The Top 5 Best News Themes for WordPress

Choosing the right theme for your news website can make or break your online success. With so many options available, finding the perfect WordPress theme that balances aesthetics, functionality, and performance can be challenging for business owners.

We’ve spent years helping Chicago businesses build effective media websites. The right news theme can dramatically impact your site’s user engagement, loading speed, and overall professional appearance.

WordPress continues to dominate the web, powering 43.6% of all websites globally. (Source: Barn2)

In this guide, we’ll analyze the top 5 WordPress news themes based on sales data, features, and performance. We’ll also provide practical insights to help you make an informed decision for your media website.

What to Look for in a WordPress News Theme

Before diving into specific themes, it’s important to understand what makes a great news theme. News websites have unique requirements that differ from standard business sites.

The best news themes balance content presentation with user experience. They must display large amounts of information without overwhelming visitors.

Speed matters tremendously for news sites. Readers expect instant access to information, and slow-loading pages drive visitors away. Page loading speed directly impacts both user experience and search rankings for news websites.

Here are the key features to consider when selecting a WordPress news theme:

These core features create the foundation for an effective news website. Now let’s examine the top themes that excel in these areas.

Top 5 WordPress News Themes

Based on current sales data, features, and user feedback, these five themes stand out as the best options for WordPress news websites in 2025.

1. Newspaper

Newspaper consistently ranks as the #1 best-selling news theme on ThemeForest, with 139 sales in 2025 alone. (Source: ThemeForest)

This powerhouse theme combines stunning design with exceptional functionality. Created by tagDiv, Newspaper offers unmatched flexibility for news websites of all sizes.

Used by over 148,800 websites, Newspaper has proven its worth in the real world. (Source: ThemeForest category page)

Key features include:

• TagDiv Composer – A custom page builder specifically designed for news layouts
• AMP Support – Accelerated Mobile Pages for lightning-fast mobile loading
• Multiple Demo Imports – Over 100 pre-designed site templates
• Advanced Header Options – Sticky headers, custom logo positions, and menu styles
• WooCommerce Integration – For sites wanting to sell products alongside content

The theme is highly optimized for both speed and SEO, making it an excellent choice for news websites focused on growing their traffic.

2. JNews

JNews ranks second in popularity with 84 sales in 2025, according to current marketplace data. (Source: Hostinger)

This theme offers exceptional attention to detail for news publishers. JNews provides advanced article formatting options that make content stand out visually.

What makes JNews special is its focus on revenue generation. The theme includes multiple ad placement options and subscription management tools built directly into the core functionality.

The backend interface feels intuitive even for complex news sites. Users with minimal technical experience can manage content effectively without hiring developers for basic changes.

3. Foxiz

The Foxiz theme has quickly gained popularity with 36 sales in 2025 so far despite being newer to the market. Its clean design and performance-focused approach appeal to modern news websites.

Foxiz excels in creating visually striking article layouts that maintain readability. The typography options allow for excellent content hierarchy, helping readers navigate between stories.

The theme includes built-in dark mode options, which many readers prefer for long-form content consumption. This feature also helps reduce eye strain during nighttime reading.

We’ve found Foxiz particularly suitable for technology and science news sites where clean presentation of complex topics is essential.

4. Jannah

Jannah has secured 26 sales in 2025, establishing itself as a solid option for news websites. This theme shines with its attention to content categorization and organization.

For news sites with diverse content categories, Jannah provides excellent visual distinction between sections. This helps readers quickly find content relevant to their interests.

The theme includes robust review functionality, making it perfect for sites that feature product or service evaluations alongside news content.

Jannah’s social sharing integration is particularly strong, with options that encourage readers to share articles across various platforms.

5. Bopea

Rounding out our top five is Bopea, with 17 sales in 2025. This theme offers a more affordable entry point at $39 while maintaining quality features for news websites.

Bopea delivers a streamlined experience focused on content delivery rather than flashy extras. This makes it an excellent choice for news sites prioritizing clean, fast-loading experiences.

The theme excels in typography options, allowing for highly readable articles even on mobile devices. Its font scaling is particularly well-implemented across different screen sizes.

We’ve found Bopea works exceptionally well for local news sites that need a professional look without overwhelming complexity.

Feature Comparison of Top News Themes

To help you make an informed decision, we’ve created a detailed comparison of these top themes. This breakdown highlights how each theme performs across critical categories for news websites.

This comparison shows that while all themes offer similar core features, they differ in implementation details and extra functionality. Your specific needs will determine which offers the best value.

Monetization Capabilities Comparison

For many news websites, revenue generation is a critical consideration when choosing a theme. Let’s compare how each theme handles various monetization methods.

Both Newspaper and JNews offer the most comprehensive monetization options built directly into the theme. This integration means less reliance on additional plugins, potentially improving site performance.

Speed and Performance Analysis

For news websites, loading speed directly impacts both user experience and search engine rankings. We’ve analyzed how each theme performs in this critical area.

Newspaper and Foxiz lead the pack in performance metrics, with optimization techniques built into their core functionality. This is particularly important for news sites where readers expect instant access to information.

Free Alternative Worth Considering

While premium themes offer advanced features, some businesses prefer starting with a free option. If budget is a concern, ColorMag stands out as an excellent free alternative.

ColorMag has gained significant traction with over 50,000 active installations. (Source: Kinsta)

This free theme offers a surprising amount of functionality for news websites:

• Responsive Design – Looks great on all devices
• Multiple Layout Options – Configure homepage sections easily
• Category Color Options – Visual distinction between content types
• Ad Space Integration – Basic monetization capabilities

For new publications or those testing a concept, ColorMag provides a solid foundation without financial investment. The theme can later be upgraded to a premium option as the site grows.

How to Choose the Right News Theme for Your Website

Selecting the perfect theme requires evaluating your specific needs against the available options. Custom WordPress website design should align with your content strategy and business goals.

Consider these factors when making your decision:

Content Volume and Types

Assess how much content you publish and in what format. High-volume news sites need themes with excellent categorization and archive handling. If you produce primarily video content, ensure your theme handles video embeds cleanly.

Sites with diverse content types (news, reviews, interviews) benefit from themes like Newspaper or JNews with specialized layouts for each content type.

Technical Resources

Consider your technical capabilities or those of your team. Some themes offer more intuitive interfaces than others.

If you have limited development resources, a theme with comprehensive documentation and support becomes essential. Both Newspaper and JNews excel in this area with extensive knowledge bases and responsive support teams.

Budget Constraints

While the initial theme cost is important, also consider long-term expenses. Some themes require additional plugins for full functionality, which can increase total costs.

Premium themes typically offer better support and more regular updates, which can save money on developer fees over time. Hosting that supports your theme properly is also essential and impacts about 20% of your site’s overall performance.

Implementation Best Practices

Once you’ve selected the perfect news theme, proper implementation is crucial for optimal performance. Follow these best practices to get the most from your WordPress news theme:

Optimize Images Before Upload

News sites typically use many images. Compress all images before uploading to reduce page weight. Consider using WebP format which offers better compression than JPEG or PNG while maintaining quality.

For featured images, maintain consistent dimensions across all posts. This creates visual harmony and prevents layout shifts that harm user experience.

Configure Caching

Set up proper caching for your news website. Most top news themes include some caching functionality, but additional configuration may improve performance further.

For high-traffic news sites, consider server-level caching in addition to WordPress caching plugins. This multi-layered approach delivers the best performance.

Customize Navigation Thoughtfully

News sites often have complex navigation requirements. Organize your menus logically, grouping related categories and keeping the most important sections prominent.

Mobile navigation requires special attention since many readers access news on smartphones. Test thoroughly to ensure smooth navigation on small screens.

Common Implementation Mistakes to Avoid

When setting up your news theme, watch out for these common pitfalls:

• Overloading the homepage – Too many articles create visual clutter
• Neglecting AMP setup – Mobile speed is critical for news sites
• Poor ad placement – Intrusive ads drive readers away
• Inconsistent formatting – Maintain visual consistency across articles

Avoiding these mistakes will help ensure your news site provides an excellent user experience from day one.

Choosing Your Ideal WordPress News Theme

Selecting the right WordPress news theme involves balancing aesthetics, functionality, and performance needs. Based on our analysis, here are our top recommendations:

For established news organizations with diverse content types, Newspaper offers the most comprehensive solution with unmatched flexibility and performance.

If monetization is your primary focus, JNews provides the most robust revenue generation tools while maintaining excellent content presentation.

For performance-focused sites, Foxiz delivers exceptional speed while maintaining visual appeal and modern design elements.

Budget-conscious publications should consider Bopea for a lower-cost premium option or ColorMag as a capable free alternative.

Remember that why you choose WordPress as your platform ultimately ties back to flexibility and control. The right theme enhances these strengths while addressing your specific needs.

We recommend thoroughly testing any theme with your content before making a final decision. Most premium themes offer demos that allow you to experience the interface and functionality firsthand.

Need help selecting or implementing the perfect WordPress news theme for your website? Contact our team for personalized guidance and professional WordPress implementation.