The Advantages vs. Disadvantages of Paid Themes vs. Free Themes

There are some great free WordPress themes out there on the Internet – this is one of them. This particular theme was very easy to customize a few areas (namely the RSS and Email options) and it also has four choices for color schemes. However, there are many reasons why premium themes are often the way to go which this post does a great job of outlining.

In my opinion three of the most important reasons why I recommend and chose a Premium Theme (such as Thesis) is because:

1. Ability to easily customize, especially the header, with minimal knowledge of HTML, CSS and PHP
2. Lifetime updates and customer support (and often user forums)
3. NO crazy promo links to some other site that I may or may not be interested in supporting

This post is, by no means, to say you must only work with a paid theme. However, just be aware that with limited knowledge of HTML, CSS and PHP you may quickly find yourself frustrated and ready to “throw in the towel” with a free theme.

Check out Thesis and check out some of these sites that have been built with Thesis for an idea of the variations of what can easily be done by a DIY WordPress user, such as yourself, with a premium theme.

• Lake Winnebago Vacation Rentals by Owner
• London, UK Hypnotherapist
• Kitty Hawk, NC Beach Buggies
• Appleton WI Masonry Contractor
• Marketing & Leadership: Justin McCullough (his site is “straight out of the Thesis box”)
• And, of course, my totally customized Social Media Virtual Assistant site
  

During the upcoming WordPress Workshop in Appleton, Wisconsin we will discuss in more detail and will explain why we chose a free theme for this particular site. (yes, we really do have a good reason!)

If you are already using WordPress for your personal or business website what are your thoughts as far as a free theme vs. a paid theme?