Are you Dealing with WordPress? It means getting to know a thriving open source community. In fact, it has one of the best features of the ability to access hundreds of resources to customize the website. However, developments in the WordPress ecosphere have continued to tilt the conversation significantly in this direction, with WordPress being the vast selection of themes. There is a dizzying array of WordPress themes to pick from. And that’s before you decide whether to go with free or Premium WordPress themes. Premium WordPress themes have a way of seducing us with their clean looks and extensive functionality, yet free alternatives are enticing the bargain hunter in us all. So, to prevent confusion in deciding free or premium WordPress theme, hire WordPress developer to know the pros and cons of each.
However, there are so many possibilities that every user faces while starting their website on WordPress. Which theme they should use Free or Premium. So, in this blog, we will discuss the difference between free and premium WordPress themes.
Difference between Free and Premium themes of WordPress
WordPress offers two types of themes: Free and Premium. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages according to their usage. So, below we will discuss the pros and cons of Free and premium WordPress themes. Every WordPress development agency provides free and paid themes to their clients in their WordPress development services.
Pros of Free Theme
When you are new to WordPress, the temptation to use free templates is strong. What could be more profitable than decreasing front-end development expenses? Free themes are, of course, appealing. If you are just getting started with WordPress, free solutions allow you a place to try out new features, play around with settings, and learn how to properly publish content. Their ability is sometimes acceptable to maintain small blogs, landing pages, and low-traffic websites. However, why would someone give away free templates when others charge money for them? Is it because of the lower quality? Due to their low cost, the quality and customization choices might vary widely. And they rarely meet the standard set by premium themes.
Officially Approved
Before accepting, all WordPress themes available in the official repository have gone through a multistep process and must comply with particular requirements. A trustworthy team will put them to the test against several rules. It implies you can rely on them to meet quality standards such as:
- using WordPress functions, hooks, filters, and libraries
- Secure
- Compatible with GPL
- not doing anything illegal, dishonest, or morally repugnant.
Better Performance
Free WordPress themes are frequently created in a simple and minimalist style and lack the “all-in-one” bundle that many paid themes offer. But it will have less frills and better speed. Also, the website will have a considerable mark when your website loads quickly. The free themes tend to be leaner. So, you can also hire WordPress developer to install the free WordPress theme.
Drawbacks of using Free WordPress Theme
- Support choices are limited – Developers of free WordPress themes assist in WordPress forums, but they are not obligated to respond to support requests.
- Limited Capabilities and Functionality – The free theme supports several fundamental WordPress functionalities. Many of them lack advanced features such as button creation, shortcode usage, landing page creation, and much more.
- No Uniqueness– Free themes are used by multiple websites and blogs, thus, your website will not have a unique appearance. In addition, the free themes usually provide limited possibilities for customizing the aesthetic appearance.
Advantages of Premium WordPress Themes
More Customizations
A free theme might not be enough if your firm cannot rely on a minimalist style and wants more customization (on sidebars, footers, top menus, and so on). Premium themes can provide you with more options in this regard, allowing you to create the website of your dreams. However, be wary of overusing extra features: always keep performance in mind while optimizing the page speed of your WordPress site.
Customer Service
If you have a problem with a free theme from the official WordPress directory, you can go to the WordPress Theme and Templates Support Forum, where you will find a lot of helpful volunteers who will answer your problems. Whereas, when you install paid theme, you can get a quick response from the support team through the chat or by raising a ticket.
Better Design
Premium WordPress themes are usually significantly better in all elements of design. From page templates to backend admin pages/menus, the paid theme got you covered. When you are using your site on a daily basis, the compelling design goes a long way toward boosting your productivity and keeping your sanity.
Security
Premium WordPress theme stores and writers place high importance on security. They also have the financial means to meet their customers’ stringent security requirements.
Cons of Premium WordPress Themes
- Low Code – You can find up purchasing a premium theme that looks nice but has poor coding standards, making it incompatible with some plugins. The reason is that these themes do not have to go through a rigorous evaluation process.
- Too many features – In order to sell more themes, theme designers may include too many features that are not necessary. Still, you can use all those features but it will slow down the speed of the website.
- Crossing into the plugins domain — WordPress themes can occasionally cross into the plugins domain, providing functionality that is not supposed to provide.
Closing Thoughts
When it comes to deciding between free and premium WordPress themes, the decision is ultimately yours – there is no universally “better” alternative. Both free and paid WordPress themes have advantages and disadvantages; there is no one-size-fits-all solution. You can hire WordPress developer to upgrade the theme on your website. When faced with the dilemma of “free vs. premium theme“, try to answer the questions. What are the requirements for your website? Minimal features or extensive customization? Do you have a tight budget, and are you willing to invest in your internet presence? You may have a more precise concept of the type of theme you require once you have these answers clear in your mind.
