You want to create a WordPress website and are wondering what you should pay particular attention to? We say: speed! With a fast WordPress theme, you lay the foundation for how quickly your website will load in the end.

In this article, you can find out why a fast WordPress theme is so important, which factors affect the loading time and which themes perform best in terms of speed. See also our guide Making WordPress faster: The best tips for better performance, it's also available as an e-book to download.

What experiences have you had with the themes on our list? Do you know of any other lean WordPress themes? Feel free to share your feedback in the comments at the end of this post.

Why is a fast WordPress theme so important?

The speed of the WordPress theme has a major influence on the experience visitors have with your website. This in turn also affects the ranking of your site in search engines and therefore your visibility.

• User experience: When users visit your website, they want to access your content as quickly as possible. If the page loads slowly, they will be dissatisfied and bounce.
• SEO ranking: Google also takes into account how reactive and responsive your website is. After all, the search engine wants users to find answers to their search queries as quickly as possible. A fast WordPress theme with short loading times can therefore have a positive effect on your ranking and help you generate more organic traffic.
• Conversion rate: A good performance of your website ultimately leads to a higher conversion rate. It ensures that your visitors can easily interact with your site, for example to download content, take out a subscription, book a course or buy a product.

What is important for the fastest WordPress themes?

When we talk about fast WordPress themes, we mean how long it takes to load your website and its content. Experience shows that the loading time should be no more than three seconds. Because then users become impatient. Ideally, you should aim for a value of less than two seconds.

In exceptional cases, longer loading times may be acceptable, for example if your website offers high added value for visitors. In addition to the complete loading time of a website, the following values are particularly relevant:

• First Contentful Paint (FCP ): This refers to how long it takes for the first element with content to be displayed on the page. This can be text or an image, for example. It is the first view that visitors receive of the page they have accessed. A fast loading time is important so that users can see that your website has something to offer.
• Time to Interactive (TTI): This is about how much time passes before users can interact with the page, for example by clicking on elements. This factor shows users that the website is working.

Other important metrics are the Core Web Vitals, which Google uses as important factors to measure the user experience and quality of a website. These have a major influence on the ranking. These include, among others:

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP ): This metric shows how much time elapses before the largest visible element (usually the main content) of a page is displayed.
• First Input Delay (FID): This measures how quickly a website reacts to the first interaction, for example when a user clicks on a button or link.
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): This parameter describes how much the content of the page shifts during or after loading. For example, an image that is loaded later may subsequently change the text layout. This value therefore provides information about the visual stability of a website.

What influences speed?

The theme forms the basis for the performance of your WordPress website. When selecting a theme, make sure that it has been developed or programmed to a high standard. The fastest WordPress themes are characterized by the following features:

• Few HTTP requests: Unnecessary HTTP requests increase the server load and thus the loading process.
• Optimal page size: In addition to the code, the page size is also influenced by elements such as images and content. The smaller the page size, the faster the page loads.
• As little JavaScript and CSS as possible: You can also minimize JavaScript and CSS files retrospectively using WordPress plugins, for example with Autoptimize or Fast Velocity Minify.

In addition to the theme, there are many other factors that influence the speed of your website:

• Load weight: This is the amount of data that is transferred when the website is loaded. The number and size of images and videos in particular have a major influence on this. To reduce the loading weight and therefore the loading time, heavy data should be compressed. WordPress plugins such as Optimus can help you with this.
• Caching: Caching is a good way to reduce loading times and server requests. With caching, the website data is stored temporarily. If the website is called up again, the data from the cache is accessed directly instead of sending a new request. This makes the page load much faster. The function can be activated via a plugin (e.g. WP Super Cache). Hosts such as Raidboxes also offer caching directly on the server side - making an additional plugin superfluous.
• Plugins: Don't use too many plugins, as these can also have a negative impact on speed. Only install the extensions that you really need, make sure they are of good quality and regularly remove those that you no longer need.
• Hosting: One of the most important factors is WordPress hosting. To ensure that your website performs well, it is best to use a specialized WordPress hosting provider with a fast and reliable server.

The fastest WordPress themes in comparison

We have compiled the ten fastest WordPress themes for you. Good news: you often don't have to dig deep into your pockets for speed, because you can download many of the best WordPress premium themes as a free version.

By the way: In our blog post on the best free WordPress themes, we give you an overview of which templates you should take a closer look at if you only have a small budget for building your website.

1st GeneratePress

GeneratePress should definitely not be missing from the list of the fastest WordPress themes. The theme focuses on minimalism in order to maximize performance, speed and user experience.

The advantages at a glance:

• GeneratePress convinces with very lean and clean codes.
• The lightweight theme has a page size of just 7.5 KB.
• With just 2 HTTP requests, your website data is transferred as quickly as possible in the basic version.
• At the same time, the theme is very flexible so that it can be used to implement a wide variety of websites, blogs, stores, etc.
• The theme is compatible with all common WordPress page builders and plugins.

Price: free, premium version for 59 $ annually or one-time 249 $

2. neve

Neve is rightly one of the best WordPress themes. Because like GeneratePress, this theme also relies on a sleek yet versatile design. It's a particularly good choice if you want to improve the mobile speed of your website.

The advantages at a glance:

• The search engine optimized code ensures a good ranking on Google.
• The theme is AMP-optimized and thus also offers the best mobile user experience thanks to fast loading times.
• Overall, Neve is a very responsive WordPress theme that ensures that your website performs well and quickly on any device.
• Neve also supports numerous page builders such as Elementor and also offers an interface for WooCommerce.

Price: free of charge, premium version from 99 $ annually

3. oceanWP

Both beginners and developers will get their money's worth with OceanWP. In addition to the free version, the flexible multi-purpose theme offers you numerous extensions that you can use to customize your site as you wish.

The advantages at a glance:

• Overall, the lightweight theme delivers very good values for loading times. We only have to deduct a few points for mobile speed.
• As a fully responsive theme, OceanWP delivers what it promises and provides a good user experience even on small devices.
• You can also use WooCommerce to turn your website into an online store with OceanWP.
• It also supports all common WordPress page builders to customize your site.

Price: free, premium version from 43 $ annually or one-off 222 $

4. cadence WP

Thanks to its versatile starter templates and layout options, Kadence WP is one of the most popular WordPress themes for anyone who wants to let off steam creatively when designing their own website. It is also one of the fastest themes in our ranking.

The advantages at a glance:

• Kadence WP performs very well across the board in the Core Web Vitals.
• The theme uses the pre-installed WordPress editor Gutenberg by default, which can be easily upgraded using Kadence extensions.
• Kadence WP is also compatible with other page builders such as Elementor and Beaver Builder.
• You can also create powerful stores with the WooCommerce extension.
• With the help of lightweight pop-ups, banners and sliders, you can drive up the conversion rate.

Price: free of charge, premium version from 129 $ annually or one-off 699 $

5. astra

Astra has earned its place as one of the fastest WordPress themes on several levels. It allows you to set up websites of all kinds in no time at all, and they perform well to boot.

The advantages at a glance:

• The Astra theme is characterized by a neat and clean code.
• Despite the many demos, speed tests deliver very good results.
• With a page size of around 50 KB and 6 HTTP requests, the multipurpose theme is in the good midfield.
• You can flexibly use different page builders. Some demos have even been specially developed for individual page builder programs.
• You also benefit from unique WooCommerce features.

Price: free, premium version from 59 $ annually or one-off 299 $

6 Hello Elementor

You are probably already familiar with the Elementor page builder, which makes it easy to create pages using drag-and-drop. The Hello Elementor theme is also based on this principle: it should be as simple, flexible and uncomplicated as possible.

The advantages at a glance:

• Basically, the theme is a fairly empty template with very lean programming and a simple design.
• As a result, it offers you a clean interface and great loading times.
• In combination with the Elementor Page Builder and many popular plugins, you can expand your website as you wish.
• The theme is very responsive on all devices.

Price: free of charge, chargeable extensions

7th Zakra

If you are looking for a powerful multipurpose theme with a fast user interface, you will find it at Zakra.

The advantages at a glance:

• In terms of speed, Zakra is in no way inferior to the best WordPress themes and usually loads within 2 seconds.
• The Core Theme allows you to create very slim websites.
• The theme is optimized for search engines and mobile devices.
• It offers you some helpful integrations with page builders like Brizy and Elementor as well as plugins like Yoast SEO and WooCommerce.

Price: free of charge, premium version from 69 $ annually or one-time 199 $

8. blocksy

The block-based WordPress theme Blocksy makes it easy for beginners in particular to build beautiful websites without any programming knowledge. It is one of the fastest free themes from the CMS giant, which can be extended with paid but reasonably priced features.

The advantages at a glance:

• Blocksy was created using the latest web technologies and offers regular updates.
• The core web vitals are achieved with the slim theme without any problems.
• The responsive, customizable and SEO-optimized theme helps you to increase your conversions.

Price: free of charge, premium version from 49 $ annually or one-off 149 $

9th Enfold

The WordPress theme Enfold comes with its own page builder and is an interesting alternative to the standard block system. It may not be the fastest theme on the market, but it performs quite stably and reliably.

The advantages at a glance:

• The theme is very structured and neatly coded.
• It is regularly developed further and offers you German support.
• Thanks to load time optimization, you can give your website a boost with Enfold.
• The theme follows a mobile-first approach and is extremely responsive.

Price: from 59 $

10. sydney

Sydney is particularly suitable for users who are looking for a simple but professional design. The free theme offers you many premium functions that will make your small business big.

The advantages at a glance:

• The small page size ensures short loading times.
• Optimization for search engines and mobile devices also ensures high speeds.
• With only 7 HTTP requests, Sydney is definitely one of the fastest WordPress themes.
• Sydney offers you the option of adding a parallax effect. This allows you to visually enhance your images without slowing down your website with complicated functions.
• The theme comes with unique WooCommerce functions.

Price: free of charge, premium version from 69 $ per year

Conclusion: How to find the right theme for you

To increase your conversions and offer your website visitors a good user experience, you should use a fast WordPress theme when building your website.

Here are a few tips on how to find the right theme for you:

• The first decisive factor is the type of website you want to create. Depending on whether you want to create a blog, an online store, a private portfolio site or a complex business site, the theme must be able to fulfill special functions.
• At first glance, multi-purpose themes are a good choice. These allow you to easily create websites of all kinds. But be careful: make sure that they are not overloaded with too many functions by default, otherwise they will become unnecessarily heavy. This has a negative effect on loading times.
• For the best loading times, you should ideally opt for slim and minimalist themes that only burden your website with a small page size. A simple design is sufficient, especially for small websites.
• Overall, you should only choose cleanly coded and tidy themes. This will ensure that your website loads stably and reliably.
• Think carefully about which functions you need. Most of the themes presented here are compatible with all common plugins, but always check in advance whether you can really install all the extensions you want. However, choose carefully so as not to overload your website.
• Of course, the look of the theme must suit you and your web project. However, this should not be at the expense of functionality. Therefore, always test the themes carefully.
• Find out which page builders the theme allows. Some templates are tailored to the Gutenberg Editor, for example, while the Hello theme from Elementor naturally works best in combination with the corresponding builder.

Last but not least, your budget also plays a role. Many of the fastest WordPress themes are available as a free version. To unlock even more functions, receive reliable support and benefit from regular security updates, the paid Pro version is often recommended.

You can find even more tips on choosing the right WordPress theme for your purposes in our article 8 tips for the right WordPress theme.

Frequently asked questions about fast WordPress themes

Why is a fast WordPress theme so important?

A fast WordPress theme is particularly important for the user experience. If the website loads slowly, there is a risk that users will become dissatisfied and bounce. Speed is also an important ranking factor for Google and has an impact on your conversions.

What influences the speed of a website?

For a website to load quickly, it should be coded cleanly, have an optimal page size and send as few HTTP requests as possible. In addition, you should only install really important plugins and use compression and caching functions, the latter ideally on the server side as with Raidboxes. Last but not least, it is important that you choose a reliable WordPress hosting provider.

How do you measure the speed of a website?

What matters here is how quickly the website loads. One of the most important metrics is how long it takes for the first and largest elements to load and for the website to be ready for interaction. There are various tools such as the PageSpeed Insights Test from Google to measure the respective values. You can read more about this in our article How to measure the loading time of your website correctly.

How do I find the fastest WordPress theme?

To find the fastest WordPress theme, you should pay attention to a lean design and clean programming. With multi-purpose themes and extensive templates, ask yourself which functions you really need and which extensions you can do without.