Are you looking for a WordPress block theme for your Full Site Editing project? Do you want to customize your WordPress websites and blogs in the best way possible? Well, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will discuss the best WordPress Full Site Editing themes.
But, before we get into that, let’s start with what full site editing is, how to access full site editor in WordPress and why we need a full site editing theme. Let’s dive in.
What is Full Site Editing?
Full Site Editing (FSE) expands on the current abilities of the Gutenberg Block Editor. It focuses on modifying blocks and utilizing them in locations other than the content area, e.g., header, footer, templates, etc. Thanks to WordPress’s latest Full Site Editing (FSE) capabilities, we have access to many new features that make website creation more straightforward and effective. But, on the flip side, you might get a little overwhelmed by the plenty of options available with this new editor.
The Full Site Editing (FSE) feature came to the surface with the WordPress 5.9 update. It features several tools that simplify the design process for site owners and administrators. One of these is the Full Site Editor, which is an extension of the default Block Editor, i.e., Gutenberg.
With the Full Site Editor, you can build complex layouts using blocks to customize everything, including theme areas like header, footer, etc. Additionally, you can modify existing templates, develop new ones, and change the overall look of your website without being restricted in any way. The possibilities are endless.
So, that was just a brief about Full Site Editing. Of course, it’s not that simple; there is a lot more going on. So, if you are interested in the details, you can check out our dedicated post on WordPress Full Site Editing.
Now, here is the catch, the Full Site Editor is not available by default. There are a few steps you need to perform in order to access the powerful Full Site Editor. So, let’s see how we can access the Full Site Editor in WordPress.
How to Access Full Site Editor in WordPress?
The most important thing to remember here is that the new Full Site Editor is not compatible with regular themes. To access Full Site Editor, you must be using one of the many Block Themes available for WordPress. Only block themes are compatible with the Full Site Editor.
By default, on a new WordPress installation, you’ll have the Twenty-Twenty Two theme available, which is a block theme. In case it’s not active, you can go to the WP Admin Dashboard and navigate to Appearance > Themes. Hover over the Twenty-Twenty Two theme and click on Activate button to activate the theme.
The editor, still under beta testing, will be displayed to you after activation. Go to Appearance > Site Editor to access WordPress’s all-new Full Site Editor.
There you go! Welcome to the Full Site Editor Interface. Now, you can play around with the editor and explore its incredible features.
Now that you know the basics of accessing full site editing in WordPress. Let’s discuss why we need a full site editing theme.
Why do We Need a Full Site Editing Theme?
With regular WordPress themes, you can only work within the content area of the pages and posts you create. The overall styling of the website is primarily determined by the active theme. Moreover, regular themes don’t let you edit site elements like header, footer, sidebar, etc. That’s why most regular themes are incompatible with the Full Site Editor. Though there are ways to upgrade regular themes to a hybrid theme level, we don’t recommend it due to the complexity of the code.
However, unlike regular WordPress themes, Block Themes are entirely composed of blocks, which makes the theme compatible with the Block Editor. Block themes allow you to unlock the full potential of the Full Site Editor to customize the entire site from the header down to the footer via a single interface. That’s why they are also referred to as Full Site Editing themes.
Simply put, a block theme is the only way to access the Full Site Editor and take advantage of its rich site editing experience. So, if you want to use the Full Site Editor, you must get a block theme, aka a Full Site Editing theme.
I’m sure you’re now clear on why we need a Full Site Editing theme. Now, let’s have a look at some of the best Full Site Editing themes for WordPress. However, if you prefer you can create your own full site editing theme as well. Check out our complete guide on How to create a Full Site Editing theme.
7 Best WordPress Full Site Editing Themes
Here are our top 7 picks for the best full site editing themes to help you choose the right one for your personalized business needs:
- Blockpress
- Bricksy
- Wowmall
- Aino
- Tove
- Catch FSE
- Wabi
1. Blockpress
One of the leading names in the market’s best WordPress full site editing themes is Blockpress. It supports full site editing with custom blocks, site manager, and global styles. It is one of the first all-in-one block themes compatible with Full Site Editing.
With Blockpress, you can customize everything about your website with its extensive full site editing features. Moreover, you don’t need extra plugins to customize any particular area since everything can be customized from within the full site editor.
Furthermore, Block press is optimized for asset usage. The page requires only a tiny footprint of necessary assets. Everything else is loaded depending on the blocks you use on a particular page. The theme also doesn’t use jQuery or other outside libraries, making it pretty lightweight.
Lastly, you can choose system-wide styles for your site via the Global Styles menu. It includes typography like font family, weight, size, etc., styling for elements like colors, animations, etc., and much more.
Key Features
- Uses unique conditional asset loading, with only 2 kb required styles.
- Nice-looking built-in animation framework.
- You can select from the predefined fonts in the global settings of the theme.
- Also, choose your style for site elements.
- Full WooCommerce support.
- The theme has unique interactive loaders for special blocks, like Lottie, without affecting the speed of the page.
Pricing.
It is a free WordPress full site editing theme, so you can enjoy its amazing full site editing experience without spending a penny.
2. Bricksy
Bricksy by Anariel Design is yet another cool feature-rich Full Site Editing theme for WordPress. It is a free modern WordPress theme that contains modern layouts and design elements. You can use these layouts and elements to create advanced sections on your site.
The highlight feature of this theme is its beautifully crafted, eye-catching block patterns and even full-page patterns. Moreover, it’s straightforward to add a block pattern to a webpage. Just drag and drop any block pattern to the page area, and there you have it.
On top of that, the theme is fully compatible with Full Site Editing, so you can create stunning full site layouts and not feel limited in any way. With the Block editor, you only need a few clicks to create the layouts you need. Additionally, the theme is fully compatible with WooCommerce out of the box. So, if you are looking to create an online store, you may very well be satisfied with Bricksy.
Key Features
- Drag and drop interface.
- Beautiful eye-catching block patterns and full-page patterns.
- FSE optimized and block editor.
- Beginner friendly.
- Responsive mobile-friendly design.
- Wocommerce support to set up an online store.
- Lightweight and fast.
Pricing
Bricksy is a freemium theme which means it comes in both free and premium versions. The premium plans start from $59/year with one year of support and updates. Moreover, you are covered under a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you aren’t satisfied with the product.
3. Wowmall
I’m sure you all have heard of the phrase, A jack of all trades is a master of none. Wowmall takes this approach very seriously. So, instead of creating an all-purpose WordPress theme, Wowmall focuses specifically on WooCommerce. It’s a well-crafted WordPress full site editing theme that allows you to create a standout online WooCommerce store with its bold typography and punchy colors.
The theme comes loaded with several bold and impactful block patterns for page layout, header, footer, and shop elements. In comparison to other themes, it is considerably cleaner as a WooCommerce theme because it is purposefully built for WooCommerce.
Moreover, the theme is fully compatible with the Full Site Editor. So, you can utilize every feature of the block editor to create stunning WooCommerce pages. On top of that, you can use its more than 30 block patterns right away on your website.
Lastly, the theme is still in the development phase, and there are many more exciting features to come. However, you can download the experimental version of the theme right now from the WordPress repository and get a taste of this powerful WooCommerce theme.
Key Features
- Excellent integration with WooCommerce.
- Bold and punchy design that captivates the visitor.
- Create beautiful and functional shop pages, product pages, cart, checkout, and other WooCommerce pages and layouts.
- 30+ block patterns to create stunning page designs.
- Several custom block styles.
- Impressive Call-to-action layouts.
- Highly customizable.
Pricing
Wowmall is completely free to use. So, if you want to create a WooCommerce store, go ahead and use Wowmall to build the business of your dreams.
4. Aino
Next on our list is Aino, which is one of the most popular WordPress full site editing themes. This theme takes a unique approach with its responsive grid and grid item blocks to create creative and flexible page layouts. Thus, the grid is fully responsive and lets you create websites that’ll look perfect on every device.
Besides the theme, we also have the Aino Blocks plugin that adds a number of blocks to the Gutenberg editor. Using the Aino theme in combination with the Aino Blocks plugin, you can create complex page layouts with ease. Moreover, the theme offers a growing collection of built-in block patterns which you can drag and drop to add to your WordPress page or posts.
Above all, the theme is fully compatible with full site editing allowing you to exploit the full potential of the Full Site Editor. Depending on your needs, you can select a single-column, two-column, or three-column layout on the entire site or specific pages. There is a lot you can do; the possibilities are endless.
Key Features
- Create stunning websites like personal blogs, portfolios, online shops, etc.
- Uses a unique grid approach to create flexible and responsive layouts.
- Free and paid versions for an unlimited number of sites.
- Extensive block patterns library that is growing with time.
- Additional blocks via Aino Blocks plugin, including testimonial, card, flexbox, sticker, batch, icon button, grid, divider, author, and more.
- Support for the WooCommerce.
Pricing.
Aino theme offers both free and premium versions. The Premium version starts from $79/year with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
5. Tove
Another colorful and creative WordPress full site editing theme is TOVE, designed by a well-known designer Anders Noren. This WordPress theme has extensive full site editing features and is specifically built for restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops. But with its versatile layout features, you can customize it for any niche.
Additionally, the restaurant category includes blocks like a location block, information block, a prominent button for reservations, restaurant menus, a call to action for making a reservation, information about the operation hours, etc.
Moreover, the theme features 40+ block patterns, including six headers and seven-footer designs. Additionally, block patterns are categorized into multiple categories, so they are easy to find. Block pattern categories include the hero section, general, blog, header, and footer.
Key Features
- Fully compatible with full site editing.
- You can add custom block styles to different default blocks in WordPress.
- Include templates for a single post, page, archive, 404 page, page without title, etc.
- You can customize and tweak typography, theme color, adjust spaces, and global styles.
- Lightweight.
- Contains no JavaScript.
Pricing
Tove is a 100% free WordPress full site editing theme. So, go on and enjoy a full site editing experience without spending any money.
6. Catch FSE
Catch FSE is one of the latest WordPress full site editing themes with a dark and minimal design. The theme works best for both personal blogs and business websites. Moreover, its drag-and-drop interface allows you to quickly build your content with block patterns. As a result, it is very easy to use with the full site editor.
Catch FSE allows you to create beautiful and professional-looking sites with the theme’s 15 distinct block patterns, 17 FSE Templates, and 9 Template Parts. Moreover, it offers a variety of block patterns, including 404 Header, Block Style Guide, Recent Blog with Sidebar, Header with Buttons, Call to Action (CTA), About Us, Search Header, Default Header, Archive Header, and Post Header.
Besides its amazing features, Catch FSE’s blocks, block patterns, templates, and template sections are fully responsive. Thus, your web pages seamlessly adapt to any screen size and offer a great degree of customization.
Key Features
- Responsive design.
- Highlight noteworthy posts on your site with the featured post slider option.
- Webmaster Tools to manage your site.
- Custom widgets.
- Featured Image Slider.
- Featured Page Slider.
- Great line of support team and support documentation.
Pricing
Catch FSE comes in both free and a pro version that starts at $59.99/year.
7. Wabi
The last full site editing theme on our list is WABI, built by Rich Tabor. WABI is specially made for bloggers, storytellers, writers, and publishers. It is a WordPress theme that delivers everything you could want from a theme for publishing content. That includes a diverse color system, clean design, and typography.
Wabi’s highlight feature is its ability to switch effortlessly between different styles with just a single click. It comes with many dynamic color variations and a dark and light theme. Moreover, you can give each post its color out of the six available colors. Additionally, the new Global Styles interface helps to change any of these colors. So, it adds an exciting design layer to the theme’s simple look.
Key Features
- Offers many style variants like light, dark, and two dynamic color schemes.
- It comes with wide blocks where you can add unique elements.
- Access to global style customization.
- You can customize the website with many block editor patterns.
- Publish your website in different languages.
Pricing.
Wabi is completely free to download. So, enjoy the full site editing theme without incurring any costs.
Conclusion
All in all, Full Site Editing has completely revolutionized the way we use WordPress. However, to unlock the full potential of Full site editing, you must have a Full Site editing theme on your WordPress website. Unlike regular themes, Full site editing themes are entirely built on blocks, making them compatible with the Full Site Editor. Simply put, you cannot use the Full Site Editor without a Full Site Editing theme.
In this article, we have discussed the concept of full site editing, how to access full site editor, the need for a WordPress full site editing theme, and the seven best WordPress full site editing themes in the market.
Every FSE theme mentioned in this article has a free version. So, you can choose any theme based on your interest without hesitation.
Recommendation
If you want to create websites like personal blogs, portfolios, and online shops, Aino is a good option for you. However, if you are looking for a more advanced theme with a dark minimal design, Catch FSE works the best for you. You can use it for both personal blogs and business sites.
Moving on, Wowmall is my absolute favorite. It’s a feature-packed full site editing theme specially built for WooCommerce. So, if you are running a WooCommerce store, Wowmall is your best bet. But, if you prefer a lightweight and colorful theme, especially for your cafe or restaurant, Tove will be my recommendation.
Have you tried any WordPress full site editing theme? Which WordPress FSE theme did you use? And how was your experience? Let us know in the comment section below.