Considering using the X theme for WordPress? In our hands-on X WordPress theme review, we’ll help you decide whether or not this popular drag-and-drop WordPress theme from Themeco is the best option for your website.
To do that, we’ll dig into the X theme in detail, covering its key features, its pros and cons, and some real examples of websites using the X theme. Beyond that, we’ll also share some recommendations for how to decide if the X WordPress theme is right for your needs.
Here’s a full look at everything that you’ll find in this X WordPress theme review — keep reading for the full details!
Table of Contents
- What is the X WordPress theme?
- A Review of the X WordPress Theme
- Is the X theme right for you?
- X Theme Website Examples
What is the X WordPress theme?
The X theme is one of the most popular WordPress themes sold via Envato’s ThemeForest Marketplace. Since its original launch back in 2013, it has racked up over 223,000 sales while maintaining a stellar 4.76-star rating on over 6,700 customer reviews.
Based on those numbers, the X theme has driven well over $13 million in sales over its lifespan, which means you can be confident that the X theme will be around for the next decade, as well.
One of the standout features of the X theme is its built-in visual drag-and-drop builder solution, named Cornerstone. With this tool, you can fully customize every single part of your site using a visual interface — no code or technical knowledge needed.
While the X theme gives you all the tools you need to build a completely custom website from scratch, it also offers many importable website templates via its cloud-based library.
You’ll see a deeper look at these features (and more) in the next section.
A Review of the X WordPress Theme
Now that you have a basic idea of the X WordPress theme, let’s dive deeper. We’ll take you through a deeper look at the features, pricing, and pros/cons of the X theme.
While we won’t share a full X WordPress theme tutorial, seeing these key features in action should give you a good idea of how the theme works.
X Theme Key Features
In this section, we’ll look at some of the key features you get access to when you use the X theme on WordPress.
Visual Drag-and-Drop Design Tool (Cornerstone)
The foundation of the X theme is its visual drag-and-drop design tool — named Cornerstone.
Cornerstone works similarly to other WordPress builders that you might be familiar with, such as Elementor, Beaver Builder, Divi Builder, and so on.
If you’re not familiar with those tools, here’s a basic run down of how Cornerstone works:
- When you design your page, you’ll see a live visual preview of what your design looks like. More specifically, you’ll see your design exactly as your visitors will see it, which helps you quickly adjust your designs as needed.
- You can control the layout of your page using rows and columns. You can also use drag and drop to move content elements around and generally control your layouts.
- To edit text on the page, you can just click and type on the live preview, much like you’re editing a document in Google Docs. Or, you can also work from a separate text editor if you prefer that approach.
All of your designs are responsive by default, which means that they’ll work well on mobile and tablet devices. However, if you want more control, the Cornerstone builder also offers responsive editing modes to preview and control your designs on different devices.
In addition to using Cornerstone to design an individual piece of content, you can also use it to design sitewide templates, such as your site’s header. There’s even a “looper” tool so you can dynamically show content on your site.
Again, one of the standout features of the X theme and Cornerstone is that it lets you build completely custom designs without requiring any code.
However, if you do like working with code sometimes, Cornerstone still allows you to add custom code to your designs, such as easily including some custom CSS to tweak how an element looks.
To do this, you can easily open a custom code popup right from the editor.
Detailed Theme Options Area
In addition to the Cornerstone builder options that you can use for individual pieces of content, the X theme also gives you a detailed theme options area to control sitewide options.
While this theme options area doesn’t use the native WordPress Customizer, it still gives you a real-time preview of your site as you’re adjusting settings. This means that you can instantly see how each setting will affect your site, without needing to open a separate preview.
To make this happen, you’re able to also edit global settings from the Cornerstone interface.
Pre-Built Templates in the Design Cloud
While the X theme gives you enough power to design custom websites from scratch, it also includes a large template library that you can use to save time.
As part of this template library, you can import full website designs. Then, you just need to customize them to match your needs.
In addition to those full website templates, you can also find templates for individual pages or specific elements that you might use in your own designs, such as templates for different button designs.
Full WooCommerce Support for Ecommerce Stores
If you’re looking to create an ecommerce store, you’ll be happy to know that the X theme offers a tight integration with the popular WooCommerce plugin.
Not only will the X theme integrate with WooCommerce right out of the box, but it also includes four pre-built WooCommerce shop designs that you can import to get started with a great-looking design from day one.
Integrations With Other Plugins and Services
In addition to its tight WooCommerce integration, the X theme also offers integrations with a number of other WordPress plugins and SaaS tools that you might be using.
In many cases, these integrations come in the form of dedicated content modules that you can use in your Cornerstone designs. In other cases, it might be via some type of approved plugin that you can install via the X theme interface. The X theme also bundles in some premium plugins at no extra cost to you.
For example, you can install the HubSpot WordPress plugin via the X theme interface and easily integrate HubSpot forms into your X theme content.
Here’s a sampling of some of the dedicated content modules and integrations that the X theme gives you access to:
- Content Dock
- ConvertPlus
- Custom 404
- Disqus Comments
- Envira Gallery
- Essential Grid
- Facebook Comments
- LayerSlider
- Modern Events Calendar
- Olark
- Slider Revolution
- Soliloquy
- UberMenu
- Woo Checkout Editor
Useful Smaller Features
In addition to the “core” features above, the X theme also includes a lot of smaller features that can still be really helpful for your site and eliminate the need to use third-party plugins.
Here's a quick rundown of some of the most notable features:
- Portfolio tool. X includes its own built-in portfolio feature to let you add, manage, and display individual portfolio projects.
- Custom sidebar tool. You can create custom sidebars and use conditional rules. For example, you could create a custom sidebar that only displays on blog posts in the “Reviews” category.
- Native sliders. X theme has its own slider tool, which eliminates the need to use a separate slider plugin.
X Theme Pricing
The X theme only comes in a premium version, which is sold via the ThemeForest marketplace.
The theme costs $79, which lets you activate the theme on a single website and access lifetime updates. The X theme still receives regular updates from the developer, so you’ll get all of the new features and enhancements at no extra cost.
In addition to lifetime updates, your $79 purchase also gets you six months of support directly from Themeco, the X theme developer.
If you want to receive support past those six months, you can extend support to a full year for an extra $25.13 on top of the $79 for the theme.
Overall, the fact that you get lifetime updates at no extra cost adds a lot of value to your purchase, especially because many other popular theme developers charge a yearly fee to continue receiving updates.
Advantages of the X Theme
Now, let’s dig into some of the advantages (and disadvantages) of using this theme on your site. Here are the main advantages of using the X theme.
Built-In Visual Drag-and-Drop Design Tool
With the Cornerstone builder, you can create completely custom designs without needing to use any code.
Having this code-free design ability is one of the best things about the X theme and a big reason why it’s so popular.
Full Theme Building Support
In addition to designing individual pages, you can also use X theme to design templates that apply to multiple pieces of content, such as your site’s header.
This means that the X theme goes beyond what a lot of page builder plugins offer.
Works for Any Type of Site
You can use the X theme to build pretty much any type of website, whether it’s a blog, a business brochure site, a portfolio, an ecommerce store, or anything else.
This is an even bigger advantage if you’re building multiple sites because it lets you use the X theme for all of your projects.
Tons of Integrations
In addition to a WooCommerce integration for ecommerce stores, the X theme also has built-in integrations for tons of other plugins and tools, which helps you easily add new functionality to your website.
This also makes it easier to integrate the X theme with other tools that you might be using.
Lifetime Updates at No Extra Cost
Your purchase gets you access to lifetime updates for the theme, whereas a lot of other WordPress themes make you renew your license every year to continue receiving updates.
If you plan to keep your website running for multiple years, this can save you a lot of money over the long term.
Disadvantages of the X Theme
While there’s a lot to like about the X theme, it’s not perfect. Here are some of the disadvantages that you might want to consider before purchasing the X WordPress theme:
Performance Could Be Better
While you can build fast-loading websites with the X theme, it will still never be as fast as using a more lightweight theme like GeneratePress or Kadence Theme.
For that reason, people who really care about getting every bit of performance out of their sites might be happier with a more lightweight theme (but you won’t get the built-in drag-and-drop design functionality that the X theme offers).
No Free Version
The X theme only comes in a premium version, so it won’t be an option if you’re searching for the best free WordPress theme.
If you’re on a tight budget, you could probably save money by using a free theme like Astra.
No Unlimited Site License
Each purchase of the X theme only lets you activate it on a single site, which can be expensive if you need a theme for a lot of different websites.
For example, if you want to activate the X theme on four different sites, you’ll need to purchase four different licenses. That will cost you $316 ($79*4).
In comparison, themes like Astra and Kadence themes offer support for unlimited sites, which can offer a lot of value.
Slightly Higher Learning Curve
Because the X theme gives you so many features, it can have a slightly higher learning curve than a more minimal theme.
Obviously, this has advantages once you get past the initial learning curve because you get access to more functionality. But it does mean you’ll need to be willing to put in the time to learn how the X theme and Cornerstone work.
Is the X theme right for you?
Now for the important question: Which WordPress theme should you choose for your site? Is the X theme the best option for your needs, or are there better themes out there?
Overall, the X WordPress theme can be a good option if you’re looking for a tool to help you build completely custom WordPress sites without needing any technical knowledge. However, if having the fastest-loading website possible is important to you, you might want to choose a different approach.
Let’s go through some key factors to help you decide if the X theme is the right option for your needs.
Code-Free Design Flexibility
The main reason to choose the X WordPress theme is if you want the ability to fully customize your site’s design without code.
Thanks in large part to the built-in Cornerstone builder and detailed theme options area, you can customize pretty much every part of your site without code, from the header all the way down to the footer.
You also get this flexibility without needing to rely on third-party plugins, which means that everything works together right from the get-go.
If being able to design your entire site with a visual interface is the top priority for you, then the X theme could be a great option.
Large Starter Site Library
Another reason to choose the X theme is the large starter site library that you can access through the X theme design cloud.
No matter what your website is about, you can probably find a starter site to use as the base. This means that you don’t need to build your site from the ground up.
But at the same time, because of the Cornerstone builder and theme options, you still have plenty of control to make the design your own.
Having a large starter site library can be really useful if you’re planning to build multiple websites, either for yourself or for clients.
Even if you’re building completely different types of websites, you can still usually find a starter site to save you some time. By being able to use one theme for everything, you can cut down on research and the learning curve associated with using a new theme.
Integrations With Other Tools/Plugins
If your business relies on other tools for key functionality, the X theme’s large integration list might be another reason to choose it over alternatives.
For example, if you use HubSpot to manage your customer data and relationships, you might like that the X theme goes out of its way to integrate well with HubSpot.
The same is true of a lot of other tools and WordPress plugins, such as WooCommerce, bbPress, BuddyPress, and more.
On the other hand, if you’re just creating a basic brochure website or portfolio, this might not weigh into your decision because you probably won’t need to integrate many tools into your site.
Performance
While you can certainly build quick-loading sites with the X theme, there are other themes that can unlock even faster performance benefits (though you might need to sacrifice some drag-and-drop design control).
This is kind of the tradeoff you make when you choose a theme with visual drag-and-drop design customization. In order to offer that code-free flexibility, the theme will inevitably be a little “heavier” than more stripped-down alternatives.
If you value top-notch performance over top-notch design flexibility, you might want to consider these other themes:
- GeneratePress — While you can use GeneratePress with visual builders like Elementor, you’ll get the best performance results by using the native WordPress editor and the GenerateBlocks plugin (from the same developer).
- Kadence Theme — Like GeneratePress, you’ll get the best performance by using the native WordPress editor and the bundled Kadence Blocks plugin. However, you can also use Kadence Theme with page builders like Elementor.
- Astra — You can use the developer’s Spectra block plugin with the native WordPress editor or page builder plugins like Elementor and Beaver Builder. Learn more in our full Astra theme review.
To see some other options that are good from a performance perspective, you also might want to read our full roundup of the fastest WordPress themes — based on real test data.
X Theme Website Examples
To finish out our X WordPress theme review, let’s take a look at some examples of real websites using the X WordPress theme.
By seeing all the different types of sites that X can help you create, you can get a better idea of what types of designs you might be able to create for your own projects.
1. Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull is a well-known classic rock band that formed all the way back in 1967. To create the band’s online presence, the Jethro Tull website uses the X WordPress theme.
What We Love
- The full-screen menu shows off the flexibility of X theme's navigation options.
- The site contains lots of embeds from third-party tools, which shows X theme can integrate with your other tools.
- You can see some other unique features, such as video backgrounds.
2. Nuera
Nuera is a creative marketing agency based in Jacksonville, Florida. To create their agency portfolio site, the Nuera team uses the X theme.
What We Love
- The homepage has some cool motion effects, which showcases how X theme can help you create more advanced designs.
- The site uses a unique slide-out vertical menu, which shows off the flexibility of the X theme.
- You can see the X theme portfolio tool in action on the homepage.
3. North Shore Goodies
North Shore Goodies sells coconut peanut butter that’s made in Hawaii. To create its online presence and ecommerce store, the brand uses the X theme.
What We Love
- The homepage showcases the X theme’s built-in slider tool.
- You can see how X theme integrates with WooCommerce to let you create an ecommerce store.
- You can also see an example of integrating a newsletter subscribe form with the X theme.
4. The Madrona Group
The Madrona Group is a real estate group that uses the X theme to create its business website and connect with customers.
What We Love
- It has a very polished design, which shows how you can create professional websites with the X theme.
- The site has a lot of different types of content (including real estate listings), which lets you see how the X theme might work for more complex sites with custom content structures.
- It shows how you can customize your header navigation with multiple content bars if needed.
5. Creative Marketing Nerds
As the website name suggests, Creative Marketing Nerds is a creative marketing agency. To connect with customers and show off their work, the Creative Marketing Nerds team uses the X theme.
What We Love
- Creative Marketing Nerds uses the HubSpot WordPress plugin, which lets you see how the X theme can integrate with HubSpot features such as live chat and forms (you can see the HubSpot live chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the screenshot above).
- The website showcases some unique design elements that X theme offers, such as accordion sections.
- It gives you another look at the different types of navigation menus that you can build with X.
6. Fierce Blooms
Fierce Blooms is a flower shop that offers an ecommerce store for flower arrangements, classes, flowers for weddings, and more. To power all of this different functionality, Fierce Blooms uses the X theme.
What We Love
- It shows off how you can use the X theme to create bold, full-width hero sections.
- You can see the X theme slider functionality in action.
- The website has an ecommerce store powered by WooCommerce, which lets you see the X theme WooCommerce integration on a live store.
7. Kathy’s Table
Kathy’s Table is a gluten-free and dairy-free meal prep service in Jacksonville, Florida. In addition to providing information, the Kathy’s Table website also has ecommerce functionality so that customers can purchase their meal plans online.
What We Love
- The hero section has a full-screen background video, which shows off the X theme’s flexibility.
- The design is very unique, with lots of offset elements and other details. Again, this shows off the flexibility that the X theme offers when it comes to code-free design.
- The ecommerce functionality lets you see the X theme’s ecommerce integrations in action.
8. The Paw Sitter
The Paw Sitter is a pet-sitting and dog-walking service located in Ohio. To create its online presence and connect with potential clients, The Paw Sitter uses WordPress and the X theme.
What We Love
- To create its backend client service, The Paw Sitter website integrates with a third-party service, which shows you how you can connect the X theme to other tools.
- The website incorporates animations, counters, and other dynamic elements.
- You can also see some other more advanced elements in the Cornerstone builder, such as the animated timeline.
9. Joe’s Pizza
Joe’s Pizza is an Italian restaurant located in Texas. To create its online presence and showcase its menu, Joe’s Pizza uses the X theme.
What We Love
- It’s a great example of how you can use the X theme to build a website for a restaurant or cafe.
- Joe’s Pizza is able to showcase its menu using the Cornerstone builder, which eliminates the need to use a separate restaurant menu plugin.
- The floating logo in the header section gives you another look at the versatility of the header/navigation builder in the X theme.
10. Corner House Photography
Corner House Photography is a wedding photography team based in Florida. To create its online portfolio and connect with clients, Corner House Photography uses the X theme.
What We Love
- Corner House Photography is a great example of how you can use X theme to make an online portfolio.
- It has a different aesthetic from the previous X theme examples, which shows you the versatility of the theme.
- The site also has a blog, which lets you see how you can use the X theme for blogging.
Getting Started With the X Theme
Overall, the X WordPress theme gives you the ability to build a completely custom WordPress website without any technical knowledge. If you like the idea of being able to control every part of your site with a visual drag-and-drop interface, X could be the right option for your needs.
