you’re making while you’re editing your page or a post.
Main Features
The Arnold theme is a great theme to showcase your past projects. It can be used by designers, illustrators, artists, photographers, and any other creative professional that wants to showcase their work. Main features include:
- Intuitive drag and drop page builder
- Multiple header layouts to choose from
- Custom portfolio builder that gives you flexible portfolio design options
- Integration with WooCommerce so you can sell physical and digital products
- Separate font management system that allows you to control every aspect of your typography
- Built-in translation options thanks to the integration with Loco Translate
Similarly to the Uppercase theme, there is no pressing need to install additional plugins for your site. Everything you need to display your projects and showcase your services is available as soon as you activate the theme.
The Arnold theme makes it easy to create your portfolios. Once the theme has been installed, you’ll see the Portfolio option in the sidebar. You can then create a new portfolio using the Gutenberg editor or with the BM Content Builder plugin.
Ease Of Use
The Arnold theme is easy to use. Once the theme has been installed you’ll get a prompt to install the required plugins, however, they won’t be activated immediately. You’ll need to do so manually and after that you’ll be able to import the demo content.
The builder is easy to use and at first glance, doesn’t offer much. You are presented with a selection of blocks and once you choose a block, you’ll be able to edit the contents. There are also a number of pre-made page layouts that you can use within the builder instead of building from scratch.
Each block also has additional settings once you add it to the page. You can increase or decrease the width, adjust the spacing, move it, duplicate it, and more.
The customization options are tucked away in the theme’s control panel but they are pretty straightforward, even if you’re a beginner.
Pros And Cons
When it comes to pros and cons, the Arnold theme definitely shines as a portfolio theme. It offers different layouts for your portfolio but it’s still easy to manage and use. It even offers customization options for your WooCommerce store although they’re not as extensive as in themes made specifically for WooCommerce. In addition to that, the theme has detailed documentation.
While the theme is easy to use, some of the options can be a little confusing to find. For example, if you’re used to using the WordPress customizer, you’ll be surprised to find a lack of customization options for the theme. Similarly, to import the demo, you need to deactivate all of the plugins except the BM Content Builder which could be made clearer in the dashboard.
3. Lekker Minimal WordPress Theme For Portfolios
The Lekker theme markets itself as a minimal WordPress theme built for portfolios. However, it offers a plethora of demos and pre-made inner pages so you can easily use it to create a business website.
Main Features
The Lekker theme has a minimal design but it’s quite versatile in terms of features. You can use it as a portfolio, a business website, a simple online store or a simple blog website. It offers dozens of pre-made layouts and built-in pages as well as compatibility with Elementor page builder. Main features include:
- Extensive customization options through the theme options panel
- Separate admin interfaces to manage clients, portfolio items, testimonials, and team members
- Extra widgets for the Elementor plugin
- One-click demo import
- Built-in social media integration so you can add your Instagram or Twitter feed
- Large collection of practical shortcodes for portfolio items, stylistic elements, products, and more
Ease Of Use
The Lekker theme has one of the most straightforward installation steps out of all the three themes on this list. As soon as you activate the theme, you’re taken to a page with an unmissable button prompting you to install the required plugins.
But, once you’re done with the plugin installation, the dashboard starts to look a bit overwhelming. There are several new menus on the sidebar which can make it difficult to find the right setting or theme option.
Aside from that, the theme is relatively easy to use. Since it uses the Elementor page builder plugin, you’re not limited to premade layouts. You can easily create your own. The customization options are tucked away in a separate theme dashboard panel but still easy to use. You can control every aspect of your website so if you want full control over how your website looks, the Lekker theme is definitely a good choice.
Pros And Cons
The Lekker theme won’t disappoint if you’re looking for a powerful theme with plenty of customization options and minimalistic design. Although geared for portfolios, it can be used for other types of websites. It’s also well-documented.
One downside of the theme is that it can be a little overwhelming for beginner users. Once you activate the theme, there are dozens of new menus added to the sidebar and finding the right setting can be a little confusing without referring to the documentation.
Which Minimalist WordPress Theme is Right For You?
So now that you’ve seen these themes in action, you might be wondering which theme is the best choice for your minimalist WordPress website. If you’re looking for a blog theme, the Uppercase theme wins hands down due to its strong focus on blogging options.
Similarly, if all you need is a portfolio theme, then Arnold is a solid choice. But if you want a full-featured WordPress theme that can be used as a business website while at the same time allowing you to showcase past projects, the Lekker theme is a better choice.
Explore More WordPress Themes
Minimalist WordPress themes are just one type of WordPress themes we have available on Envato Elements and ThemeForest. If you want to see even more inspirational WordPress themes, be sure to check out the roundups below:
29 Best Portfolio WordPress Themes for Creatives
18 Best WordPress Themes for Organic and Eco-Friendly Websites
Top 20 WordPress Wedding Themes (+ Tips to Build Your Wedding Website)
Design a Minimalist Website With WordPress
With the help of a WordPress minimalist theme, you can easily create a website that looks good and gets your visitors to take action. In this post, we’ve showed you three WordPress minimalist themes that would work well for portfolio and business sites.
The only thing left to do now is to choose your preferred minimalist WordPress theme and build your site. Good luck!
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