In this Astra theme review, I will be dissecting all features and options this popular theme offers.

A website is like an interview. It takes roughly 7 seconds for an employer to look at you or your resume to know if they are going to hire you, regardless of what information comes out.

The first step to being successful is appearance and presentation. The same goes for your website. Using Astra theme is the same as dressing up and looking presentable for an interview.

Your audience is your interviewer, and it is your job to make sure your website passes.

Despite the countless WordPress themes available on the market and the hundreds of agencies offering design services, picking up the right theme for your new, or already working website is a daunting task.

You have so many themes to choose from that your choice always seems wrong no matter what you select.

Usually, when you find a theme you like, you check the demo, ask the person who built the theme a couple of question, and you proceed with the purchase. Here’s where it gets complicated.

Most of the times, the demo you previously saw is way different from what’s happening in reality.

You hoped for a clean and easy to use the theme, but you got a slow and theme full of options which you will never use.

Astra theme can be a solution for different websites mainly because it offers a lot of different templates and layouts.

You can use the theme for your blog, eCommerce needs, as the company website, for a small agency, local business, etc.

Astra is fully customizable, and you can change every little pixel to fit your needs.

NOTE: I use Astra theme on this website.

Astra Theme Review – What is Astra?

Astra is a theme for WordPress that combines speed, style, and customizable options for a user’s website preferences.

Astra can be used for business sites, blogs, portfolios, biographies, WooCommerce storefronts, restaurants, etc.

It contains websites with pre-built pages that saves you time so you can put it towards other parts of your website.

Demo designs can be customized easily without using code. The customizable options in Astra are incredible.

You can build a website to your liking, even taking away page titles, sidebars, or modifying the width of your page.

What makes Astra stand out compared to other themes is the speed. Its speed is so lightweight that it is superior to other themes in the market.

Astra comes with pre-built SEO components, and you can manage the layout of the header, archives, pages, footer, sidebar, posts, blogs, etc.

You can set your colors, fonts, content, and even meta. Astra WordPress theme has no jQuery.

This means there is no render blocking that inhibits performance optimization. Instead, Astra uses Vanilla JavaScript.

It’s so light that the amount of KB of resources is less than 50 KB, where other companies average at around 300 KBs.

Pingdom gave Astra a speed grade of 100 percent, whereas Google DEV gave it a 95 percent and YSlow gave it 91 percent (according to data Astra team provided).

Astra integrates WooCommerce seamlessly, which is highly beneficial to everyone who wishes to build their online store.

It provides a plethora of unique features that can transform your idea of your brand into a reality.

What is Astra Pro?

Astra is a WordPress theme available for free from the WordPress repository. Astra Pro is the premium add-on available for Astra theme.

The pro version contains additional functionality and customization options.

Astra has another plugin which compliments Astra Pro called Astra Sites.

Astra Sites offer a selection of premade websites complete with working pages and graphics ready to go.

Astra is a lightweight, fast WordPress theme which offers several customization features in the free theme.

The Astra Pro add-on is installed separately and extends the theme options adding features such as transparent headers, custom layouts and much more.

It offers more advanced features which help to build and customize your website in a unique manner even without having to change or add a single piece of code.

Though it offers many advanced features, each feature is given as a separate module.

You can choose to activate which features you want, and other features would remain deactivated thereby making it less complicated and saves loading time.

Using lesser features also adds to the performance of your theme. You can also extend the Astra theme with free plugins.

Embed custom fonts files in your Astra theme, embed Typekit fonts, create new sidebars and display them conditionally on specific locations of the website, edit Astra Meta settings on a number of pages/posts at once, reset your Astra theme customizer settings from directly within the customizer interface, “hook” your custom Content, Shortcodes or JavaScript code in the various hook locations, etc.

Astra Theme Review – Features

Fonts and typography are one of the items that people want to control fully. With 700+ Google fonts being fully-integrated and a free Custom Fonts plugin, there is no shortage of fonts to choose from.

It is easy to control typography size by the device to enable full responsiveness, with plenty of additional transformations options such as Text Transform for headings, the font size in PX or EM as you prefer, and other typography options.

Site layouts can be enabled through a feature of Astra Pro, which gives the end user the option to choose from Boxed, Full Width, Max Width, Padded and Fluid layouts.

Spacing can also be adjusted to suit the needs of the user using margins and paddings around elements.

If the site you’re planning will also focus on blogs or content marketing, the configurations of the look and feel of your posts are going to be important.

In Astra Pro you have a grid, masonry, list blog layouts, date box, excerpt, infinite scrolling, and post pagination are also built-in.

With Quick View, your customers can preview your products without opening a new page to avoid cookies and speed reductions, while still getting a good view of your product information.

Widget Optimized tool works hand-in-hand with the sidebars and helps you optimize your page by using a simple “drag and drop” function to add variations to the filters in your sidebars.

Using Infinite Scroll visitors can load products as they scroll down and experience your showcase dynamically.

Make your display look organized by choosing a grid layout and control how many columns, rows, and buttons you would like.

Off-Canvas Sidebar is perfect for shopping. Here, you can install filters so that your users can quickly find what they are looking for and improve their experience overall.

This sidebar hides after you’re done selecting it, to increase what the user can see while shopping.

Dedicated Sidebars are for the users who like to constantly see what filters they can, and have, applied to. This can boost user engagement, and boost single pages.

What’s the Difference Between Astra Free and Astra Pro?

The Astra theme comes in two versions. The free version is downloadable from the WordPress.org directory and very limited in options it provides.

The Astra Pro addon adds many more features and modules so you can customize your website without limitations.

ASTRA FREE THEME VS ASTRA PRO

Name
Price
Transparent Header
Use the transparent header that sets a transparent header background and pulls the page up, merging both of them.
Sticky Header
This is a header that sticks on top of the page even when the user scrolls. It allows quick access to the menu from any part of the page.
Mobile Headers
With this, you can customize and adjust header breakpoints, set a different logo, menu styles, colors, etc. for a mobile device.
Page Headers
You can add custom page headers and set display rules to show them up on specific pages and posts of your website.
Mega Menu
Create beautiful templates with your favorite page builder or drop in a shortcode to include a layout within a mega menu on your website.
Colors & Typography
You can set colors and fonts that integrate well with your brand, and easily manage the colors and typography of the entire website.
Dedicated Sidebar
Create page specific sidebars that can override the settings and customizations of the default sidebar on your website.
WooCommerce Ready
Boxed Layout
Display your primary content in a boxed layout to distinguish it from the other content seen on the page.
Full Width Layout
Full width layout that lets you use the entire width of the primary content on your website.
Padded Layout
You can insert specific margins on the edges of the content to give it a padded look.
Fluid Layout
Fluid layout that lets you stretch the entire website till the ends of the screen.
Spacing Control
Manage the margins and paddings around all the elements and overrides the default space settings.
Default Container
Default container, called the primary container with its own specific layout and settings within the customizer itself.
Google Fonts
Select from as many as 700+ Google fonts to make sure you get the best typography for your website.
Custom Fonts
Wish to use a custom font on your website? With the free Custom Fonts plugin, you can import and use any custom font you like.
Responsive Font Size
Control your typography size according to the device it will be viewed on. You can select different font sizes for different devices.
Paragraph Margin Option
Option to manage the spacing between paragraphs and around them using the paragraph margin option.
Font Size PX, EM
Wish to use your favorite unit to determine the font size? Astra lets you set them in PX or EM.
Text Transform
Text transforms for your heading tags. You can select a uniform text format for a particular heading tag.
Primary Header Colors
Series of options to control the colors and background within the primary header on your website. You can change them for mobile and desktop.
Above Header Colors
Manage the colors and background on your above header. Set different colors and backgrounds for a mobile device.
Below Header Colors
Change the color and background in your below header
Transparent Header Colors
Set different colors and modify them easily on the transparent header
Sticky Header Colors
Series of options to control the colors and background within the sticky header on your website.
Content Colors
Easy interface to manage the colors of different types of content from a single place. You can control colors for heading tags and more.
Blog / Archive Colors
Manage the colors on your blog or archive pages
Single Page Colors
Manage colors and background on the single pages of your website
Sidebar Colors
Customize the colors and background of your sidebar
Footer Colors
Various options to manage colors on the footer
Grid Layout
Showcase all your blog posts in a grid layout on your blog page
List Layout
Set your blog page to display your blog posts in a list layout that will place every post one after the other.
Masonary Layout
Display your blog posts in a trendy masonry layout
Highlight First Post
Highlight the first post in your list.
Date Box
Display a trendy date box for every post element that you add on your blog page.
Excerpt Count
The excerpts act as a summary of the post. You can fetch respective excerpts to be displayed with every post on the blog page.
Blog Structure Control
You can manage how individual posts are shown on a blog page. Control the structure by placing the feature image, title and meta text in order.
Blog Content Width
You can manage the content width of your blog page using the Blog content width option. This option changes the container width of this page
Post Pagination
Add stylish pagination to distribute your blog posts within several pages
Infinite Loading
You can select the infinite loading option that keeps loading blog posts on the same blog page as the user continues scrolling below.
Logo Align
Align logo left, right or center
Mobile Header Designs
Add breakpoints and display flyouts, the hamburger menu and more according to your needs of your website.
Above Header Content
Add all types of content within your website’s above header.
Below Header Content
Add different widgets, HTML content, shortcodes and more to manage the content within your website’s Below header.
Above Header Layout
Manage and control the layout of your above header along with the content on it.
Below Header Layout
Manage the below header layout along with its content.
Flexible Footer Layouts
Select a flexible footer layout to contain different types of content such as widgets. Text, HTML code, shortcodes, etc.
Footer Bar Layout
Select the right layout you want to display with the Footer bar on your website. You can select and manage content within it.
WooCommerce Grid Settings
Allows you to display your products in a grid layout that you can customize as per your needs.
WooCommerce Infinite Scroll
Do you wish to load all the products on a single page? You can do so my choosing infinite loading that loads products when the users scroll down
WooCommerce Off-Canvas Sidebar
Add an off canvas sidebar on the Shop page. This sidebar remains out of screen initially and can be triggered through a button or link.
WooCommerce Quick View
Enable the quick view option that lets users take a closer look at the product without opening it in a new page.
WooCommerce Gallery Options
Display all your products in a product gallery on your Shop page. You can set the layout as grid or list and customize it further.
WooCommerce Dropdown Cart
Show a dropdown cart that lets users see the products that have been added to the cart or add one through it.
WooCommerce Sales Bubble Style
You can display trendy and attractive sales bubbles on your products that encourage quick purchase and boost sales.
LifterLMS Integration
Integrates seamlessly with LifterLMS to help you build an attractive and distraction free online course website.
LearnDash Integration
Integrates seamlessly with LearnDash to help you build a user-friendly and attractive website to offer online courses.
Schema Integrated
Comes with the basic schema markup implementation that is needed to help search engines understand your website better.
SEO Optimized
Address Widgets
Allows you to frame and display your business address anywhere on the page without a line of code.
Info List Widgets
Add an info list anywhere on the page. Use various icons and create a good looking informative list on your page
Social Icons Widgets
Add social icons.
Custom Header
You can create custom headers using your favorite page builder. Build your own custom header and enable it on the entire website or specific pages.
Custom Footer
Build custom footers with your favorite page builder and use them on the entire website or particular pages you wish to show it on.
Custom 404 Page
Design an attractive custom 404 page with content of your choice
Custom Layout – Hooks
With hooks you can inject custom code and content anywhere you wish to add them.
Display Conditions
You can choose to display a custom layout across the entire website or select specific pages you wish to show them up on.
Gutenberg ready

ASTRA FREE THEME
Free

ASTRA PRO
$59

Astra PRO Pricing

Astra Pro costs $59 annually, but you can also purchase lifetime package for $249.

Want even more? There are two other pricing plans that you can get through Astra called the Mini Agency Bundle and the Agency Bundle.

The Mini Agency Bundle includes all of the features in the Astra Pro plan, 50+ ready-made starter sites along with a WP Portfolio Plugin, and a choice of one page Builder Addon.

You can choose between Ultimate Addons for Beaver Builder or Elementor. This plan costs $169 if you decide to pay annually or lifetime package for $499.

The Agency Bundle includes all from previous plans plus (and WP Portfolio plugin, Ultimate Addons for both Beaver Builder and Elementor) but also a Convert Pro, Schema Pro and all future plugins made.

This costs $249 annually or a lifetime fee of $699.

Astra Theme Review Final Words

If you’re looking for an easily accessible and customizable WordPress theme, you can’t go wrong with Astra.

SEO friendly and ready for all Page Builders, this theme is perfect if you don’t want to be bothered with advanced site building.

Astra theme will give you everything you need, and more. Customize its layout, shift between different header options, edit colors, backgrounds, etc.

The theme is widget-friendly, with up to four areas to place them, and integrated with Toolset for more customization.

Its powerful Add-on pack offers even more options. Compatible with WooCommerce and lots of other plugins, it’ll make your life easier.

Astra is very fast, with a loading speed of around half a second. It’s designed to be simple, but still offers many different options to customize the website.

Astra Starter Sites plugin gives you the opportunity to use various pre-made templates and adapt them to your business.

Its compatibility with page builders means you can do everything with little effort and no HTML knowledge.

If there’s a bad side to this theme, it’s the fact that you’ll have to pay more if you want to gain full access to all it has to offer.

However, Astra Pro comes at a reasonable price, and it will give you so many options.

Even if you choose to stick with the free pack, you’ll find that it’s more than enough for your business needs.