Shopify has over 100 themes to choose from, but are you having trouble choosing one?
When building an e-commerce website using Shopify, choosing the right theme is very important.
By choosing the right theme, you can easily change the design and layout and create a site that is easy for users to use.
In this article, we will introduce 8 recommended Shopify themes for 2023 and explain the key points to consider when selecting a theme.
"I want to know the latest information on recommended Shopify themes."
"I don't know which Shopify theme to choose."
"I want to make Shopify easier to use and more customizable."
If you have any of the above concerns, please try this out.
Key points of this article
- Learn the key points for selecting a Shopify theme
- Introducing the latest recommended Shopify themes for 2023
【table of contents】
Introducing the latest theme "Online Store 2.0"
First, let's take a look at Shopify's latest theme, Online Store 2.0.
The Online Store 2.0 theme is a new Shopify theme developed for improved design and customizability.
Online Store 2.0 themes are more flexible than the older Online Store 1.0 themes, making them easier to customize and change layouts.
As a concrete example, the Online Store 2.0 theme has a feature called the Theme Editor.
For example, when editing a product page, you can freely place product images, descriptions, reviews, related products, etc. in the theme editor without editing any code.
You can also easily create your own layouts by using a feature called the Custom section.
These features make it easier for people who aren't familiar with coding to edit site pages, allowing them to adjust the design and layout without writing any code.
Benefits of Online Store 2.0
Online Store 2.0 offers greater customizability than the previous 1.0 theme.
In particular, there is now more flexibility in adjusting the layout and design of the site.
As we saw in the previous chapter, you can edit pages with custom sections without any coding knowledge, allowing you to change the look and layout of your site however you like.
In addition, additional product information that is not included by default can now be displayed and edited from the customization screen without any coding, making it even easier to customize product pages.
For these reasons, using the Online Store 2.0 theme will make it easier to manage and operate your site.
Tips for choosing a Shopify theme
Here are some points to consider when choosing a Shopify theme.
See a list of Shopify themes here.
Ecommerce Website Templates
With Shopify, the layout and functionality of your site varies depending on the theme, so it's important to choose a theme that is compatible with the products you're selling.
Here are some things to consider when choosing a Shopify theme:
1. Choose a theme that suits your purpose
Shopify has a large number of themes available, so it is important to choose a theme that suits the purpose and genre of your e-commerce site.
For example, if you are running an apparel e-commerce site, the size and presentation of photos will be important, so it would be better to choose a theme that excels in this regard.
2. Check if the required features are included
Each Shopify theme comes with unique features.
For example, there are various differences, such as how product pages are displayed, the layout of the header menu, and the behavior when adding a product to the cart.
When choosing a theme, consider not only the appearance and design, but also the user experience and navigation design.
3. Should I Use a Free or Paid Theme?
If you want to start a simple e-commerce site with the bare minimum of functions, or if you want to develop a site with your own original design by coding, we recommend a free theme.
On the other hand, if you want to achieve a certain level of quality without having to do any coding or other development, or if you have specific requirements for the functions and functionality you require on your site, we recommend considering a paid theme.
4. Check the theme’s support
It is also important to make sure that the theme has a solid support system.
Support for Shopify themes is provided by the theme developer or development company.
It's reassuring to know that there is a support system in place that will respond quickly if a problem occurs with the theme or if there is interference with the app.
It is also important to make sure that your theme is updated regularly.
You can find reviews, support, and updates for a theme in the Theme Store under "Reviews" and "Support and documentation" at the bottom of each theme's details page.
Recommended Shopify Themes for 2023
From here on, I will introduce some recommended Shopify themes, divided into free and paid ones.
We explain the features of each theme, as well as recommended points and reasons, so please use it as a reference.
Free Shopify Themes
Dawn
Shopify currently offers around 11 free themes, but the only differences between the free themes are their default designs and layout configurations; there is almost no difference in the features they come with.
For this reason, if you are building a site that requires significant customization, we recommend using Dawn, which is the simplest version.
Dawn is a very simple theme with no quirks and fast display speed.
In addition, it has minimal interference with the Shopify app and supports Japanese, so it is also recommended for those who want to try building a Shopify site first.
Dawn is a theme that can be used by a wide range of users, from beginners to those who want to develop large-scale customizations.
[Overview of the theme]
- Theme name: Dawn
- Price: $0
- URL: https://themes.shopify.com/themes/dawn/styles/default
Paid Shopify themes
Shopify currently offers over 100 paid themes, but here we will introduce eight of our recommended themes.
Impulse
Impulse is a stylish theme with a wide range of custom sections.
It also has strong product search and filtering functions, making it a suitable theme for sites with a large number of products.
In terms of visuals, you can use full-screen slideshows to display attractive product images enlarged, and you can also use animation and hover effects to design a navigation that will catch the user's eye and interest.
Another feature unique to this theme is that you can also show or hide product images depending on the variation items selected on the product page.
For example, on a product page where you can select a color, if you have the options "gray, blue, orange," if you select gray, only product images for gray will be displayed on the page, and if you select blue, only product images for blue will be displayed on the page.
As can be seen from the above, Impulse is a theme that works well with stores that have a large number of products and product options, such as apparel sites.
[Overview of the theme]
- Theme name: Impulse
- Price: $350
- URL: https://themes.shopify.com/themes/impulse/styles/modern
Prestige
Prestige is set to Japanese by default and features a delicate and luxurious design, making it a very popular theme in Japan.
You can build a website based on a neat layout without having to make major customizations.
The overall structure is simple, making it a recommended theme for beginners.
By displaying product images in a large, high-resolution format, you can clearly show off the fine details of your product.
Additionally, on product pages, you can easily replace the square color images (color swatches) displayed in the color selection options with your own images.
This feature makes it easy to view color swatch images for colors or patterns that aren't included by default in Shopify.
Prestige is highly rated by stores that use it, and it is a theme that gives you peace of mind when it comes to customer support.
[Overview of the theme]
- Theme name: Prestige
- Price: $350
- URL: https://themes.shopify.com/themes/prestige/styles/allure
Warehouse
Warehouse is a great theme for stores with a large number of products, with great product filtering and search capabilities.
It also has the Japanese language setting by default, which is another reason we recommend it.
The search box is particularly functional, allowing you to search not only by product name but also by product type, making it a very useful feature for stores with a large number of products and product categories.
You can also set it so that the page doesn't automatically redirect to the cart page when an item is added to the cart, making it easier for customers to buy multiple items at once and allowing them to browse the store more easily.
The cart page has a default feature that allows you to add gift wrapping, so it is also recommended for stores that sell gift items.
If you are building a store that handles a large number of products and has search functionality and product navigation in mind, we recommend you consider Warehouse.
[Overview of the theme]
- Theme name: Warehouse
- Price: $320
- URL: https://themes.shopify.com/themes/warehouse/styles/metal
Focal
Focal is a theme packed with features and has many simple yet dynamic sections, making it easy to create a stylish impression.
This theme is also set to Japanese by default.
One of the strengths of this theme is that when you add an item to your cart, the drawer is displayed, and the cart page is displayed properly before checkout. This makes it easy for users to buy in bulk when browsing products, and allows you to design a highly user-friendly site that allows you to input delivery dates and times on the cart page.
You can also hide out-of-stock variants on your product pages.
Focal is a highly recommended theme because it takes the user's perspective into consideration even in the smallest details.
[Overview of the theme]
- Theme name: Focal
- Price: $320
- URL: https://themes.shopify.com/themes/focal/styles/carbon
Motion
Motion is a theme with many custom sections for videos and photos, making it easy to highlight content such as product details with video.
The theme itself is simple and has few quirks, making it an easy-to-use theme overall.
This theme also allows you to display videos from YouTube and other sites in a modal format, allowing users to view product introduction videos without stress.
Additionally, just like the Impluse theme, you can also show or hide product images depending on the variation you select on the product page.
Motion is a theme that works well with stores that want to use videos to communicate the appeal of their products.
[Overview of the theme]
- Theme name: Motion
- Price: $350
- URL: https://themes.shopify.com/themes/motion/styles/classic
Expanse
Expanse is a theme with a simple yet stylish layout and excellent product search and filtering.
Another nice feature is that the menu content and search bar in the header are displayed/hidden as you scroll up and down.
This theme also features a blog page.
Compared to other themes, the layout of the blog articles is sophisticated and it is easy to create a path to the blog article list, so this theme is a good fit for stores with a lot of article content.
It is also a theme that makes it easy to improve the user experience, as you can use a quick view from the product list to view product information in a pop-up.
[Overview of the theme]
- Theme name: Expanse
- Price: $350
- URL: https://themes.shopify.com/themes/expanse/styles/classic
Flow
Flow is a theme with many functions and a simple layout, making it easy to use even for beginners.
This theme comes with a default feature on the product page that allows you to register for email notifications when out-of-stock items are restocked.
It is also a user-friendly theme with features not found in other themes, such as the ability to add gift wrapping on product pages and the ability to display up to three items for bundled purchases.
Additionally, on PC screens, predictive search results are displayed prominently on the right side of the screen, making this a good fit for stores where product searches are common.
[Overview of the theme]
- Theme name: Flow
- Price: $350
- URL: https://themes.shopify.com/themes/flow/styles/queenstown
Pipeline
Pipeline is a theme that has a variety of custom sections where you can slide product lists, etc., making it easy to design site navigation so that users can easily find products.
The option variations on a product page allow you to set links to other products, making it possible to transition to the selected product on each page.
Other features include the ability to display pop-ups only to users who visit the site from a specific page, and the ability to display bundled items on both the product page and cart page, making this a strong theme in terms of promotion.
[Overview of the theme]
- Theme name: Pipeline
- Price: $320
- URL: https://themes.shopify.com/themes/pipeline/styles/bright
Function table for each theme
To help you easily compare some of the features of the themes we’ve introduced so far, we’ve created a table:
The above is only a small part of the features listed, but some themes have some functions built in by default and some do not, so it's important to check before choosing a theme.
Theme Name | Featured products | Browsing history | Popup | Age Check | Mega Menu |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dawn | ○ | × | × | × | ○ |
Impulse | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
Prestige | ○ | ○ | ○ | × | ○ |
Warehouse | ○ | ○ | ○ | × | ○ |
Focal | ○ | ○ | ○ | × | ○ |
Motion | ○ | × | ○ | ○ | ○ |
Expanse | ○ | ○ | ○ | × | ○ |
Flow | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
Pipeline | ○ | ○ | ○ | × | ○ |
summary
In this article, we've summarized the following points for those who want to know more about Shopify themes:
- Benefits of Online Store 2.0
- Tips for choosing a Shopify theme
- Recommended free themes
- Comparison of recommended paid themes and some features
We hope you will find at least one useful piece of information from the recommended themes introduced here and accelerate your business.
If you are considering building a Shopify website, please feel free to contact us.
For consultation, please click here
*This article is current as of April 2023. Due to future theme updates or changes to Shopify usage, it may not be possible to set up exactly as described in this article.