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Child Themify

By J B

Design & Themes / Themes & Templates

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

Child Themify Review - In-Depth Analysis

Easily create child themes from any parent theme with a simple button click.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.87/10

User Rating

4.2/5 (based on 42+ reviews)

Active Installations

6,000+

Update Frequency

Below Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

1 / 10 (Very Low Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

Create child themes from any non-child theme with the click of a button.

This plugin is multisite compatible; if used on a multisite network, controls for creating child themes will be in the network admin instead of the regular site admin. Pick the parent theme from the dropdown and name your new child theme. You can also change the author name and select files you want to copy from the parent to the new theme.

Click the button and you're all set!

Comparing to Alternatives

Child Themify stands alone in its category with no close direct alternatives available, making it a unique choice for users needing child theme creation functionality.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Simple and fast to use as noted by multiple users
Allows creation of child files from parent themes efficiently
Lightweight and does exactly what it promises
Works well even without FTP access
Highly rated for ease of use and speed

Weaknesses

Reported to cause site crashes upon activation in some cases
Limited to free version with no pro features
No direct alternatives to compare feature sets
Some users may experience compatibility issues

User Sentiment Analysis

With a strong majority of 5-star ratings (73.8%) and a few critical 1-star reviews (16.7%), user sentiment is mostly positive but tempered by serious issues reported by a minority.

Positive highlights

Great Plugin.. simple and fast - 1stclasspaintinganddecorating
Works brilliantly and easy to use - gf
Perfect for creating child themes quickly without FTP access - nitromax30
Lightweight, fast, and perfect functionality - Jesko Bendmann
Nice and works very well - Metromas

Common complaints

Plugin activation caused site to shut down requiring hosting intervention

Weaknesses

Potential for site-breaking issues upon activation
No advanced or premium features available
Limited support for complex use cases

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users looking for a straightforward, lightweight plugin to quickly create child themes without needing advanced features or FTP access.

Not ideal for

Users who require robust support, advanced customization options, or those wary of potential site stability issues should consider other solutions.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers essential child theme creation features that are simple and fast to use, suitable for most basic needs.

Final Verdict

Child Themify is a highly rated, easy-to-use plugin that excels in creating child themes quickly and without fuss, making it a valuable tool for many WordPress users. Its simplicity and speed are its strongest points, supported by a majority of positive user feedback.

However, the plugin carries some risk as a minority of users report severe site issues upon activation, and it lacks a pro version or advanced features. Users should weigh these factors carefully and consider their technical comfort before use.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Child Themify plugin.

child theme

theme creation

parent theme

Screenshots

FAQ

Upload the child-themify directory and its contents to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory (or your custom location if you manually changed the location).
Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
You can now create a child theme of any non-child theme you have installed by going to the “Create Child Theme” page in the Appearance/Themes admin menu.