You know how much fun I had reviewing the best free dark WordPress themes as a passionate fan of black color.
I always take testing and studying free themes with EXTRA care.
I learned it the hard way. And I don’t want you to experience any inconvenience when using a free tool.
You are on the safe side with all the dark themes that you find below. (I already cut the bad ones.)
They work for:
- Business blogs & online magazines
- Agencies & freelancers
- Businesses
- eCommerce (via WooCommerce themes)
- Artists
No need to be a tech or a design wizard.
This post covers:
Every WordPress theme saves your time and energy but keeps the PRO-level extremely high.
Positively impact everyone with a BOLD and BLACK theme design.
Best Dark WordPress Themes In 2022 (Tested)
1. Responsive
Responsive’s Tattoo Studio demo is a beautiful dark theme with a clean design and ready-to-use features. It is 100% optimized for mobile devices and ensures a lightweight structure.
Meaning, your tattoo studio website will guarantee a great user experience, which is oh so crucial for your success.
The theme also comes with multiple internal page templates, saving you additional time.
Hint: I highly recommend starting a tattoo blog! (You can gain more clients with great content.)
And you also get an online booking system if you opt for the pro version of the theme.
Responsive features:
- 30,000+ active installs
- 1-click demo data import
- Easy to translate
- Testimonials section
- Lightbox gallery for your portfolio
2. Artistic Blog
Guys, I am normally not big into minimalistic blog themes but WOW. This Artistic Blog dark theme looks stunning!
Simple, clean, responsive, and user-friendly, what more do you need?
Besides, Artistic Blog is super easy and fast to set up, even for someone without any coding or design experience.
I know, the music of excitement is playing in your head – La, La, La, La.
Artistic Blog is buzzing with beautiful typography and playful colors (unlimited options) to emphasize the importance of your inspirational WORDS.
OH, and one last thing, website speed and cross-browser compatibility are spot on.
Upgrade (IT’S TIME) with Artistic Blog.
Artistic Blog features:
- 400+ active installs
- Contact section
- Slider plugin
- Strong focus on content
- Instant setup
3. Havan
Responsive Havan free dark WordPress theme offers multipurpose usability and you can adjust it to different projects, businesses, and ideas.
Oh yes, Havan is DANGEROUSLY awesome in the best possible way!
Its design works perfectly with a WordPress page builder (Elementor) – say Hellooooo to many customization options (0 coding experiences required).
Meaning: you can setup header styles, different layouts, and gorgeous styles. Your. Way.
In fact, you can even start selling your own products online with the WooCommerce plugin (included for free!).
Extra. Next Level. That kind of thing.
Try an incredible Havan and install a ready-to-use demo with just one click. Game ON.
But you may also be interested in how to install a WordPress theme if you’ll do it for the first time (Ales created a very beginner-friendly guide).
Havan features:
- 100+ active installs
- Distinct & minimal look
- Contact Form 7
- Convenient navigation tool
- Documentation & tutorial
4. eCommerceFocus
Bless you, elegant, modern, and dim eCommerceFocus dark theme – SOS for those who are searching for stunning themes for online stores.
Oh man, and a wide collection of goodies such as adjustable layouts, unlimited colors and fonts, custom backgrounds, different buttons, and a drop-down menu are included.
Pretty COOL.
Besides, responsive eCommerceFocus easily adapts to popular screen sizes (um, yes, especially mobile devices!). MAGIC.
And, the simplest way to bring all your inspirations, experiences, and skills in one place is through a powerful portfolio. Display your portfolio on the front page and grab the attention of potential clients.
SO, come on, meet the eCommerceFocus and sell online like a PRO.
eCommerceFocus features:
- 100+ active installs
- Hero content
- Featured slider
- Testimonials
- Services section
5. Music
You can create an amazing website with your own online music store (PRETTY COOL) with little work and time.
Top-notch Music free dark WordPress theme offers everything you need for an easy and quick start.
The design of Music is modern, unique, and responsive. SO, don’t worry (!) your content will be presented in the best way possible.
Plus music blogs are a great option to get more exposure with minimal financial input (templates included).
Win-win!
You can also add and manage your playlist collection on your new site with Music. Just click some buttons and enjoy your playlist online.
Amazingly convenient and fast realization.
This one is a keeper!
Music features:
- 100+ active installs
- Share albums and tracks
- Create a neat gallery
- Start a music blog
- Optional online store
6. Mik
Bring all your inspiration into one place with Mik free dark WordPress theme. Mik is super easy to use and fully customizable – it can look exactly as you fancy.
Your stories, bits, and pieces of ideas, on-point tips … will have an awesome presentation on the uniquely designed Mik blog.
This is a BIG deal.
Keep your visitor’s eyes peeled on your amazing content!
Oh, and you can choose (unlimited) colors to change the feel of your new site or just pick predefined color skin with one simple click. BLACK.
Besides, you can also change the look of the website with different layouts, adjustable sidebars, and numerous other gleaming options.
Let the fun start with Mik.
Mik features:
- 100+ active installs
- Slider with thumbnails
- Back to top button
- Social media icons
- Mobile menu
7. Darkbiz
When I’m stocked with great features, I can make stunning websites. And now you can make those dazzling and popular sites, too.
You get a collection of elements, different layouts, useful widgets, and gorgeous templates with the elegant Darkbiz free dark WordPress theme.
What can I say more?
Darkbiz is also compatible with most SEO plugins and can be translated into any language you wish. GREAT ADVANTAGE!
Needless to say, this theme is really well organized, built with clean code, and easy to understand (three cheers to the newcomers).
AND the cherry on top is that it also has friendly, quick customer support (solve any issue ASAP). Go big with Darkbiz.
Darkbiz features:
- 80+ active installs
- Makes your business appear even more PRO
- Sticky & transparent menu
- Hover effects
- Widget-rich footer
8. Mag
You have the opportunity to create the best news – magazine website with a clean and fast Mag free dark WordPress theme.
It is fully suitable for dynamic publishers, A-game blogs, and professional editors.
You can choose between multiple widgets to add popular features or new functions to your site. Of course, 0 coding is necessary, yet you remain your full control of the website structure.
You can even make a beautiful online store due to the WooCommerce compatibility with no special knowledge needed.
Sell anything WORLDWIDE with Mag.
YOU! Go and make your dream site with Mag. Next send me a link, SO that we will secretly like it together!
Mag features:
- 200+ active installs
- Compatible with WPML plugin
- Ready for RTL languges
- News ticker
- Practical widgets
9. Bosa Blog
Start like a charm with Bosa Blog – fast, responsive, minimal, and pretty – free dark WordPress theme.
Bosa Blog is extremely customizable and you can easily use it for various blogs and journals.
It works smoothly with Gutenberg block editor (revolution). YES even more effortless for you to publish posts, create pages, add products … In a matter of minutes!
Bosa Blog also handles many plugins such as MailChimp, WooCommerce, Contact Form 7, and Elementor page builder.
HELL YES, the theme can load lightning FAST (great speed test results), too. (For further details, check how to choose a fast WP theme.)
Exciting!
With jaw-dropping Bosa Blog and your touch of creativity, you can embrace the power of your business (WARNING).
Bosa Blog features:
- 300+ active installs
- Full-width slider
- Simple shop section
- Great for any blog (niche & general)
- Sticky sidebar
10. DarkMag
DarkMag free dark WordPress theme makes your business prettier and your life easier!
Fresh DarkMag is a super versatile and adaptive magazine theme for various content publishing sites.
Endless. Options.
Among the pros of the DarkMag is also its responsiveness – basically fits great on all kinds of devices. But the fun doesn’t end here.
Thanks to pre-made post sections, you can divide your content into attention-grabbing categories (breaking news, highlights, advertisement, popular, trending …).
Grab the popcorn and enjoy visitors’ clicks!
In addition, you can easily change header text colors (purely for fun!).
Show up next to the world’s biggest websites with Darkmag.
DarkMag features:
- 100+ active installs
- Breaking news
- Predefined ad placements
- Current date
- Featured images
11. HoneyPress
If you want to demonstrate big ideas, create stunning blogs, and focus on your business growth, then you are in the right place (at the right time).
HoneyPress free dark WordPress theme comes with a ready-to-use homepage, amazing design, and the most popular plugins.
There is no telling what you can do when you get inspired by HoneyPress. With that in mind, this theme is totally customizable and you can easily change it to your desires.
I am also pleased to say that HoneyPress is SEO optimized, loads fast, and is fully translatable.
PRETTY. COOL.
Overall, with HoneyPress (you rock!) you get everything you need for a quick and stress-free start.
HoneyPress features:
- 800+ active installs
- Create a custom menu
- For websites with blog
- Works with WPML & Polylang
- Support eCommerce
12. Bizberg Consulting
What is the main benefit of owning your own site? EVERYTHING!
Bizberg Consulting is a free dark WordPress theme designed for businesses, firms, and consulting corporations (plus a ton more).
Design whiz craftsmanship of Bizberg Consulting reflects quality, modern style, and reliability.
Hats off!
In fact, this theme is super easy to use, compatible with the most popular plugins, and comes with extensive documentation (a powerful weapon if you have problems using the theme).
The features you get with Bizberg Consulting will keep you smiling.
YES, Bizberg Consulting is SEO friendly, fully responsive, cross-browser compatible, and translation-ready.
GODSENT.
Bizberg Consulting features:
- 500+ active installs
- Filterable portfolio
- Transparent header
- Animations
- Pricing tables widget
13. Coral
You can use Coral free dark WordPress theme to cast a powerful spell on your business.
Attract your new customers through the theme’s magical design, awesome multi-column layouts, and built-in slideshow.
Abracadabra!
Coral is great for portfolios, galleries, and photo blogs. It makes them look spectacular with its dark, mysterious (make people wonder who you are) background.
Thus, your content pops up beautifully!
Besides, you can configure the look of Coral just like you imagine in your fantastic mind.
Now, tell a story, provide value, use your time wisely and master your craft with responsive Coral.
Coral features:
- 2,000+ active installs
- Basic design (0 complications)
- 1- or 2-column layout
- Sidebar & footer with widgets
- Social media buttons
What Makes A Good Dark Website?
More (white) space
Using more white or dark space is necessary because it’ll improve your website’s user experience. Avoid adding too much text, images, effects and other content to your website.
This will cause distractions and make your visitors leave early – which you DO NOT want!
Less text and less overall content work best for dark websites.
Because:
Readability
Readability is another crucial factor of a good dark website or blog. You first achieve this with more “black space.”
And secondly, it’s necessary to pick a readable font and color scheme. Larger text and more paragraph spacing also make a dark layout more pleasant to the eyes.
Color and font selection
Readability and color and font selection go very well hand in hand.
Don’t use colors that hurt your eyes. White and off-white or grayish text color is the best choice for a dark site.
If you can’t avoid vivid colors because of branding, at least use them for (smaller) detailing – and not for text.
Don’t use fonts that are hard to read. It’s important to keep it simple with font selection, like Serif fonts. Some of the examples are Georgia, Helvetica, Open Sans and Arial.
The less you complicate, the better.
Style switcher
This is a bit contradictory, but hey (!) not everyone likes a dark website.
The easiest solution to cover all users is to include a style switcher on your website. (You can make a “Day” and “Night” mode.)
This allows visitors to go light or dark with a click of a button. SIMPLE.
But you need to check everything so it’s readable if you’re not using a dark WordPress theme with the integrated switcher.
FAQs About Free Dark WordPress Themes
What are the Benefits of Using a Free Dark WordPress Theme?
Free dark WordPress themes are beneficial for creating visually striking websites with a modern and sophisticated look. They are particularly effective for showcasing photography, artwork, or other visual content as the dark background can make colors pop. Additionally, dark themes are often perceived as less straining on the eyes, especially in low-light conditions.
Are Free Dark WordPress Themes SEO-Friendly?
The color scheme of a WordPress theme, dark or light, generally does not directly impact SEO. However, it’s important to ensure that the theme is well-coded, fast-loading, and mobile-responsive, all critical factors for SEO.
How Customizable are Free Dark WordPress Themes?
Customizability varies across different free dark WordPress themes. Most offer basic customization options like changing fonts, colors, and layout configurations. However, the extent of customization might be limited compared to premium themes. Users may need additional CSS knowledge or plugins for more advanced customizations.
Is it Easy to Read Text on Free Dark WordPress Themes?
Readability on dark themes depends on the contrast and color choices for text. Properly designed dark themes ensure high contrast between the background and text, often using lighter colors for text, making it easy to read.
Are Dark WordPress Themes Suitable for All Types of Websites?
While dark WordPress themes can be visually appealing, they may not be suitable for all types of websites. They work well for creative portfolios, photography sites, gaming blogs, and other niches where a bold, modern aesthetic is desired.
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Note: This article was originally published on August 25, 2021. But our team regularly reviews it and updates it with necessary improvements for accuracy.
