Just so you know before we get started, the WordPress themes Astra and Kadence are each fantastic in their own right. Websites powered by any of these two can have a great appearance, load quickly, and be customised. You won’t be sorry any way you go about making your decision.
This article will provide a description of both goods, an explanation of the differences between them, and assistance in selecting the one that is most suitable to your requirements.
Let’s get started
Astra vs Kadence WordPress Themes -- Introduction
What is Astra theme?
The folks over at Brainstorm Force have come out with a WordPress theme known as Asta that is search engine optimised (SEO) friendly, lightweight, and highly adaptable. Their portfolio includes a number of WordPress-related projects, but Astra is the one that has garnered the most attention.
Astra was first made available to the public in 2017 and quickly rose to become one of the most popular WordPress themes available; to this day, it has more than one million active instals.
What is Kadence theme?
Kadence is a WordPress theme that was developed by Kadence WP. It is a highly configurable, quick, and versatile theme (the company behind this product). They have released a few more themes, but Kadence has been the one to garner the greatest success thus far.
The Kadence theme was introduced in the year 2020 and is considered to be something brand new. It makes use of the capability that comes standard with WordPress as well as its new block-based editor. As of the time this article was written, it has 100 thousand active instals.
Astra vs Kadence -- Customization and ease of use
Astra
Both the configuration and operation of Astra are quite simple. The vast majority of the available customization choices may be found in the Appearance section of the WordPress Customizer (Customize). You will be able to make adjustments to virtually anything and everything that is associated with the design of your website there.
The following is a list of things that, via the Customizer, you have the ability to specify and change:
- Header
- Footer
- Sidebar
- Typography
- Layout options
- Blog layouts
- Global colors
- Buttons settings
Under addition, there is a specific area that can be found in the Appearance – Astra Options menu. From that location, you’ll have access to the various Customizer Settings and will be able to expand the functionality of your site by utilising the free plugins that are made available by Astra.
Astra has a great selection of adjusting alternatives, and I enjoy the method it operates; it’s straightforward to utilise, neatly arranged, and straightforward to comprehend. You just need to install the theme, and you can start making changes to it right away; there is no need to install any other plugins or look for documentation.
When editing a page or post on Astra, there is a built-in option called “Astra Settings,” which is another feature that I really appreciate. You have the option to show or conceal particular components, such as the title, featured picture, breadcrumb, and so on, as well as customise the settings for your sidebar and header.
Kadence
In addition to this, Kadence is incredibly simple to personalise and utilise. The WordPress Customizer (Appearance > Customize) houses the vast majority of the accessible configuration settings for your website. You just need to access it, and you can immediately begin personalising your website.
The following is a list of components that may be defined and customised using the Customizer:
- Header
- Footer
- Sidebar
- Typography
- Global colors
- Buttons settings
- Page layout
- Blog layout
- Search results
- Scroll to top
Appearance – Kadence — Here where you’ll find the section that’s solely devoted to Kadence. There, you will discover connections to certain customization options, the most recent theme changes, and information on how to get started.
Kadence provides access to a greater number of customization choices than Astra does; but, because some of the options are housed in tabs, it can be somewhat more challenging to navigate the interface and reach the desired function.
A separate side panel that includes more post and page settings is included in Kadence. Whenever you change a post or page, you will have access to it. It allows you greater flexibility over which items to show or conceal and provides more customization tools than Astra does.
This panel is incredibly robust in terms of the functions it offers, and I find it really easy to use and comprehend because it blends in with the normal settings for the WordPress editor.
Astra vs Kadence -- Features
Astra
Both the free and paid versions of Astra come loaded with a wide variety of features and capabilities. These choices ought to satisfy the majority of your site’s requirements, both in terms of its functioning and its overall aesthetic.
The following is a list of features that are available with the Astra theme:
- Header and footer builder
- Boxed, full-width, fluid layouts
- Grid, list, masonry blog layout
- Infinite loading
- Mega menu
- Mobile header designs
- Optimized for SEO & speed
- Above & below header content
- Google fonts and custom fonts
- Colors and typography management
- Custom sidebar
- Custom header/footer
- WooCommerce ready
- Display conditions
- Custom layouts (pro)
- Sticky headers (pro)
- Custom page headers (pro)
- White label (pro)
- Hooks & filters (pro)
You are able to add unique components to various sections of your website by using the Custom Layouts feature, which is available in the Pro edition. This opens up a wide variety of fresh opportunities for you in terms of design.
You have the ability to add customised sections on:
- Entire website
- Archives
- Single posts/pages
- All posts/pages
- Before or after header/footer
- Before or after sidebar
- Before, after or inside content area
- Custom placement via shortcodes
To begin, you will need to go into your admin and activate the Custom Layouts option before you can begin creating a new layout. After that, you’ll have a total of four choices:
- Header
- Footer
- 404 page
- Hooks
- Inside post/page content
Hooks are the most complex option, as they enable you to not only develop and deploy custom items on your website but also include code written just for your site.
It takes some time before you can learn how to change your design using Custom Layouts, but the time spent learning how to do so is well worth it since you gain loads of additional options that allow you to customise your website.
The fact that Astra is highly adaptable and offers alternatives for tools and plugins that aren’t as widely used is one of the things I enjoy best about it. For instance, the Pro edition is compatible with Easy Digital Downloads (EDD), which is an excellent alternative to WooCommerce if you wish to sell digital products online.
Kadence
One of the earliest themes to feature a built-in header and footer builder was Kadence, which was also one of the original themes. It was the turning point in the game at that moment.
More theme suppliers, including Astra, have adopted this idea, and they now all feature the same capability, which enables you to modify your header and footer.
Even the free edition of Kadence comes with an astounding number of options to choose from. You have direct control over a large number of settings through the Customizer.
The following is a list of some of the choices that can be made in Kadence:
- Header/footer builder
- Advanced typography features
- Advanced layout features
- Custom blog layouts
- Global colors and palettes
- Global button settings
- Scroll to top
- Social media links and icons
- Sticky header
- Responsive design controls
- Breadcrumbs
- Speed and SEO optimized
- Responsive controls
- Custom post type support
- Hooked elements (pro)
- Ultimate menus (pro)
- Header/footer scripts (pro)
- WooCommerce addon (pro)
You have a lot of leeway to personalise Kadence and may make changes to it anyway you see fit. It offers a number of incredibly helpful and granular settings that other themes do not, such as related posts, post updated on, author box, and so on.
Hooked Elements is one of the most potent features that can be found in the Pro edition of the programme. As a result of the many personalization choices that it provides, it is one of the tools that I find most useful.
You are able to add personalised components to many parts of your website with the help of Hoked Elements, such as:
- Entire website
- Single post or page
- Before or after the header/footer
- Before or after the content area
- Before or after sidebar
- Before after title
- Custom placement via custom hooks
You have the option of displaying these components to all users, only a subset of users, and setting expiration dates for them so that they are removed after the specified time period.
You may also alter specific template components by utilising the Template element type to do so (for example, you can replace the header and footer, as well as the sidebar).
However, you are unable to reproduce any layout while using Kadence. You will need to make use of their Gutenberg blocks plugin or a page builder such as Elementor in order to create more complicated layouts.
Astra vs kadence -- Speed & SEO
Astra
Because it was developed keeping in mind both performance and SEO, the Astra theme loads quickly and is nice to search engines. In order to achieve a higher level of efficiency, it makes use of Vanilla JavaScript, contains code that has been optimised, and requires fewer than 50 KB of resources.
It also comes with some great SEO features such as built-in breadcrumbs, optimised header tags, built-in schema markup, built-in AMP compatibility, mobile first compatibility, and more.
Kadence
This theme has clean code and adheres to all of the current SEO recommendations. It does not employ resource-intensive JavaScript files and only loads the resources that are truly required by the page. This allows it to prioritise performance.
Your website will automatically receive some default schema markup from Kadence; however, you may improve it by utilising an appropriate WordPress plugin.
However, the Gutenberg blocks plugin is not entirely compatible with Google Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP). The theme itself is compatible with AMP. You will need to get their specific plugin in order to make it compatible with AMP.
Astra vs kadence -- Starter Templates
Astra
You will need to download and install their “Starter Templates” plugin in order to have the ability to import any of the pre-built templates. Then, import either the entire site or simply a page template by navigating to the WP admin and selecting Appearance > Starter Templates.
You will also get access to Ultimate Addons for Elementor or/and Beaver Builder if you opt with one of their Agency subscriptions (a set of predefined widgets to further enhance your website).
In addition, the theme has a comprehensive collection of wireframes, which enables users to rapidly generate layouts and see how those layouts will appear prior to the construction of the actual pages.
Installing the Astra Starter Templates plugin is required in order to gain access to more than 56 wireframes. After installing the plugin, you may access the blocks from the section that is specifically designated for them, as seen below.
Kadence
When compared to Astra, Kadence does not provide nearly as many pre-made templates. As this article is being written, they are providing more than thirty basic templates to choose from. However, the crew is putting in a lot of effort to bring out some fresh designs.
The layout is uncluttered, up-to-date, and open, and it is capable of powering a variety of websites, including e-commerce, commercial, personal, and learning sites, among others.
You will need to install their “Kadence Starter Templates” plugin in order to make use of these templates. After doing so, navigate to the WP admin area, select Appearance, and then select Starter Templates to import either the entire site’s template or a single page template.
I enjoy the import options in Kadence, where you can select a certain colour palette and typeface and immediately preview the design. This is a feature that I find useful. Very convenient!
In addition to that, wireframe blocks are included with Kadence. You may now develop raw layouts and plan or arrange the look of your website before it goes live, thanks to a new option that was just added.
The Kadence Blocks plugin and premium membership both provide users access to the wireframes feature. If you sign up for their newsletter, you may make use of it even though you are not paying for it.
The addition of wireframe bricks is a rather simple process. Simply proceed in the following manner:
- Check that the Kadence Blocks plugin has been successfully installed.
- Make a new page or post and publish it.
- Select the Wireframe area by going to the Design Library and clicking on it.
- Pick the wireframe that best suits your needs (search or browse by category)
- Simply click to include it, then save the page or post.
Astra vs Kadence -- Page Builders
Astra
Astra theme is compatible with all of the most popular page builders for WordPress. In addition to the many features that are already there, this provides you with even more opportunities for personalization.
The following is a list of page builders and editors that are compatible with this platform:
- Elementor
- Beaver Builder
- Brizy
- Gutenberg
Astra is compatible and performs admirably with each of these builders, but notably Elementor. When it comes to those who don’t like or don’t want to use the default WordPress editor Gutenberg, I believe that combining Astra with Elementor makes for a fantastic mix.
Kadence
Additionally, Kadence is compatible with a variety of WordPress page builders and editors, including the following:
- Elementor
- Beaver Builder
- Brizy
Gutenberg
At this time, however, the Starter templates are only available for use with the Gutenberg and Elementor page builders. In the future, I really hope that they will be able to produce even more templates.
In any event, Kadence is an excellent choice for those who intend to use the default Gutenberg editor their primary writing interface. The combination of Kadence and Gutenberg is a wonderful tool, and it functions faultlessly when used in tandem.
The developers at Kadence have done an outstanding job by adding features that are rational and helpful to the Gutenberg editor, which isn’t all that fantastic by default.
Astra vs Kadence -- Integrations
Astra combines flawlessly with the following tools and functions faultlessly on its own:
- LifterLMS
- LearnDash
- WooCommerce
- Easy Digital Downloads
- Toolset
- Convert Pro
- Schema Pro
On the other hand, Kadence includes the following integrations in its system:
- LifterLMS
- LearnDash
- Tutor LMS
- WooCommerce
- Restrict Content Pro
- bbPress
Astra vs kadence -- Pricing
astra
There is also the option of purchasing these yearly plans as lifetime plans. This means that you will only have to pay for it once, and you won’t have to worry about upgrading it every year.
Kadence
The price plans provided by Kadence are not as transparent and easy to understand as those provided by Astra. Kadence Pro, Kadence Blocks Pro, Kadence Bundles, and Kadence add-ons are the many components that make up the price structure.
If you don’t require any of the other bells and whistles, Kadence Pro is the better option. If you want more beginning templates in addition to complete access to all available choices, blocks, add-ons, and plugins, then Kadence Bundles are just what you need.
The following is the key distinction between these two proposals:
Astra vs Kadence -- Support
Astra
The following types of assistance are available from
Due to the fact that Astra has been operating for a longer length of time, the instructions that they provide are very detailed. Additionally, the community of users is quite large, and it is quite simple to locate a variety of hints and suggestions that have been contributed by other people.
Kadence
The following types of help are available through Kadence
- Comprehensive knowledge base
- Email support (ticket system)
- Support forums
- Video tutorials
- Private Facebook group
- FAQs
Astra vs Kadence -- Conclusion
Both of these themes are fantastic; they both load quickly, are helpful to SEO, have a lot of flexibility, and look great. Because there is no clear victor or loser in this matchup, the decision ultimately comes down to a matter of individual taste.
On the one hand, Astra is simple to use, quick, configurable, search engine optimised (SEO), and friendly to mobile devices. Additionally, it is compatible with the majority of popular page builders, provides a large selection of templates, and has a large community of users.
Kadence, on the other hand, offers more capabilities straight out of the box, is lightning quick, has a clean and modern appearance, and is focused on the functionality that is built into WordPress.
My suggestion, in terms of both the theme and the page builder, is as follows:
If you enjoy using Elementor, you should switch to Astra. If you enjoy using Gutenberg, I recommend trying out Kadence.
That does not mean that you cannot utilise them in the opposite direction, though, since both Astra and Kadence operate perfectly with the majority of the page builders and editors that are available for WordPress.
