Updated: August 6, 2009
About a month ago, I sent a call out to the WordPress community requesting that more themes be released that by default include slots for 125×125 banners. These ad ready WordPress themes are all the rage, yet it seems that few designers took the time to optimize their themes for these banners. Common sense says that if there is very little supply but a lot of demand, the people that fill the demand will find tremendous success.
In looking at the recent trends with newly released themes over this past month, it seems that bloggers have really responded and there is now a wide variety of WordPress themes available for download. I decided there are finally enough of them now that I can throw together a gallery of WordPress themes that allow for 125×125 banners. Enjoy!
Update: The below are all free WordPress themes. If you’d like to get a more advanced WordPress theme, check out our Premium WordPress Themes gallery.
2-Column Themes
Typebased Theme
Vintage Theme
Blues Theme
PassionDuo Theme (3 Colors)
Green: Demo | Download, Red: Demo | Download, Blue: Demo | Download
WP Freemium Theme
Dark Zen Theme
Maggo Theme
Green Tech Theme
Blue Sensation Theme
3-Column Themes
Padangan Theme
SimpleWP Theme
Black and White Theme
Firebug Theme
Simple Red Theme
Source | Download (Requires free registration)
True Blue Theme
Source | Download (Requires free registration)
WP Premiere Theme
Magazine-Style Themes
Structure Theme
Forte Theme
Mag on Wood Theme
Studio WordPress Theme (Available in Blue, Green, & Red)
Know of a good quality one we missed? Contact us or let us know in the comments below!
Kyle Eslick
Kyle Eslick is WordPress enthusiast who took his passion for WordPress to the next level back in 2007 by launching WPHacks.com as a place to share hacks and review WordPress-related products. You can learn more about him by following his personal tweets here.
reaally excelent job. thanks 
Thanks I have been trying to figure this out for awhile now. I knew it wasn't that hard I ...
Thanks for your effort. Nice work. Keep posting such thing. 
Hello, and thanks for your theme. I am studying Wordpress Mu for a project.
I am fighting with something. On my ...
Have you tried this: http://wpml.org/ 
Do you know if this would work on a main page rather than the sidebar? I tried it...looked ok ...
I think your forgot my themes
very nice collection.
Yup! 125×125 ad button has becoming a standard for blog sidewide advertising rite now..
Kyle, most of these are really fantastic looking themes. And you convinced me to try a right sidebar, now, there is only one thing stopping me from trying some of these themes.
On my sites, especially technical ones 63% of my visitors are using a higher resolution than 1024×768, which means that themes designed for 1024 width have a lot of dead space on the sides.
I may have overlooked one, but do you know of any like these that have a fluid width?
Thanks in advance!
I was inspired by your article to add 125′s to my site. They are working, but not as well as the top 300×250. I used some of Hakan’s code from readywpthemes.com to get the job done. Although I am not as good as the designers in this post, I got busy and hacked the theme I was using to pieces for a whole new look. Next step, how to get designers to submit and vote for their own themes.
@ Ready – Thanks for the heads up. I will look them over tonight and get them added!
@ Khair – Thanks. They absolutely have! At least until TechCrunch decides to change their ad blocks.
@ David – It is probably just my personal preference, but I’m glad to hear you are finding success with the right sidebar.
I know in my searches I do, on occasion), run across fluid width WordPress themes, but they are few and far between. I can’t think of any that have blocks built in for the 125×125 ads. I’ll keep an eye out and let you know if I run across one!
@ Skald – Very nice! You’ve got a great site, have you considered advertising to get more traffic and user interaction?
Great list, but I think you missed one more:
http://ustadz.net/indomagz-free-premium-wordpress-theme.htm
Trying to find one of these types of themes for my blog. Thanks for the list.
but how do I get my ads to use the pre-existing 125×125 slots?!! i have adsense manager installed, but when i add the widget to my sidebar it creates an additional 125×125 ad, it doesnt use the 4 spaces already there! help!!
Hi Kyle. Check out some of our WordPress themes. Most of our WordPress themes are 125×125 button ready.
Examples:
WordPress Theme 1
WordPress Theme 2
WordPress Theme 3
More…
Thanks for sharing those themes. thanks to you wphacks.
thanks a lot.
can you please tell me how do i get 125 by 125 ads for free to display on my blog.
currently i am displaying skyscraper ads by google only.
can anyone help install these themes some dont have readme files or instructions and the one’s that do arent helpful.
I keep getting some error messages on the vintage theme, this one in particular.
Warning: Cannot modify header information – headers already sent by (output started at /home/toprank1/public_html/bygone/wp-content/themes/vintage-wordpress-theme/wordpress-brown/functions.php:2) in /home/toprank1/public_html/bygone/wp-includes/pluggable.php on line 850
Is there any way I can stop this from happening?
Hi very helpful, the typebased theme download link is not working, it is going to woothemes site.
@ L. Mohan Arun – The TypeBased theme is a FREE theme from Woo Themes. The link takes you to their theme page. You can scroll through to locate that particular theme (they have other free themes available as well).
The theme is easy to modify so you can fit a 125×125 ad in that spot.
Yes, Joe, it’s very easy to replace the text with an image or picture.
It really does have some nice features. Great work!….
You must update any broken link.. BTW, thanks for this great collection.. thanks in advance!
thanks for the fabulous list, i am trying Darkzen theme
These are some great looking templates. Thank you for your contribution.
This is a great post. I was looking exactly for this list the other day. However, some of these merely are add ready because they include a “plugin” to give you the 125 ads.
Blues Theme looks amazing its look and i also feel that its look and feel is quite similar with your site.
On my sites, especially technical ones 63% of my visitors are using a higher resolution than 1024×768, which means that themes designed for 1024 width have a lot of dead space on the sides.