Top 10 Fastest Free WooCommerce Themes – Part 1

Having a fast and optimized WooCommerce site is crucial for your online business success. A very important part of the equation is the theme that you plan on using. Not only will it affect the design language of your website, but it will also affect your performance and speed, both on the backend and frontend user experience.

In this first part of our two-part series, we went ahead and tested 5 of  the fastest WooCommerce themes suitable for your website which you can use for free.

We begin by reviewing the main pros and cons of each theme, followed by a detailed description of our tests. This approach provides you with an objective perspective on performance and actual loading times, ensuring the best customer experience for your WooCommerce website.

Every test is done on an actual live WooCommerce site with average traffic and multiple product pages with content. Prior to testing, an optimization was done by our Security and Optimization Team which you can take full advantage of for every one of your sites for FREE.

1. Astra Theme for WooCommerce Speed

One of the more popular choices for a free WooCommerce theme is Astra. That was our first choice for testing the speed and performance of an online store.
While Astra offers many benefits, its limitations may require additional resources and costs to achieve effective site performance.

Pros:
– Built-in WooCommerce integration, with multiple design and layout options
– Lightweight
– Mobile friendly
– Good results in speed tests

Cons:
– Lack of built-in optimization settings
– Limited free add-ons
– Dependency on other plugins

The first test we took was with GTMetrix that could provide us with more information on the Performance results and TTFB:

Fastest WooCommerce Themes

The results on the homepage are pretty promising. The grades are the highest one and the percentage is perfect. Let’s look at additional performance metrics such as TTFB:

Astra Theme for WooCommerce Speed

The same can be said here as well. Every metric is healthy and well in the good to excellent load time. To be more objective, however we have made an additional test on PageSpeed Insights which is the harshest testing tool out currently:

Astra Theme for WooCommerce Speed


The performance metrics are all in good to excellent measurements. For this test to actually work and have value, we have included the actual product pages themselves, where most of the traffic will come from any online business instead of the homepage which can be optimized quite well in most cases.

The first test we did was on a product page for bicycle helmets. Important thing to note here is that we want to test the actual theme compatibility and performance it offers when loading up everything. That being said, we deliberately disabled caching to get the “real picture”:

Astra Theme for WooCommerce Speed

The grades are still holding up well, let’s check the real metrics and TTFB load time for the page:

Astra Theme for WooCommerce Speed

Here we can see that some of the stats are going more prominently to good from excellent but still overall score is above positive grade given that the page is not cached.

The disclaimer for cache is coming from an objective standpoint. If we for example enable cache and make multiple layers of preloaded pages, the tests would be unrealistic and show close to 100% Grades almost every time, no matter the test tool. The purpose of the test is to avoid that and provide you with some real time loading speeds.

The next test would be PageSpeed Insights where we can get another view of the performance on the page:

Astra Theme for WooCommerce Speed

From the test we can see that the overall stats are holding up from good to excellent grades.

2. Blocksy Theme for WooCommerce Speed

The next theme we’ll explore is Blocksy, which offers a solid foundation for your WooCommerce site with its seamless integration, resource efficiency, and extensive customization options, making it a great long-term choice. While Blocksy has many advantages, its limited add-ons and optimization settings may lead to additional costs and a reliance on external plugins for optimal performance.

Pros:
– Seamless WooCommerce integration
– Lightweight
– Highly flexible and customizable to user’s needs

Cons:
– Limited free add-ons
– Lack of Built-in Optimization Settings

Now, for the actual test, again starting from the homepage and using GTMetrix as a viable performance tool:

Blocksy Theme for WooCommerce Speed

From the main summary, we get good to excellent results on the grades and metrics. Let’s check performance stats and TTFB loading time:

Blocksy Theme for WooCommerce Speed

Again, the results are good, however the TTFB is a bit on the higher end but still in excellent shape in terms of results. Let’s try again with PageSpeed Insights this time:

Blocksy Theme for WooCommerce Speed

The results here are pretty much the same. Good to excellent grades in multiple sections which proves that the test is consistent with the actual results of the homepage. To make a clear comparison, as we did with the Astra theme, we are moving onwards to another product page:

Blocksy Theme for WooCommerce Speed

The results are consistent even on a product page which requires more resources in comparison to the homepage of the website we tested. Let’s look at the performance and TTFB Load Time:

Blocksy Theme for WooCommerce Speed

It takes slightly longer to load than the homepage, but it’s still consistent, with the main grades going from good to excellent. There’s nothing troublesome to look at here. Considering that the product pages are not cached or preloaded to avoid biased results, they perform pretty well.

3. Botiga Theme for WooCommerce Speed

The next theme we tested is Botiga. It provides strong WooCommerce integration and a mobile-friendly design, making it a solid choice for building an effective online store.

Pros:
– WooCommerce Optimized, with options for product listings, category pages, and checkout page customizations
– Mobile-friendly

Cons:
– No Built-in Optimization Settings
– Fewer built-in WooCommerce features compared to Astra or Blocksy
– Limited Free Add-ons

For the test, we start with the homepage with two tools as usual. The first one is GTMetrix. Let’s look at the main score grades:

Botiga Theme for WooCommerce Speed

From what we can see, the grades are again very good to excellent, the load time is very good, under one second to be exact. The important part is the TTFB, so we can take a closer look on the next screenshot:

Botiga Theme for WooCommerce Speed

Right on the spot, 151ms is excellent loading time for TTFB standards. All the other metrics are excellent without exceptions.

To make sure that the test is properly done, we will make a comparison with PageSpeed Insights as well:

Botiga Theme for WooCommerce Speed

The same results are displayed here as well. We can confirm that the homepage is optimized and in excellent shape.

Let’s go through a cart page this time to make it more diverse than testing product pages. Another very important part of the business is to execute the purchase process properly without hiccups for the best user experience when shopping on your WooCommerce website. Let’s take a look at the data here:

Botiga Theme for WooCommerce Speed

The data is good to excellent in terms of statistics. The full load time is higher, however that includes backend processes and products that are added in the cart. The user in general will “see” the load time of the first metrics which combined take up to two seconds.

Let’s take a look at how the TTFB is holding up: 

Botiga Theme for WooCommerce Speed

The load time here is on the higher end which again, given the cart page which is loaded with products is understandable. The metrics are holding up good to excellent grades. 

Another test from PageSpeed Insights will provide us with another objective view of the performance for the cart page:

Botiga Theme for WooCommerce Speed

Here, we can see that the grades are not great but good overall which is again connected to the cart page not being cached. The results are purely formatted based on the performance of the theme and plugin configuration of the live site. This is the closest we can get to an objective test on an actual live WooCommerce website.

4. Boutique Theme for WooCommerce Speed

Boutique is a user-friendly theme that simplifies WooCommerce integration and boasts a responsive design, making it ideal for newcomers to online retail. However, while it offers a straightforward setup for online shops, its limitations in advanced features, updates, and optimization could impact overall performance and support.

Pros:
– Easy WooCommerce integration
– Lightweight
– Simple to use
– Intuitive design

Cons:
– Limited Advanced WooCommerce Features
– Limited Updates and Support
– Lack of Optimization Settings

To start the test, we go through the homepage with GTMetrix and look at the main grades:

Boutique Theme for WooCommerce Speed

The grades are good to excellent, the full load time is descent with 1.5 seconds. Let’s take a closer look to the performance metrics and TTFB:

Boutique Theme for WooCommerce Speed

Here we can see that the TTFB is on the higher end which falls short in terms of loading speed, especially for the homepage in comparison to the rest of the tests we made. Still, the grades are consistently good to excellent. To get another view of that, we test with PageSpeed Insights:

Boutique Theme for WooCommerce Speed

The statistics here are much better with excellent grades, however do not include TTFB load time. Still, the Speed Index is similar to the one from GTMetrix consistently around 1.2 to 1.5 seconds to load everything.

The next step would be to test out the cart page of the website which is a key part of the shopping experience for any user on your WooCommerce website:

Boutique Theme for WooCommerce Speed

The grades are consistently going from good to excellent. Nothing out of the ordinary and the load time is similar to the previously tested Botiga theme. Let’s check the performance and TTFB:

Boutique Theme for WooCommerce Speed

The load time for TTFB here is on the higher end and in terms of comparison it is the highest of the themes we tested thus far. Still, the metrics are from good to excellent and nothing troublesome in general.

Let’s check the same thing with PageSpeed Insights:

Boutique Theme for WooCommerce Speed

The grades here are similar, going from good to excellent. Nothing out of the ordinary. Overall consistent with what we can expect of a page that is not cached. 

5. GeneratePress Theme for WooCommerce Speed

GeneratePress is also one of the fastest free WooCommerce themes. It is known for its flexibility and performance, making it a strong candidate for website building. It lays a solid foundation for your projects. Yet, it’s important to consider its reliance on additional plugins, the limited features available in the free version, and the lack of optimization settings.

Pros:
– Highly customizable
– SEO-Optimized
– Good Integration with various Page Builders

Cons:
– Requires Additional Plugins
– Limited WooCommerce Features in Free Version
– Lack of Optimization Settings

We go through the homepage with GTMetrix as a testing tool to get a general idea of the website speed:

GeneratePress Theme for WooCommerce Speed

The grades are good to excellent. The overall loading time is around 1.5 seconds which is very good. Let’s continue through the performance statistics:

GeneratePress Theme for WooCommerce Speed

From here we can see that the TTFB load time is on the higher end which is not a general concern but to note that it is slower in comparison to the other themes we tested.

To get a final check on the loading time of the homepage, we go through using PageSpeed Insights as well:

GeneratePress Theme for WooCommerce Speed

The grades are excellent and consistent with the tests from GTMetrix. The homepage is optimized and suitable with the theme to load up fast. 

The next stage of the test includes an actual product page which is considered to have higher traffic and response time. Let’s see the test:

GeneratePress Theme for WooCommerce Speed

The load time is good to excellent. The grades are on the higher end as well which is positive when we add up the fact that the page is not cached.

Let’s check the TTFB:

GeneratePress Theme for WooCommerce Speed

Again, on the higher end, however not concerning and actually a slight bit lower than on the homepage which is good. It proves that the load times are consistent even on pages with more content on them and higher traffic which impacts the load time negatively.

Let’s check one final time with PageSpeed Insights:

GeneratePress Theme for WooCommerce Speed

The results are similar to the ones we had with GTMetrix which solidifies the test results to be objective as they can be given the testing environment.

And there you have it—the first five themes we’ve tested: Astra, Blocksy, Botiga, Boutique, and GeneratePress. Each of these themes not only offers impressive speed but also a variety of features to enhance your WooCommerce site. As we wrap up this part of our series, we invite you to stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll dive into the next five fastest free WooCommerce themes!

Can you guess which themes will make the cut in the second part? Whether it’s familiar names or exciting new options, we’re confident these themes will provide excellent performance for your online store.

Remember, our goal is to keep this experiment objective, with tests conducted on similar product and cart pages to ensure unbiased results. Join us as we continue this journey to find the best theme for your WooCommerce website!

Share Your Love
Svetlozar Todorov
Svetlozar Todorov

Svetlozar Todorov is a Team Lead in the Support Team at WPX. Having over 7 years of experience with handling various clients issues, fixing and offering solutions has helped him gain a lot of knowledge. Managing different support teams and sharing expertise is essential in order to develop and maintain a high level of customer satisfaction.

Articles: 15