Yes, Lightning is completely free to use. It is available on WordPress.org at no cost.

How many websites use Lightning?

Lightning has 100K+ active installations as tracked by WordPress.org.

What are the best Lightning alternatives?

Popular alternatives to Lightning include Twenty Twenty-Five, Astra, Twenty Twenty-Four. You can compare them on our theme directory.

Does Lightning work with the latest WordPress?

Lightning requires WordPress 6.5+ and PHP 7.4+. Check the theme's WordPress.org page for the latest compatibility information.

Lightning — Reviews, Rating & Alternatives (2026)

As of April 2026, Lightning is a WordPress theme with 100K+ active installations and a 4.8/5 rating from 12 reviews. It has been downloaded 3.0M+ times in total. Requires WordPress 6.5+ and PHP 7.4+. Available on WordPress.org since 2015. Actively maintained — updated within the last month. Top alternative: Twenty Twenty-Five.

4.8/512 reviews

100K+active installs

3.0M+total downloads

11 yearssince 2015

Overview

Lightning is a very simple & easy to customize theme which is based on the Bootstrap. It is also very friendly with custom post types and custom taxonomies. When you add a new one, the breadcrumbs will be adjusted and posts will look beautifully without editing or adding a template files.

Read full description on WordPress.org

Ratings & Reviews

4.812 reviews

5 ★

10

4 ★

1

3 ★

1

2 ★

0

1 ★

0

Recent Reviews

Very useful theme

by sunshinefan·3 months ago·1 reply

I’ve just tried it today based on a recommendation and have been happy so far with the build out, thank you!

Simple and to the point

by mann138·10 months ago·1 reply

Quite a simple theme but straight to the point. Documentation is a bit scarse but if you browse enough the theme is easy to understand. Really simple and handy theme. Recommend.

beautiful theme & good support

by Jakob Helmer·2 years ago·1 reply

beautiful theme & good support!

Theme that can be introduced with a safe feeling

by Seiko Kuchida·3 years ago·1 reply

It is a reliable theme that can be installed on any website with confidence.

どんなサイトにも安心して導入できる頼もしいテーマです。

Great theme.

by memocco·5 years ago

The guides are extensive and easy to handle even for beginners.
The theme-related plugins are also substantial.
Frequent updates. It also reflects the user’s voice well.
The follow-up is substantial, and the response to questions is very quick.

It is a product that makes a great deal of corporate effort!