Pros and Cons: Free and Premium WordPress Themes

If you are thinking about creating a WordPress website for your business, we are sure you have lots of questions regarding themes, plugins, the installation process, aftercare, etc.

Today, we are going to take a closer look at WordPress themes, comparing the pros and cons of free and premium themes. 

Without further ado, let’s get started.

Free WordPress themes

Before we start to discuss the advantages and disadvantages, it is important to mention that when we say free WordPress themes, we only mean the ones you can find in the official WordPress.org Themes directory.

You should not trust any other themes listed as free from unreliable sources.

Pros

They are free

There’s no denying that the biggest advantage of free WordPress themes is that you can use them free of charge. However, some people think that free is equal to cheap, bad quality.

The truth is quite the contrary. Developers offer their themes for free because there are benefits in sharing their work with the world. Thanks to the review process, they can improve their skills, build their professional portfolio and get paid jobs. 

They go through a serious review process

All free WordPress themes listed in the official directory go through a strict review process in order to make sure the final product gives an excellent user experience.

The review team is built of experienced testers and talented developers who examine all themes before giving their approval.

This also proves that free WordPress themes are high-quality, reliable products you can 100% trust.

Cons

Lack of uniqueness

It is not surprising that most blogs and websites, especially those who have just started, prioritize free themes. This means that if you choose a free theme too, your website won’t have a unique design.

Lack of support

If you choose a free theme, you will most likely get support through WordPress forums, but keep in mind that developers of free themes are not obliged to offer you support.

Limited features and functionality

Free themes support many WordPress features, but in most cases, this means only the standard features and functions. If you want to add special buttons, create landing pages, or others, a free WordPress theme might not be what you need.

Premium WordPress themes

As you could see discussed above,  you can opt for free WordPress themes free of charge. Premium WordPress themes are different. They come from a third-party developer and you can purchase them from certain theme shops or marketplaces.

Pros

They are customizable and have lots of features

Compared to free themes, premium themes have significantly more features and customizable options. Whether you need a drag and drop builder, shortcakes, templates, unlimited color options, or multiple layouts, with a premium WordPress theme you have very good chances to get everything you need to create your dream website.

Uniqueness

As people need to pay for these themes, they are not as frequently used as free ones. Plus the customizable feature considered, if you opt for a premium theme, you will most likely have a very unique website.

Support and updates

Regular updates and professional support are included in the price of premium themes.

Cons

Unfortunately, even if you spend money on your WordPress theme, there still can be some issues you will need to deal with. Here are the most common disadvantages you can experience when using a premium theme:

Poorly written code

If your WordPress theme has poor code, it might be incompatible with other plugins. The reason behind this issue is primarily the lack of professional review.

Abundance of features

Even if it sounds surprising, too many features can be a problem. Developers tend to add more and more features to themes in order to sell them better. But the truth is that most of these features are unnecessary and you will never use them. But they will still be there, slowing down your website.

Conclusion: Should I opt for a free or a premium WordPress theme?

If you are not sure which type of WordPress theme is the best option for you, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I have the budget for a premium WordPress theme?
• Do I need so many features and customizable options for my website?
• Can I solve the problems on my own or do I need professional support in case something goes wrong?
• Do I really need a 100% unique website or am I good with a basic design?

If you know the answers to these questions, we’re sure you can decide whether or not you need to invest in a premium design. 

We hope our article helped you learn more about free and premium WordPress themes. If you have any questions or you are simply ready to get your WordPress website created for your business, don’t hesitate to reach out to us and we will get back to you shortly!