The most efficient theme for Magento 2? Everything you need to know about Hyvä
Table of contents
- Hyvä - what is it?
- Is Hyvä compatible with Magento 2?
- Online store on Hyvä – what are the benefits?
- How much does it cost to implement Hyvä?
- Hyvä vs PWA: a comparison of Magento themes
- Is Hyvä the right solution for my online store?
When choosing an online store on the Magento platform, the standard look of your eCommerce will most likely be based on the default Luma theme. Although it’s a popular solution, it can become limiting over time due to its complex code, which makes customization difficult and negatively impacts page loading speed.
In response to these challenges, Hyvä emerged—a modern theme for Magento 2 that completely rethinks the frontend code. Learn more about this solution, its benefits, and how Hyvä compares to other popular themes. Read the article!
Hyvä - what is it?
Hyvä is a theme dedicated to the Magento 2 platform, known primarily for its speed and performance. It is designed to simplify and optimise the frontend of the platform. It moves away from traditional, “heavy” JavaScript libraries (like Knockout or RequireJS) that burden the code, in favor of “lighter” solutions such as Alpine.js and Tailwind CSS. This significantly reduces code complexity and speeds up page load times.
Though Hyvä only debuted in 2021, it has gained popularity year after year. Why? Because it offers an excellent alternative to standard Magento themes (like Luma) and even more complex solutions like Progressive Web Apps (PWA). It provides strong performance at potentially lower implementation and maintenance costs. Developers praise Hyvä for its simplicity, shorter development times, and more efficient resource management, all of which lead to better experiences for both store owners and their customers.
Moreover, Hyvä is not just a theme but also comes with a range of extensions and tools designed to enhance the functionality and performance of Magento 2 stores.
Source: BuildWith
Is Hyvä compatible with Magento 2?
Of course, Hyvä is fully compatible with Magento—it was specifically developed with this system in mind. The theme seamlessly integrates with most of the features and tools available in Magento 2. Currently, Hyvä is compatible with over 400 popular extensions, and its ecosystem continues to grow. However, because Hyvä is still relatively new on the market, more niche modules or extensions (e.g., older modules designed for Magento's traditional frontend) may require some additional customization to work properly.
Online store on Hyvä – what are the benefits?
Did you know that online shoppers spend an average of 44 seconds to 1 minute and 22 seconds on a store's website (according to WebsiteBuilderExpert)? That’s not much time, especially considering how many actions a user needs to complete to finalise a purchase. This makes it crucial to grab their attention quickly, and the first step to achieving this is by minimising page loading time. Hyvä provides a significant improvement in this area - pages built with this theme can load in under 2 seconds. This performance boost is clearly visible when analysing Hyvä-based sites in PageSpeed Insights, where they consistently score near 100 points in every category.
Source: https://pagespeed.web.dev/analysis/https-21run-com/p79ojy0dwg?form_factor=desktop
Performance is just one of the many advantages of Hyvä, which is attracting an increasing number of online stores (in 2024, over 4,600 stores were using Hyvä according to a BuiltWith report). Among the key benefits of the theme are:
- Responsiveness – the theme is optimised for mobile devices, which is crucial at a time when the majority of people are shopping via smartphones.
- High level of customization – Hyvä offers extensive options to tailor the store to the brand's needs. It allows for easy changes to visual elements (such as colours, fonts, or layout), enabling the creation of unique designs that perfectly reflect the company's identity.
- SEO improvement - fast loading times, responsiveness, and clean code contribute to higher rankings on Google, which in turn leads to increased organic traffic and better sales results.
- Regular updates – Hyvä provides continuous updates that minimise the risk of errors and ensure compatibility with the latest Magento guidelines. This gives store owners peace of mind, knowing that their site is always secure and optimised.
One of Hyvä's key strengths is its large and active developer community. They regularly create documentation, provide support, and share new solutions. As a result, store owners have easy access to ready-made modifications and valuable advice, which significantly facilitates the development and optimization of their eCommerce. Community support ensures that Hyvä is constantly evolving, offering more and more functionalities and customization options to meet individual needs.
How much does it cost to implement Hyvä?
You already know that implementing Hyvä is an investment in a modern and efficient solution, but like any project, it comes with costs. So, what should you expect in this case?
The cost of implementing Hyvä depends on several factors, such as the size of your store or the level of customization required. However, there are always two types of expenses to consider. First, you need to account for a one-time licensing fee, which is €1,000 (as of September 2024). This fee provides you with access to full documentation, regular updates, and an extensive library of extensions. Secondly, to customise Hyvä to fit the specifics of your store, you will need the support of specialists. The time and cost of this work will depend on the scope of changes you want to make, such as layout customization, system integrations, or SEO optimization.
Hyvä vs PWA: a comparison of Magento themes
When you search for “Magento themes,” you'll come across a wide range of solutions. Alongside Hyvä, themes based on PWA (Progressive Web Apps) technology, such as Scandi PWA, are also very popular. But which of these themes is the right fit for your eCommerce?
The main feature that distinguishes PWA is its combination of website functionality with that of a mobile app, which is crucial in an era dominated by smartphone shopping. Users can access PWAs without downloading an app from the App Store or Google Play - a shortcut to the store can be added directly to the home screen. Additionally, PWA allows for the implementation of features typically associated with native mobile apps, such as geolocation and push notifications, enabling direct communication with customers even when they are not actively on the site.
However, implementing PWA is more demanding in terms of specialised knowledge, maintenance, and updates, which can lead to additional costs. The final choice between Hyvä and PWA depends on your store's needs. Simply put, PWA is ideal for stores where advanced mobile features are a priority, while Hyvä offers speed, simplicity, and lower implementation costs.
Below, we present the key differences between Hyvä and PWA in a table. If you’re unsure which option is best, it’s worth consulting with eCommerce experts or a software house to help tailor the solution to your store’s specific needs.
| Hyvä | Scandi PWA | |
|---|---|---|
| Key features | Simple, lightweight code, fast loading, full customization, and responsiveness | Combines the functionality of a mobile app and website (e.g., geolocation, push notifications, partial offline functionality) |
| Implementation costs | Licence cost (€1,000) + developer hours | Open-source (no licence), the cost is based on developer hours |
| Implementation time | Shorter implementation time due to modular structure and ready-made components | Longer implementation time due to more complex architecture and the need to configure many elements |
Is Hyvä the right solution for my online store?
It's no surprise that Hyvä is one of the fastest-growing Magento themes in popularity. It combines simplicity, performance, and full customization, making stores built on it fast and delivering excellent user experiences. It's a forward-thinking solution that continues to evolve with regular updates and the support of an active community. Hyvä is already a viable alternative to more complex technologies like PWA.
If you're looking for a fast, efficient, and easy-to-manage solution for your Magento store, Hyvä might be the perfect choice. Want to learn more about implementing this theme in your online store? Contact us, and we’ll tailor this solution to fit your specific needs!
