Dark mode isn’t just a trend anymore – it’s a full-on design movement. Whether you’re building a blog, a portfolio, or an online store, using a dark WordPress theme instantly gives your website a sleek, modern vibe that many users now prefer.
But dark themes aren’t just about style. They also offer real benefits like:
- Reduced eye strain in low-light environments
- Better battery life on mobile and OLED devices
- A bold, focused visual experience for showcasing content
In this guide, you’ll find a curated list of the top-performing dark WordPress themes – all handpicked for their design quality, performance, flexibility, and overall user satisfaction. Whether you’re a creative professional, a blogger, or a business owner, there’s something here for you.
Let’s dive in and discover which dark theme will help your site shine (in the shadows).
How I Chose the Best Dark Themes
With so many dark WordPress themes out there, narrowing it down to the very best wasn’t a quick task. I wanted to ensure that every theme on this list isn’t just good-looking – but also functional, reliable, and worth your investment.
Here are the key factors I focused on while selecting these themes:
- True dark design or dark mode support: Every theme here either uses a full dark aesthetic or offers an easy toggle for dark mode (ideal for users who prefer a light/dark switch).
- Modern design & UX: Clean typography, smart spacing, and visual hierarchy that feels fresh and intentional – not just dark for the sake of it.
- Ease of customization: You shouldn’t need a developer to change fonts, layouts, or colors. These themes are beginner-friendly but powerful.
- Plugin compatibility: Whether it’s Elementor, WooCommerce, or translation plugins, all themes play nicely with popular WordPress tools.
- Performance: Fast-loading pages, responsive layouts, and SEO-friendly code are a must (dark doesn’t mean sluggish!).
- Real user feedback: I factored in ratings, reviews, update frequency, and how well each theme is supported by its creators.
What you’ll find below is a versatile collection of dark themes – some minimal, some bold, some creative – but all of them thoughtfully built and easy to work with.
1. Uppercase – Best for modern blogs & content-focused websites
Uppercase is a bold and elegant WordPress theme built specifically for bloggers who want a sharp, modern look with the option to switch to dark mode seamlessly. Whether you’re writing about design, tech, travel, or personal development, Uppercase lets your content shine without unnecessary distractions.
One of its standout features is the ability to enable dark mode with a single click—ideal for late-night readers or simply to give your site a sleek, moody aesthetic. The design is minimalist yet powerful, with smooth animations, custom post styles, and a layout that adapts beautifully across all devices.
It also supports Ajax search and integrates flawlessly with your favorite gallery plugins, making it a smart pick for visually rich blogs and content-heavy sites.
Here’s why Uppercase is a top choice:
- Dark mode switcher: Give users a sleek viewing option at night or anytime.
- Minimal & distraction-free layout: Keeps the focus on your content.
- Optimized for readability: Multiple post styles and beautiful typography.
- Ajax search: Helps readers find posts quickly and easily.
- Seamless social integration: Boost content sharing across platforms.
2. Newsblock – Ideal for online magazines & publishing
Newsblock is a modern and powerful WordPress theme tailor-made for online magazines, digital publishers, and editorial websites that want a professional look with advanced functionality.
It comes with multiple pre-made demos and a built-in dark mode toggle, giving your readers the option to switch to a night-friendly view with ease. The layouts are designed to highlight your content—from breaking news to long-form articles—with clarity and style.
Better yet, Newsblock is optimized for performance, SEO, and mobile responsiveness, making sure your publication reaches readers everywhere—fast. Thanks to its smart sidebar system and mega menu integration, content discovery is effortless.
Here’s why Newsblock stands out:
- One-click dark mode: Instantly switch to a sleek night view.
- Multiple magazine-style demos: Quickly match your niche or audience.
- Responsive & fast-loading: Delivers great UX on all devices.
- Mega menu support: Enhance navigation for content-heavy sites.
- Smart sidebars: Display trending posts, ads, or social feeds efficiently.
3. Elessi – Best dark WooCommerce theme for online stores
Elessi is a sleek and powerful WooCommerce theme designed to help you create stunning, user-friendly online stores with ease—no coding required.
Built with Elementor page builder integrated for free, Elessi lets you customize every detail, from fonts and colors to layouts and product displays. Its dark mode design creates a modern and elegant shopping experience that draws attention to your products.
But there’s more: Elessi is packed with essential eCommerce features like product quick view, Ajax wishlist, smart filtering, and bulk discount options. This theme makes shopping smooth and enjoyable, helping you boost sales and customer satisfaction.
Why Elessi is a standout choice:
- Dark mode optimized: Stylish and comfortable for browsing at night.
- Fully customizable: Elementor-powered for drag-and-drop ease.
- Advanced WooCommerce features: Quick view, filtering, wishlists, and more.
- Mobile-friendly & fast: Responsive design that loads swiftly.
- Multilingual & RTL support: Ready for global markets.
4. Networker – Excellent for tech news & online publications
Networker is a modern, dark-themed WordPress theme tailor-made for tech news sites, online magazines, and content-rich publications. It combines sleek aesthetics with powerful functionality to deliver a seamless reading experience, especially in low-light environments.
What truly sets Networker apart is its thoughtful use of dark mode, which reduces eye strain and keeps your audience engaged longer. The theme offers a variety of pre-designed homepages and post layouts, making it easy to showcase breaking news, in-depth articles, and multimedia content.
Networker also supports smart plugins and features like Instagram integration, lightbox image galleries, and mega menus—perfect for building a dynamic and interactive site.
Here’s why Networker deserves your attention:
- Dark mode enabled: Enhances readability and user comfort.
- Fast loading speed: Keeps your readers hooked without frustrating delays.
- Multiple post styles: Present content in diverse, engaging formats.
- Instagram widget: Connects your social presence directly to your site.
- Responsive & SEO-friendly: Optimized for all devices and search engines.
5. Pekko – Clean, minimal dark theme for creative portfolios
Pekko is a sleek and minimal dark WordPress theme crafted specifically for creative professionals who want their work to shine without distractions. Its lightweight design ensures fast loading times, giving your portfolio a smooth and polished feel.
Built with Elementor, Pekko lets you customize every detail—from colors and typography to layout and animations—without writing a single line of code. This makes it ideal for artists, designers, photographers, and freelancers who want complete creative control.
Moreover, Pekko supports popular translation plugins, so you can easily turn your portfolio into a multilingual site and reach an international audience.
Why choose Pekko?
- Minimalistic & fast: Clean design that keeps the focus on your work.
- Elementor powered: Intuitive drag-and-drop customization.
- Multilingual ready: Supports WPML and other translation plugins.
- Ajax technology: Smooth browsing with no annoying page reloads.
- Strong customer support: Dedicated help when you need it.
6. The Luxury – Stylish WooCommerce theme for premium products
The Luxury is a refined dark WordPress theme designed for showcasing high-end products and premium brands. Its elegant design and sophisticated layout create the perfect online ambiance for luxury goods, fashion, jewelry, or boutique stores.
With full WooCommerce integration, The Luxury empowers you to build a beautiful, functional online store without any hassle. From product listings to checkout, every element is optimized for a seamless shopping experience.
The theme is fully customizable — you can switch to dark mode effortlessly, add parallax effects, embed YouTube videos, and integrate social media links to elevate your brand’s presence.
What makes The Luxury a standout choice?
- WooCommerce ready: Sell products with stylish product pages and smooth checkout.
- Dark mode elegance: Sophisticated design that appeals to premium customers.
- Customizable features: Parallax effects, video backgrounds, social links, and more.
- Easy to use: Intuitive customization with no coding required.
- Reliable support: Frequent updates and helpful customer service.
7. Oraiste – Creative theme for blogs, agencies & freelancers
Oraiste offers a versatile dark WordPress design that perfectly suits creative professionals, agencies, and bloggers who want to make a bold statement online. Its modern aesthetic combines artistic flair with user-friendly functionality, making it a joy to build and navigate.
The theme supports over 1,000 Google Fonts and includes a variety of pre-made templates you can import instantly — saving you time and effort. Plus, powerful plugins like Elementor, Slider Revolution, and WooCommerce come bundled for free, giving you a comprehensive toolkit to create a truly unique website.
Some of the highlights you’ll appreciate:
- Highly customizable: Choose from multiple layouts, color schemes, and fonts.
- Bundled premium plugins: Elementor, Slider Revolution, WooCommerce included.
- Mega menu and parallax effects: Enhance navigation and visual depth.
- Responsive and retina-ready: Looks sharp on any device or screen size.
- Contact Form 7 support: Easy communication with your visitors.
8. Wavo – Best multipurpose dark theme for agencies
Wavo is a sleek, highly responsive dark WordPress theme perfect for agencies, portfolios, and creative businesses looking for a professional yet eye-catching online presence. Its modern design adapts beautifully to any screen size, ensuring your work always looks its best.
Installation is a breeze with free lifetime updates and dedicated support, making it a stress-free choice even if you’re new to WordPress. The theme comes packed with pre-made templates and popular tools, so you can build your site quickly without sacrificing creativity or functionality.
Why Wavo deserves your attention:
- 3,000+ sales and a 4.9+ star rating: Proven reliability and satisfaction.
- Perfect for agencies & portfolios: Showcase your projects with style.
- Regular updates: Ensures compatibility and security.
- One-click demo import: Get started in minutes.
- SEO optimized & fast loading: Boost your online visibility and user experience.
9. Ashade – Top choice for photographers and visual portfolios
Ashade is the ultimate dark WordPress theme for photographers and creatives who want to showcase their work with style and sophistication. Its breathtaking dark design combined with smooth performance and cross-browser compatibility ensures your portfolio shines everywhere.
This theme is loaded with stunning elements like creative grid galleries, before & after sliders, and photo proofing tools that help present your visuals in the best light. If you’re planning to sell your photos or creative products online, Ashade integrates seamlessly with WooCommerce, complete with product listings, shopping carts, and checkout features.
Here’s why Ashade is a must-have:
- 2,100+ sales with a 4.4+ star rating: Trusted by photographers worldwide.
- Easily add contact forms: Built-in support for WordPress contact forms to stay connected with clients.
- WooCommerce ready: Sell your work directly from your site.
- Before & after slider: Showcase creative transformations effortlessly.
- Dark design with elegant animations: Keeps your portfolio modern and engaging.
10. Gilber – Lightweight & fast portfolio theme for creatives
Gilber is a beautifully organized dark WordPress theme tailored for creatives who value simplicity and speed without sacrificing style. Its lightweight design ensures your portfolio loads quickly, giving visitors a seamless browsing experience.
Built with Elementor page builder, Gilber lets you craft your site exactly the way you envision it — no coding skills required. Plus, it’s optimized for SEO, using the latest HTML5 and CSS3 standards to boost your visibility on search engines.
Why Gilber should be your go-to portfolio theme:
- 210+ sales and a perfect 5-star rating: A favorite among creative professionals.
- Fast & easy setup wizard: Get your site live in no time.
- Fully responsive and retina-ready: Looks stunning on all devices.
- Comprehensive documentation & support: Help is always just a click away.
- Dark mode elegance: Show off your portfolio with sleek, modern vibes.
11. Benoit – Elegant dark theme for restaurants and cafes
Benoit is a stunning dark WordPress theme crafted specifically for restaurants, coffee shops, and bars that want to create a memorable online presence. Its sophisticated design immediately sets the mood and invites visitors to explore your offerings.
With one-click demo import, you can quickly launch your site and customize it with a variety of layouts, animations, colors, and fonts to perfectly match your brand’s personality. Benoit also supports essential plugins like Slider Revolution, WooCommerce, and Elementor to elevate your site’s functionality.
Why Benoit is perfect for your food business:
- 620+ sales and a glowing 5-star rating: Trusted by many in the hospitality industry.
- Online booking plugin integration: Let your customers reserve tables with ease.
- Beautifully designed food menu layouts: Showcase your dishes in style.
- WooCommerce support: Sell merchandise or gift cards directly from your site.
- Dark mode sophistication: Create a cozy, inviting atmosphere online.
12. Togo – Minimalist black-and-white theme with WooCommerce
Togo embraces minimalism with a bold black-and-white palette, making it a superb choice for creatives and businesses who prefer a clean, sophisticated look. This dark WordPress theme is perfect if you want to keep things simple yet striking.
Designed with usability in mind, Togo offers a fully responsive and retina-ready experience that looks sharp on any device. The powerful admin panel lets you customize layouts, colors, fonts, and widgets, giving you full control over your site’s appearance without the need for coding.
Here’s what makes Togo stand out:
- 200+ sales and solid 4.7-star rating: Proven quality with a growing user base.
- WooCommerce integration: Build a sleek online store effortlessly.
- Black and white design: Timeless aesthetics that highlight your content.
- WPBakery page builder included: Drag-and-drop simplicity to create your pages.
- Minimalist approach: Perfect for portfolios, agencies, and boutique shops.
Comparison Table: Best Dark WordPress Themes
| Theme | Best For | Sales | Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uppercase | Modern blogs & content-focused sites | 1,000+ | 4.9+ | $59 (may vary) |
| Newsblock | Online magazines & publishing | 2,000+ | 4.8+ | $69 (may vary) |
| Elessi | Dark WooCommerce theme for stores | 6,700+ | 4.9+ | $59 (may vary) |
| Networker | Tech news & online publications | 1,300+ | 4.7+ | $69 (may vary) |
| Pekko | Creative portfolios | 330+ | 4.8+ | $59 (may vary) |
| The Luxury | WooCommerce for premium products | 2,800+ | 4.7+ | $59 (may vary) |
| Oraiste | Blogs, agencies & freelancers | 550+ | 4.0+ | $85 (may vary) |
| Wavo | Multipurpose for agencies | 3,000+ | 4.9+ | $39 (may vary) |
| Ashade | Photographers & visual portfolios | 2,100+ | 4.4+ | $39 (may vary) |
| Gilber | Lightweight portfolio for creatives | 210+ | 5.0 | $49 (may vary) |
| Benoit | Restaurants & cafes | 620+ | 5.0 | $69 (may vary) |
| Togo | Minimalist black-and-white theme | 200+ | 4.7+ | $69 (may vary) |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a dark mode theme?
A dark mode theme is a website design that uses darker colors, usually black or dark gray backgrounds with lighter text. This style reduces eye strain in low-light environments, gives a modern and sleek appearance, and can help save device battery life on OLED screens.
Can I switch between dark and light mode?
Many modern WordPress themes offer built-in options or compatibility with plugins that allow users to toggle between dark and light modes. However, this feature depends on the theme’s design and settings, so be sure to check if the theme supports this before purchasing.
Are dark themes better for SEO or performance?
Dark themes themselves don’t directly affect SEO rankings or website performance. SEO depends more on content quality, site structure, and speed optimizations. Performance-wise, dark themes can sometimes improve perceived speed by reducing visual brightness but do not inherently load faster.
Will these themes work with Elementor/WPBakery?
Most of the dark mode themes featured are compatible with popular page builders like Elementor and WPBakery. This allows for easy customization with drag-and-drop functionality, enabling you to build pages visually without coding.
Can I use dark themes with WooCommerce?
Yes! Many dark themes in this guide are fully compatible with WooCommerce, making them ideal for stylish online stores that want a modern, sleek look while providing a seamless shopping experience.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right dark WordPress theme can truly transform your website’s look and feel, creating a captivating, modern experience for your visitors. Whether you’re running a blog, portfolio, online store, or agency site, these carefully selected themes offer a perfect blend of style, functionality, and user-friendliness.
Dark themes are not just a trend—they provide tangible benefits like reduced eye strain, enhanced focus on content, and a sleek aesthetic that stands out in a crowded digital world. With options compatible with popular page builders and WooCommerce, customizing your site has never been easier.
Take your time exploring the themes we covered and consider what fits best with your brand identity and goals. Whichever theme you choose, you’re well on your way to delivering a visually stunning and engaging user experience that will impress visitors and keep them coming back.
Ready to dive into the dark side? Start building your dream site today!