Best WordPress Themes Used On Monetized Websites

Today, you’re about to discover the most popular WordPress themes used on monetized websites.

This is based on an analysis of 32,499 sites, we’ll break down the top themes that are driving performance, whether through ads or affiliate marketing.

• GeneratePress: 5,056 unique detections
• Astra: 2,656 detections
• Kadence: 2,436 detections
• Plus, the top themes on Mediavine and Raptive.

The best part?

All of these WP themes are highly effective in 2024.

Let’s get started…

The top 9 themes:

Overall Theme Analysis:

• GeneratePress leads the pack with 5,056 unique detections.
• Astra and Kadence follow closely with 2,656 and 2,436 detections respectively.
• Other notable mentions include FoodiePro (975), Mediavine Trellis (928), and Newspaper (910).
• Themes like Acabado (880) and Divi (698) also make significant appearances in the data.
• Shockingly, Elementor only appeared 523 times.

Disclaimer: We didn’t check every site on each of the ad networks but analyzed every site we could scrape and get data for. We only checked sites that are monetized because we wanted to focus on themes bloggers are using to make money.

What’s the Best Theme on Mediavine?

Mediavine Theme Report: Diving into the Mediavine subset, we analyzed 7,317 sites to find out which themes are most popular among Mediavine users.

Results:

• GeneratePress – 847
• Kadence – 799
• Trellis – 781
• Foodie Pro – 651
• Custom Theme – 636
• Astra – 362
• Brunch Pro – 135
• Divi – 129
• Genesis – 109
• Hello by Elementor – 87

We did not combine different frameworks or themes, and counted them separately. However, if you combine the different Trellis themes it would be number 1.

GeneratePress takes the top spot with 847 unique detections.

For example, Foodie Pro in the number 4 spot is actually built on the Genesis framework, along with many other themes by the same company.

Roughly 8.7% of Mediavine WordPress sites have a custom theme. Determining just how much customization would require a lot more analysis, which I’d love to pursue if there’s enough interest. For now, we know that 600+ site owners at least placed their theme files behind a branded/custom directory.

During the cleanup phase of the data, I noticed a couple of design agencies that were commonly used, so I gave them their own grouping. The primary two agencies were Pixel Me Designs (57 detected custom themes) and Once Coupled (25 custom themes).

Trellis is Mediavine’s framework, so it should come as no surprise it appears high on the list. The standard detection labeled “Trellis” was found on 781 websites, while the variations of the theme Wisteria, Birch, and Bamboo appeared on a combined 86 more websites. When combined, that’s more than GeneratePress.

What’s the Best Theme on Raptive?

Raptive Theme Report: Next, let’s look at the Raptive subset, where we analyzed 2,500 sites.

Results:

1. GeneratePress – 562 
2. Kadence – 528
3. FoodiePro – 305
4. Astra – 236
5. Restored316 – 176
6. Genesis – 81
7. Newspaper – 73
8. Trellis – 71
9. Divi – 68
10. Seasonedpro – 59

GeneratePress again tops the list with 562 detections.

Kadence (528) and FoodiePro (305) are also popular choices.

Astra, Restored316, and Genesis round out the top themes with 236, 176, and 81 detections respectively.

Other notable themes include Newspaper (73), Mediavine Trellis (71), and Divi (68).

There are plenty of custom themes on Raptive.

Since it was harder to find identifiers, this dataset is much smaller, but it’s interesting that Mediavine (rival ad network) was the 8th most popular theme.

Best WordPress Themes

Choosing the right theme for your website is crucial for its success.

Especially when it comes to monetising through ads and affiliate marketing.

The problem many website owners face is that ads, big images, and videos can slow down their sites. This can waste your SEO efforts and drive away visitors.

The solution? Top-performing WordPress themes that excel in 2024.

These themes are lightweight, without bloat, enhancing user experience, boosting performance, and maximizing revenue potential.

Based on an analysis of 32,499 sites, we’ve identified the best themes that solve these challenges.

Let’s dive into the details of these standout themes.

GeneratePress Theme

Price: Free with premium add-ons starting at $59 per year.

When it comes to creating a high-performance website, GeneratePress, created by Tom Usborne, stands out as a top choice.

Many website owners struggle with themes that are slow, bloated, and hard to customize.

GeneratePress solves these problems with its lightweight design, extensive customization options, and exceptional speed.

The free version is incredibly robust, offering enough features that many users never even need the paid version.

It’s no wonder GeneratePress has been detected on 5,056 unique sites.

Here’s an in-depth look at why GeneratePress is a favorite among monetized websites.

GeneratePress Packages:

• GeneratePress Premium: The theme with all pro features for up to 500 sites.
• GenerateBlocks Pro: Advanced building blocks for Gutenberg with full access to the pattern library.
• GeneratePress One: Includes GeneratePress Premium, GenerateBlocks Pro, and all the extras like GenerateCloud (coming soon), full access to site & pattern libraries, automatic access to all future products, and priority email support.

GeneratePress Premium

Premium Features:

• Up to 500 Sites: Use GP Premium on up to 500 websites, making it a great option for agencies and developers.
• Full Access to Site Library: Access a growing library of professionally designed starter sites that can be imported with a single click.
  • Explore the Site Library
• All Pro Features: Includes advanced customization options such as additional layout controls, WooCommerce integration, and more.
• 1 Year of Forum Support: Get access to dedicated support forums where you can get help from the GeneratePress team.
• 1 Year of Updates: Stay up to date with the latest features and improvements.
• 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee: Try GP Premium risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

For more details on pricing, visit the GeneratePress Pricing Page.

GenerateBlocks: A Powerful Block Builder

Price: $59 per year for Personal, $99 per year for Professional.

Note: There is a free version.

GeneratePress also offers its own block builder, GenerateBlocks, which enhances the capabilities of the Gutenberg editor.

GenerateBlocks provides a lightweight collection of WordPress blocks that enable you to build more advanced layouts and designs directly within the Gutenberg editor.

Key Features:

• Performance-Focused: Like GeneratePress, GenerateBlocks is designed to be lightweight and fast.
• Versatile Blocks: Includes blocks for grids, buttons, containers, and headlines.
• Customization Options: Extensive design controls for each block, allowing you to create unique layouts.
• Responsive Controls: Adjust how your blocks look on different devices with responsive settings.

Pro Features:

Personal – $59/year:

• 1 Site: Use GenerateBlocks Pro on a single website.
• Full Access to Pattern Library: Unlock a comprehensive library of pre-designed patterns to streamline your design process.
• All Pro Features: Gain access to advanced customization options and premium blocks.
• 1 Year of Forum Support: Get help from the GenerateBlocks team through dedicated support forums.
• 1 Year of Updates: Stay current with the latest features and improvements.
• 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee: Try GenerateBlocks Pro risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Professional – $99/year:

• Up to 500 Sites: Use GenerateBlocks Pro on up to 500 websites, making it ideal for developers and agencies.
• Full Access to Pattern Library: Unlock a comprehensive library of pre-designed patterns to streamline your design process.
• All Pro Features: Gain access to advanced customization options and premium blocks.
• 1 Year of Forum Support: Get help from the GenerateBlocks team through dedicated support forums.
• 1 Year of Updates: Stay current with the latest features and improvements.
• 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee: Try GenerateBlocks Pro risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

For more details on pricing and features, visit the GenerateBlocks Pricing Page.

GeneratePress One

Price: $149/year

GeneratePress One is a comprehensive package that combines GP Premium and GB Pro. This package offers:

• Up to 500 Sites: Use on up to 500 websites.
• GeneratePress Premium
• GenerateBlocks Pro
• GenerateCloud (Coming Soon)
• Full Access to Site & Pattern Libraries: Unlock a comprehensive library of pre-designed sites and patterns.
• Automatic Access to All Future Products
• 1 Year of Priority Email Support: Get priority assistance from the GeneratePress team.
• 1 Year of Updates: Stay current with the latest features and improvements.
• 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee: Try GeneratePress One risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Affiliates & SEO’s who use GeneratePress:

• The Affiliate School by Jason Mills
• Increasing.com by Jamie IF
• The Website Flip by Mushfiq Sarker
• The SEO Sprint by Adam Gent
• Julian Goldie by Julian Goldie
• Topical Map by Yoyao
• Zyppy by Cyrus Shepard
• Gotch SEO by Nathan Gotch
• Ryrob by Ryan Robinson
• 201 Creative by Jared Bauman

Astra Theme

Price: Free with premium add-ons starting at $49 per year, for one site, and $199 for lifetime. 

When it comes to creating a high-performance website, Astra Theme, developed by Brainstorm Force, stands out as a top choice with 2,656 users using the theme.

Astra is optimized for speed, using less than 50 KB of resources and loading in just 0.5 seconds, ensuring a smooth user experience.

Astra also offers a large library of pre-built websites that can be easily imported and customized, helping users get their websites up and running quickly. 

It seamlessly integrates with popular page builders like Elementor and Beaver Builder, as well as with WooCommerce for e-commerce sites.

A closer look:

Astra Packages:

• Astra Pro: Astra Pro unlocks advanced features and customization options, enhancing the functionality of the free Astra theme. It includes advanced headers, colors, typography, blog layouts, and more.
• Essential Toolkit: It includes Astra Pro, the Ultimate Addons for Elementor, Spectra Pro page builder, and a library of premium Starter Templates. This provides a comprehensive set of tools for designing professional websites faster.
• Business Toolkit: The Business Toolkit is designed for freelancers and agencies, offering a complete suite of tools. In addition to the Essential Toolkit, it includes SureWriter (AI-powered content creation), SureFeedback (design feedback platform), and other productivity boosters.

For more details on pricing, visit the Astra Pricing Page.

Astra Pro

Price: $59/year for 1 site, $199 for lifetime.

• Up to 1000 Sites: Use Astra Pro on 1 or 1000 websites, making it a great option for affiliate marketers, agencies, and developers.
• Full Access to Pro Features: Includes advanced customization options such as advanced headers, colors, typography, blog layouts, and more.
• Various Built-in Layouts: Choose from a wide range of built-in layouts for your blog, portfolio, and shop pages, with the flexibility to assign different layouts to various post listings. 
  • Explore the Site Library
• Modern Woo Stores: Effortlessly build versatile shop, single-product layouts, and stunning checkout forms for an exceptional customer experience that drives sales. Here Full Access to Site Library: Access a growing library of professionally designed starter sites that can be imported with a single click.
• Deep Integrations: Deeply integrated with popular WordPress plugins like Elementor, Gutenberg, WooCommerce, Spectra, LearnDash, and others.
• Premium Support: Get access to dedicated support from the Astra team.
• 2M+ User Community: Join a thriving community of users.
• Product Updates: Stay up-to-date with continuous improvements and new features.
• 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee: Try Astra Pro risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Essential Toolkit

Price: $79 (normally $99, save 20%)

The Essential Toolkit is an all-in-one toolkit that includes Astra Pro, Elementor addon, page builder, and premium starter templates.

Features:

• Ultimate Addons for Elementor: Enhances Elementor’s capabilities with over 40 widgets and 200+ pre-built blocks.
• Elementor – Premium Starter Templates: Over 145 full website templates crafted using the Pro features of Astra and Elementor, ensuring visually stunning and feature-rich websites.
• Spectra Pro – Page Builder: A lightweight and powerful page builder enhancing the default block editor experience.
• Spectra – Premium Starter Templates: A growing library of 100+ Astra and Spectra-powered pre-built templates for full websites, blocks, and wireframes.

Business Toolkit

Price: $149 (normally $199, save 25%)

The Business Toolkit provides exceptional value and cost savings with a complete suite of products.

Features:

• Everything in Essential Toolkit
• SureFeedback – Standard (Annual): Collect design feedback on websites, images, and PDFs, transforming client and internal team communication.
• SureWriter – Pro (Annual): An advanced AI-powered assistant for generating high-quality website content, blog posts, emails, social media posts, and more.

Bonus ($200 value):

• SureTriggers Pro (6 Months): A specialized WordPress automation tool connecting apps like Gmail, Slack, Mailchimp, and 500+ others.
• CartFlows Starter (6 Months): A sales funnel builder designed to increase conversions and maximize profits on your website.
• ZipWP Pro (3 Months): Create smart websites with an AI builder—no coding needed.
• SkillJet Academy Membership: Expert-led courses tailored to empower entrepreneurs and web professionals at all levels.

Affiliates & SEO’s who use Astra:

• Jesse Cunningham SEO by Jesse Cunningham
• Adam Collins by Adam Collins
• Fat Stacks Blog by Jon Dkystra
• Smash Digital by Travis Jamison and Karl Kangur

Kadence Theme

Price: Free with premium add-ons starting at $79 per year. Plus, for those who prefer to avoid subscriptions, a lifetime option is available for $799 (a choice I personally favor).

When it comes to creating a high-performance website, Kadence Theme is a robust solution that has quickly become a favorite among website owners.

It’s super fast, and flexible, using powerful features like leveraging AI to enhance user experience and streamline design processes. This makes it a top contender for those looking to optimize their websites.

The free version is incredibly robust, often outshining other premium themes with its features. 

It’s no surprise that Kadence has been detected on 2,436 high-performing sites and is frequently the second choice after GeneratePress on platforms like Raptive and Mediavine.

In fact, I use Kadence on several of my sites, including oliver.com, showcasing its reliability and versatility.

Here’s an in-depth look:

Kadence Packages:

• Kadence Theme Pro: The theme with all pro features for unlimited sites. It includes advanced customization options such as header addons, hooked elements, WooCommerce addon, ultimate menu, custom fonts, and header/footer scripts.
• Essential Bundle: This package includes Kadence Theme Pro, Kadence Blocks Pro, Pro Starter Templates, and Kadence Custom Fonts. It is perfect for those who need more advanced features and customization options.
• Full Bundle: This comprehensive package includes everything in the Essential Bundle plus Kadence Cloud, Kadence Conversions, Kadence WooCommerce Shop Kit, Child Theme Builder, Kadence Recaptcha, and access to all future products. Ideal for developers and agencies managing multiple sites.

For more details on pricing and features, visit the here.

Kadence Essential Bundle

Premium Features:

• Unlimited Sites: Deploy Kadence Pro across any number of sites, perfect for high-volume agencies and developers.
• Full Access to Pro Features: Includes advanced design capabilities including header enhancements, element hooks, seamless WooCommerce integration, an advanced menu system, custom typography options, and header/footer script insertion.
• Full Access to Site Library: Full access of the growing library of premium and free pre-designed site templates, importable with a single click. (free and pro versions)
  • Explore the Site Library
• Kadence AI Templates: Exclusive AI template technology to expedite your design workflow.
• 1 Year of Support and Updates: Stay up to date with the latest features and improvements.
• 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee: Try Kadence Pro risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

For more details on pricing, visit the Kadence WP Pricing Page.

Kadence Blocks Pro

Price: $89 per year; cancel anytime.

Note: There is a free version.

Kadence also offers its own block builder, Kadence Blocks Pro, which enhances the capabilities of the Gutenberg editor.

Kadence Blocks provides a lightweight collection of WordPress blocks that enable you to build more advanced layouts and designs directly within the Gutenberg editor.

Key Features:

• Performance-Focused: Designed to be lightweight and fast.
• Versatile Blocks: Includes blocks for grids, buttons, containers, and headlines.
• Customization Options: Extensive design controls for each block, allowing you to create unique layouts.
• Responsive Controls: Adjust how your blocks look on different devices with responsive settings.

Pro Features:

• Unlimited Sites: Use Kadence Blocks Pro on an unlimited number of websites.
• Custom Pro Blocks: Access exclusive, advanced blocks not available in the free version.
• Pro Addons to Kadence Blocks: Enhance the functionality of existing blocks with pro-level addons.
• Dynamic Content: Pull dynamic content into your blocks for powerful site control.
• Custom Icons: Upload your own custom icons or use an entire set.
• Custom Fonts: Easily upload and use custom fonts.
• Premium Design Library: Speed up your development with access to all premium design library items and starter sites.
• 1 Year of Support and Updates: Stay up to date with the latest features and improvements.
• 30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee: Try Kadence Blocks Pro risk-free with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.

For more details on pricing and features, visit the Kadence Blocks Pro Page.

Kadence Full Bundle

Price: $219 per year

The Kadence Full Bundle is a comprehensive package that includes everything you need to build and manage high-performance websites. This package offers:

• Unlimited Sites: Use on as many sites as you need.
• Kadence Theme Pro
• Kadence Blocks Pro
• Kadence Cloud
• Kadence Conversions
• Kadence WooCommerce Shop Kit
• Full Access to Site & Pattern Libraries: Unlock a comprehensive library of pre-designed sites and patterns.
• Automatic Access to All Future Products
• 1 Year of Priority Email Support: Get priority assistance from the Kadence team.
• 1 Year of Updates: Stay current with the latest features and improvements.
• 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee: Try the Kadence Full Bundle risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Additional Features:

• 8,000 AI Credits per Year: Enhance your design and content with AI-powered tools.
• Pro Design Patterns: Access professionally designed patterns to streamline your site creation.
• Pro Starter Templates: Get started quickly with high-quality, ready-to-use templates.
• Kadence Custom Fonts: Customize your site’s typography with ease.
• Kadence Pattern Hub: Host and manage your favorite content patterns.
• Child Theme Builder: Easily create and manage child themes.
• Kadence Recaptcha: Add an extra layer of security to your forms.
• Access to All Plugins: Get full access to all Kadence plugins.
• Access to All Future Products: Automatically receive new products as they are released.

There’s a lot of info here. But the Kadence Conversions, if my favorite features. Like i mentioned before you can get a lifetime option to all of this.

Well worth it if you think of what hiring a dev will cost.

Affiliates & SEO’s who use Kadence:

• Oliver.com by James Oliver
• Observation Hobbies by James Oliver
• Karl Hudson by Karl Hudson

Conclusion

Let’s wrap things up.

Our in-depth analysis of 32,499 sites reveals the top WordPress themes driving monetization success in 2024. GeneratePress leads with 5,056 detections, followed by Astra with 2,656 and Kadence with 2,436. Each of these themes offers unique features that enhance performance, user experience, and revenue potential.

Whether you’re optimizing for ads or affiliate marketing, choosing a lightweight, efficient theme is crucial.

Next, you’ll need fast and reliable hosting to ensure your site performs at its best. Cloudways is my top choice, offering unmatched features like robust backups and quick setup. With your hosting in place, start producing high-quality content to drive traffic and maximize your site’s revenue potential.

Now, I’d like to hear from you: Which WordPress theme are you excited to try on your monetized website? Let me know in my SEO Reddit community!

And if you found this post helpful, please share it on social media to help others discover the best themes and hosting options for their sites.