We are often asked by beginners how to choose between free and premium WordPress themes. What are the pros and cons? If you’ve had these questions, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we will discuss free WordPress themes vs premium WordPress themes (pros and cons).
Reading: How to create a wordpress website for beginners free
Advantages of Free WordPress Themes
First of all, we would like Mention that when we say free themes, we mean free WordPress themes listed in the official WordPress.org Themes directory.
We do NOT recommend users to download and install free themes distributed by other unreliable sources.
It’s free
The biggest advantage of a free WordPress theme is the cost. It lowers the barrier to entry for starting a blog.
Hearing the word free, however, makes many people wary. Why would anyone give you a free WordPress theme when others are selling premium themes? What’s the catch?
Often people think that free themes are of low quality. On the contrary.
Strict Review Process
Free WordPress themes are actually maintained to a higher standard of quality. All themes in the official WordPress theme directory go through a rigorous theme review process.
There are some very talented people on the theme review team who research and test these themes before they are included in the directory.
You can see this checklist of the theme review process.
Free WordPress themes are tested for standards-compliant code, support for standard WordPress features, high-quality HTML and CSS, security, privacy, etc.
As you can imagine, it takes talented developers to create a quality WordPress theme that gets approved in the official directory.
But why are they giving it away for free?
Giving and sharing has many benefits.
It helps theme developers to improve their skills as the theme review team reviews their code and suggests improvements during the review process.
It also gives them the opportunity to make their theme available to a large user base where people can use it, give feedback and suggest improvements.
Other benefits include building a reputation as an experienced developer, building a portfolio, getting paid jobs for customizing these free themes, or even developing custom themes for clients.
So while the free themes are definitely good, there are some downsides.
Cons of free WordPress themes
See also: PrideParrot
Disadvantages of free or premium WordPress themes can be very subjective. What one perceives as a disadvantage is no cause for concern for many others.
These are some common disadvantages of using a free WordPress theme:
- Limited support options – Free WordPress theme developers offer support through WordPress – Forums, but are not obligated to respond to support requests.
- Limited Features and Functionality – While free themes support most standard WordPress features, many do from them no additional features such as create buttons, use shortcodes, create landing pages, etc.
- Not so unique – Free themes are used by many websites and blogs, so your website won’t be a unique one Design has design. Also, there are usually limited options for customizing the visual appearance of free themes.
- No Commitment – Free themes are distributed with no guarantees, so if anything goes wrong, it’s you it pretty much on its own.
If you’re using a free theme and it doesn’t have a specific functionality you’re looking for (please don’t leave a 1-star review). You have not paid anything for this topic.
If you ask nicely or make a small donation instead, the developers will be much more likely to add this feature.
How to properly ask for and get WordPress support.
Advantages of Premium WordPress Themes
Unlike free themes, premium WordPress themes are available in numerous third-party WordPress theme shops and marketplaces.
More features and customization options
The biggest advantage of a premium theme is that you get more features and customization options receive.
Due to the competition in the premium theme industry, theme shops are always trying to offer more features at lower prices.
As a customer, you get themes that come with options like drag-and-drop builders, shortcodes, multiple layouts and templates, and unlimited color choices.
Support and updates
Premium WordPress themes are regularly updated and supported.
Primarily because these theme Shops actually make money vs. do it for free.
More unique
Because premium themes come with a cost, they are used less frequently compared to free themes.
Not to mention the customization options that give you the power to personalize your theme.
By combining the two, your website will stand out and look unique.
Disadvantages of premium WordPress themes
See also: How to Build a Backend for a Mobile App?
Not all premium themes are perfect.
Here are some common issues that can be a disadvantage.
- Bad Code – Sometimes you might end up buying a premium theme that looks nice but has poor coding standards which could make it incompatible with some plugins. Mainly because these themes don’t have to go through a strict review process.
- Too many features – In order to sell more themes, theme developers can add too many unnecessary features to their themes. You’ll probably never use all of these features, but they still make your site slow.
- Migration to the plugin domain – Sometimes WordPress themes can migrate to the plugin domain and offer features they shouldn’t. For example creating custom post types, shortcodes and other stuff that would disappear as soon as you switch themes
How do I find premium themes that really are as good as promised?
The easiest way to find a good, reliable premium theme is to buy it from one of the trusted theme shops and developers.
Two reputable premium WordPress theme stores that we recommend are: StudioPress and Themify.
Astra is a trusted premium theme that comes with dozens of templates for all types of websites offers.
For the drag-and-drop page builder, we recommend using SeedProd.
You can also browse our storefronts to find other themed shops that we like and have trust.
Know what you are buying
Remember that when you buy a premium WordPress theme, you are not affiliating that theme shop or developer with the setup for you. They also don’t have an exclusive license and the theme developer doesn’t offer any guarantees.
Most good theme shops give you access to their documentation and support forums where you can get further help if you need it. This preferential support is actually what you pay for.
Any good theme shop should have a good support system, documentation and help to help you set up your theme.
I’m confused… How do I choose?
When choosing a WordPress theme for your website, you need to ask yourself a few questions.
1. Do you really need a lot of features, custom theme management options, sliders and other extras for your website?
2. Can you troubleshoot WordPress issues yourself or do you need help?
3. Do you want a professional-looking theme that isn’t very common, or are you satisfied with a simple layout?
If you’re just starting out with a personal blog or family website, then a free WordPress theme would do the trick your needs. Here is our list of 43 beautiful free WordPress blog themes to get you started.
On the other hand, if you are a small business, we recommend you to go for a paid theme. It gives you the extra customization features and options while giving you peace of mind that support is available should you need it.
How to get started with WordPress
If you’re new to WordPress and not quite sure how to get started, check out our step-by-step guide to start a WordPress blog. It walks you through setting up your first WordPress website like a pro.
You can also check out this guide on how to learn WordPress in a week (or less).
We hope this article has helped you learn how to Choose between free and premium WordPress themes. You might also want to see our list of 24 WordPress plugins you must have for your website.
If you enjoyed this article, please subscribe to our YouTube channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
See also: Website Marketing for Small Businesses: The Ultimate Guide
.
