Paid Themes VS Free Themes For WordPress
People that set up a WordPress installation have two routes to go down in regards to the world of themes. They can go with the free versions, which include DIY options, or they can go with a paid theme. Paid options are interesting in that they run the gamut of all sorts of styles, coding options, and more. However, the free ones are just that, free. There’s so many free options that it may be overwhelming. While you are able to go with a low cost solution, in many cases, you get what you pay for. Furthermore, you get no support, and if there’s bugs, well, there’s bugs and that’s that. There are several reasons why you may want to look into a paid option for your WordPress solution, especially in these modern times. Going with a free option versus a paid theme is not a good idea, and here are some reasons why.
Way Better Coding
The first thing that you need to know is that the coding will be better. The code structure of these sites are bar none superior to what you will find in the free sector. The free options aren’t going to be as good at all. You’re going to find that the free solutions can have terrible code structure, and that can end up causing havoc on your server. Furthermore, if there’s something wrong, you won’t have anyone to call or email. You can expect better code with a paid theme, guaranteed.
Far Better SEO
As far as search engine optimization is concerned, you’re going to find that you can easily go with optimization as a result. Optimization within the concepts of a paid theme is not an afterthought. People that are developing true paid theme solutions, are adhering to strict elements of SEO and will pass that off to what you need. If you’re going to end up with a solid solution moving forward, you’re going to want to look into a paid theme versus a free one. That is if you’re planning on working with search engine optimization at all.
Approved Developers
The next thing that you should be considering is that a paid theme has approved developers at the helm. Developers in this category are not only going to give you a bit of peace of mind, they are going to have the training required to build the right themes and coding cycles. You’re going to find that there are a lot of “hacks” trying to pass off themes for free, but when it comes to paid theme options, approved WordPress developers are usually behind them. You’re essentially paying for their work, and that’s something that is definitely a positive.
Security Updates and Patches
One of the major concerns that you should have is security. Without proper security in place, you will find that your website can be hacked. You don’t want this to occur. With a paid theme, you don’t have to worry about would be hackers, or anyone trying to strong arm your website at all. You can rest assured that everything is going to be simple, and easy to run with as a whole. It’s a cycle of positivity that should not be dismissed or taken lightly. Security updates and patches are going to follow in the near future as well. Security updates and patches are part of the paid theme cycle that you’ll find to be a good thing.
The Look of Professionalism
When it comes to professional look and feel, you will find that a paid theme is going to trump any free version that you may see. There may be trial options, but compared to the true paid theme solutions that abound, you will see that there is a much better solution to consider than that of free. Free options are nice, they don’t cost a thing, but they look terrible compared to those that have spent some time to build and code the right way. The look of professional elements trump the free cycled options, no doubt.
At the end of the day, don’t go with any free theme when you can get a solid paid theme. Test a paid theme for at least 30 days, and see why so many are switching. If you must go free, then at least make sure that you are careful with whom you do business with to get it. If you’re not convinced, at least cycle through the benefit cycle that comes with paid theme solutions. That way you can at least see what you’re missing. You’ll be surprised by how good some of the paid theme options are getting today.
One of our favorite sites to find WordPress themes is ThemeForest. They have a massive community of WordPress theme developers and themes for every category you could think of. If you’re looking for a professional WordPress theme check out ThemeForest.