Head to head
BrooklynvsPofo-CreativePortfolioandBlogWordPressTheme
Both Brooklyn and Pofo compete in the same Creative Portfolio corner of the WordPress marketplace, but they serve meaningfully different ambitions: Brooklyn is built for buyers who want a sprawling multipurpose toolkit capable of powering almost any site type, while Pofo is a focused portfolio and blog theme for creatives who want a clean, high-rated option without the bloat. The real decision is whether you need a Swiss-army-knife theme or a sharp, purpose-built one.
Assessed on documented capabilities & licensing · updated
Straight answers
Which theme is better for a large or multipurpose project?
Brooklyn is the better pick for large or multipurpose projects. With over 50 pre-built demo sites, 256+ templates, and compatibility with WooCommerce, Events Calendar, bbPress, Gravity Forms, and WPML, Brooklyn is designed to handle almost any site type—from agency to eCommerce to membership. Pofo's documented use cases are limited to Blog, Portfolio, and Creative, making it a narrower tool for broader builds.
Which theme has stronger buyer confidence based on market data?
Brooklyn has stronger buyer confidence by volume, with over 52,600 sales and 2,100 ratings averaging 4.70/5. Pofo carries a higher per-review rating of 4.83/5, but from only 194 reviews—a much smaller sample. For most buyers, Brooklyn's scale of validated purchases is the more reliable signal of long-term theme quality and author support.
Which theme is a better fit for a portfolio-focused creative professional?
Pofo is the better fit for a creative professional whose primary goal is a polished portfolio or blog. It is purpose-built for that use case, carries a higher average rating, and was updated more recently (May 2026 vs. January 2026). Brooklyn can do portfolios too, but its complexity is overkill for someone who simply needs a beautiful, focused showcase site.
Which theme offers better long-term update support?
Both themes have received updates in 2026, so neither is abandoned. Brooklyn is documented as compatible with a wider range of WordPress versions, signaling a mature and actively maintained codebase. Pofo's May 2026 update is the more recent of the two, which is a modest positive signal. Based on available data, both themes appear actively supported, with no clear winner on this point alone.
At a glance
| BrooklynOur pick | Pofo - Creative Portfolio and Blog WordPress Theme | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | UnitedThemes | themezaa |
| Type | Theme | Theme |
| Pricing model | Paid | Paid |
| What you pay for | — | — |
| Best for | Agency owners, freelancers, and site builders who need a flexible, multipurpose theme for varied or evolving projects. | Creative professionals—photographers, designers, bloggers—who want a focused, polished portfolio or blog site and nothing more. |
The breakdown
Who Each Theme Is Built For
Brooklyn is a true multipurpose WordPress theme that targets an unusually wide audience. Its documented use cases span portfolio, eCommerce, agency, corporate, photography, blog, and even gaming sites. With over 50 pre-built demo sites and deep compatibility with WooCommerce, WPBakery Page Builder, Elementor, Elementor Pro, WPML, Events Calendar, bbPress, and Gravity Forms, it is engineered for buyers who don't want to outgrow their theme. Its 52,600+ sales figure makes it one of the better-validated multipurpose themes in the Creative Portfolio category.
Pofo is a sharper, more specialized instrument. Its documented use cases are Blog, Portfolio, and Creative—nothing more. It offers 25+ home pages and 210+ demo pages, is built on WPBakery Page Builder, and bundles Revolution Slider. Its 4.83/5 rating from buyers, while drawn from a smaller pool, is one of the higher scores in this category. Pofo is the theme for a creative professional—photographer, illustrator, designer, writer—who wants a polished showcase without wading through features they'll never use.
Feature Depth and Page-Building Experience
Brooklyn's Broader Toolkit
Brooklyn's primary page-building flexibility is a genuine differentiator. It supports both WPBakery Page Builder and Elementor (including Elementor Pro), which is relatively rare and meaningful—it means buyers can choose their preferred visual editor rather than being locked into one. The inclusion of 256+ templates, modules, and elements gives designers substantial raw material. For developers building client sites across different industries, this breadth is a real advantage.
On the eCommerce side, Brooklyn documents compatibility with WooCommerce 8.x and 9.x, making it a credible option for store-first builds. WPML support also makes it a practical choice for multilingual sites. bbPress compatibility extends it to community or forum use cases as well.
Pofo's Focused Execution
Pofo keeps its scope tight: WPBakery Page Builder plus Revolution Slider, 210+ demo pages, and a clear orientation toward portfolio and blog layouts. Its feature set is not smaller out of neglect—it reflects an intentional editorial focus. For a buyer whose entire need is a beautiful creative portfolio, Pofo's depth of portfolio-specific layouts is likely more directly useful than Brooklyn's sprawling multi-industry library.
Pofo's SEO optimization is called out by its marketplace highlights, which is a relevant consideration for creatives who depend on organic discovery. Brooklyn's well-documented status suggests good setup guidance, but SEO optimization is not specifically called out in the same way.
Pricing Model
Both themes are sold as one-time licenses with no recurring subscription. Brooklyn is priced slightly higher than Pofo. Both prices sit within the typical range for premium WordPress themes on the marketplace, and both include the standard Envato license terms—one website per license. Neither theme requires an ongoing subscription to use the core product, though premium plugin licenses bundled with the theme (such as Revolution Slider or WPBakery) may have their own renewal terms for plugin updates if used independently.
Learning Curve and Setup Time
Brooklyn's one-click demo import is a meaningful convenience for buyers who want a fast start. The wider feature surface also means more to learn over time; buyers who only need a portfolio may find themselves navigating menus and options that don't apply to their project. Brooklyn is well-documented, which helps, but complexity is still complexity.
Pofo's narrower scope generally translates to a faster, less overwhelming setup experience for its target audience. A creative professional importing a portfolio demo and customizing it is a simpler path than navigating a multipurpose system. The trade-off is that if your needs expand—say, you later want a shop or an events section—Pofo may not accommodate them as smoothly.
Lock-In and Migration Risk
Both themes are built on WPBakery Page Builder, which embeds shortcodes in content. This is a known migration cost for either product: if you ever switch themes, page content built with WPBakery will require cleanup. Brooklyn users who build on Elementor instead may have a slightly smoother future migration path, as Elementor has broader third-party ecosystem support. This is worth factoring in for agency buyers who anticipate handing sites off to clients.
Ecosystem and Community
Brooklyn's 52,600+ sales translate to a larger community of users, more third-party tutorials, and a higher likelihood of finding community-sourced answers to specific setup questions. Pofo's smaller but highly satisfied user base reflects a more niche product with loyal buyers, but fewer third-party resources exist by comparison.
The verdict
Brooklyn is the right choice for the majority of buyers landing on this page—those building agency sites, client projects, eCommerce stores, or any site that may evolve beyond a simple portfolio. Its dual Elementor/WPBakery support, massive demo library, and deep plugin compatibility justify the modest price premium. Pofo is the better pick specifically for creative professionals—photographers, designers, bloggers—who want a focused, high-rated portfolio theme and have no need for a multipurpose Swiss-army toolkit.
Questions, answered
Can Brooklyn be used as a pure portfolio theme, or is it too complex for that?
Brooklyn can absolutely be used as a portfolio theme—it includes portfolio-specific demo sites and layouts. The trade-off is that its broader feature set means more options to navigate than a focused theme like Pofo. If a portfolio is your only use case, Pofo delivers a more direct path. Brooklyn makes sense if you also want eCommerce, blog, or agency sections alongside the portfolio.
Does Pofo support WooCommerce for selling prints or digital products?
WooCommerce compatibility is not listed in Pofo's documented marketplace metadata, whereas Brooklyn explicitly documents WooCommerce 8.x and 9.x support. If selling products directly from your portfolio site is a firm requirement, Brooklyn is the safer, documented choice. We recommend confirming WooCommerce support with Pofo's author before purchasing if this is a priority.
Which theme is better for multilingual sites?
Brooklyn documents WPML compatibility, making it a confirmed option for multilingual WordPress builds. WPML support is not listed in Pofo's marketplace metadata. For buyers building in multiple languages—especially for international clients—Brooklyn is the documented choice. Always verify current plugin compatibility with the theme author if multilingual support is critical to your project.
Is the higher rating on Pofo more meaningful than Brooklyn's larger sales volume?
Pofo's 4.83/5 rating is impressive, but it comes from around 194 reviews. Brooklyn's 4.70/5 comes from over 2,100 reviews—a much larger and statistically more reliable sample. Both ratings are strong. For most buyers, Brooklyn's scale of validated purchases provides broader confidence. Pofo's high rating does suggest a very satisfied niche audience, which matters if you fit that use case precisely.
Both themes use WPBakery — does that matter for choosing between them?
It matters mostly for flexibility. Brooklyn also supports Elementor and Elementor Pro, giving you a choice of page builder. Pofo is built around WPBakery only. If you have a preferred builder or anticipate switching in the future, Brooklyn's dual-builder support is a meaningful advantage. If you're comfortable with WPBakery and want a focused portfolio theme, Pofo's implementation is purpose-built for that workflow.
Which theme is more future-proof given recent update activity?
Both themes were updated in 2026, so neither is at risk of abandonment based on current data. Pofo's update (May 2026) is more recent than Brooklyn's (January 2026), which is a small positive signal. Brooklyn's broader WordPress version compatibility log suggests a long, consistent update history. Based on marketplace data alone, both appear actively maintained, with no significant advantage to either on longevity.