Rishi theme review 2026: is it still maintained?
We checked Rishi’s status today: WordPress.org listing, official site and pages.
Disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes our verdicts.
Short answer: Rishi still offers a free download from its own site, but on 17 Oct 2026 it was not listed on WordPress.org and its pricing and changelog pages returned 404. For a new site we now recommend a theme with visible updates: GeneratePress, Kadence or Blocksy.
What is it?Rishi is a free WordPress theme from rishitheme.com that was marketed as a fast, lightweight alternative to larger themes.
Rishi theme status check
What we found on 17 Oct 2026.
| Check | Result | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| WordPress.org theme directory | Not listed | No automatic updates from WordPress.org |
| rishitheme.com homepage | Live | Says the theme is free forever |
| Download | Email form | No direct download link |
| Pricing page | 404 | Page removed |
| Changelog page | 404 | No public update history found |
What Rishi claims
From rishitheme.com; these are the vendor’s claims, not our measurements.
Rishi says
- Loads in under 500 ms
- Zero layout shift (CLS)
- Live editing and a drag-and-drop header and footer builder
- Free forever
What we could verify
- The homepage is live and offers a free download
- No WordPress.org listing to check ratings or installs
- No changelog to confirm recent updates
- No current version available to test without signing up
Maintained alternatives we measured
From our clean-install test of 8 themes (total weight of a post page).
| Theme | Post page weight | WordPress.org | Why pick it |
|---|---|---|---|
| GeneratePress | 20.2 KB | 4.9/5 | Lightest full-featured theme; runs our investmarathi.com |
| Neve | 28.6 KB | 4.7/5 | Light, header builder in the free version |
| Blocksy | 42.9 KB | 5.0/5 | Feature-rich free version |
| Kadence | 54.5 KB | 4.9/5 | Most flexible; runs digitalpritam.in |
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Rishi theme: FAQ
Is Rishi theme still maintained in 2026?
We could not confirm it. On 17 Oct 2026 Rishi was not listed on WordPress.org, and the pricing and changelog pages on rishitheme.com returned 404 errors. The homepage was live and still offered the theme free.
Is Rishi theme free?
Yes. Rishi’s homepage says the theme is free forever, with a download behind an email form.
Is Rishi faster than GeneratePress?
We could not test the current version because it is only available through an email sign-up. In our 8-theme clean-install test, GeneratePress sent 20.2 KB on a post page; Rishi’s own site claims it loads in under 500 ms with zero layout shift.
What should I use instead of Rishi?
For a maintained, light theme: GeneratePress (lightest full-featured theme in our test), Kadence (most flexible) or Blocksy (strong free version).
I already use Rishi. Should I switch?
Not urgently. Keep it updated, back up, and watch for security updates. Plan a move to a maintained theme if updates stop.
Methodology
How this page was built, so you can check it.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Date | 17 Oct 2026 |
| Sources | WordPress.org theme listing, rishitheme.com and its pricing and changelog pages |
| Procedure | Checked whether the theme is listed, whether its pages load, and what the site claims |
| Limits | We did not test the current version because it is only available through an email sign-up |
About this page
Pritam Sonone
Founder of Digital Pritam. WordPress developer and designer, WordCamp Kolhapur 2025 speaker. Builds WordPress sites for clients.
How we checked
- Status checked on WordPress.org and rishitheme.com on 17 Oct 2026
- Alternative theme weights from our 8-theme clean-install test
- We did not test Rishi’s current version: it needs an email sign-up
Sources: Rishi homepage · WordPress.org themes
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