In WordPress, every article you post is displayed in a certain layout. The layout is varied, depending on the theme you use. Some WordPress themes might offer a setting option that allows you to select a different single post layout. If the theme you use doesn’t offer this kind of setting option, you can install a plugin to create a custom template to govern how your article is displayed.

Generally, the single post template of a WordPress theme consists of the following components:

• Post title
• Post content
• Post meta (post date, post time)
• Featured image
• Post author

When looking for a plugin to create a custom single post template, make sure that the plugin you want to use allows you to add the components above. It would be better if the plugin also adds components like breadcrumbs, related posts, and other components for SEO.

Here are the plugins that you can use to create a custom single post template in WordPress.

1. Brizy

Brizy is a feature-rich page builder plugin. One of the features offered by Brizy is a theme builder which allows you to create custom templates to replace the default templates of your theme parts, including the single post. The custom single post template you create with Brizy will replace the default single post template of your theme. Brizy comes with a very intuitive visual editor. No need to deal with PHP, CSS, or HTML to create a custom single template with Brizy. When creating a custom single post template with Brizy, you can add all components we mentioned in the opening section above. You can also add other components, be it dynamic (such as custom fields) or static (such as button, static image, and so on). Brizy also allows you to effortlessly add Facebook comments and Disqus to your single post template.

Brizy itself is released as a freemium plugin. You need to use the pro version to create a custom single post template since the required components are only available on the pro version.

2. Elementor

Same as Brizy, Elementor is also a page builder plugin that comes with a theme builder feature which you can use to create custom templates to replace the default templates of your theme. It also offers an intuitive editor to allow you to create the custom template in a visual way. Creating a custom single post template using Elementor, you can also add the required components as we mentioned above. In addition, you can also add additional components like breadcrumbs, related posts, and post navigation. A little detail that might make you want to give Elementor a try. Elementor allows you to add a component to display the last modified date of your articles.

When creating a custom single post template using Elementor, you can assign it to the entire website, specific posts, posts under certain categories, and so on. In other words, you can create several custom single post templates for different article types on your website in case you need to. The theme builder feature itself is also available on the pro version so you need to upgrade your free account to the pro version (learn more: Elementor Free vs Elementor Pro).

3. Divi Builder

Divi Builder is a page builder plugin developed by Elegant Themes. The plugin is only available for the themes developed by Elegant Themes (Divi and Extra). So, you need to use one of those themes to be able to use Divi Builder. Same as Brizy and Elementor, Divi Builder also comes with a theme builder feature, allowing you to create custom templates for your theme parts, including the custom post template. Divi Builder is especially the perfect option if you are looking for a plugin that offers the ability to control the typography of every single element on the post content (the heading element and main body). You can even set the style of the bullet and numbering, blockquote, link behavior, and other details on the post content.

Divi Builder also allows you to add required components we mentioned above. Unfortunately, it has lacks of additional components. There are no options to add breadcrumbs and related posts.

4. Post Custom Templates Pro

If you are looking for a cheaper solution of a plugin to create a custom single post template on your WordPress, Post Custom Templates Pro might is the plugin you are looking for. You can get it at only $27 (one-time purchase) on CodeCanyon. Same as Brizy and Elementor, you can use Post Custom Templates Pro on any theme, not limited to themes from a certain developer. The plugin also comes with a drag and drop builder to allow you to create the template without coding. In addition to the required components as we mentioned above, Post Custom Templates Pro also allows you to add other components like tabs and reviews box. You can also effortlessly add Facebook comments in case you want to add it.

5. tagDiv Cloud Library

tagDiv Cloud Library is a plugin developed by tagDiv, the developer of Newspaper theme and Newsmag theme. To be able to use the plugin, you need to use one of those themes. tagDiv Cloud Library is available as a required plugin for those two themes, along with tagDiv Composer. The plugin comes with premade single post templates you can import to save you time in creating the template. To edit the template, you have tagDiv Composer — the default page builder of Newspaper and Newsmag. If you need a feature to display the last modified date of an article, the plugin also offers it.

6. Beaver Builder

Beaver Builder is another page builder plugin that has a feature to create a custom single post template to replace the default single post template of your theme. The plugin also comes with a visual editor to allow you to create the template in a visual way.

7. Visual Composer

You can also use Visual Composer to create a custom single post template to replace the default single post template of your theme. Visual Composer itself is a page builder plugin just like Elementor, Brizy, and Divi Builder. Meaning that you can create the template in a visual way using its visual editor. Visual Composer is released as a freemium plugin like Elementor and Brizy. The feature to create a custom single post template is only available on the pro version.