When it comes to setting up a Shopify store, you want to make sure it looks as polished as possible. Not only that, but you want to make sure your site is easy to use.  Customers need to be able to find the right products and easily check out. 

Enter Shopify Themes. Shopify Themes are templates that dictate how your site looks and feels to customers. 

Every theme has a different layout and emphasis– some simply showcase your products, while others allow you to tell the story of why your products matter. 

The themes also differ in how they “feel.” For example, if you’re selling high-end jewelry, you’ll probably want a different vibe than if you’re selling auto parts.

It can be tough to know what to choose, especially if you’re on a tight budget. Although Shopify has some mainstay themes, third-party developers are also creating new themes all the time. This makes it even harder to assess the options!

Thankfully, there are a number of spectacular free Shopify themes to choose from in 2022. In this resource, we’re sharing how to select the right Shopify theme, 14 of the best free themes that are available right now, and some paid and premium themes to consider.

Reviewer’s Note

When doing research, we came across many lists of “free” Shopify themes. Unfortunately, many themes on these lists were not actually free. We found this super frustrating!

As a result, we’re ONLY recommending themes that are completely free. Because this limits the length of our list, we’ve also included some paid premium options to consider.

Go in with a wish list. Before you start browsing for themes, create a bulleted list of the features you’d like to have. As part of this exercise, you might also collect links to stores that you like the look and feel of.

Choose for business goals, rather than category. Although Shopify organizes its themes by category and creates demos for particular types of products, you should be choosing a theme that meets your business goals. Don’t choose a theme just because the demo shows what you sell. When reviewing themes, try to look at functionality, layout, and navigation, rather than the type of products. We’ve organized some of the themes on this list by category to give you inspiration, but don’t feel limited by these suggestions.

Recognize Shopify themes have limitations and expect to further customize. Although Shopify themes technically have everything you need to sell your goods, you’ll likely want to further customize the theme, which will require some development work.

Check for mobile-friendly-ness. So much online shopping today is done from a smartphone or tablet, so it’s imperative that you choose a theme that looks great on mobile. Most of today’s themes are optimized accordingly, but not all are. Don’t forget to check.

Consider staying within the Shopify theme store. Most of the recommendations on this list are straight out of the Shopify theme store, and that’s because these themes are supported by Shopify. The themes within the store have been pre-vetted by Shopify– they’re likely to have fewer bugs and be easier to set up. That said, you might have particular needs that the themes in the Shopify store can’t meet. Just be prepared to do much of the extra development work on your own.

Explore based on your ecommerce category…

1. Brooklyn – best for Apparel
2. Express – best for Food and Drink, Small Catalogs
3. Debut – best for Apparel, Jewelry Accessories
4. Supply – best for Large Catalogs, Apparel, Jewelry Accessories
5. Venture – best for Apparel, Large Catalogs
6. Narrative – best for Small Catalogs
7. Boundless – best for Apparel, Clothing Fashion
8. Minimal – best for Apparel, Jewelry Accessories
9. Simple – best for Apparel, Jewelry Accessories
10. Thalia – best for Apparel
11. Coffeera – best for Coffee, Food and Drink
12. Apparelix Free – best for Apparel
13. Bulb – best for electronics
14. Fashe – best for Apparel, Clothing Fashion

1. Brooklyn by Shopify

Selling apparel or tailor-made products? Brooklyn might be the right Shopify theme for you. With clean lines and ample space, Brooklyn is perfect for modern apparel stores that focus on brand imagery. 

Brooklyn includes a header slideshow, which allows you to showcase multiple products, a dynamic product grid, which changes based on how many products you’re selling, and even room for a home page video.

Best for: Apparel

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2. Express by Shopify

Express is aptly named, as it’s designed to get your store online as quickly as possible. This theme is optimized for one-page stores, and has features such as a mobile-first design, quick buy capabilities, and featured collections on the home page.

Express is a particularly good fit for those who showcase food and beverage menus. Because it’s a simple theme, it’s also a good fit for stores with small and limited catalogs.

Best for: Food Drink, Small Catalogs

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3. Debut by Shopify

Debut is designed to beautifully showcase both your brand and your products. It even includes pickup availability, allowing you to engage with local shoppers by showing where items can be picked up. Customer testimonials, slideshows, promotional banners, and product recommendations are also included. 

Debut is a good fit for those who sell Jewelry Accessories, but those in Apparel will like the theme, as well. Of course, all the themes are customizable, so if you like the look, you can make Debut work for you no matter what you sell. 

Best for: Apparel, Jewelry Accessories

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4. Supply by Shopify

Supply is designed for any business with large catalogs, as it offers collection filtering in the sidebar. This allows customers to filter collection pages by brand, price, and other customizable options. You can also feature certain collections right on the home page.

Although Shopify claims this theme is good for Jewelry Accessories, there’s evidence that others are taking advantage of this theme. Those who sell wellness products and electronics are also using it.

Best for: Jewelry Accessories, Large Catalogs

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5. Venture by Shopify

Like Supply, Venture is a good option for stores with a large number of products. It offers a multi-column menu, promotional banners, product filtering, a slideshow, and a single featured product.

Shopify’s examples of Venture feature outdoor and athletics products, but Venture is a great theme for any type of apparel.

Bets for: Large catalogs, Apparel

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6. Narrative by Shopify

Narrative is a unique Shopify theme because it lets you explain the value and unique story of your product. It’s a great option for a store with just one product– or only a few products– as you can tell the story of why those products were created.

This Shopify theme includes fixed navigation, a Hero video, vertical slideshows, and a wide layout.

Best for: Small catalog

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7. Boundless by Shopify

Boundless is a minimalist theme with clean lines and a simple layout. Boundless puts its focus on photography with big, bold spaces for imagery. It’s also optimized for large images. If you have brand photos that really help sell your products, Boundless may be a good fit.

Because of its emphasis on photography, Boundless is a good theme for those selling items in the clothing, fashion, and apparel space. 

Best for: Apparel, Clothing Fashion

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8. Minimal by Shopify

Minimal offers a simple, clean design that allows your products to shine. Because the theme is so simple, it allows you to set up your store very quickly. There are also recommended products, cart notes, and in-store pick-ups. 

Best for: Apparel, Jewelry Accessories

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9. Simple by Shopify

Simple is a minimal and clean theme that’s designed to showcase products. It has an accordion-style menu that allows you to display products and categories. It’s relatively straightforward to set up. 

If you’re looking for a simple template that can get you selling products quickly, Simply could be a good option.

Best for: Apparel, Jewelry Accessories

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10. Thalia by aThemes

Thalia offers a clean, minimalist ecommerce store experience. It’s customizable so you can style it exactly how you like. Thalia’s creators say that it works well for fashion and apparel brands, but is flexible enough to be used for other types of shops, as well. Unlike the other themes we listed, Thalia is not in the Shopify theme store.

Best for: Apparel

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11. Coffeera by ROCKTHEMES

If you’re looking for a theme that was created for a very specific product– coffee– then the Coffeera theme might be a good choice for your brand. This ready-to-use theme could be used for other products, as well, especially food and beverages. But it’s easy to imagine selling your coffee with Coffeera.

Best for: Coffee, Food Drink

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12. Apparelix Free by XTREMETHEMES

Apparelix Free is a nice option for apparel companies. There’s also a premium Apparelix theme, which retails for $79, which has top reviews and ratings as well. If you’re looking for a full-featured theme that can support your large catalog, Apparelix Free is a good option.

Best for: Apparel

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13. Bulb by ThemeTidy

Bulb is a free theme that offers a ton of features right out of the box. Some of the most popular are its included product snippets for better SEO and it’s Ajax shopping card. Bulb is built for those selling electronics, but is flexible enough to be used for other products, as well. 

Best for: Electronics

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14. Fashe by Colorlib

Fashe was built with fashion and apparel brands in mind. According to its creator, Colorlib, it was originally built to be a premium theme. However, the theme creator decided to test the waters by offering the theme for free. 

Best for: Apparel, Jewelry Accessories

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Why Choose a Paid or Premium Theme Over a Free One?

If you’re just starting out and are on a tight budget, free options may be all you need. But if you’re developing a large store, you might need the variation, customization, and features that premium Shopify themes offer.

Those who want a sleek, modern site will probably be happiest with a premium theme. It’s a way of leveling up the entire experience. The premium themes in the Shopify store are available for you to trial– you can give any of them a spin before committing to a purchase.

Here are a few premium/paid themes to consider:

Highlight

Cost: $280

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Cascade

Cost: $280

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Showcase

Cost: $250

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Shopify is always adding new themes. In 2022, there are many free options available. It all comes down to choosing a theme that can meet your business goals. Choose your favorite theme from this list– then let us know what you decide.