Seen a WordPress site you love and want to know what it’s built with? This free WordPress theme detector finds the theme (including the parent of a child theme) and the plugins a site uses, with links to get them. Just enter the address, no sign-up.
How to use the theme detector
- Type or paste the site’s address, like
example.com. You don’t need thehttps://. - Click Detect theme. The tool loads that page, following any redirects, the same way a browser would.
- Read the results below. A scan usually takes a few seconds.
Here’s what happens behind the scenes. The detector looks through the page’s code for files loaded from /wp-content/themes/ and /wp-content/plugins/. Then it opens the theme’s own style.css file and reads the header every WordPress theme has to include: the name, author, version and, for a child theme, the parent it’s built on. Finally it checks each theme and plugin against the WordPress.org directory to see if it’s a free one you can download.
How to read the results
The green banner at the top names the active theme, the WordPress version (when the site shows it) and how many plugins were found. Under it you get one card per theme.
- Active theme, Child theme or Parent theme: the card label. Many sites run a child theme on top of a parent like Astra or GeneratePress. In that case you’ll see both cards, and the parent is usually the one you’d actually buy or download.
- Name, author and description: taken from the theme’s header, plus a screenshot when the theme ships one.
- Version: the theme version the site has installed.
- Folder: the theme’s folder name in
/wp-content/themes/. Handy if the theme was renamed. - Parent theme: shown on a child theme, naming the theme it extends.
- Popularity: active installs from WordPress.org, with a star rating. If it says “Premium or custom theme”, the theme isn’t in the free directory. It’s either sold by a theme shop or built just for that site. Use the Theme website button (when the theme lists one) to find the seller.
- License: usually GPL for WordPress themes.
The Plugins list shows each plugin’s name, installs and rating, with a link to WordPress.org for free plugins. Up to 30 plugins are listed. Plugins without a directory page are marked “Premium or custom plugin”.
When the results look wrong or empty
- “This site does not use WordPress”: no WordPress files were found on the page. If the site runs on Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, Joomla, Drupal, Ghost, Blogger, HubSpot or Next.js, the tool names the platform instead.
- Some plugins are missing: only plugins that load files on the page you scanned can be seen. Security, backup and SEO plugins often work in the background and leave no trace. Try scanning a blog post or shop page too.
- The theme name looks odd: some sites rename the theme folder or block access to
style.css. Then the tool can only show a name made from the folder. Heavily optimized or headless sites may hide WordPress paths entirely. - The site could not be loaded: the site is down, very slow, or blocks automated visitors. Check the address and try again later.
- “Too many requests”: you can run 15 scans every 10 minutes. Results for the same address are cached for a few hours, so a theme change won’t show right away.
What people use it for
Most people want to copy a look they like, and the detector saves you from digging through page source. Designers use it to see what a client’s current site is built on before a redesign. Site owners use it to check their competitors’ plugin stacks. And if you’re just starting out, our guide on what WordPress is and how it works explains themes and plugins from the ground up.
A theme only explains part of why a site feels fast. Run the same address through the website hosting checker to see who hosts it, and the page size checker to see how heavy the page is. If you want that speed on your own site, here’s our list of the best WordPress hosting.
FAQ
How do I find out what WordPress theme a site is using?
Enter the site’s address in the detector above and it shows the theme name, author and version. To do it by hand, open the page source (Ctrl+U in most browsers), search for wp-content/themes/, and the folder name right after it is the theme. Opening that folder’s style.css shows the full theme details.
How can I tell if a website is built with WordPress?
Run it through this tool: if it finds files under /wp-content/ or /wp-includes/, the site runs WordPress. If not, it tells you so and names the platform when it recognizes one, such as Shopify or Wix.
Why does it say “Premium or custom theme”?
Because the theme isn’t listed in the free WordPress.org directory. It’s either a paid theme from a marketplace or theme shop, or one built for that site only. Check the author and Theme website fields to track down where it comes from.
Can it detect every plugin a site uses?
No, only the ones that load scripts, styles or images on the page you scan. Plugins that run only in the admin area or on the server are invisible from the outside, and no detector can see them reliably.
If I use the same theme, will my site look the same?
Not exactly. Most sites customize colors, fonts and layouts, add a child theme, or build pages with a page builder plugin. The theme gets you the base; you’ll still need to set it up and add your own content.
