OceanWP
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SideNews
SideNews is a compact, performance-oriented WordPress child theme built on the MoreNews framework for niche magazines and news sites requiring a widget-driven layout. It features a live customizer wit
The facts
- Active installs
- 500+
- Price
- Free
- Last updated
- 28 Aug 2026
- Requires WP
- 4.0
- Requires PHP
- 5.0
- Downloads
- 11,401
Our analysis
AI-assistedSideNews is a free WordPress theme designed for niche magazines and news sites. It is built on the MoreNews framework and features a widget-driven layout, making it suitable for users who want to create a performance-oriented site quickly.
The theme includes a live customizer with header and footer builder support, over nine custom widgets, and multiple banner placements. It is also SEO-friendly, AMP-ready, and optimized for Core Web Vitals, catering to global publishers with full RTL and multilingual support.
Best for: This theme is suitable for niche magazines and news sites looking for a fast and customizable layout.
What it does well
- ✓Free to use from the WordPress.org directory
- ✓Built on the MoreNews framework for performance
- ✓Includes a live customizer and header/footer builder
- ✓Supports over nine custom widgets
- ✓Optimized for SEO and Core Web Vitals
Where it falls short
- •No published rating available
- •Limited information on specific features or user experiences
Verdict
SideNews provides a solid foundation for creating news-oriented websites with its performance features and customizability. However, the lack of a published rating may be a consideration for some users.
From the developer
AF themes's own description of SideNews, lightly tidied.
SideNews is a compact, performance-oriented WordPress child theme built on the MoreNews framework for niche magazines and news sites requiring a widget-driven layout. It features a live customizer with header and footer builder support, 9+ custom widgets, and multiple banner placements for rapid deployment. The theme is engineered for fast load times and seamless integration with the Block Editor, Elementor, and WooCommerce.
It is SEO-friendly, AMP-ready, and Core Web Vitals optimized, maintaining WCAG awareness and offering full RTL and multilingual support for global publishers. https://afthemes.com/products/sidenews/
Tagged as
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