10 Premium Tumblr Themes Worth Paying For

Despite what much of the Internet will have you believe, some things are just worth paying for. And while the theme garden over at Tumblr is chock-full of delicious freebies that will lend some personality to your blog, portfolio, or small biz website, the premium themes are worth a look for one important reason:

They’re better.

We’ve plucked out 10 that we find exceptional.

Cart Blanche

Paper themes are a dime a dozen, though why we insist on making our digital musings look like their analog ancestors is the topic of another post entirely.

If you’re in the mood for a rich vintage look, check out this theme that heaves epic negative space between your entries and crinkles the edges of all your media in ways that never get old.

See it in action here.

Buy it here.

Price: $49

Carbon

If you’re all about the social medias, this theme has you covered with a really solid navigation bar that sticks around as you scroll through content.

Pair that with a rich blue and some cool metallic and stone textures, and you’ve got yourself one classy Tumblog.

See it in action here.

Buy it here.

Price: $49

Go Fetch

This one may be a little unnerving for those who like their content along the straight and narrow, but “Go Fetch” is worth it for the animated trinkets alone.

Check out the demo to see the delightful mouseovers. And while the layout may seem cluttered at first, it’s a well organized mess that your readers will likely come to enjoy.

See it in action here.

Buy it here.

Price: $19

Nautical

Ahoy, ye bloggers and other scallywags! We really can’t *heart* this one enough.

Everything about this theme is charming without being cheesy. The layout is exceedingly clean, but surrounds us with nautical trinkets – from sails to sea monsters. If you’ve ever wanted to play out your parchment writing fantasies online, this is how you do it.

See it in action here.

Buy it here.

Price: $49

Nova

Nova uses great fonts for high-impact design. The demo may sell it short though – we’d advise less clutter (simpler images, less text) if you plan to implement this theme.

One of the coolest features is the way the dates on posts follow you as you scroll, then collide with the next date to continue that cycle. You’ve got to check out the demo to see it up close.

See it in action here.

Buy it here.

Price: $49

Scribble

We love a good hand-drawn aesthetic, and this one is so minimalist it hurts (in a good way).

Small color accents punch out this otherwise neutral design, and the little wrap-around tabs on the navigation and posts are pure cake.

See it in action here.

Buy it here.

Price: $9

Shutterbug

Challenge: Think about this theme outside of the photography box. It almost works better if those are Polaroids of your woodworking projects, your collector’s plates, or even your delicious pets/children.

Whatever type of portfolio you’re aiming to build, this theme hits a modernist home run.

See it in action here.

Buy it here.

Price: $49

Snippet

Our old pals over at WooThemes have been sweet on Tumblr for a little while now. This premium offering is really stellar.

Snippet offers nice clean buffers around media posts, and offsets the line just enough to keep your content looking fresh and buzzing. Click through to the demo to get a real sense of the subdued metallic textures that make this theme shine.

See it in action here.

Buy it here.

Price: $19

Sunrise

If your mom could embroider a Tumblr theme, this would be it. It’s so simple and warm, we dare you not to fall in love at first sight.

If you’re planning a text-heavy blog, Sunrise won’t do you wrong.

See it in action here.

Buy it here.

Price: $49

Zurich

Color!

Zurich takes the “page peel” look and cleans it up with sharp edges and great contrast. Hover over each post to reveal an elegant little time stamp.

See it in action here.

Buy it here.

Price: $49

Which Tumblr theme are you enjoying right now? Whether it’s paid or free, share your picks in the comments below.


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