CleanLite
A free, lightweight, and clean WordPress theme for bloggers and creators who want a distraction free layout. Built to WordPress.org standards.
What is CleanLite?
CleanLite is a simple, modern, and fully responsive WordPress theme I built for blogs and small websites. It is coded from scratch with clean, lightweight CSS, full Gutenberg support, and a focus on speed.
The theme passed all WordPress.org Theme Check tests and follows the latest WordPress coding standards. It supports custom logos, custom headers, custom backgrounds, featured images, and widget ready sidebars right out of the box.
I designed CleanLite for people who want their content to be the focus, not flashy design. It loads fast, reads well on every device, and gives search engines exactly what they need to index your content properly.
Works perfectly with Under Construction and Countdown
CleanLite and the Under Construction and Countdown plugin are built to work together. Use CleanLite as your lightweight theme and turn on the plugin to show a polished maintenance page while you build the site.
What you get
Clean minimal design
No clutter, no distractions. Your content takes center stage with a layout that puts readability first.
Fully responsive
Looks great on computers, tablets, and phones. Every element adapts smoothly to any screen size.
Gutenberg ready
Built in block patterns and block styles that work with the WordPress block editor.
Optimized for speed
Lightweight code with minimal CSS and zero bloat. Pages load fast without performance plugins.
SEO friendly structure
Clean HTML, proper heading order, and semantic structure that search engines love.
Featured image support
Beautiful featured images on blog listings and single post pages. Styled and responsive by default.
Post tags styling
Tags are styled and shown cleanly on each post, helping readers discover related content.
Editor style included
What you see in the editor matches the live site. No surprises when you hit publish.
Accessibility ready
Built with skip links, focus states, and proper ARIA support.
Translation ready
Fully translatable with a .pot file included. Already available in English and Russian.
Widget ready sidebar
Add widgets to the sidebar and footer areas. Works with all standard WordPress widgets.
Custom logo and header
Upload your own logo, set a custom header image, and change the background from the Customizer.
Set it up
- 01
Download
Get CleanLite from the WordPress.org theme directory, or search for it right in your dashboard.
- 02
Upload and install
Go to Appearance, Themes, Add New, Upload Theme. Choose the ZIP file and click Install.
- 03
Activate and customize
Click Activate, then open the Customizer to add your logo, set colors, and set up your site.
Frequently asked questions
Is CleanLite free to use?
Yes. CleanLite is 100% free and open source. It is listed on the official WordPress.org theme directory and you can use it on any website without restrictions.
Does CleanLite work with plugins?
Yes. CleanLite follows WordPress coding standards and works with all major plugins, including contact form plugins, SEO plugins like Rank Math and Yoast, WooCommerce, and page builders.
Can I customize the design?
Yes. CleanLite is built with minimal, well organized CSS, so it is easy to customize. Use the WordPress Customizer to change the logo, header, and background. For deeper changes, the clean code makes adding custom CSS easy.
Is there an under construction or maintenance mode?
Yes. CleanLite has a companion plugin called Under Construction and Countdown that adds a fully customizable maintenance page with a countdown timer. Logged in users still see the full site while visitors see the maintenance screen.
Does CleanLite support Gutenberg blocks?
Yes. CleanLite is fully Gutenberg compatible with built in block patterns and block styles. The editor style is included, so the editor matches the live site while you write.
What WordPress version does it require?
CleanLite needs WordPress 5.0 or higher and PHP 7.4 or higher. It is tested with the latest version of WordPress and gets regular updates.
Ready to try CleanLite?
Download it free from the official WordPress.org theme directory and start building your blog today.