10 fastest WordPress themes - tested on real data 🚀 (also: how to disable the WordPress REST API)

Some WordPress themes may feel fast, but which ones actually are?

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August 18, 2025 9:58am EDT

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(Shortcuts: 10 Fastest WordPress Themes (Tested On Real Data in 2025) // How to Disable WordPress REST API // WordPress.com vs WordPress.org)

Hey there,

Karol here, from Themeisle.

Here's what's been going on this week in WordPress:

Some WordPress themes may feel fast, but which ones *actually* are? To find out, I put ten popular themes through a controlled speed test - same hosting, same content, same setup - just swapping the theme each time. If you care about shaving seconds off your load time, the results here are worth a look. See the full breakdown. 🚀

There are plenty of reasons you might want to shut down the WordPress REST API. Privacy, performance, or just peace of mind - just to name a few. This guide walks you through two quick plugin methods and two clean code snippet options to do just that. You'll also learn which method to choose based on your needs. Dive in and lock it down! 🔒

Ever had someone ask you to explain the difference between WordPress[.]com and WordPress[.]org, and you kinda froze? This post gives you a simple way to understand it and explain it to someone else. No jargon or assumptions. It's just the clearest way to finally get the distinction. You’ll want to bookmark this one. 🧠

Fresh WordPress jobs this week 💼

Tool of the week 🔧

Need to get rid of a photo background fast? This free tool uses AI to remove backgrounds automatically, and it's really effective actually (I tested it myself). The main thing that stands out here is that there are actually no limits or paywalls. Nice!

What else's been going on

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Cheers,
-Karol