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Which is the Best WordPress Theme for You in 2023?
So, Astra vs OceanWP – which one should you choose for your new website?
Astra and OceanWP are the most popular WordPress themes, and both offer a wide range of features. (I’ll get into a deep comparison later in this article.)
But let’s get straight to the point: Astra is the top theme between the two. And here’s why:
- Performance: Astra is lightweight and performs better, making it an excellent choice if you focus on speed and efficiency.
- Demo Sites: Astra provides a vast library of pre-built demo sites – more than OceanWP.
- Features: Astra offers more features.
Considering the above factors, Astra generally emerges as the better theme for WordPress users.
One point in OceanWP‘s favor is that its customization options are more extensive.
But if you have time, please make sure to keep reading to get into the nitty-gritty details!
Astra vs OceanWP: Pros and Cons
If you are short on time, let me give you the pros and cons of each so you can choose now.
Astra Theme Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Performance and speed
- Compatible with major page builders like Elementor and Beaver Builder
- Over 90 templates on the free version and over 240 demo templates in total
- Extensive hooks option to inject custom content
- Integrations that will help with online courses are build-in
Cons:
- More expensive if you need the premium demos
OceanWP Theme Pros and Cons
Pros:
- More customization options to control your canvas
- Premium version includes extensions to provide extra front-end features
- Small edge over Astra for WooCommerce
Cons:
- OceanWP is mainly compatible with Elementor page builder
- Only 17 free templates
- The extra customization options are not so user friendly
Distinct Features: Astra vs OceanWP
Astra and OceanWP are premium WordPress themes offering a wide range of features. Each theme possesses distinct characteristics that differentiate it from the other. Below are some of these features, which I will explain later.
Astra Unique Features:
- LearnDash, LifterLMS, and Easy Digital Downloads integration: Astra provides deep integration with these popular e-learning plugins. This integration allows you to create and manage online courses or sell digital products seamlessly within your website.
- Astra is compatible with popular page builders like Elementor and Beaver Builder and can be integrated easily with them.
- Large selection of demo sites: Astra provides a wide range of professionally designed demo sites. But please note that the extensive selection of demo sites is available in the Essential Bundle, a premium add-on.
- Fast and well-organized customizer: Astra has a user-friendly and efficient customizer interface.
- Unlimited website usage: With Astra, you can use the theme on many websites. This can be helpful if you plan to build and launch several projects using the same theme.
Learn more about this theme in our Astra theme review.
OceanWP Unique Features:
- Deep integration with WooCommerce: OceanWP is easily integrated with the popular WooCommerce plugin.
- Ability to enable or disable CSS and JavaScript code snippets: OceanWP allows you to enable or disable specific CSS and JavaScript code snippets within the theme’s settings. This feature allows you to optimize your website.
- Native popup login: OceanWP includes a native popup login feature. This can be particularly useful for membership or e-commerce sites where user accounts are essential.
- Detailed page-level customization: OceanWP offers detailed control of the appearance and layout of pages.
Please note that these lists are incomplete; both themes have many other features and options available.
Templates/Demo Sites
About demo sites, Astra offers a more extensive selection compared to OceanWP. Astra provides over 240 unique demo sites. These are built with popular builder plugins like Elementor, Beaver Builder, Brizy, and Gutenberg (using their “Ultimate Addons for Gutenberg” free plugin.)
While the free version of Astra includes 90+ demo sites, extra demo sites require one of the paid plans. The designs of Astra’s demo sites are visually appealing and offer a greater level of uniqueness.
In contrast, OceanWP focuses only on Elementor and offers a limited selection of demo sites. The free version of OceanWP provides 17 Elementor templates. The premium starter plans include 220 extra templates.
Also, some users may find OceanWP’s demo sites less captivating and somewhat outdated compared to Astra’s.
To sum it up, Astra’s demo site importer provides the following:
- A greater variety of options with various builder plugins
- A more extensive selection of demo sites
- Visually appealing and distinctive designs
Developer Features
Custom Layouts and Hooks: Both Astra and OceanWP offer options for customizing layouts, including:
- Headers
- Footers
- 404 pages
- Hooks
- Content within posts/pages
Astra Theme Features
Astra provides the option of a powerful hook that allows injecting custom content or code at specific locations. There are also conditional options for targeting specific content, users, dates, and devices.
Besides, Astra allows injecting content after a randomized number of blocks. Astra offers the Astra Hooks plugin for the free theme. The premium version includes the Custom Layouts feature.
OceanWP Theme Features
OceanWP offers the Ocean Hooks add-on, which enables injecting text, shortcodes, PHP, and HTML code into hook locations. Conditional logic and user role validation are also available.
OceanWP offers the following:
- Comprehensive documentation
- Code snippets
- Visual representation of hook locations
Speed and Performance: Astra vs OceanWP
I compared the speed of Astra and OceanWP using just their base themes. It provided a basic understanding of their performance. But it’s important to note that real-world website performance can be influenced by various factors. These include server configuration, content, plugins, and optimizations applied.
Astra Performance Test
OceanWP Performance Test
When comparing the base themes of Astra and OceanWP for speed, it’s important to consider various factors, like the size of the theme files, the number of HTTP requests, and the loading time. Astra and OceanWP have put effort into optimizing their themes for performance, so, as you can see, the differences are marginal.
To get a more accurate understanding of their performance, it is recommended to conduct comprehensive speed tests using tools like GTmetrix, Pingdom, or Google PageSpeed Insights. These tools can provide insights into specific metrics like page load time, page size, and requests. This can help you assess the performance of the themes in a more realistic scenario.
WooCommerce Support
Both themes provide exceptional support for WooCommerce, the popular eCommerce platform.
Astra e-Commerce
Astra offers extensive control over the design and behavior of your WooCommerce shop. It allows for customizing the product catalog page, single product page, and more.
The WooCommerce module in Astra will enable you to change the layout, colors, typography, and product metadata structure. Additionally, Astra supports WooCommerce and its eCommerce plugin, SureCart. With SureCart, you have even more options for online stores.
OceanWP e-Commerce
OceanWP is known for being one of the best themes for WooCommerce. It offers a wide range of customization options for your WooCommerce shop, even in the free version. The advanced styling section in OceanWP provides fine-grained control over the appearance of your shop. You can customize various elements without the need for coding.
Both themes excel in providing WooCommerce support. But Astra offers a unique advantage with its SureCart plugin.
Astra and OceanWP will give you good WooCommerce integration – and ample customization options for your online store.
Integration
Both Astra and OceanWP offer extensive customization options and integrations with page builders and plugins.
Astra stands out with better page builder integration, a Header and Footer builder, and more pre-designed templates. It offers a cleaner and more user-friendly customizer.
It also has specific integrations with LifterLMS and LearnDash for online course websites, making it a good choice.
But, OceanWP excels in page-level customization. It offers many options for layout, sidebar, title, heading, and footer.
OceanWP excels in WooCommerce customization, providing in-depth features and a seamless shopping experience.
As a result, it is the preferred choice for eCommerce websites.
Ultimately, the decision between Astra and OceanWP depends on specific requirements and priorities, such as page builder integration or eCommerce focus.
Customization
Both Astra and OceanWP offer a range of customization options using the WordPress Customizer. But OceanWP provides more flexibility in the free version, particularly when it comes to typography choices.
Even when comparing the premium versions, OceanWP still has an advantage in flexibility. Astra has strengths in its drag-and-drop header and footer builder, allowing custom layouts.
It’s important to note that OceanWP’s Customizer area may feel cluttered due to the number of options.
Choosing between the two themes depends on your customization and ease-of-use preferences.
Support and Documentation
Both Astra and OceanWP offer strong support and comprehensive documentation. But there are some differences in user experiences.
Astra’s support has improved. There may have been slower support in the past, but users now generally receive better and faster responses.
Astra’s documentation is considered one of the most extensive in the market, featuring over 300 help articles. The documentation is well-organized. Articles are categorized under different sections, making navigating and finding the information you need easy.
On YouTube, you can find Astra’s channel that provides video tutorials and more support resources.
OceanWP offers excellent support, although there may be occasions when issues are not resolved as quickly as desired.
The support provided by OceanWP is divided into three tiers: Free, Regular, and Priority. Free support is available for the free version of the theme. Regular support caters to OceanWP’s premium version users. Priority support is a paid option, offering more dedicated support for a fee of either $29 for three months or $99 for a year.
OceanWP’s documentation is also extensive. It features a neatly organized homepage that categorizes articles under sections, allowing users to access the information easily.
The documentation for both themes is well-organized and provides users with a wealth of information.
Price Comparison: Astra vs OceanWP
Both Astra and OceanWP have free versions available on WordPress.org.
For more advanced features and customization options, consider the premium versions.
The free version of OceanWP provides most of the Customizer options. The premium version adds new demo sites and front-end features such as popups, conditional hooks, and cookie notices.
Astra limits Customizer options in the free version but offers a wide range of templates. Upgrading to Astra Pro unlocks all Customizer options and advanced features.
Astra Pro Price
Astra Pro offers plans that allow usage on unlimited sites, starting at $47 for the first year.
OceanWP Price
OceanWP has plans with a website limit ranging from three to 50 sites, starting at $38 per year.
In summary, OceanWP’s free version may be more suitable if you prioritize customization options. But Astra’s free version is a good choice if you value a more extensive selection of demo sites. For the premium versions, Astra’s pricing allows usage on unlimited sites, while OceanWP has website limits.
When you look at the price, take into consideration your specific needs and the additional plugins included in the bundles.
Astra vs OceanWP: Our Conclusion
When comparing Astra vs OceanWP, both themes offer excellent features, and it’s difficult to make a wrong choice. Yet, Astra stands out as the top pick.
Astra’s focus on developers and its premium bundles with a wide range of starter sites make it an excellent choice for individuals and projects of any scale. Even in the free version, Astra provides more demos compared to OceanWP.
While OceanWP may have a slight advantage in customization options, Astra still offers enough flexibility for most users. Astra also boasts a more user-friendly Customizer experience and a drag-and-drop header/footer builder, enhancing the overall usability.
Astra has good integrations with plugins like LifterLMS and LearnDash. This makes it perfect for users who require those functionalities. Astra’s Custom Layouts feature provides greater flexibility for advanced users than Ocean Hooks.
Also, Astra’s pricing model makes it more affordable for those needing a theme for many sites, as it allows unlimited site usage.
But OceanWP excels as a WooCommerce-centric theme. It offers extensive customization options specifically tailored for online shops. It is slightly cheaper than Astra for single-site usage and provides access to all premium starter sites, mainly designed with Elementor. If you prefer building your site from scratch, OceanWP’s many customization options make it attractive.
Ultimately, the decision between Astra and OceanWP depends on the following:
- The type of site you want to build
- The number of sites you plan to use the theme on
- Whether you value WooCommerce features
While Astra has a slight edge due to its overall team and community support, both themes offer exceptional features.
If you are new to WordPress, I recommend you read about the best WordPress themes for beginners. And if your focus is on SEO, we have 31 of the best WordPress themes for SEO to check out.
