With over 179.5 million blogs, Tumblr is considered to fill the gap between Facebook and Twitter as the global platform for creativity and self-expression. Tumblr lets you effortlessly share post text, photos, quotes, links, music, and videos from your browser, phone, desktop, email or wherever you happen to be. You can customize everything, from colors to your theme’s HTML.
A huge advantage that Tumblr holds over other blogging platforms is free hosting. You can point the A-record or CNAME record of your desired domain, and basically have www.yourwebsite.com be hosted for free by Tumblr. If you stop and think about it, this is a pretty sweet idea to save money on hosting and bandwidth. Many designers take advantage of this opportunity and host their blogs/portfolios on Tumblr.
Tumblr also has an incredibly active community. People can re-blog, love, and comment ( with Disqus comments installed) on your work. This allows you to gain exposure and make some new friend in the process.
Today we have an awesome collection of stunning Tumblr themes. Every single listing has a price, download link, and demo link. A huge perk of the themes listed below is that they don’t cost hundreds of dollars. They are affordable just like a pair of jeans. Enjoy!
Sisko $30
A clean and minimal Tumblr theme, with enough versatility to work as a blog, inspiration board, or personal portfolio. It also features over 45 customization options so you can make Sisko Theme your own.
Demo | Download
Woody Theme – $18
Woody Theme is here with nice typography and modern pixel perfect design. This theme is made for Tumblr and it will takes you 1 minute to install theme.
Demo | Download
Orson – $20
Orson is a clean and adaptive Tumblr theme aimed at presenting your content, to any device, without clutter and being highly flexible. Super easy to customize with support for Disqus, Flickr, Twitter, Dribbble, Instagram and Google Analytics. This theme gives a tailored view to each device (Android, iPhone, iPad, Desktop, etc) that visits it and only serves the content that is required, helping to speed up delivery of your site.
Demo | Download
3xistence – $21
This theme was designed especially to showcase your beautiful pictures in high resolution! Yes, it works also on mobile devices, because all pictures uploaded by you with traditional way (i.e.: through Photo posts) are automatically swapped for their smaller versions to fit on mobile devices.
Demo | Download
UltraMnml – $20
UltraMnml is a very clean, minimalistic and responsive Tumblr theme made for the power blogger. It supports all post types and is made for any type of Tumblr blogger, whether you’re a writer or a photo blogger, this theme will make your content look awesome. It is also responsive so it’ll look great on both your phone or tablet.
Demo | Download
Simon – $20
Simon is a simple, adaptive, Tumblr theme which is easy to install, customise, and makes is a great first theme to use with Tumblr! Aimed at writers, with strong typography, this theme gives a tailored view to each device (Android, iPhone, iPad, Desktop, etc) that visits it and only serves the content that is required, helping to speed up delivery of your site.
Demo | Download
Fredrik – $21
Fredrik is an adaptive Tumblr theme which includes a Grid based Index Page which is great to use as a portfolio for a Illustrator. Also includes the traditional Blog based Index Page, as well as other features. Super easy to customize with support for Disqus, Flickr, Twitter, Dribbble, Instagram and Google Analytics. Also includes new features unique to this theme!
Demo | Download
Optic Responsive Tumblr Theme – $20
Optic is a responsive Tumblr theme perfect for any blog type featuring the Masonry jQuery plugin. Showcase your artwork with complete focus on the post. Optic comes packed full of jQuery awesomeness and shows your posts in all their glory. Pick colors for any part of the theme so you can fully customize it the way you want. Also pick your favorite font from the Google fonts library and add it in using the themes options panel.
Demo | Download
Incorporated - $17
Demo | Download
Mason – $20
Mason is an adaptive Tumblr theme aimed at presenting your content, to any device, in a masonry based view. Includes ajax based page loading, as well as URL tracking (no broken back button!). Users can quickly view your posts, view them in the detail, and go back to where they were.
Demo | Download
Tumblair – $12
A Minimal & Light theme for tumblr. Comes with multiple features and options including an image slider & A Header Text block.
Demo | Download
Glide - $20
Glide is a 100% responsive theme. Suitable for any type of Tumblog. From photography to business. It is a great starting block for developers, designers and bloggers of any skill level. Glide comes packed full of features and more get added with every update. It features an extensive list of editable options via the Appearance panel, flickr stream, recent posts, fully responsive videos, slider and images.
Demo | Download
SimpliciTheme – $14
SimpliciTheme is a very easy to customize Tumblr Theme. By using Tumblr’s own customization panel/dashboard you won’t have to think about the code behind the theme. You can give this theme a completely different look with just a few clicks. But if you’d like to edit the code behind the theme to your own liking, you can! Also included are all photoshop files.
Demo | Download
Timeline - $14
TIMELINE is a Premium Tumblr Theme that was designed to view your tumblog as timelines. This is a personal theme that’s suitable in use for people who have an active and enjoyable life.
Demo | Download
Pop Gallery - $14
Pop Gallery is a Tumblr theme for visual portfolios, galleries, handcrafts shops, with the unique possibility to present distinct thumbnails for new, sold and reserved items. It has a beautiful and clean design with circular thumbnails.
Demo | Download
Focus - $20
Focus is a minimalistic and adaptive Tumblr theme aimed at presenting your content, to any device, without clutter. Easy to change colors and background images as well as support for Disqus, Flickr, Twitter, Dribbble and Google Analytics. This theme gives a tailored view to each device (Android, iPhone, iPad, Desktop, etc) that visits it and only serves the content that is required, helping to speed up delivery of your site.
Demo | Download
Notes – $18
Notes is a responsive Tumblr theme, based on the idea of note paper, which support all Tumblr post types. Easily customisable, with custom colours and support for Disqus and Google Analytics. This theme also adapts to your desktop, iPad and iPhone, serving the same design to all your visitors.
Demo | Download
Heterotelic – $12
Heterotelic is a two column tumblr theme.
The main features are:
Image Slider Banner
Social Share Icons for each post
Social Icons for profiles – link to your own pages on different sites
DISQUS Comments
Facebook Page like-box
Twitter Status display widget
Google Analytics integration
Tag Cloud
Demo | Download
Vision – $17
Vision Tumblr Theme is perfect for a freelancer, agency or business portfolio. Vision features a snippet of the posts content on the home page so more can be seen at one time. Vision is perfect for any level of designer, developer and blogger. It’s so easy to install it only takes a minute with the help of my instructions file and video walk through.
Demo | Download
POPCASE – $11
POPCASE is a Tumblr theme with 3 column layouts and unlimited color scheme control, suitable for displaying your artworks and articles.
Demo | Download
Pandemonium Magazine - $16
Demo | Download
Avenue $30
A clean and minimalistic Tumblr theme built for photobloggers as well as writers.
Demo | Download
Rapture – $17
Rapture Tumblr theme is perfect for anything from a portfolio, personal blog, group blog or business blog. It features an image slider to showcase your best work, which can optionally be switched off if you would prefer not to have one.
Demo | Download
Calipso - $14
Calipso is a premium Tumblr theme that was designed by Tofuthemes to display your work, your views, and your portfolio. The theme has been designed so it is easily changed and adapted to how you want it, from the colour of the links, the background, custom font and the amazing features in the side bar, you control everything.
Demo | Download
Dashboard $30
Dashboard is a clean Tumblr theme built for photographers and photo bloggers.
Demo | Download
Chocolate T - $16
If you need clean, light and simple Tumblr Theme, Chocolate T is definately… not your choise! It is refined and elegant template with complex and precise combination of light gradients and shadows.
Demo | Download
Metro $30
A minimal yet functional Tumblr theme, built with over 60+ customize options.
Demo | Download
Domericano – $16
Domericano is a clean, minimal and beautiful Tumblr Theme using the Masonry effect as well as optional Endless scrolling. It is suited for all kinds of blogs and portfolios, easy to install, has a ton of options and is heavily jquery enhanced.
Demo | Download
Squared Magazine – $15
Squared Magazine was designed to give your Tumblog a real Magazine feel and look with all the popular Magazine Functions, like “Latest Articles” Widget and “Related Posts” Widget, while still being perfectly suitable for a blog.
Demo | Download
Shift - $11
The Shift Tumblr theme is ideal for any blog, from a personal blog to portfolios! The image slider allows you to showcase your favourite images or best portfolio work. Shift supports all of the Tumblr post types and also features a custom post page with a sidebar to add affiliate links or a Flickr photo feed.
Demo | Download
Polaroid - $12
The Polaroid Tumblr theme is a premium tumblr theme that was designed by Pixel Floss to display your work, your views, and your life in a clean and clear format. The theme has been designed so it is easily changed and adapted to how you want it, from the colour of the links, the background and the amazing features in the side bar, you control everything.
Demo | Download
Cleanfolio – $16
Cleanfolio is a premium tumblr portfolio theme designed to be as clean as possible in order to let your work take the stage.
Demo | Download
Crisps – $20
This is a clean, minimal and easily customisable theme for Tumblr.
Demo | Download
5 In 1 Tumblr Theme – $10
This is a highly detailed and colorful Tumblr Theme that will have you standing out from the rest. It has easy integration of Twitter in the sidebar if needed. Each post has it’s own unique header to make your posts stand out from each other. This theme consists of 5 different color variations, blue, green, red, orange and purple, of the same theme for Tumblr. It is easy to follow and comes complete with easy to follow instructions. In the live preview you can switch between theme colors to see which one suits you best.
Demo | Download
UltraFocus – Minimal Tumblr Theme $19
A beautifully minimal and responsive Tumblr theme perfect for any type of blogger.
Demo | Download
Rainier $29
Rainier is an elegant single channel theme with an eye for sharp typography.
Demo | Download
Artemis – Clean Modern Tumblr Theme $15
A responsive and clean Tumblr theme, featuring a large background and customizable sidebar.
Demo | Download
The New Yorker $29
A throwback Tumblr theme steeped in 50’s iconography. You can easily customize the icons, choose your color version and accents, then link it up with any of your numerous social network sites to create a bold, metropolitan blogscape!
Demo | Download
Gallery $30
A full width theme built with over 40 customize options that help you give your site a much more personal look.
Demo | Download
Hyperion $12
With Hyperion it’s super easy to share text, quotes, videos, photos, photo sets, links, audio posts and conversations in a beautiful new way.
Demo | Download
Nexus $25
A smart Tumblr theme with over 40+ customizable options!
Demo | Download
Railway $16
Railway is perfectly smooth and responsive Tumblr theme which will be ideal for any type of blog and portfolio. You can easily change main picture, colors and basically any other option of your choice. WoxThemes team made this Tumblr theme so it could be adaptable to your specific needs. Desire for perfection is what this theme is all about.
This theme has responsive design so no matter what type of device your visitors are using this theme fits perfectly on every screen.
Demo | Download
Synthesis $29
A fully responsive premium theme by Pixel Union. It’s our champion of balance: an alchemical marriage of unpretentious form and function. Minimal yet refined, Synthesis’ razor-thin lines give your blog character without bloat. Facebook comments, a responsive layout, more features than you have fingers.
Demo | Download
Penchant $5
A mobile and tablet friendly Tumblr theme loaded up with tons of customizable features, colors, and social links.
Demo | Download
Fifth Avenue $29
This full-frill grid theme collects your content into an infinitely-scrolling empire of high-res tiles. Featuring post-highlighting, a custom audio player, and profile-panel image feeds.
Demo | Download
Harem $30
A beautiful Tumblr theme built for photo bloggers or artists who uses Tumblr as their portfolio. With over 50 customize options it offers a wide possibility of layouts.
Demo | Download
Tuesday Tumblr Theme $15
This simple theme takes the hassle out of developing a unique Tumblr blog, particularly for those not skilled in web design or coding. It’s mainly designed for writers, web designers, social media experts, and graphic designers.
Demo | Download
Longform $29
Longfrom’s pristine layout makes content pop while staying classically minimal. Perfect for content-heavy blogs of all kinds.
Demo | Download
Postcards $19
A responsive theme inspired by retro colors and flat design. It features a customizable sidebar and blog title, a dropdown menu to group your pages and many social buttons. Fit for all kind of bloggers.
Demo | Download
Juneau $29
Juneau is a two-column theme featuring a masonry layout (with a single-column option), customizable header, and loads of visual accents.
Demo | Download
Crate $29
Crate is a 2-column theme featuring a framing that knits your content into a clean and fully customizable surface. It’s flat, simple, and elegant.
Demo | Download
Inted $30
Inted is a multi-column, responsive Tumblr theme designed for media oriented bloggers.
Demo | Download
James $30
James is a clean, responsive, modern, and extremely customizable tumblr Theme with an awesome large cover.
Demo | Download
Myse $30
A grid-based, fully responsive, retina ready, post-format supporting clean and modern theme suitable for any kind of creative, personal or business use. Super-easy to install and customize.
Demo | Download
Pluto $30
A clean and simple portfolio theme built to showcase your awesome work.
Demo | Download
Author information
Igor Ovsyannykov
Igor Ovsyannykov is a 21 year old geek, blogger, and designer. He mostly spends his time working here and sharing resourceful knowledge with others. He also enjoys weight lifting, hanging out with friends, and losing his mind to progressive house music. If you would like to reach him, send him an email to inspirationfeed@yahoo.com