A WordPress theme built for writing
A WordPress theme built for writing.
Plainly gets out of the way. No visual noise, no bloat — just your words, set in beautiful type, on a warm page.
Most WordPress themes are designed to impress.
Carousels, gradients, icon libraries, a dozen widget zones… and somewhere in the middle of all that, your writing.
Plainly is different.
Rigorously simple. Thoughtfully designed.
Plainly is a WordPress theme made for people who write. It’s built around one idea: when the design disappears, the reading begins.
Literata — the typeface designed for long-form reading — sets your text at a generous size, with ample line height, on a soft paper-cream background. The result feels less like a website and more like a well-made book.
Everything you need. Nothing you don’t.
- Literata typeface — A literary serif optimized for long-form reading, served locally (no Google Fonts tracking)
- Paper-cream background — Easier on the eyes than stark white; designed for extended reading sessions
- Sticky header — Site title and navigation always accessible, never intrusive
- Sidebar + content layout — Classic blog structure that actually works; collapses gracefully on mobile
- Full post meta — Categories, tags, author, date — all there, styled cleanly
- IndieWeb-friendly markup — h-entry, e-content, and microformats2 classes baked in
- No JavaScript required — Zero JS for layout or navigation. Fast everywhere.
- Print stylesheet included — Your posts print beautifully
- WordPress block editor ready — Editor styles match the front end exactly
Built for writers. Used by readers.
Plainly is the right choice if you:
- Write essays, criticism, or long-form posts
- Run a personal blog or independent publication
- Moved from Medium, Substack, or Ghost and want your own domain with the same clean reading experience
- Care more about how your writing reads than how your theme looks in a demo reel
“I’ve tried a dozen WordPress themes. Plainly is the first one where I stopped thinking about the theme.”
– Blogger, personal site
“The typography alone is worth it. My readers actually comment on how pleasant the site is to read.”
– Independent journalist
“It’s exactly what it says it is: plain. In the best possible way.”
– Newsletter writer
One price. No subscriptions.
$39
One site, lifetime license, all future updates included.
30-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked.
Frequently asked questions
Does Plainly work with the WordPress block editor?
Yes. Editor styles are tuned to match the front end, so what you see while writing is what your readers see.
Can I customize the colors and fonts?
Plainly exposes CSS custom properties for colors, so you can override them in the WordPress Customizer’s Additional CSS panel without touching theme files.
Does it support WooCommerce / bbPress / other plugins?
Plainly is designed for publishing content. It doesn’t add special WooCommerce or forum styles. Plugin output will render using standard HTML and your browser defaults.
Will it work with my existing content?
Yes. Plainly uses standard WordPress template tags and doesn’t require a page builder or proprietary blocks.
What kind of support do you offer?
Email support via plainly.org. Single-site licenses include 6 months of support; unlimited licenses include 12 months.
Start reading better.
A great WordPress theme should be invisible. Plainly is.
