A great blog design doesn’t always have to cost you a bundle. Sure, paying for a theme has its benefits like good support, increased probability of a good back-end, and typically fewer clones. But for bloggers who are strapped for cash these days, there are many free WordPress themes that can do the trick. Besides, whether you pay for a theme or not, you’ll still have to do some level of customization to really stand out anyway.
Below are 10 of my favorite free WordPress themes in 2009 in no particular order. I stuck with bloggers’ themes only but trust me, I still had a hard time narrowing them down!
Which do you like? Do you have any themes to add to the list?
BTW, this is my entry to Daniel Scosso’s Group Writing Project. I suggest you participate as well.




















I am a business professional
with an entrepreneurial spirit. Although I have an MBA and managed websites and IT departments
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[...] paying for a theme has its benefits like good support, increased probability of a good.Read more:10 FREE killer WordPress themes in 2009 | Free Blog HelpRelated Posts:101 Killer Wordpress Plugins to Meet Anyone's Needs – Webitect …101 Killer [...]
Hay was just looking for a theme, I recently got a website and I’m in the process of setting it up. They look great, Thanks for this post it was just what I was looking for!
Iskander´s last blog ..Affiliate, MLM, and other Programs that Do work.
Hope you grab one of these and take advantage of their awesomeness. Can’t wait to see the end result.
Awesome list Gabe, I especially like FreebiesDock. Nice to see some different themes, usually this sort of list is just full of themes everyone knows about, but I’d only seen a couple of these previously… nice job!

Simon | Teenius´s last blog ..Contest: Win Over $800 Worth Of Prizes!
I like OneRoom but the others are all very well designed also. I agree with Simon from Teenius, it’s a refreshing list that doesn’t include the usual suspects that you usually see!
Karl
Karl Foxley´s last blog ..The Really Sneaky CommentLuv Trick For Better Blog Marketing And Promotion!
I don’t think people are aware of how great some free themes are. I tried to choose a variety of themes that may match the various needs and personalities of bloggers.
I personally love Audry but it’s a bit too feminine for me.
I think OneRoom is very clean. I love the use of space throughout the design.
Gabe – you are always a wealth of resources! The timing of this is perfect as I’m going to be teaching a local WordPress class soon and free themes is one of our topics.
(and I’m a junky for all things WordPress too so you continue to fuel my addiction!)
Michelle @mmangen
Michelle Mangen@Your Virtual Assistant´s last blog ..20 #WordPress Plugins I would die without!
That sounds like a fun topic! Again, free themes aren’t for everyone but they shouldn’t be dismissed by everyone.
Hope some of your students will actually use some of these.
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by UNnouncer: 10 great Wordpress themes. http://bit.ly/8ku4vm And oh yeah, they’re free!!!…
I think I might download some of these themes. Looks awesome and it’s free though
especially Blue Rooster. Thanks Gabe.
steppinout´s last blog ..3 Firefox Plugins That Will Change Your Blogging Experience
Hi Gabe! Nice new design. I really like it. Thanks for providing these free Wordpress themes for us. By the way, from far distance you I thought your avatar kind of look likes Tiger Woods.

Tristan Lee´s last blog ..The Power of Concentration
I was very close to choosing Blue Rooster for this site. Although you can’t tell from the screen shot, the main area is actually a slide show.
I get that a lot. Since I’m older than he is, Tiger Woods actually looks like me.
If I have rights to choose, Mainstream would be my favorite one
Tinh´s last blog ..Site Performance: Check Your Site Speed Within Google Webmaster Tools
Wow, full of great design theme. I may use some of the design idea in my current blog theme soon.
Btw, I also want to join group writing project but couldn’t find idea for post yet.
Dana @ Online Knowledge´s last blog ..Big No Thanks in Thanks Giving
Freemium theme is awesome.
Ramkumar´s last blog ..Remove DRM Protection in Media Files
Main stream and OneRoom look pretty darn good
.
Brad´s last blog ..Google DNS vs OpenDNS
Mainstream has a great look. The only problem is the way the titles wrap around, just like a few other themes out there.
OMG, didn’t you just change themes last month?
Anyway, there are so many topics to choose from. How about 2009’s top plugins, iphone apps, corporate themes, blog news, new MMO blogs, etc…
Agreed. I love so many things about Freemium: big image blocks, nice ad area, sharp lines, nice default color scheme…
Good choices.
I’m surprised no one mentioned Bueno yet. It’s wootheme’s newest and I think it’s outright gorgeous in a subtle kind of way.
The more experience I got from blogging (I’m well into my 8th month), the more I’m inclined to choose simpler, uncomplicated themes. Thus, among this 10, Bueno gets my vote.
Hey, I think I got here right in time. There Gabe, you got someone to mention Beuno.

James M.´s last blog ..Wave board 101: Learning the waveboard
Often times it’s cyclical. Sites that are heavy eventually become lighter and vice versa.
Beuno, I can’t wait to see someone I know switch to it.
I like Bueno, but I don’t have plans to change to it as I believe my current one is already simple enough. Maybe for some future blogs, I would definitely consider Bueno, although like all other themes, I’m going to heavily edit its innards to finally appear the way I want it. This is probably why I like simple themes. They’re easier to edit.

James M.´s last blog ..DIV Background Image for Wordpress Post
Versatility theme is good..
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I agree. I think the gray scares some people off but it’s an elegant design.
MagaLing look eye catch to me and OneRoom look wild. Nice compilation.
Arafat Hossain Piyada´s last blog ..Get free song or music video, app, TV episode or film from iTunes in this Christmas
OneRoom and BUENO look very neat and simple. Neat and simple templates are best for blogging………

Sandesh Mascarenhas´s last blog ..Find and remove similar, duplicate musical files
Excellent point. Too many bloggers think a good design means having a lot going on and in most cases, a clean interface is what readers want.
Magaling is a little dark for my taste but I can see how incredible it could be for the right audience.
I’m beginning to really like themes that don’t smack you with ads right up front; some really good ones here.

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A very spammy site works for some folks. It’s not for me and I’m working on better integration of ads on this site all the time.
Great list bro! BTW post re-tweeted.
Thanks. I had to review about 300 free themes, too!
They are awesome, I may use it for my next project.
Phaoloo´s last blog ..What To Do When Traffic From Google Dramatically Drops
I’m considering grabbing one of these for one of other sites too. Hard to resist!
After looking at these irresistable templates, Wish I had started with WP

Basant Singh´s last blog ..Traffic Statistics & Analysis of Techno-Pulse
It might be a good idea to switch over anyway. You can’t go wrong with WordPress!
Thanks Gabe this is good info. to know!
Very nice themes Gabe, thank you for sharing, I think I will use at least one of them.
Claudiu´s last blog ..Successful ptc sites members never do this mistake
Please let me know if you do. I’d love to see the end result.
these theme are nice.i like widgeted footer theme now.if you have some collection of such theme it will be gr8.
i like widgeted footer themes.if you have collection of such theme it will be gr8.i will like to add one blogessive theme to this list
zeesu´s last blog ..Sharing is Business on Internet
Widgeted footers are all the rage right now. I don’t have a collection of those but many of the popular themes already have them.
I guess each one of thhem is created for different purposes.. Anyways I like the last one, it looks really unique..
I love that last one, too. I wish someone could make some great use out of WildDream. It’s not one that I could take advantage of either unfortunately.
Hi Gabe,
This is really a nice list of wordpress themes, difficult to resist. I liked your new theme as well.
Sanjeev´s last blog ..Google added Real Time Search Results from Twitter, Facebook, Friendfeed, MySpace
Thanks. I actually wrote the article before I redesigned this site. Otherwise, Arclite would’ve made the list.
i like your choice themes collection, all the themes are superb … good taste of selection you have.
There were actually so many to choose from! I can’t speak to the back-end but IMO there were more that looked great than those that were terrible.
[...] 10 FREE torpedo WordPress themes in 2009: A good blog pattern doesn’t regularly have to price we the bundle. Sure, profitable for the thesis has the benefits similar to good support, augmenting luck of the good back-end, as good as typically fewer clones. But for bloggers who have been strapped for income these days, there have been many giveaway WordPress themes which can do the trick. (by Gabe) [...]
[...] 10 FREE killer WordPress themes in 2009: A great blog design doesn’t always have to cost you a bundle. Sure, paying for a theme has its benefits like good support, increased probability of a good back-end, and typically fewer clones. But for bloggers who are strapped for cash these days, there are many free WordPress themes that can do the trick. (by Gabe) [...]
[...] 10 FREE killer WordPress themes in 2009: A great blog design doesn’t always have to cost you a bundle. Sure, paying for a theme has its benefits like good support, increased probability of a good back-end, and typically fewer clones. But for bloggers who are strapped for cash these days, there are many free WordPress themes that can do the trick. (by Gabe) [...]
[...] 10 FREE killer WordPress themes in 2009: A great blog design doesn’t always have to cost you a bundle. Sure, paying for a theme has its benefits like good support, increased probability of a good back-end, and typically fewer clones. But for bloggers who are strapped for cash these days, there are many free WordPress themes that can do the trick. (by Gabe) [...]
Wow, you just pick up the beautiful themes and display them beautifully, Gabe.
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Thanks! I wish I could find a way to use each and every one of them.
[...] 10 FREE killer WordPress themes in 2009: A great blog design doesn’t always have to cost you a bundle. Sure, paying for a theme has its benefits like good support, increased probability of a good back-end, and typically fewer clones. But for bloggers who are strapped for cash these days, there are many free WordPress themes that can do the trick. (by Gabe) [...]
[...] 10 FREE killer WordPress themes in 2009: A great blog design doesn’t always have to cost you a bundle. Sure, paying for a theme has its benefits like good support, increased probability of a good back-end, and typically fewer clones. But for bloggers who are strapped for cash these days, there are many free WordPress themes that can do the trick. (by Gabe) [...]
[...] 10 FREE killer WordPress themes in 2009: A great blog design doesn’t always have to cost you a bundle. Sure, paying for a theme has its benefits like good support, increased probability of a good back-end, and typically fewer clones. But for bloggers who are strapped for cash these days, there are many free WordPress themes that can do the trick. (by Gabe) [...]
Magaling is a theme which I like the most, but when I was trying to configure it almost year back was getting lots of error. Thats one reason I personally promote premium wordpress theme over free themes
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Good to know about Magaling. As I mentioned in the article, there’s going to be a higher level of risk when it comes to support and back-end when it comes to free themes.
Depending on the theme, technical skill level of the blogger, patience, and willingness to part with money, some free themes may be perfect for bloggers.
[...] 10 FREE killer WordPress themes in 2009: A great blog design doesn’t always have to cost you a bundle. Sure, paying for a theme has its benefits like good support, increased probability of a good back-end, and typically fewer clones. But for bloggers who are strapped for cash these days, there are many free WordPress themes that can do the trick. (by Gabe) [...]
[...] 10 FREE killer WordPress themes in 2009: A great blog design doesn’t always have to cost you a bundle. Sure, paying for a theme has its benefits like good support, increased probability of a good back-end, and typically fewer clones. But for bloggers who are strapped for cash these days, there are many free WordPress themes that can do the trick. (by Gabe) [...]
[...] 10 FREE killer WordPress themes in 2009: A great blog design doesn’t always have to cost you a bundle. Sure, paying for a theme has its benefits like good support, increased probability of a good back-end, and typically fewer clones. But for bloggers who are strapped for cash these days, there are many free WordPress themes that can do the trick. (by Gabe) [...]
A very clever idea, will implement it as soon as possible.Looks awesome and it’s free though especially Blue Rooster.It really helped me a lot and hope it will be helpful for others also.Thanks a lot for sharing. Keep blogging.
Blue Rooster was a finalist for me when I redesigned this site.
Anyway, let me know if you can ship a discounted Herman Miller Aeron to the US!
[...] 10 FREE killer WordPress themes in 2009: A great blog design doesn’t always have to cost you a bundle. Sure, paying for a theme has its benefits like good support, increased probability of a good back-end, and typically fewer clones. But for bloggers who are strapped for cash these days, there are many free WordPress themes that can do the trick. (by Gabe) [...]
[...] 10 FREE killer WordPress themes in 2009: a great blog design doesn?t always have to cost you a bundle. Sure, paying for a theme has its benefits like good support, increased probability of a good back-end, and typically fewer clones. but for bloggers who are strapped for cash these days, there are many free WordPress themes that can do the trick. (by Gabe) [...]
freebloghelp.com – da best. Keep it going!
BernieR
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Group Writing Project: 90 Reviews of 2009…
All right guys, we finally have the final list of entries for the “2009 in Review” group writing project. we had 90 participants in all sorts of niches, and it was interesting to compile the list of entries. I am sure you will have fun reading them as …
That’s a nice selection for themes. There are so many good and free themes now that it is hard to pick out just a few. What I look for is a combination of looks and fast loading.
Snuggie Cult´s last blog ..Weezer Snuggie Letterman – band Weezer joins Snuggie Cult
Most of these load pretty fast. The number of posts and pics you use on your home page is a big contributor as well. It also doesn’t hurt to use a cache plugin to move things along.
Excellent templates for WordPress. Thanks for the link

Softkeys´s last blog ..WinHex 15.5 SR-4
The list you said is very nice themes. Thanks for your information Gabe. I will try some
kate @ Business Blogger´s last blog ..Branding Is a Balancing Act
That looks great. I will pick up them and will choose one
general business talk´s last blog ..Ways Leading to an Excellent Small Business Branding
I like mainstream one
Digital news´s last blog ..HP G60-530US 15.6-Inch Laptop Review
me like Versatility Lite
Jim´s last blog ..Bedrooms Furniture to Dream About
i like your themes collection gabe, it’s awesome themes.. nice Taste
kate´s last blog ..Forex Education – Learning About Real Forex Trading Education
great themes, thanks!
Dating Reviews´s last blog ..Dating a Shy Girl
Gabe, thanks for all the posts on setting up a free blog, and this one on themes. Bueno is definitely my favorite- I write on spirituality, and it’s a nice, toned-down and serious look.
You’re welcome! Bueno seems like a perfect fit for your niche!
I love WordPress and how it makes building websites on the internet accessible to everyone.
I think the themes you have chosen give a great incite into the variety of themes available – great stuff!
I searching for wordpress thing on google and found your website. Your article is such great. It’ provide quality wordpress theme resources. Thank you for sharing with us.
I have always loved themes. I think they make your website more personal. Plus, when you change your themes and update your blog regularly, it sends the signal to your readers and followers that you are very current and on top of things.
Farmville Cheats´s last blog ..Farmville Valentine’s Day Decorating Contest Winners
I like the 5th theme, very colorful and i like the last theme to with the frog. <3 Nice collection.
Sushie@ how to lose weight´s last blog ..To lose weight with light products
looks like that a premium theme
i rather choose a free theme
because i still learn maybe someday i will buy a premium theme
but in your artikel i like that no 2 theme
thanks
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