Shopify has so many themes you can choose from for your storefront, but here are my tried-and-tested favourites that I keep coming back to time and time again.

Broadcast

Top Features

Rich text & inline image section (above)
Multiple ‘Shop the Look’ sections
Parallax scrolling sections (horizontal & vertical)
Hover-over collections section
Sticky text & image section

I’ve designed websites using this theme so many times because it’s just so packed with features. The developers, Invisible Themes, have such an eye for detail and every little thing has been considered.

I love the rich text section with the inline images, the Shop the Look section (below) and the text and image sections that have a sticky movement that adds so much dynamism to your site.

Throughout my years of using it they’ve updated and added loads of little features like the full-width logo block for the footer, the hover-over Collections section and the little SKU counters, to name a few. This is one of those themes that’s so robust and the support has always been great as well.

Combine

Top Features

Best Shopify theme for bundles & kits
Parallax scrolling section
Lots of menu layouts (including mega menu)
Rotating info tabs section
Promotion cards (that feel really shoppable)

Combine by Krown Themes is one of the best themes on the market for product bundles and kits. Their e-commerce features are so good, this is the theme I always recommend for savvy sellers.

There are multiple sections to choose from that have these e-commerce features built in, like the Bundle section (below), and they work seamlessly both on desktop and mobile. The theme also has a really nice product stack with the option to add colour swatches and product tags right out of the box, which makes it feel super custom with no coding necessary.

The theme also has some really nice splashy parallax scrolling sections and, like the rest of the sections, it offers really good customisation options so that no two websites using this theme will feel the same.

Another highlight is the number of menu layouts available, including a mega menu to showcase your brand imagery.

Overall this theme is the standout for businesses wanting to maximise conversion, and still offers incredible customisation options above the usual standard.

Palo Alto

Top Features

Luxe feel
Split colour swatches
Text callout feature (underline/circling text)
Upselling feature
Mega menu

Theme makers Presidio have knocked it out of the park with Palo Alto, another beautiful theme that’s great for visual storytelling (are you sensing a theme? – okay sue me). I love the split colour swatches, something that’s so elegant but I haven’t seen in any other theme, and the ‘Buy It With’ upselling feature is really nice, but does come as standard with most themes now.

The thing I like best about Palo Alto is the overall feel, it’s animated really nicely and everything feels smooth and inviting. The sections are optimised for big type and images, which gives it an editorial feel without being too out there and unshoppable like some fashion websites (looking at you Zara!)

In terms of features, Palo Alto has almost everything my clients are asking for, and if they’re looking for that super luxe feeling this is usually the theme I recommend.

Portland

Top Features

Dark mode
Countdown timers
Mega menu
Parallax scrolling sections
Dynamic hero sliders

This is another theme packed with features and sections to make your e-commerce store stand out from the crowd. The product highlight section (below) allows you to communicate in depth about a particular product whilst also linking clearly to the product itself, increasing conversion.

This theme has a lot of layouts that stray away from the grid formations we’re used to seeing, which makes it feel really unique and custom. In particular the Parallax Hero sections, but also the Step Scroll section and Testimonials section feature layouts I haven’t seen in other themes.

The general vibe is super minimalist and floaty, with lots of negative space that feels premium and spacious. This makes it seem like your products are worth a higher price tag, so it’s great for high-ticket and luxury stores.

One of the other unique features of this theme is the Instagram layout, the Portland theme has a lovely floating design that’s a welcome change from the usual 6 grid squares that can get a little samey.

The Dark Mode feature is such a cool bonus that not many Shopify themes have included yet but quite a lot of my clients have asked for. This is always the theme I recommend if it’s a super important feature for them.

Baseline

Top Features

Grids
Lots of hover-over sections
Mega menu
Super cool feel
Huge image & text sections

Last on the list (but certainly not least!) is the Baseline theme by Switch. This is a great theme if your branding has a lot of grids or borders and you want to keep this super modern look and feel for your storefront. It’s highly stylised, so I wouldn’t recommend it to all my clients, but for those who are looking for this kind of look it’s absolutely perfect right out of the box.

Baseline is great for visual storytelling and the grid creates so much space for massive splashy text and images which gives the theme a real cutting-edge, arty quality. They’re also not afraid to ‘break the grid’ and have some really cool interactive sections like this Hover Over Collections section.

If you’re wanting this aesthetic then you should also check out Bullet and Borders, two other great Shopify themes that feature grids. The Borders theme in particular has some beautiful movement that frees some of the sections from the grid, which stops it feeling so stilted (which these ‘grid’ themes can sometimes fall victim to imho!).

If you need some help choosing a Shopify theme for your storefront, reach out to me using my contact form today and I’ll be in touch!