Many new WordPress users bother using free WordPress themes. Here we have tried to list out some pros and cons of using Free WordPress themes and this article is the first one in our “Pros and Cons” post series.
Now, coming to the topic, have you ever used a free WordPress theme ? If not its time to try your hands on it and here are some specific reasons for that.
Read This : How to Choose a WordPress theme – Free, Premium or Custom ?
Pros of Using Free WordPress Themes
WordPress themes are available for free at the Official Theme Repository. All these themes are contributed by passionate WordPress developers to the community. Here are the Pros of using WordPress themes :
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Free to Use
All these free WordPress themes are free to download and install. Hence, there is no need to pay for them, like you do for premium themes.
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Large Selection
Thousands of theme are available and the desired one can be selected based on the genre or niche of your blog and different types of layouts are also available.
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Easy to Install
Any free theme can be easily installed and no need to have coding skills. Simply click on install button and activate the theme on your live blog.
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Try Many Themes
You can try as many themes you like and there wont be any sort of restrictions. You can also customize them, based on your specific requirement.
Also Check : Theme Furnace – New Premium WordPress Theme Club
Cons of Using Free WordPress Themes
Now, its time to list down some cons also. There are many, but we tried to list out the major ones here. Have a glance at them and share your opinions on the same.
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Not Unique
Free themes are never unique as they have been used on many blogs. Using free theme may sometimes creates a bad impression in visitors mind.
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Less Features
Very less features are available and in most cases you have to settle down with bare-bones themes only. If you are looking for some functionality, then never go for a free theme.
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Lack of Support
Minimal or no support is available for free themes. You can find some support and help at WordPress Codex. Also, the frequency of updates is low compared to premium themes.
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Security Vulnerabilities
Most of the times, users end up with malware and spam after using free themes. Some developers fill up theme files with malicious codes and spam links, which results in bad user experience.
Check This : 5 Reasons why we choose Genesis over Thesis
So, if you are looking to brand your website or if you own a small business, it is advised not to choose a free theme. And, if you are a newbie and cannot afford to buy a premium theme then you can use a free theme. If you need further suggestions, please do drop a comment using the form below.
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Pros and Cons of Using Premium WordPress Themes
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Another great article wpsquare., but I want to mention an another disadvantage of using the free wordpress themes. I have experienced that in free wp-theme hosted blogs the Google do not update the PR so easily. My many blogger friends were working on their blogs for more than one year in the free/ pirated WordPress theme but didn’t get their PR updated. if it is true then it would be very dangerous to use the free/ pirated themes for few bucks.
I’ve found some free themes are quite locked down in terms of customization. They will also try to hide most of the CSS styles or functions.php code to stop you editing it. It’s always better to go for a premium theme, but it’s even better to get a custom made theme.
if budget permits why not invest on premium wordpress themes, in that way some will offer their .psd files for you to customize.