One important task you need to accomplish when setting up your WordPress website is to select a theme. Your website’s overall appearance depends on your chosen theme. Admittedly, picking one can be a daunting task given the thousands of options present. To narrow down your choices, you can start out by deciding whether you are going to use a free or a premium WordPress theme.

Pros and Cons of Free WordPress Themes

As the name suggests, a free WordPress theme can be used without paying for them. Hence, if money is a concern, this is an option you can consider. There are countless free themes available in the WordPress (WP) theme directory and other sources. However, it is best to use one from the WP directory.

As compared to those from outside sources, those offered in the WordPress directory have been reviewed and tested. Hence, you can be certain that these themes work.

However, if you use a free theme, be prepared for some challenges. Perhaps, one of the biggest disadvantages of using this type of theme is that support is limited. Developers have no obligations to answer your questions or fix any problem you encounter. Basically, when problems arise, you have to sort out the issue on your own. This can be very taxing, especially if you are running a business website.

Furthermore, do not expect much from free WordPress themes. They do not come with features aside from the standard ones. Since these are free, you can find a number of websites sporting the same theme. If you want your site to standout, a free theme won’t achieve this for you.

Lastly, you run the risk of suffering from a virus or malware attack, especially if you get the theme outside of the WordPress directory. So, if you decide to use a free theme, stick to those found at the WordPress theme directory.

Pros and Cons of Premium WordPress Themes

One of the greatest things about a premium WordPress theme is that support is readily available. If you encounter problems, you can count on their team to help you resolve the issue. In addition, they are updated regularly to ensure that they meet current WordPress or web standards.

They also come with a wide-range of features and functionality. In fact, it is not unusual to see themes with numerous features but sold at a low price. This is a strategy employed by developers or theme shops to attract more buyers.

On top of the numerous features they have, paid WordPress themes allow design customisation. You can tweak the style to meet your design requirements and make your site unique. Moreover, since they are not readily available to anyone (particularly non-paying website owners), they won’t be as commonly used as free themes.

Clearly, if you are creating a website for your business, a premium WordPress theme is what you should use. But selecting a specific theme can still be challenging, especially if you do not know where to purchase one and what essential features must it have. For this, you can enlist the help of a trusted company offering WordPress website design services.

Aside from helping you pick a theme, your chosen website design company can monitor your site for you. Keep in mind, the work does not stop after selecting and setting up a theme. The site needs to be regularly monitored for problems. The theme shop or developer won’t do this for you. Moreover, they won’t have a dedicated staff member who can fix these problems for you. Hence, you still need someone who can immediately address any glitches or problems that may arise. So, when setting up a WordPress website, it is imperative that you hire a trusted website design company to ensure that your website is regularly maintained.

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