Astra vs Hello: Which WordPress Theme is Better?

Choosing between Astra and Hello for your next Elementor-powered website can indeed be a tough decision. Both themes are favorites among WordPress users, each with its strengths. Astra is known for its powerful customization and out-of-the-box features, while Hello’s minimalist design promises unmatched speed and simplicity.

But how do you decide which theme is right for you?

In this in-depth comparison, we’ll break down which theme truly gives you the best of both worlds—whether you’re after design flexibility, superior performance, or the best bang for your buck.

How Astra and Hello Work

Both Astra and Hello are popular themes in the WordPress ecosystem, each offering a different approach to website building. Depending on your project needs, one may be more suitable than the other. Let’s explore how these two themes work and what makes them distinct.

Hello Theme: A Minimalist, Page Builder-Centric Approach

The Hello theme is designed to be as minimal as possible. It acts as a blank canvas, specifically tailored for use with the Elementor page builder. Hello strips away default theme elements like headers, footers, and sidebars. This gives you the freedom to build your website entirely from scratch.

• Clean Slate for Maximum Customization: Hello removes all pre-built design elements, giving you complete freedom over your website’s appearance. This flexibility is perfect if you want full creative control. It allows you to design each component of your site using Elementor exactly the way you envision it.
• Lightweight and Speed-Optimized: Hello’s minimalist nature means there’s less code to load, which can dramatically improve website speed. It’s one of the fastest themes available, making it a great option for anyone prioritizing performance.
• Elementor Dependency: While Hello offers unparalleled design freedom, it also means you’ll need to build even the most basic elements—like headers and footers—from scratch using Elementor. This can increase the workload, especially if you’re new to page builders or website design.
• Ideal Use Case: Hello is perfect for designers and developers who want to craft highly customized websites without being constrained by preset layouts. It’s great for creative professionals, portfolio sites, and projects that require full design flexibility.

Astra Theme: A Versatile and Feature-Rich Foundation

In contrast, Astra is a fully-featured WordPress theme that provides a more structured starting point while still offering plenty of customization options. It’s designed to work seamlessly with various page builders, including Elementor, but can also be used independently.

• Pre-Designed Templates and Layouts: Astra comes equipped with a range of pre-built templates and layouts, enabling you to quickly launch a website. This makes Astra much more user-friendly for beginners, as you can choose a ready-made design and customize it as needed rather than starting from scratch.
• Customization Options: Despite being more structured, Astra doesn’t compromise on customization. You can adjust everything from headers and footers to sidebars, archive pages, and buttons. Whether you’re looking for something simple or a complex, multi-functional site, Astra can handle it.
• Site Builder for More Control: For users who want greater design flexibility, Astra includes a built-in site builder. This allows you to create custom layouts and tweak elements as you see fit, providing a personalized experience similar to Hello, but with a little more guidance.
• Speed and Performance Optimized: Like Hello, Astra is highly optimized for speed, but with a more robust feature set. It’s lightweight and built to ensure fast loading times even as you add more functionality and complexity to your site.
• Ideal Use Case: Astra is ideal for users who want a balance between design flexibility and ease of use. It’s suitable for a wide range of websites—from personal blogs to eCommerce stores—without the need to build every component from scratch.

Key Differences: Astra vs. Hello

1. Customization Level:
   • Hello: Total control, but everything must be built manually using Elementor.
   • Astra: Flexible but provides pre-designed layouts and essential elements, reducing the workload.
2. Performance:
   • Hello: Ultra-lightweight, boosting speed significantly.
   • Astra: Also lightweight but includes more features, making it slightly heavier than Hello.
3. Ease of Use:
   • Hello: Requires more hands-on work and familiarity with Elementor.
   • Astra: Easier to use out of the box, with pre-built templates and drag-and-drop customization.
4. Design Freedom:
   • Hello: Offers a blank canvas for absolute creative control.
   • Astra: Provides creative freedom but with the option to rely on pre-built elements for faster setup.

Both Astra and Hello have their strengths. Hello is ideal if you want complete creative freedom and are willing to put in the extra work to build a site from scratch using Elementor. Astra, on the other hand, is perfect for those who want a versatile, performance-optimized theme. It offers both design flexibility and ease of use. Whether you’re a developer looking for total control or a business owner seeking a quick, professional website, both themes can meet your needs—but in different ways.

Astra vs Hello: Built-in Features

When it comes to built-in features, Hello and Astra take vastly different approaches. While Hello offers only the bare essentials, Astra provides a robust set of customization tools, even in its free version. Let’s break down their built-in features and see how they compare in key areas.

Global Settings

Hello Theme:

The Hello theme offers basic options like adding a logo or custom CSS. However, all design work beyond that must be done through the Elementor page builder. Elementor’s global settings allow you to control fonts, colors, backgrounds, and button styles for the entire site. Still, you’ll rely on Elementor for almost everything.

For advanced styling or layouts, you’ll need to upgrade to Elementor Pro. This unlocks more customization options but adds to both your workload and expenses.

Astra Theme:

Astra, on the other hand, integrates all global settings directly into the theme. No extra plugins are required. Using the native WordPress Customizer, you can adjust typography, colors, buttons, containers, blocks, and much more. There’s no need to rely on an external page builder.

Astra makes it easy to create a cohesive design across your entire website using just the theme settings. If needed, you can further fine-tune these elements with page builders like Elementor.

Header and Footer Customization

Hello Theme:

By default, Hello offers minimal header and footer features. You can add a logo, site title, and navigation menu, but any deeper customization—like changing fonts, colors, or layout—requires Elementor Pro.

Without Elementor Pro, Hello users are limited in their ability to customize header or footer areas, which can be a disadvantage for creating a fully functional, professional website.

Astra Theme:

Astra offers a customizable header and footer right out of the box. Through the WordPress Customizer, you can choose from multiple preset header designs, including a transparent header. You can also add elements like a custom last menu item, such as buttons, social icons, or text/HTML.

For a faster setup, Astra users can install a Starter Template. This provides a complete design with all the necessary header and footer elements, making it quicker to launch your site.

Blog Archive Page

Hello Theme:

Hello’s blog archive page is incredibly minimalist. It displays the post title with an H2 heading and plain paragraph text for content. There is no metadata like publish date, author, or category, and the layout is extremely barebones.

To improve this, you’ll need Elementor Pro to add styling, post metadata, and enhanced layout options.

Astra Theme:

Astra comes with a pre-designed blog archive page that includes metadata such as the publish date, author name, and categories. You can also customize the archive layout using the WordPress Customizer.

Astra allows you to control your blog layout, font styles, and metadata display with ease, ensuring your blog looks polished from the start.

Blog and Comments Section

Hello Theme:

On individual blog posts, Hello applies basic styling, using an H1 for the post title and standard paragraph text for the content. It includes some default styling for the comment section, but you’ll need Elementor Pro to create a more refined design.

The Hello theme lacks built-in support for featured images or post metadata, such as author or categories. You’ll have to add these elements using Elementor manually.

Astra Theme:

Astra includes a fully styled blog post template by default, complete with featured images and metadata. The comments section is also styled for you, and you can further enhance the layout through preset options in the WordPress Customizer.

Astra provides user experience enhancements like “Scroll to top” buttons and better design consistency across posts, making it more user-friendly out of the box.

WooCommerce Integration

Hello Theme:

Hello offers limited built-in WooCommerce styling. While WooCommerce’s default settings provide basic product pages, you’ll need Elementor Pro to customize your store’s layout, product displays, and checkout pages. This creates more work for users setting up an online store.

Astra Theme:

Astra is WooCommerce-ready right from the start, with pre-designed product pages, shop layouts, and checkout pages. It adapts your store’s colors and typography based on your site’s global settings, saving you time and effort.

Astra also lets you add elements like a shopping cart button in the header, making it easier for customers to navigate your store. These features provide a more polished eCommerce experience without requiring additional tools.

Verdict: Astra Wins on Built-In Features

When it comes to built-in features, Astra offers far more out-of-the-box functionality than Hello. With Hello, you’ll need Elementor Pro to build and style essential components like headers, footers, blog pages, and WooCommerce product pages. In contrast, Astra includes these features natively, along with pre-built designs that you can easily customize using the WordPress Customizer, making setup faster and more efficient.

If you want a blank canvas for ultimate control and don’t mind putting in extra work with Elementor Pro, Hello might be appealing. But for a feature-rich, user-friendly theme that provides professional designs without the added effort, Astra is the clear choice.

Astra vs Hello: Performance Comparison

When comparing Astra and Hello, it’s important to evaluate their performance under various conditions, as well as the template options they provide. Both themes have distinct advantages in terms of speed and design flexibility, but the test results show some unexpected findings. Let’s dive into how each theme performs and what kind of templates you can expect from them.

At first glance, you might assume that Hello, being a minimalist theme without elements like a header, footer, or buttons, would significantly outperform Astra in terms of speed. However, Astra is highly optimized for performance, and even with its more comprehensive feature set, it performs remarkably well.

Performance Testing Scenarios

We conducted performance tests using Pingdom under the following scenarios:

1. Astra
2. Hello
3. Astra + Elementor
4. Hello + Elementor

Testing Metrics:

• Page Size: The total size of the page in kilobytes.
• Load Time: The time it takes to fully load the page.
• HTTP Requests: The number of requests made to load the page.

Here’s what we found:

Key Findings:

• Without Elementor: Hello loaded faster initially (465 ms) with a smaller page size (34.3 KB), as it doesn’t include headers, footers, or styling. Astra came close in load time (540 ms) despite having more features and functionality, showing how well-optimized it is out of the box.
• With Elementor: When Elementor was added, Astra’s load time increased to 1.22 seconds, but it maintained a small page size (57 KB) and only 8 HTTP requests. Hello’s performance, on the other hand, was less efficient with Elementor. Its page size nearly tripled to 102.2 KB, and the number of HTTP requests spiked to 15, leading to a longer load time of 1.36 seconds.

Why Astra Outperformed Hello with Elementor:

• Although Hello is a minimalist theme, its performance suffers when combined with Elementor. The additional styling and functionality added by the page builder significantly increase page size and load time.
• Astra, on the other hand, is already optimized to work efficiently with page builders like Elementor, maintaining its speed even after adding more complexity.

Verdict on Performance:

Astra wins! While Hello’s minimalism offers a slight edge in raw speed initially, once you factor in Elementor (which is essential for Hello to function properly), Astra outperforms Hello due to its superior optimization and ability to handle extra code without slowing down significantly. Astra delivers excellent performance, whether you use Elementor or not, making it a more practical choice for most users.

Astra vs Hello: Free Templates

Templates are crucial for speeding up the website building process, and here the difference between Astra and Hello is clear.

Hello Theme:

The Hello theme is a true blank slate, offering no built-in templates. If you want to create a website using Hello, you’ll need to build every page from scratch.

While Elementor does provide a library of individual blocks and pages, it doesn’t offer full website templates. You’ll have to piece together your design one section at a time.

Astra Theme:

Astra provides access to over 250 free pre-designed templates, many of which are built specifically for use with Elementor. You can import these complete website templates in just a few clicks, saving you a significant amount of time. These templates come pre-configured with Astra’s global settings, which you can further tweak using the WordPress Customizer. This integration makes it easier to align the template with your brand’s colours, typography, and layout preferences.

Astra’s template library includes designs for all types of websites—from personal blogs to professional portfolios, eCommerce stores, and more. This means you can have a fully functional and styled website in a fraction of the time it would take to build one from scratch using Hello.

Verdict on Templates:

Astra wins again! If speed and efficiency are important to you, Astra’s extensive library of Starter Templates gives it a significant edge over Hello. You can import a complete website and start customizing it immediately, whereas Hello requires you to manually design every page from the ground up.

Astra vs Hello: Block Editor Compatibility

When evaluating Astra and Hello, two key aspects to consider are their compatibility with the WordPress block editor and their pricing. Both themes serve different user preferences, with Astra embracing the WordPress block editor and Hello being more focused on Elementor. Here’s an in-depth look at how they perform in these areas.

Astra: Full Integration with the WordPress Block Editor

Astra is fully compatible with the native WordPress block editor, making it an ideal choice for users who prefer working within WordPress’s built-in environment. With Astra, you can:

• Create and Customize Blocks: Astra allows you to design your site using the block editor’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface. You can add, move, and adjust blocks with ease.
• Full-Width and Wide Alignment Options: Astra supports full-width and wide alignment layouts, allowing you to expand content and media elements across the screen.
• Styled Core Blocks: You can style core WordPress blocks (e.g., paragraphs, images, and galleries) to match your site’s overall design, maintaining brand consistency.
• Responsive Design: Astra ensures that all blocks and content are mobile-friendly, making your website look great on any device.

In essence, Astra offers seamless integration with the block editor, giving you a user-friendly experience with tons of customization options.

Hello: Limited Compatibility Without Elementor

Hello is specifically designed to work with the Elementor page builder, offering minimal block editor compatibility:

• Basic Customizations: You can perform basic edits and modifications using the block editor, but there are limited styling and layout options.
• Dependence on Elementor: To unlock the full potential of Hello, you need to install and use Elementor. Without Elementor, Hello lacks key features like advanced layouts, styling, and block customization.

If you prefer to work primarily with the WordPress block editor, Astra is the better choice. Hello’s true power is only realized when paired with Elementor, making it less suitable for block editor enthusiasts.

Verdict on Block Editor Compatibility:

Astra wins by offering full compatibility with the WordPress block editor. Its integration allows for more flexibility, customization, and ease of use within the native WordPress environment. Hello, on the other hand, is built primarily for Elementor users and requires the page builder for meaningful customization.

Price Comparison

Astra’s free version offers a complete WordPress theme with customization options for headers, footers, global settings, and more. On the other hand, Astra Pro($49/year) unlocks advanced features like custom layouts, WooCommerce integration, and additional site builder capabilities. It also includes access to modern design layouts and built-in tools for creating highly customized websites.

Besides, for users who prefer working with Elementor, the Essential Toolkit($79/year) includes the Ultimate Addons for Elementor (UAE), a premium widget library that enhances Elementor’s capabilities. This package also includes access to over 145 premium Starter Templates and Spectra Pro, adding even more page-building tools.

Astra’s premium plans provide comprehensive features, including access to support and expert guidance, making it an all-in-one solution for both beginners and advanced users.

Hello (and Elementor Pro) Pricing

The Hello theme itself is free, but it offers minimal features without Elementor. To fully utilize Hello, you’ll need Elementor Pro, which starts at $59/year. This basic plan unlocks premium widgets and design features, but several advanced features are still missing at this level.

However, the $59/year plan does not include global widgets, role manager, display conditions, dynamic WooCommerce tags, or form integrations—features that are important for building complex websites.

For users who need these additional features, Elementor’s Advanced Plan costs $99/year, further increasing the total cost of using Hello with Elementor.

Verdict on Pricing:

Astra wins again in terms of cost-effectiveness. Astra Pro offers advanced features and WooCommerce-ready templates starting at $49/year, while the Essential Toolkit plan provides powerful Elementor enhancements at $79/year. Even with Elementor Pro’s additional widgets, Astra’s Ultimate Addons for Elementor (UAE) offers comparable functionality. When combined with Elementor, Astra remains a better value due to its flexibility, extensive templates, and lower price.

Final Thoughts: Astra vs Hello: Which WordPress Theme is Better?

Astra and Hello are two popular WordPress themes, but they cater to different needs, especially when it comes to working with Elementor.

Astra is a full-featured theme that offers flexibility and customization options whether you choose to use it with Elementor or stick with the native WordPress tools.

Hello is a barebones theme designed exclusively for use with Elementor. It strips out most standard WordPress features, giving you a blank slate to work with.

While Hello is great for those who need a stripped-down, Elementor-centric experience, Astra provides a more balanced approach, combining speed, flexibility, and functionality. It works seamlessly with Elementor while offering more built-in customization tools that can save you time and effort. Plus, with over 250 Starter Templates, Astra delivers full website solutions in minutes, making it a better option for most Elementor users.