Four novel D–D–π–A configuration metal-free organic dyes (C3, P2, C2 and P3) with triphenylethylene phenothiazine moieties or triphenylethylene carbazole moieties as additional electron donors for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been synthesized. The cells based on C3, P2, C2 and P3 dyes with efficiencies of 2.14%, 2.69%, 5.51% and 6.55%, respectively, are obtained. The P3 based cell exhibits the highest efficiency of 6.55% accompanied by a short-circuit current density (J_sc) of 12.18 mA cm⁻², a rather high open-circuit photovoltage (V_oc) of 826 mV, and a fill factor (ff) of 0.65, performances which are remarkable in the DSSCs based on metal-free organic dyes. The twisted non-planar configuration in P3 decelerates the charge recombination in the charge-separated state and hence contributes to the improvement of the performance of DSSCs.