IndexTheme Match
Free · five questions · no sign-up
Three themes for your first website, and what each one really costs every year
Tell Theme Match what the site is for, how it should feel, what you’ll spend, how much you’ll edit it and whether it sells, and it picks three themes, each with its platform, its cost in year one and after, and a live demo.
Theme MatchFive questions, three themes
Five questions
Each answer narrows the list. None of them is a test: change any one and look again.
How to read an entry
What each of the three comes with
An entry · Plate 1 · Restaurants, cafés and bakeries
Loam
Squarespace, Basic plan · made by Squarespace
A bakery’s site on a dark, warm grey ground: a big statement headline, still-life photographs of the bread, an Order page, a menu and a blog for recipes.
- First year
- $230
- the plan; the domain is free the first year
- Every year after
- $250
- the plan and the domain
Know this first Pickup orders run on Squarespace’s own store, which doesn’t let customers choose a pickup time; for timed pickup or delivery, Squarespace points to ChowNow or Tock. On the Basic plan Squarespace takes 2% of each sale on top of card fees; Core drops that fee for about $120 more a year, which pays for itself once orders pass about $500 a month.
The theme and its platform
The theme’s name, who makes it, and the platform and plan it runs on: WordPress on your own hosting, Squarespace, Wix or Shopify.
The cost in year one and after
What you’ll pay in the first year and every year after the intro offer ends: the plan or hosting, the domain and the theme, rounded to the nearest $10.
A live demo
A link to the maker’s own demo site, so you can click through the real menus and pages on your phone before you commit to anything.
The one thing to know first
The catch worth knowing before you choose: a booking add-on billed separately, a fee taken from each sale, or a template you can’t swap later.
IndexThe thirty-four
The list
The list behind Theme Match: thirty-four themes and templates for seven kinds of first website, on WordPress, Squarespace, Wix and Shopify. Each one has the look it gives, the editing and selling it suits, what it costs in the first year and every year after, a link to its live demo and the one thing to know before you choose it. Prices are US dollars on yearly billing as of October 2026, rounded to the nearest $10; how we count the cost is at the end.
Plate 1
Restaurants, cafés and bakeries
5 themes · Squarespace, WordPress, Wix
Hill
Squarespace, Basic planCalm and minimalFirst year $230Every year after $250
A ramen restaurant’s site that opens on a single sentence on a pale green page, then a photograph of the chef, the menu, the story and a Make a Reservation button.
- Platform
- Squarespace, Basic plan
- Made by
- Squarespace
- Feel
- Calm and minimal
- Editing
- Hardly at all; Every week
- Sells
- No
- First year
- about $230 (the plan; the domain is free the first year)
- Every year after
- about $250 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: The demo’s reservation page is sample text with no booking form: taking bookings means linking a service such as OpenTable or Resy, which bills you separately. The menu is a page you edit by hand, so change it the day your prices change.
Loam
Squarespace, Basic planBold and modern; Warm and friendlyFirst year $230Every year after $250
A bakery’s site on a dark, warm grey ground: a big statement headline, still-life photographs of the bread, an Order page, a menu and a blog for recipes.
- Platform
- Squarespace, Basic plan
- Made by
- Squarespace
- Feel
- Bold and modern; Warm and friendly
- Editing
- Every week
- Sells
- A few things or bookings
- First year
- about $230 (the plan; the domain is free the first year)
- Every year after
- about $250 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: Pickup orders run on Squarespace’s own store, which doesn’t let customers choose a pickup time; for timed pickup or delivery, Squarespace points to ChowNow or Tock. On the Basic plan Squarespace takes 2% of each sale on top of card fees; Core drops that fee for about $120 more a year, which pays for itself once orders pass about $500 a month.
Coffee House
WordPress with the free Astra theme, on shared hostingWarm and friendlyFirst year $50Every year after $150
A café starter site for the free Astra theme: big headings in Yeseva One, a featured menu with prices, an About page, and Book a table and Order Online buttons.
- Platform
- WordPress with the free Astra theme, on shared hosting
- Made by
- Brainstorm Force, the makers of Astra
- Feel
- Warm and friendly
- Editing
- Every week; A lot, layouts too
- Sells
- No
- First year
- about $50 (hosting at the intro price; most hosts include the domain the first year)
- Every year after
- about $150 (hosting at the regular price and the domain)
Know this first: Book a table and Order Online are only buttons: taking bookings or orders needs a booking service or an ordering plugin you add yourself. Importing the starter site also installs the maker’s Spectra and SureForms plugins, and its sample rating and testimonials have to go before launch.
Divi Restaurant
WordPress with the Divi theme, on shared hostingClassic and elegantFirst year $140Every year after $240
Divi’s Restaurant layout pack: eight ready-made pages (home, landing, about, team, gallery, shop, blog and contact), with the dishes and their prices set out like a printed menu.
- Platform
- WordPress with the Divi theme, on shared hosting
- Made by
- Elegant Themes
- Feel
- Classic and elegant
- Editing
- A lot, layouts too
- Sells
- No
- First year
- about $140 (hosting at the intro price and Divi at $89 a year)
- Every year after
- about $240 (hosting, the domain and Divi)
Know this first: If you stop paying the $89 a year, Divi keeps working but stops getting updates and support. A one-time $249 license avoids the renewal, and pays for itself in the third year. The demo’s testimonials are samples to replace.
Restaurant (Classic)
Wix, Light planClassic and elegantFirst year $200Every year after $220
A Wix restaurant template with the Table Reservations and Menus apps already in place, so guests book a table and read the menu without leaving your site.
- Platform
- Wix, Light plan
- Made by
- Wix
- Feel
- Classic and elegant
- Editing
- Every week; A lot, layouts too
- Sells
- No
- First year
- about $200 (the plan; the domain is free the first year)
- Every year after
- about $220 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: Guests can book a table once the site is on a paid plan, but taking payment online (orders, deposits, gift cards) needs the Core plan, about $145 more a year. Wix doesn’t let you switch templates once you’ve started, so be sure of the look first.
Plate 2
Salons, studios and local services
5 themes · Squarespace, WordPress, Wix
Emmeline
Squarespace, Basic planWarm and friendly; Bold and modernFirst year $230Every year after $250
A hair salon’s site in rust and lime: a big serif welcome beside an arched portrait, a Book appointment button in the header, the services, the team and a health and safety page.
- Platform
- Squarespace, Basic plan
- Made by
- Squarespace
- Feel
- Warm and friendly; Bold and modern
- Editing
- Hardly at all
- Sells
- A few things or bookings
- First year
- about $230 (the plan; the domain is free the first year)
- Every year after
- about $250 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: Online booking on Squarespace is Squarespace Scheduling, a separate subscription that isn’t in these figures. If you already use a salon booking app, point the button at it instead.
Align and Flow
Squarespace, Core planCalm and minimalFirst year $350Every year after $370
A yoga and meditation studio’s site: a quiet serif line on pale grey, photographs of practice, then classes, teachers, training, a journal and membership sign-up.
- Platform
- Squarespace, Core plan
- Made by
- Squarespace
- Feel
- Calm and minimal
- Editing
- Every week
- Sells
- A few things or bookings
- First year
- about $350 (the plan; the domain is free the first year)
- Every year after
- about $370 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: Memberships and class passes are sold as Squarespace digital products, which carry a fee on each sale: 5% on Core and 7% on Basic, on top of card fees. Class booking is Squarespace Scheduling, billed separately.
Lotus Spa
WordPress with the free Astra theme, on shared hostingCalm and minimal; Classic and elegantFirst year $50Every year after $150
A spa starter site for the free Astra theme: Brygada 1918 headings over Inter text, soft photographs, a services page and a Book Now button.
- Platform
- WordPress with the free Astra theme, on shared hosting
- Made by
- Brainstorm Force, the makers of Astra
- Feel
- Calm and minimal; Classic and elegant
- Editing
- Every week; A lot, layouts too
- Sells
- No
- First year
- about $50 (hosting at the intro price; most hosts include the domain the first year)
- Every year after
- about $150 (hosting at the regular price and the domain)
Know this first: Book Now is a plain button. Real online booking needs a booking plugin or service, which is usually a subscription of its own.
Car Repair
WordPress with the free Astra theme, on shared hostingBold and modernFirst year $50Every year after $150
A garage’s starter site that suits any trade: a bold headline and an Emergency Call button up top, then services, opening hours, staff and a Get Estimate button, in Roboto and Open Sans.
- Platform
- WordPress with the free Astra theme, on shared hosting
- Made by
- Brainstorm Force, the makers of Astra
- Feel
- Bold and modern
- Editing
- Hardly at all; Every week
- Sells
- No
- First year
- about $50 (hosting at the intro price; most hosts include the domain the first year)
- Every year after
- about $150 (hosting at the regular price and the domain)
Know this first: The forms come from SureForms, the maker’s free form plugin. Send yourself a test estimate request before launch and check it reaches your inbox, not your spam folder.
Hair Salon (Simple)
Wix, Core planClassic and elegantFirst year $350Every year after $370
A Wix salon template in deep brown with a large serif headline, and Wix Bookings built in: the services, a profile for each stylist and an appointment calendar clients book from.
- Platform
- Wix, Core plan
- Made by
- Wix
- Feel
- Classic and elegant
- Editing
- Every week; A lot, layouts too
- Sells
- A few things or bookings
- First year
- about $350 (the plan; the domain is free the first year)
- Every year after
- about $370 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: Core is the cheapest Wix plan that takes payment when clients book. As on every Wix site, the template can’t be swapped once you’ve started.
Plate 3
Portfolios for photographers, artists and designers
5 themes · Squarespace, WordPress, Wix, Shopify
Nevins
Squarespace, Basic planCalm and minimalFirst year $230Every year after $250
A landscape photographer’s portfolio: the name, then galleries (Peaks, Coast, Wildlife and more) as a tidy grid of square pictures on white, with almost no words.
- Platform
- Squarespace, Basic plan
- Made by
- Squarespace
- Feel
- Calm and minimal
- Editing
- Hardly at all
- Sells
- No
- First year
- about $230 (the plan; the domain is free the first year)
- Every year after
- about $250 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: Squarespace recommends uploading photographs 1,500 to 2,500 pixels wide. Bigger files don’t look sharper; they only load slower on a phone.
Spotted
Squarespace, Basic planBold and modern; Warm and friendlyFirst year $230Every year after $250
A watercolor artist’s site that sells prints: a full-page pink and yellow painting, two series, the popular prints with their prices, framing options and an About page.
- Platform
- Squarespace, Basic plan
- Made by
- Squarespace
- Feel
- Bold and modern; Warm and friendly
- Editing
- Every week
- Sells
- A few things or bookings
- First year
- about $230 (the plan; the domain is free the first year)
- Every year after
- about $250 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: On Basic, Squarespace takes 2% of each print sale on top of card fees; Core removes it for about $120 more a year. Printing and posting the prints are yours to arrange, or to hand to a print-on-demand service.
Artist Multipurpose
WordPress with the free Astra theme, on shared hostingWarm and friendlyFirst year $50Every year after $150
A one-person portfolio starter site for the free Astra theme: a big serif hello over a soft photograph, an About section, a gallery and a contact page, in DM Serif Display and Work Sans.
- Platform
- WordPress with the free Astra theme, on shared hosting
- Made by
- Brainstorm Force, the makers of Astra
- Feel
- Warm and friendly
- Editing
- Every week; A lot, layouts too
- Sells
- No
- First year
- about $50 (hosting at the intro price; most hosts include the domain the first year)
- Every year after
- about $150 (hosting at the regular price and the domain)
Know this first: It imports four pages: home, about, contact and a gallery page named “Gallary”, so fix the spelling. A large body of work wants one gallery page per series, made by copying that one.
Photographer (Timeless)
Wix, Light planClassic and elegantFirst year $200Every year after $220
A Wix fine-art photographer’s template, dark and editorial with a tall serif headline, built on the Wix Portfolio app, which keeps each project’s photographs together on a page of its own.
- Platform
- Wix, Light plan
- Made by
- Wix
- Feel
- Classic and elegant
- Editing
- Every week; A lot, layouts too
- Sells
- No
- First year
- about $200 (the plan; the domain is free the first year)
- Every year after
- about $220 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: Selling prints or taking a deposit for a shoot needs the Core plan, about $145 more a year. The template can’t be swapped later, so choose it with your own photographs in mind.
Studio
Shopify, Basic planCalm and minimal; Classic and elegantFirst year $370Every year after $370
Shopify’s free theme made with artists and collections in mind: a white, gallery-like storefront with prints, originals and shopping by artist, so the work brings the color.
- Platform
- Shopify, Basic plan
- Made by
- Shopify
- Feel
- Calm and minimal; Classic and elegant
- Editing
- Every week
- Sells
- A full store
- First year
- about $370 (the plan and a domain)
- Every year after
- about $370 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: Shopify earns its price once you sell more than a handful of pieces; below that, a Squarespace or WordPress shop costs less. Card fees come out of every sale.
Plate 4
Coaches, consultants and freelancers
5 themes · Squarespace, WordPress, Wix
Myhra
Squarespace, Core planCalm and minimal; Classic and elegantFirst year $350Every year after $370
A wellness coach’s site on olive green with light serif capitals: one-to-one coaching, online courses, live events, and recipes and meal plans behind a member login.
- Platform
- Squarespace, Core plan
- Made by
- Squarespace
- Feel
- Calm and minimal; Classic and elegant
- Editing
- Every week
- Sells
- A few things or bookings
- First year
- about $350 (the plan; the domain is free the first year)
- Every year after
- about $370 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: Courses and member areas are Squarespace digital products: Squarespace takes 5% of each sale on Core and 7% on Basic, on top of card fees. If all you need is a link to book a call, Basic is enough.
Suhama
Squarespace, Basic planBold and modernFirst year $230Every year after $250
A copywriter’s single page: a huge white introduction on bright orange, then numbered projects and a CV, set in Inter Tight.
- Platform
- Squarespace, Basic plan
- Made by
- Squarespace
- Feel
- Bold and modern
- Editing
- Hardly at all
- Sells
- No
- First year
- about $230 (the plan; the domain is free the first year)
- Every year after
- about $250 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: It’s made for showing work, not for getting hired: add a contact form or a link to book a call, or the visitor who likes your work has nowhere to go.
Business Coaching & Consulting
WordPress with the free Astra theme, on shared hostingBold and modern; Warm and friendlyFirst year $50Every year after $150
A coach’s starter site for the free Astra theme: a portrait with a bold headline over it, a Work With Me button, the topics you cover, services and an About page, in Montserrat and Inter.
- Platform
- WordPress with the free Astra theme, on shared hosting
- Made by
- Brainstorm Force, the makers of Astra
- Feel
- Bold and modern; Warm and friendly
- Editing
- Every week; A lot, layouts too
- Sells
- No
- First year
- about $50 (hosting at the intro price; most hosts include the domain the first year)
- Every year after
- about $150 (hosting at the regular price and the domain)
Know this first: The demo has an “As Featured In” strip; delete it unless you really have been featured. Booking calls needs a scheduling tool, linked from the Work With Me button.
Divi Copywriter
WordPress with the Divi theme, on shared hostingBold and modernFirst year $140Every year after $240
Divi’s Copywriter layout pack: nine pages for a writer or consultant, among them services, pricing, a portfolio, an FAQ and a blog, opening on a big name-and-title headline over a dark photograph.
- Platform
- WordPress with the Divi theme, on shared hosting
- Made by
- Elegant Themes
- Feel
- Bold and modern
- Editing
- A lot, layouts too
- Sells
- No
- First year
- about $140 (hosting at the intro price and Divi at $89 a year)
- Every year after
- about $240 (hosting, the domain and Divi)
Know this first: Pages built in Divi’s own builder don’t move cleanly to another theme, so treat Divi as a choice for years, not months.
Consultant Landing Page (Modern)
Wix, Light planBold and modern; Warm and friendlyFirst year $200Every year after $220
A one-page Wix template for consultants, freelancers and coaches: a serif headline with highlighter marks on cream, a blue illustration, then services, your story and contact details.
- Platform
- Wix, Light plan
- Made by
- Wix
- Feel
- Bold and modern; Warm and friendly
- Editing
- Hardly at all
- Sells
- No
- First year
- about $200 (the plan; the domain is free the first year)
- Every year after
- about $220 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: A one-page site is quick to finish but gives search engines one page to find. Add a page per service if you want people searching for that service to land on you.
Plate 5
Shops and makers
6 themes · Shopify, Squarespace, WordPress, Wix
Craft
Shopify, Basic planCalm and minimal; Classic and elegantFirst year $370Every year after $370
Shopify’s free theme “that celebrates craftsmanship”: quiet white pages, a light serif line and big still-life photographs, for homeware and handmade goods.
- Platform
- Shopify, Basic plan
- Made by
- Shopify
- Feel
- Calm and minimal; Classic and elegant
- Editing
- Every week
- Sells
- A full store
- First year
- about $370 (the plan and a domain)
- Every year after
- about $370 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: Shopify takes card fees on every sale, and most extras are paid apps. Add up the apps you’ll need (reviews, subscriptions, wholesale) before you compare Shopify’s price with Squarespace’s.
Local
Shopify, Basic planWarm and friendly; Bold and modernFirst year $750Every year after $370
Krown Themes’ paid theme for food, drink and local retail: a store picker for in-store pickup in the header, big product photographs and five ready-made styles (Local, Soleway, Thrive, Caffeine and Lively).
- Platform
- Shopify, Basic plan
- Made by
- Krown Themes
- Feel
- Warm and friendly; Bold and modern
- Editing
- Every week
- Sells
- A full store
- First year
- about $750 (the plan, a domain and the theme’s one-time $380)
- Every year after
- about $370 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: The $380 is paid once, and Shopify lets you try the theme in your own store before you buy it: load your real products and photographs first.
Prestige
Shopify, Basic planClassic and elegantFirst year $770Every year after $370
Maestrooo’s paid theme for premium brands: full-bleed fashion photographs, small spaced capitals, lookbooks, image hotspots, quick buy and five styles (Prestige, Couture, Vogue, Strass and Signature).
- Platform
- Shopify, Basic plan
- Made by
- Maestrooo
- Feel
- Classic and elegant
- Editing
- Every week
- Sells
- A full store
- First year
- about $770 (the plan, a domain and the theme’s one-time $400)
- Every year after
- about $370 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: It’s made to look expensive, which only works with photographs to match; with phone snapshots, a free Shopify theme will look better. Try it in your store before paying the $400.
Maca
Squarespace, Core planBold and modernFirst year $350Every year after $370
A skincare shop in lavender and lime: bright product photographs, products with their prices on the homepage, Body and Face collections, a sale section and a blog.
- Platform
- Squarespace, Core plan
- Made by
- Squarespace
- Feel
- Bold and modern
- Editing
- Every week
- Sells
- A full store
- First year
- about $350 (the plan; the domain is free the first year)
- Every year after
- about $370 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: Core is Squarespace’s plan for a real store: no Squarespace fee on product sales, plus shipping labels and carrier-calculated shipping. On Basic, Squarespace would take 2% of every sale.
Plant Shop
WordPress with the free Astra theme and WooCommerce, on shared hostingCalm and minimal; Warm and friendlyFirst year $50Every year after $150
A plant shop starter site for the free Astra theme and WooCommerce: a soft serif welcome over a photograph of houseplants, then products with prices and Add to cart buttons, in Unna and DM Sans.
- Platform
- WordPress with the free Astra theme and WooCommerce, on shared hosting
- Made by
- Brainstorm Force, the makers of Astra
- Feel
- Calm and minimal; Warm and friendly
- Editing
- Every week; A lot, layouts too
- Sells
- A full store
- First year
- about $50 (hosting at the intro price; most hosts include the domain the first year)
- Every year after
- about $150 (hosting at the regular price and the domain)
Know this first: The import installs seven plugins, WooCommerce, WooPayments and CartFlows among them, and each is one more thing to keep updated. Once orders come in, a store deserves better hosting than the cheapest plan.
Home Goods Store (Organic)
Wix, Core planWarm and friendly; Classic and elegantFirst year $350Every year after $370
A Wix store template in warm, earthy colors with a big serif wordmark over a still life of soaps, and Wix Stores built in, for homeware and handmade goods.
- Platform
- Wix, Core plan
- Made by
- Wix
- Feel
- Warm and friendly; Classic and elegant
- Editing
- Every week; A lot, layouts too
- Sells
- A full store
- First year
- about $350 (the plan; the domain is free the first year)
- Every year after
- about $370 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: Core is the cheapest Wix plan that takes payments. The template can’t be changed later, so pick the one you’d still like in two years.
Plate 6
Blogs and newsletters
4 themes · WordPress, Squarespace, Wix
Twenty Twenty-Five
WordPress with the free Twenty Twenty-Five theme, on shared hostingCalm and minimal; Classic and elegantFirst year $50Every year after $150
WordPress’s own default theme: a plain, quiet block theme with ready-made page patterns and several color and font variations, at its best for a personal blog or a writer’s site.
- Platform
- WordPress with the free Twenty Twenty-Five theme, on shared hosting
- Made by
- The WordPress team
- Feel
- Calm and minimal; Classic and elegant
- Editing
- Every week; A lot, layouts too
- Sells
- No
- First year
- about $50 (hosting at the intro price; most hosts include the domain the first year)
- Every year after
- about $150 (hosting at the regular price and the domain)
Know this first: There is no demo site to import: you build the pages from its patterns in the Site Editor, which takes an afternoon to learn and then makes every change yours.
Creative Blog
WordPress with the free Astra theme, on shared hostingBold and modernFirst year $50Every year after $150
A magazine-style blog starter site for the free Astra theme: a heavy black Poppins headline, categories across the top, a search box, a newsletter sign-up and a podcasts page.
- Platform
- WordPress with the free Astra theme, on shared hosting
- Made by
- Brainstorm Force, the makers of Astra
- Feel
- Bold and modern
- Editing
- Every week
- Sells
- No
- First year
- about $50 (hosting at the intro price; most hosts include the domain the first year)
- Every year after
- about $150 (hosting at the regular price and the domain)
Know this first: The newsletter box only collects addresses. Sending the newsletter needs an email service such as Kit or MailerLite, and that service’s own sign-up form belongs in the box.
Harman
Squarespace, Basic planCalm and minimal; Classic and elegantFirst year $230Every year after $250
A travel writer’s blog: posts in a three-column grid, each with a date, a serif title in dusty rose and a short excerpt, plus About and Contact pages.
- Platform
- Squarespace, Basic plan
- Made by
- Squarespace
- Feel
- Calm and minimal; Classic and elegant
- Editing
- Every week
- Sells
- No
- First year
- about $230 (the plan; the domain is free the first year)
- Every year after
- about $250 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: The blog comes with every plan, but sending your posts as a newsletter through Squarespace Email Campaigns is a separate subscription.
Personal Blog (Clean)
Wix, Light planBold and modern; Classic and elegantFirst year $200Every year after $220
A Wix blog template with a big black serif masthead and a featured post on top, built on the Wix Blog app, for a personal or lifestyle blog.
- Platform
- Wix, Light plan
- Made by
- Wix
- Feel
- Bold and modern; Classic and elegant
- Editing
- Every week
- Sells
- No
- First year
- about $200 (the plan; the domain is free the first year)
- Every year after
- about $220 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: Moving a blog off Wix later is harder than moving one off WordPress. If the blog is the whole point of the site, compare it with Twenty Twenty-Five first.
Plate 7
Nonprofits and community groups
4 themes · Squarespace, WordPress, Wix
Malone
Squarespace, Basic planBold and modern; Warm and friendlyFirst year $230Every year after $250
An animal rescue’s site on black, with a big photograph of a dog: the mission, the team, dogs looking for homes, ways to get involved, a blog and a Donate Now button.
- Platform
- Squarespace, Basic plan
- Made by
- Squarespace
- Feel
- Bold and modern; Warm and friendly
- Editing
- Every week
- Sells
- A few things or bookings
- First year
- about $230 (the plan; the domain is free the first year)
- Every year after
- about $250 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: Gifts come in through Squarespace’s Donation block, with Stripe or PayPal taking a card fee from each one. Registered charities can ask both about their reduced nonprofit rates.
Charity
WordPress with the free Astra theme, on shared hostingWarm and friendly; Bold and modernFirst year $50Every year after $150
A youth charity’s starter site for the free Astra theme: a mission statement in tall condensed capitals over a pink and orange photograph, then who we are, what we do, the partners and a Donate page.
- Platform
- WordPress with the free Astra theme, on shared hosting
- Made by
- Brainstorm Force, the makers of Astra
- Feel
- Warm and friendly; Bold and modern
- Editing
- Every week
- Sells
- A few things or bookings
- First year
- about $50 (hosting at the intro price; most hosts include the domain the first year)
- Every year after
- about $150 (hosting at the regular price and the domain)
Know this first: The import installs two donation plugins, GiveWP and SureDonation. Keep the one you’ll use and remove the other, so every gift is recorded in one place.
Women Empowerment NGO
WordPress with the free Astra theme, on shared hostingBold and modern; Classic and elegantFirst year $50Every year after $150
An NGO starter site for the free Astra theme: a large serif headline over a dark photograph of a march, then events, a photo gallery, what we do and a donate button repeated down the page.
- Platform
- WordPress with the free Astra theme, on shared hosting
- Made by
- Brainstorm Force, the makers of Astra
- Feel
- Bold and modern; Classic and elegant
- Editing
- Every week
- Sells
- A few things or bookings
- First year
- about $50 (hosting at the intro price; most hosts include the domain the first year)
- Every year after
- about $150 (hosting at the regular price and the domain)
Know this first: The homepage opens with a sample figure, “100+ projects across the globe”. Change or delete figures like it before launch: visitors will take them as yours.
Environmental NGO (Bright)
Wix, Light planBold and modernFirst year $200Every year after $220
A bright Wix template for environmental groups: huge capitals beside wildlife photographs, a row of big numbers, and the Wix Blog app for campaign news and stories.
- Platform
- Wix, Light plan
- Made by
- Wix
- Feel
- Bold and modern
- Editing
- Every week
- Sells
- No
- First year
- about $200 (the plan; the domain is free the first year)
- Every year after
- about $220 (the plan and the domain)
Know this first: Taking donations on the site needs a plan that accepts payments (Core, about $145 more a year). On Light, link the Donate button to the giving page you already use.
How we count the cost
Every figure is a yearly bill in US dollars, rounded to the nearest $10.
- WordPress: shared hosting at about $4 a month for the first year when you pay for twelve months (about $48), and about $11 a month after (about $132); a .com domain, free with most hosts for the first year and about $20 a year after; and the theme, when it isn’t free.
- Squarespace: the plan billed yearly, Basic at $19 a month ($228) or Core at $29 a month ($348); the domain is free for the first year and about $20 a year after.
- Wix: the plan billed yearly, Light at $17 a month ($204) or Core at $29 a month ($348); the domain is free for the first year and about $20 a year after.
- Shopify: the Basic plan billed yearly at $29 a month ($348) and a domain at about $20 a year, plus a paid theme’s one-time price in the first year.
- Not counted: card fees on sales and donations (around 3% of each), email at your own domain, paid apps and plugins, booking and newsletter subscriptions, and sales tax.
Questions before you choose a theme
Is Theme Match free?
Yes. There is nothing to sign up for or download, and Theme Jr. sells no themes of its own. The demo links go straight to each theme’s maker. Some may later become affiliate links, which pay Theme Jr. a commission at no extra cost to you; a commission never puts a theme on the list.
Why does the first year cost less than the years after?
Most hosts sell the first year at an introductory price and renew at the regular one: shared WordPress hosting that costs about $4 a month in year one typically renews at about $11. Squarespace and Wix include a free domain for the first year on yearly plans, and the domain then renews at about $20 a year. Theme Match shows both figures, so the second-year bill isn’t a surprise.
What’s included in the yearly cost?
The plan or the hosting, a .com domain and the theme, paid yearly in US dollars. Not included: card fees on sales and donations (around 3% of each one), email at your own domain, paid apps and plugins, and add-ons such as booking or newsletter subscriptions. When one of those matters for a theme, its ‘know this first’ line says so.
Do I need a paid theme?
Usually not. Every Squarespace and Wix template comes free with the plan, Shopify’s own themes are free, and a free WordPress theme like Astra or Twenty Twenty-Five can carry a whole small-business site. A paid theme earns its price when it has a layout you would otherwise have to build, such as a lookbook for a fashion label or sections made for a food and drink shop. Shopify lets you try a paid theme in your own store before you buy it.
WordPress, Squarespace, Wix or Shopify: where should I start?
Start from the look, then check the platform suits how you’ll work. Squarespace suits people who want the site tidy and then left alone. Wix suits people who like to drag things around. WordPress costs the least and does the most, if you’ll keep up with its updates. Shopify is for a real store. Theme Match weighs those against your answers, which is why your three can come from three different platforms.
Can I change my theme later?
On WordPress and Shopify, yes: you switch themes and your pages, posts and products stay, though layouts built with one theme’s own blocks or builder may need redoing. On Squarespace you don’t swap templates: every template has the same features, so you change the look by restyling fonts, colors and sections. On Wix you can’t switch templates once you’ve started; a new look means a new site and copying your content across.
Will my site look like the demo?
Only as good as your photographs and words. Demos use professional photos and short, tidy text. Put your own pictures into the demo in your head first: if they’re darker, busier or a different shape, pick the theme whose layout suits them, not the one with the prettiest stock photos.
Do I need to know code?
No. Every theme on the list is set up in the platform’s own editor: Squarespace’s and Wix’s drag-and-drop editors, Shopify’s theme editor, and on WordPress the block editor or Divi’s builder. WordPress asks for more housekeeping (updates and backups), but not code.
How current are the prices?
They are US prices on yearly billing as of October 2026, rounded to the nearest $10, and we go through them again every quarter. Platforms change prices often, so the maker’s own pricing page is the final word on the day you buy.
What if none of the three feel right?
Change one answer, usually the feel or the budget, and look again; the full list sits under the questions. Or read the Themes section of the guides, where each kind of site gets a longer roundup.
Is a theme the same as a template?
Near enough. WordPress and Shopify call them themes; Squarespace and Wix call them templates. Both are a ready-made design: the fonts, colors, layouts and pages your content goes into. On WordPress, a starter template is a theme’s ready-made demo site that you import and then make your own.
Start with how it should look
Five questions, three themes, and the price of year two before you pay for year one.
Find my themes