Wordpress has evolved into a robust and beautiful content management system. But this sassy publishing platform isn’t limited to blogging. Now you can find themes to achieve almost any type of online presence – eCommerce, Corporate, Photography, Social Media – you name it. So many choices!
But how do you know whether to go with a “free” vs. “premium” theme? Here is a list of “considerations to ponder when you’re trying to decide whether to purchase a Wordpress template or use a free design:
Free Themes
- The Good: If you are short on cash – this is a no brainer. There are thousands of beautiful, free, Wordpress themes available for online download. You can find these themes on the Wordpress.org website or sites like Smashing Magazine and The Design Mag. Many of the theme designers will have websites devoted to how to setup the them, and employ minor customizations. If you decide you don’t like the theme after you have installed it, changing it is a snap. Newer versions of Wordpress comes with several pre-loaded themes that come with the core install.
- The Bad: You have to be careful to take note of version compatibility; especially if you plan on installing Wordpress plugins. Also, free themes will not come with support. If you encounter problems with the coding you will have to hire a programmer to fix the issue.
Premium Themes
- The Good: When you purchase your Wordpress theme, you can usually expect support from the designer, a unique & sophisticated design, and versatility to use the Wordpress publishing platform for more than just blogging. Many of the newer designs can work for E-Commerce, Portfolio, Photo Galleries and Corporate websites.
Premium themes purchased “off the rack” are extremely affordable; ranging in price from about $27 to $100. Budget conscious Wordpress premium theme shoppers can get high quality templates at Theme Forest. This is a sort of Wordpress “mall” where you can shop for the theme of your choice. Support comes in the form of a downloadable PDF document. In many cases you can send the designer a question in the comments area or you can access answers on the website forum. These themes will usually require that you have a good understanding of how to install Wordpress and are comfortable making coding adjustments. Otherwise you will have to hire someone to help you with customization.
If you are looking for more in terms of user-friendliness, quality and stability, you may want to take a long hard look at both DIY Thesis and PageLines themes. Both create high quality Wordpress templates that come with a high level of support, expert coding and design sophistication.
From Our Blog
Tweet Tweet
Leave A Comment!