For a long time the WordPress community has been providing themes and plugins to WordPress users for free. During recent years this has started to change, and one of the most significant developments has been the rise in popularity of premium themes.
Premium WordPress themes are often available with a single or a multi user (developer) license. But what are the advantages of buying a premium theme? Why not just use one of the free themes?
The difference between a free and premium theme is more than cost. With a premium theme you expect to receive a degree of support and updates for a certain amount of time. With a free theme this is not the case.
If you are familiar with WordPress themes you will notice that this blog is using Thesis, one of the most popular premium WordPress themes around. There are a number of reasons why I bought it, but the main one was to allow me to create a blog, add a few posts and have a decent and robust theme ready to go any time I needed one. Much as I like playing with CSS and tinkering with the WordPress Codex, there are times when changing yet another theme just becomes a pain in the ass. A premium theme that could be used straight out of the box seemed like the perfect answer, so I opted for Thesis.
There are times when I have felt a little restricted about what I can and cannot do with Thesis, but overall I am very happy with it and I would certainly recommend it to anyone who just wants to blog and doesn’t want to get under the hood or start tinkering with code.
There are quite a few sites offering premium WordPress themes. Their charges and business models vary somewhat, but here are a few reasons why I think you shouldn’t even bother looking at the free themes and just plunge right in and buy a premium theme.
Great Design
Most premium themes have been produced by a skilled designer/programmer and not some kid learning PHP. There are some great designs available in the free themes market, but nothing compares to what you get from a premium theme. I can create a WordPress theme, but I just don’t have the design skills to make it stand out.
You also have to consider cross browser compatibility. Premium themes have been tested in all browsers so you can be sure the CSS is strong and your blog will look the same in any browser. The same cannot be said for some of the free WordPress themes.
Easy To Use
Unless you are a coder or you like to get your hands dirty with a bit of WordPress experimentation, a premium theme will allow you to start blogging straight away. There are often a few minor settings to change to get the layout and colours right, but this can all be done from the admin area and does not require the end user to start changing (and potentially damaging, the WordPress) code.
Support
A lot of premium theme providers offer active support forums or are happy to answer questions you may have about customization. Being able to ask questions of the people who have coded your theme is a real boon when problems occur. If you are using a free theme you are pretty much left in the dark when it comes to resolving any issues that arise.
Updates
Premium themes such as Thesis offer free updates for life. Not all theme providers do this, so check before you buy. Each time there is an update of the WordPress core files there is a chance that your free theme may not work properly after you update your blog – premium themes are always updated inline with official WordPress updates so the chances of breaking your blog when you update are very slim. This is part of what you are paying for.
Premium Themes Are An Investment
In the great scheme of things a premium theme doesn’t cost a great deal of money and you should think of it as an investment. Premium WordPress themes start from as little as $39 for a single license. Not a lot when you consider the hourly rate charged by consultants and other professionals.
If you are using a premium theme on your business blog you can be sure the impression being conveyed is one of professionalism. Have you ever had a quote from a web designer for a new site? If you have, compare that to the cost of a premium WordPress theme.
Here are a few providers of premium WordPress themes (including my affiliate links).
Thesis
Elegant Themes
Woo Themes
Frugal Themes
Premium Themes
Gabfire Themes
What do you think about premium themes? Do you think they are a good investment or do you prefer to opt for one of the free themes? Please share your thoughts.
