Medium is a well-known site for writers, journalists, and free thinkers. But what if you’d like to use WordPress while still having the Medium vibes on your website? That’s where a Medium-style WordPress theme comes in.
With an audience of over a hundred million people, Medium is a place where anyone can share anything under the sun. It’s a platform that gives writers the chance to get noticed and grow.
But while Medium is great for sharing ideas, some folks might want more control over how they present their stories. Customization and flexibility are two main reasons why some would prefer to use WordPress over Medium.
If you’re after that clean and simple Medium-inspired look for your WordPress site, you can have these by using a Medium-style WordPress theme.
In this article, we’ve highlighted 12 of the best WordPress themes that capture that Medium vibe, so you can make your site look just the way you want it.
Our Picks for the Best Medium-Style WordPress Themes
Astra
Astra is a WordPress theme with a significant following, boasting over 1.6 million active users. It’s trendy among bloggers aiming to replicate the sleek style of Medium on their websites.
This theme is known for its range of ready-made starter demos that provide users with fully functional pages that can be easily customized. With just a few tweaks, you can launch your blog with a clean and reader-focused layout.
One of Astra’s key strengths is its emphasis on speed. As the lightest theme available in the market, it delivers excellence without compromising on features. It ensures that your website loads quickly much like what readers expect from a Medium style WordPress theme.
Furthermore, Astra’s color scheme and layout minimize distracting features and prioritize readability. This theme creates an environment where your content can shine.
Lastly, this WordPress theme is compatible with popular page builders like Elementor, Beaver Builder, and SiteOrigin. Astra also allows you to use global styles to the smallest details, and you have full control over the design and layout of your blog.
Benefits of Astra
- Offers nice colors and full customization options
- Boasts a responsive design that ensures flawless performance on any device
- Provides options for all types of links, enhancing user experience and navigation
- Fully compatible with popular page builders
- Regular updates with new features and bug fixes ensure continued improvement and reliability
Drawback of Astra
- Can be overwhelming for beginners due to its steep learning curve
Top Dog
Top Dog is a great choice for bloggers who need a flexible WordPress theme. It comes with a built-in editor that makes writing and formatting articles easy, so you can focus on making quality content.
Its Gutenberg-ready design makes it easy to use with the latest WordPress publishing features. If you choose its pro plan, you’ll get access to all the different designs available, plus any new ones that come out in the future.
This theme also has a range of blog layouts offering multiple styles that can be customized to your needs. You can even tailor its layout, sidebar position, and pagination style to create a blog that reflects your unique style.
Plus, Top Dog has an adaptive image feature that adjusts image sizes based on where they’re being used. This optimization helps to reduce page load times, particularly on mobile devices.
Top Dog also seamlessly integrates with popular social media platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn. It provides you with the tools you need to engage with your followers and grow your online presence.
Benefits of Top Dog
- WooCommerce-ready to help build your online store
- Variety of ready-made header layouts for different purposes
- Fully responsive and retina-ready layout
- Mobile-friendly sliders with swipe effect support
- Seven widget areas for flexible content placement
Drawback of Top Dog
- Limited customization of archived pages
Neve
Neve takes a mobile-first approach to website building with its compatibility with AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) and popular page builders. Using this theme, even a total beginner has access to a professional-looking website.
Neve’s main feature is its content accessibility controls. You have the power to decide who can access your pages, posts, and other content. You can also create exclusive member-only areas, protect sensitive information, and deliver personalized content.
Despite its simple appearance, Neve offers over a hundred pre-designed demos, each with its unique style and functionality. This versatility makes it a popular choice for bloggers.
Plus, with its selection of starter kits, you can easily find a design that is similar to Medium’s website style.
Neve’s compatibility with popular page builders like Divi, Brizy, Beaver Builder, and Elementor further enhances its flexibility.
Benefits of Neve
- Enhanced compatibility with WooCommerce for easy online store setup
- Easily create custom headers and footers
- Live Customizer allows you to see real-time changes as you tweak your website’s appearance
- Responsive and user-friendly mega menu for improved navigation
- Translation and RTL (right-to-left) ready for multilingual websites
Drawbacks of Neve
- For users to access starter sites, they must install additional plugins
- Higher-tier plans come with more features but are more expensive
Qwery
Qwery is a business WordPress theme with artificial intelligence integration. With its AI-powered capabilities, you can easily generate texts and images using multilingual OpenAI prompts.
This theme has an extensive selection of pre-made starter sites, featuring over a hundred options. Each demo allows for endless customization possibilities.
In addition, Qwery offers a variety of designs specifically created for different types of blogs. From personal blogs to niche-specific topics, it provides modern, clean layouts that cater to various content styles.
Editing content on Qwery is intuitive and straightforward with the inclusion of the Elementor Page Builder. This drag-and-drop builder simplifies the process of designing and customizing your website, allowing you to create a Medium-style WordPress theme effortlessly.
In addition to its advanced blog setups and interactive Ajax-based search functionality, Qwery offers customizable colors and typography options. This ensures that your website reflects your brand identity and maintains a cohesive look throughout.
Benefits of Qwery
- One-click demo installations for easy setup
- Updated WooCommerce support for smooth online store integration
- Special extensions like Slider Revolution and Swiper Slider
- Retina-ready for crisp, high-resolution visuals
- Free AI support updates for continuous improvement and innovation
Drawback of Qwery
- Could have more flexible widget areas available
OceanWP
OceanWP is a highly adaptable theme supported by a vibrant community and robust support network. Even if you’re new to WordPress, this theme provides the tools and assistance you need to create your ideal website.
Similar to Medium’s emphasis on community engagement, OceanWP fosters user interaction through forums, content submissions, and community events. This sense of community enhances the WordPress experience and allows users to collaborate and support each other.
Designed for optimal performance, OceanWP ensures that your blog loads quickly and functions smoothly. Its focus on small file sizes and quick loading times results in a responsive and user-friendly website.
OceanWP also meets all the essential requirements for a high-quality website, including responsiveness, support for left-to-right languages, and compatibility with major search engines.
For developers, OceanWP offers an appealing codebase that facilitates coding modifications and customizations. This flexibility allows developers to tailor the theme to meet specific requirements and preferences.
Benefits of OceanWP
- Translation and RTL (right-to-left) readiness for optimal user experience
- Detailed documentation for easy access to answers and guides
- Full control over features to keep your workspace clean and efficient
- Accessibility-focused updates to meet the latest standards
- Regular code updates to ensure compatibility and performance
Drawback of OceanWP
- The customizer option can be confusing and intimidating if you are new to WordPress
Blabber
Blabber sets the stage for a dynamic blogging experience with its colorful and trendy design. Tailored for a wide array of blogs, from crash-test dummies to how-to guides, it fits anyone looking to make a vibrant statement online.
This medium-style WordPress theme combines attractiveness with functionality, creating an inviting platform for bloggers and readers alike. With Blabber, your content won’t just be read; it’ll be experienced.
The theme’s ultimate blog layouts are a blogger’s dream. Offering nine different demos and a variety of post layouts like Chess, Classic, and Portfolio, Blabber ensures your blog remains fresh and engaging.
Custom widgets and shortcodes, along with Elementor support, open up endless possibilities for creative content display. Adding new blocks and layouts is as simple as a few clicks, making your blog truly your own.
Blabber’s ease of use is one of its standout features. Thanks to one-click installation and a suite of compatible plugins, including Elementor Page Builder and Instagram Feed, setting up your site is straightforward. The theme’s vast customization options allow you to tailor every aspect of your blog to match your vision.
Benefits of Blabber
- Its adaptive images feature automatically adjusts image sizes for different contexts
- Connects with popular social platforms effortlessly
- Over five ready-made styles to choose from
- Responsive and retina-ready
- Supports swipe effects for scrollable sections, adding a touch of sophistication to user interactions
Drawback of Blabber
- Can be a bit complex to use due to its extensive set of features
Avventure
More than just a Medium-style WordPress theme, Avventure is a gateway to the world through your eyes. Made with avid travelers and bloggers in mind, it offers an exceptional platform for sharing your journeys.
With this theme, you can showcase your stories, share breathtaking photos, and write captivating articles. It invites your audience to explore the globe alongside you, igniting the spirit of adventure in every reader.
Setting up Avventure is a breeze. Thanks to its intuitive page builder and a vast array of theme options, you can get your site up and running in no time. Customization is also at the heart of Avventure, as it allows you to tailor every aspect of your travel journal to your liking.
Under the hood, Avventure is powered by Elementor, a leading page builder that simplifies website customization. You can easily adjust layouts and see changes in real-time, without the hassle of page reloads.
But there’s more, as Avventure enhances Elementor with custom elements that provide endless possibilities for showcasing your content. From displaying blog posts in various styles to highlighting custom post types, these features allow you to create a truly versatile and engaging travel blog.
Benefits of Avventure
- Easily set up an online store to sell your merchandise with its WooCommerce integration
- Its Travel Map With Markers feature helps you showcase your travel destinations excitingly and interactively
- Gain full control over your site’s header and footer layouts for a personalized look
- Display your adventure photos in beautiful galleries and easily integrate your Instagram feed
- Create visually stunning slides, hero areas, and carousels through its Slider Revolution
Drawback of Avventure
- The images in the demo version are copyrighted and are not packaged with the theme
Aldo
Aldo brings a fresh perspective to content creation by offering a suite of Gutenberg-specific blocks. These blocks make it simpler than ever to customize your pages. They add a variety of content types to your website, acting like shortcodes, but even better.
The team behind Aldo has worked hard to ensure your content looks fantastic, both in the front end and the back end. This attention to detail eliminates any discrepancies between what you create and what your audience sees.
In addition, Aldo features a wide array of layout options, perfect for showcasing your blog’s content. You can choose from several pre-designed homepages, customize them to your liking, or build your own unique layouts.
These blocks cover a wide range of content types, including widgets and layout elements for crafting your site’s headers and footers. Customizing these blocks is straightforward, providing you with a lot of options to tweak each element to perfection.
Lastly, adding custom blocks in Aldo is as easy as working with the default Gutenberg blocks. Each block comes with its settings in the right-hand side panel, where you can adjust various parameters.
Benefits of Aldo
- Gain unparalleled control over your site’s header and footer layouts
- Choose from 4 single post styles to enhance your blog’s appearance
- 100% compliant with GDPR for robust data protection
- Present your content beautifully across all devices
- Construct your layouts effortlessly without any coding
Drawback of Aldo
- An additional RTL stylesheet is needed to support RTL (Right to Left) text direction
Modern Housewife
For those who wish to share the essence of home life, Modern Housewife is for you. Whether you’re aiming to guide others on the journey of housewifery or narrate your family’s story, this theme offers a splendid platform.
Its thoughtful design elements make it perfect for blogs about pregnancy, childbirth, parenting, or just the daily joys and challenges of family life. Beyond its aesthetics, Modern Housewife promises a blend of functionality and style, making it a standout Medium-style WordPress theme.
Going viral with a blog has never been easier, thanks to Modern Housewife. It comes loaded with features like two distinct Homepage options and many options for blog layouts. The support for Instagram Feeds and Recipes also adds a unique touch.
The theme’s compatibility with top-tier plugins further enhances its appeal. From WPBakery Page Builder for effortless content editing to Slider Revolution for stunning visuals, Modern Housewife has it all.
ThemeREX Addons further smoothen your WordPress experience to ensure a seamless setup and customization process.
Lastly, Modern Housewife offers unparalleled ease of editing and customization. With an enhanced collection of elements at your disposal, creating and personalizing your blog’s layout is just a few clicks away.
Benefits of Modern Housewife
- User menu and main menu support enhance navigation on your site
- Interactive Ajax Search makes it easy for visitors to find content
- Customize your site to match your style with its flexible colors and typography
- Translation-ready to further reach a global audience
- Use Google Fonts or upload your own for a personal touch
Drawback of Modern Housewife
- Does not offer a free version
Gutentype
With Gutentype, every story you tell is set on a canvas of innovation and style. It offers a clean and fresh WordPress blog theme that’s perfect for a variety of niches.
From guest posting to viral blogs and how-to guides, it suits a wide range of content creators. This theme is designed to meet the needs of bloggers and writers who demand a sleek, Medium-style WordPress theme that’s both functional and visually appealing.
At its core, Gutentype is built for modern blogging. It supports popular page builders, adding flexibility to your site’s design. The theme also features a slider with swipe gestures that makes it user-friendly on mobile devices.
Furthermore, Gutentype has the full support of the Gutenberg editor. This commitment extends to seamless integration with essential WordPress plugins like Instagram Feed, MailChimp for WP, WooCommerce, and Contact Form 7.
These integrations empower bloggers to extend their site’s functionality, engage with their audience, and even venture into e-commerce.
The theme’s design is responsive, ensuring your website looks perfect on any device. This responsiveness is crucial for reaching a wider audience in today’s mobile-first world. Gutentype’s SEO readiness also helps your content achieve higher visibility in search engine rankings.
Benefits of Gutentype
- Offers professional design so your website looks stunning
- Quickly set up your site with a one-click demo install
- Highly flexible and customizable
- Built with HTML5 and CSS3 to guarantee cutting-edge performance and visuals
- Cross-browser compatibility (Firefox, Safari, Chrome, IE11+)
Drawback of Gutentype
- Does not offer a free version
Katelyn
Katelyn is a fresh and clean WordPress Blog theme built with the Gutenberg page builder in mind. It’s designed to be simple yet versatile, making it suitable for various blog purposes, including personal portfolios and how-to guides.
With improved block styles and theme shortcodes, Katelyn is fully compatible with the WordPress editor, allowing for easy customization and content creation. This integration ensures a seamless editing experience, even for users new to WordPress.
This theme also comes integrated with popular plugins that expand the theme’s functionality. It allows you to add social media feeds, build email lists, and create custom contact forms effortlessly.
Lastly, Katelyn adheres to strict WordPress guidelines and is compatible with WordPress 4.0 and higher. Its full responsiveness ensures that your website looks great and functions smoothly across various devices and screen sizes, from desktops to smartphones.
Benefits of Katelyn
- Compliance with WordPress guidelines for seamless compatibility
- Full responsiveness for smooth scaling on all platforms
- SEO readiness for improved search engine rankings
- Compatibility with WordPress 4.0 and higher
- One-click demo installation for easy setup and configuration
Drawback of Katelyn
- Has very few pre-designed page templates
Avior
Avior is a gem among free blog WordPress themes, offering a blend of style and simplicity. Its lightweight design guarantees that your blog will run smoothly, while the stylish layout makes it ideal for a variety of niches, including personal, food, and travel blogs.
This theme is not just about looks; it’s optimized for search engines, helping your blog to stand out and attract more readers. With Avior, you can create posts that look stunning on any modern device. It’s a great choice for bloggers aiming for a Medium-style WordPress theme.
One of the main features of Avior is its customizable header and footer. You can easily link your social media accounts through integrated icons, create an informative footer, and change the header image to suit your blog’s personality.
The theme’s level of customization extends to its flexible menus. With three options – primary, social, and footer – you have the freedom to add varied content, links, images, and widgets.
Avior doesn’t stop at aesthetics; it also offers practical features like post metadata. This means you can display essential information about your posts, such as the author, publishing date, categories, tags, and comments link.
Benefits of Avior
- Traditional and full-width page templates offer layout variety for your blog
- WooCommerce compatibility provides ready-made designs for online selling
- Free updates and support
- Easy customization through the WordPress Customizer
- SEO-friendly
Drawback of Avior
- The theme was last updated more than a year ago
FAQs about Medium Style WordPress Theme
A Medium-style WordPress theme is a design template for your website that mimics the clean and minimalist look of the popular Medium platform. It is ideal for bloggers and developers who want a sleek and modern design.
Yes, you can monetize your website by incorporating various revenue streams, including advertising, affiliate marketing, sponsored content, and selling products or services.
Choose this type of WordPress theme if you’re looking for a sleek and modern design that emphasizes readability and user engagement. This theme is ideal for bloggers, writers, and content creators who want to showcase their work effectively.
Yes, these types of WordPress themes are user-friendly and easy to set up, making them suitable for beginners who may not have technical expertise in website design.
To choose the right WordPress theme for your website, consider factors such as your website’s purpose, design preferences, customization options, support and updates, and compatibility with essential plugins and features.
Performance considerations for Medium-style WordPress themes include page loading speed, code optimization, mobile responsiveness, and compatibility with caching and optimization plugins to ensure a smooth user experience.
Yes, you can hire a WordPress developer or contact the theme developer for assistance with customizing your chosen WordPress theme. This way, you can match it to your specific design requirements, functionality needs, and branding preferences.
Final Thoughts
Blogging can be tough, and websites like Medium provide a guiding light for you to reach your potential in writing. By having a WordPress site that gives a professional look and emulates websites like Medium, you can have a minimalist website that’s reader-focused.
Whether you’re a blogger, writer, or business owner, having the right theme for your WordPress site can make a difference. So why not start exploring these WordPress themes now? We’re pretty confident you’d like one of these themes on our list.