There are a lot of free WordPress themes available on the internet. The same goes for paid WordPress themes. But what are the advantages and disadvantages of a paid theme? In this article, I will explain it to you.
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1. Build pages as a block box
Themes for which you have to pay often include the Visual plug-in Composer. This plugin is ideal for people who want to build many different web pages. With Visual Composer, you develop your pages as a block box. Here is no HTML and CSS. However, adding CSS and HTML to existing blocks is optional so that you can customize your website.
2. Support
For most paid themes, you receive free support. You can go to the theme maker if you have a question about the theme. In addition, frequently paid manuals are also delivered. Here you will find an explanation of how to build the theme and what features the theme contains.
3. Updates & New Features
Paid themes are often developed. The makers will improve the theme monthly and complement it with new features. In addition, paid articles are also provided with updates required when WordPress issues an update. Most theme makers offer these updates for free after purchasing the theme. All you have to do is overwrite the old files. However, I recommend always backing up before you update.
4. Flexible
Paid themes nowadays have multiple layouts and skins, allowing you to convert the theme to a completely different format with just one click. Paid articles are therefore a lot more flexible and unique than free WordPress themes.
With this flexibility, the Visual plug-in Composer plays a vital part. With Visual Composer, you can load blocks (widgets) per page. Per block, you customize the background, background image, or text.
5. Premium plugins
For many paid themes, you will receive built-in premium plug-ins. Some standard premium plug-ins are:
- Layerslider – Layerslider allows you to build large slider images.
- Revolution slider – Revolution slider helps you create beautiful sliders. The plug-in looks a bit like Layerslider.
- Contact Form 7 – Contact Form 7 is custom-built in your theme and allows users to develop contact or order forms quickly.
- Visual Composer – This is the plug-in that builds your pages as a block box.
What value do these plugins add? They offer you more variety for building web pages. In addition, these premium plugins are more user-friendly than most free plug-ins. Another advantage is that most premium plug-ins are being developed. As a result, the plug-in will always work with a new WordPress update.
Disadvantages of paid WordPress themes
1. Cost
The cost of a premium theme is, on average, between $ 80 and $ 120. Are you interested in a particular theme? Please consider in advance whether this theme is suitable for you or not. I strongly advise you to look mainly at the features that come with the theme. If they match your requirement, you can proceed with the purchase of the theme.
2. Support is usually temporary (1 year free)
Often, the support for a purchased theme is limited to 1 year. You have to ask technical questions about the item purchased within a year. After the first year, you often have to pay for technical support.
3. Originality
The most popular premium themes are sold a lot. Websites that use the same theme have a similar look. People with WordPress knowledge can often pick out websites with the same theme.
Because the most popular themes are sold hundreds of thousands of times, your neighbor’s website may appear to be very similar to your website. Fortunately, you can reduce this risk, for example, by not using the default settings but personalizing your website. You can also choose a theme that sells less often. This reduces the chance of encountering another website that uses the same theme.
4. Too many functionalities
Some premium themes have so many customizable features that it’s unclear what you can customize. This reduces the ease of use and allows users to lose their way into WordPress.
Therefore, please look at how a theme has been built and its many functionalities. As a tip, I will accompany you to read the experiences of other users.
This usually gives a good indication of the user-friendliness of the theme.
Selection of 5 popular premium WordPress themes
The following premium themes have been selected based on their popularity and my own experiences. In addition, I looked at user reviews.
1. Avada
The premium theme of Avada is the worldwide-selling WordPress theme. The theme has its own Content Management System, which makes it easy to build a website. For this theme, you do not need any CSS or HTML knowledge. Avada also distinguishes itself by the tremendous support the makers provide. Questions about the theme will be answered within 24 hours.
Avada has been developed for years, so the theme always provides the latest updates. Additionally, new features are added regularly, allowing you to expand your website further. Recently, Avada has started rolling out different skins. There are now 18 ready-made skins for organizations such as gyms, saunas, construction companies, and advertising agencies.
2. BeTheme
BeTheme distinguishes itself by the vast amount of skins. You can choose from up to 220 different styles with one click. This will help you to build a website that fits your business perfectly. Once you have selected your skin, you can customize it. At BeTheme, you sometimes need HTML and CSS knowledge if you want to customize yourself.
Conclusion: The possibilities with BeTheme are huge, but you need some HTML and CSS knowledge for significant adjustments.
More information about BeTheme
3. Newspaper
If you are looking for a premium theme that lends itself to launching a severe blog or news site, I recommend Newspaper. The theme contains more than ten different layouts, which make your news articles clear on your site. The theme also has a review module. This allows you to write reviews about products and add a score per review. Newspaper is flexible in style. For most functions, no HTML and CSS knowledge is required.
More information about Newspaper
4. Bridge
The theme of Bridge focuses on skins like BeTheme. After you have installed the basic theme, you can easily choose from 200 skins using a drop-down menu. For almost every industry, there is skin available. This skin can then be shaped as desired. The theme further uses the previously discussed plug-in Visual Composer.
The Bridge stands out in the visual section. The excellent design, images, and videos look very nice on your screen.
5. Shopkeeper
If you’re looking for a theme that focuses primarily on product sales, you’re welcome to choose Shopkeeper. Shopkeeper is a beautifully designed theme, which has been developed with a view to the website visitors’ user experience. For example, website visitors can easily order products and charge them quickly. The theme contains nine different homepage formats. You also have the following functionalities:
- built-in ordering and tracking system;
- a coupon function;
- store management;
- a rating system for visitors;
- a wish list;
- comprehensive statistics of sold products.
More information about Shopkeeper
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