Is Hello Elementor free?

Yes. Hello Elementor is a free theme available in the WordPress theme directory. It is the official base theme made by the Elementor team and has no paid version.

What is Hello Elementor used for?

Hello Elementor is used as a minimal base theme when building sites with the Elementor page builder. It loads very little CSS or JS on its own, leaving the visual design entirely to Elementor.

Is Hello Elementor lightweight?

Yes. Hello Elementor is intentionally minimal and loads under 10KB of theme assets. Its performance depends mainly on how Elementor itself is configured and which widgets are used.

Should I use Hello Elementor for my small business site?

If your site is built with Elementor, Hello Elementor is a solid choice. It avoids style conflicts and gives Elementor full control over the design. For sites that use Gutenberg, Astra or GeneratePress are better fits.

WordPress Theme

Hello Elementor: The Official Lightweight Base Theme

Hello Elementor is the free, minimal WordPress theme built by the Elementor team. It loads almost nothing on its own, giving Elementor full control over the site design — and it is the recommended starting point for any Elementor-based site.

What it is

What is Hello Elementor?

Hello Elementor is an open-source WordPress theme created and maintained by Elementor. It is available free from the WordPress theme directory and has over 6 million active installs.

The theme is designed to do as little as possible. It provides a clean HTML structure with minimal CSS so that Elementor can control every visual element without fighting theme styles. This is why it loads under 10KB of theme assets by default.

Is it the right choice?

When to use Hello Elementor — and when not to

✓ Building with Elementor Free or Pro✓ Want zero style conflicts✓ Need maximum Elementor design control

Hello Elementor is the right base theme when Elementor is doing all the layout work. If the site uses Gutenberg blocks instead of Elementor, a block-optimised theme like GeneratePress or Astra is a better fit — Hello Elementor adds no value without Elementor.

Suggested plugin stack

Plugins that work well alongside Hello Elementor

Hello Elementor handles the theme layer. These plugins cover the jobs the theme intentionally leaves out: SEO, forms, speed, security, and backups.

Elementor (Free or Pro)Rank MathFluent FormsWP Rocket or LiteSpeed CacheWordfenceUpdraftPlusShortPixel

See the full WordPress plugin stack for small business sites for a complete checklist.

Setup checklist

Before going live with Hello Elementor

01
Install Hello Elementor from the WordPress theme directory (free, no paid version needed).
02
Install Elementor Free or Elementor Pro depending on the features required.
03
Set a single cache plugin — WP Rocket or LiteSpeed Cache, not both.
04
Configure Rank Math or Yoast for meta titles, descriptions, and sitemap.
05
Test all pages on mobile — Hello Elementor is responsive, but Elementor layouts need mobile verification.
06
Run a PageSpeed Insights test after the site is built, not before.
07
Back up before updating Elementor or Hello Elementor.

Alternatives

When to consider a different theme

Use Astra when building with Gutenberg or a mix of builders.
Use GeneratePress for maximum performance on content-heavy sites.
Use Kadence when the block editor workflow is preferred.
Use Blocksy for WooCommerce sites with extensive customisation needs.

Common mistakes

What to avoid

Using Hello Elementor without Elementor — the theme adds nothing on its own.
Adding a child theme before checking if customisation is actually needed.
Running two page builders alongside Elementor on the same site.
Blaming Hello Elementor for performance issues that come from Elementor widget load.
Installing both WP Rocket and LiteSpeed Cache at the same time.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is Hello Elementor free?: Yes. Hello Elementor is completely free and has no premium version. It is maintained by the Elementor team and listed in the official WordPress theme directory.
Is Hello Elementor lightweight?: Yes. The theme loads fewer than 10KB of assets by default. Performance on any site using it depends primarily on how Elementor and other plugins are configured.
Do I need Elementor Pro to use Hello Elementor?: No. Hello Elementor works with Elementor Free. Elementor Pro adds more widgets and theme builder features, but is not required to use the theme.
Can I use Hello Elementor without Elementor?: Technically yes, but it is not recommended. The theme is minimal by design — it has no header, footer, or layout opinions of its own. Without Elementor, the site will look unstyled.