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Which WordPress portfolio theme gives the best rating for the lowest price?
Wavo from Ninetheme rates 4.87 across 3,727 sales and costs $39, which is the strongest price-to-evidence ratio among portfolio themes we track. It builds entirely in Elementor, works with the free plugin as well as Pro, and ships more than 60 pre-made Elementor widgets plus Locomotive Scroll for smooth scrolling. Ninetheme last updated it on 31 March 2026.
Best for: freelancers and small agencies who want a proven animated portfolio without paying $69 or more
The Wavo WordPress theme from Ninetheme costs $39 and rates 4.87 across 3,727 sales, which is the best price-to-evidence ratio of any portfolio theme we track. Moreover, it builds entirely in Elementor and works with the free plugin.
Sixty widgets means you rarely need an addon pack
Ninetheme ships more than 60 pre-made Elementor widgets with Wavo, and that count includes header and footer builders. Consequently a site built on this theme usually avoids the third-party addon plugin that most Elementor projects end up installing.
Furthermore the widget set covers the parts a portfolio actually needs: portfolio grids, sliders, reveal effects, a page flip layout, SVG pattern text and caption hover boxes. In addition, everything works with free Elementor, so the $39 is genuinely the whole cost.
A closer look at the demo
Locomotive Scroll across the whole theme
Version 2.0 added Locomotive Scroll and, crucially, wired it through every widget rather than a handful. Therefore the smooth-scrolling behaviour holds together across a page instead of breaking wherever a widget was not updated.
However, the effects stack. Reveal animations, the interactive slider and Locomotive Scroll all look good individually and can feel busy together. Pick two and stop.
The widest compatibility list on the page
Wavo lists WordPress 4.9 through 7.0, which is unusually broad. Consequently it suits rebuilding an older site as much as starting a new one, where several rivals here demand WordPress 7.0 and nothing earlier.
In addition, the integration list runs long: WooCommerce back to version 5, Contact Form 7, Gravity Forms, WPForms, Easy Digital Downloads, bbPress, BuddyPress, Jetpack and WPML. RTL support arrived in version 2.0 as well.
The one thing to weigh: update cadence
Ninetheme last updated Wavo on 31 March 2026. That is still this year, and nothing on the item page suggests neglect, but it is the oldest 2026 release among the themes we kept in this collection. Rhye shipped in July and Whizz in September.
The rating holds up regardless: 4.87 from 216 ratings across 3,727 sales, with 225 support comments answered. Therefore treat the cadence as something to watch rather than a reason to skip it.
Key features:
- 60+ pre-made Elementor widgets with header and footer builders
- Locomotive Scroll supported across every widget
- Works with free Elementor; Pro is optional
- WordPress 4.9 through 7.0 compatibility
- WooCommerce, Gravity Forms, WPForms, bbPress and BuddyPress
- RTL support and WPML ready
- $39, 3,727 sales, 4.87 from 216 ratings
Our verdict on the Wavo WordPress theme
Want a proven animated portfolio for $39? The Wavo WordPress theme rates 4.87 across 3,727 sales. Open the Free Theme Demo and try the Locomotive scrolling for yourself!
Finally, Ninetheme last updated it on 31 March 2026 over on ThemeForest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need Elementor Pro for Wavo?
No. Ninetheme lists compatibility with both free Elementor and Elementor Pro, and the theme’s own 60+ widgets cover the layouts in the demos. Pro adds convenience rather than necessity here.
Is a March 2026 update a problem?
Not yet. It is still a 2026 release and the theme lists WordPress 7.0 support. It is worth noting because several rivals in this collection shipped in September, so keep an eye on the changelog.
Does Wavo work on an older WordPress install?
Yes, further back than most. The compatibility list reaches WordPress 4.9, which makes it a realistic option for rebuilding an existing site rather than starting from a clean install.
Can I sell products with Wavo?
Yes. WooCommerce is supported from version 5 upward, and Easy Digital Downloads works too, so both physical prints and digital files are covered.
Wavo or Rhye?
Rhye rates higher at 4.91 and has AJAX transitions, but costs $69. Wavo costs $39 with a 4.87 rating and a wider integration list. Pick Rhye for the navigation, Wavo for the value.
What is Locomotive Scroll?
It is a smooth-scrolling library that decouples scroll speed from the browser default, giving the eased motion you see on agency sites. Wavo supports it across every widget rather than on selected sections.
This theme belongs to the WordPress Collections of:
- Best WordPress Portfolio Themes
- Best Creative WordPress Themes
- Best Digital Agency WordPress Themes
- Best WordPress Elementor Page Builder Themes
Visit to find more similar themes.
What we like
- $39 with a 4.87 rating across 3,727 sales - the best value on the page
- 60+ pre-made Elementor widgets, including header and footer builders
- Works with free Elementor, Pro is optional
- Locomotive Scroll for smooth scrolling, supported across every widget
- RTL support added in version 2.0
- Unusually wide compatibility, from WordPress 4.9 through 7.0
- WooCommerce, Gravity Forms, WPForms, bbPress and BuddyPress all supported
Worth noting
- Last updated 31 March 2026 - the oldest 2026 update among the themes we kept
- The widget library is broad rather than deep in any one area
- 216 ratings is a moderate sample for 3,727 sales
- Heavy scroll effects can feel busy if you use several at once
- Gutenberg is not the intended editing surface
