WordPress: Custom Theme or Purchase?September 3rd, 2013

With WordPress one of the key questions you have to ask yourself is should I have a custom theme built for my website or should I use a premium theme that I can purchase?

My answer depends on a few things:

  • What type of business are you in?
  • What is your time-to-market?
  • Budget

 
Depending on your answers, I can come up with an option for you.
 
Type of Business
I always think people in creative fields should lean towards more custom themes. For instance, I look at some website designer’s website and I see a purchased theme, to me that doesn’t seem quite right. I mean if your selling your creativity, you should at least show you are creative, right? However, for many professions, or small businesses, a premium theme is fine. There are thousands, and with some customizations, you can make it your own.

Time to Market
If you are in a rush to get a site done, then your answer is simple, go with a nice premium theme which will cut the time down by 60-70%. If you have months, then you can consider a custom design. As the design process takes a couple of weeks on average, and building a custom theme can add a few weeks, you can see where time to market is considerably longer.

Budget
If you have a small budget, then go with a premium theme. If you have $2000 and up you can consider the custom design route. The reason is that having designs created takes time and money. And coding a custom theme can take weeks, which is where the cost adds up.

So, I know you are going to ask, what do I prefer? Well, in a perfect world, a custom, unique theme is what I prefer. But in reality, the things we spoke about come into play. Budget and time to market are so important. Whichever way you go, you can have a great site. If you aren’t sure, then ask me. I am happy to help you decide.
 

About the Author

Barry Roos

As the founder of RooSites, Barry Roos is recognized as an industry leader, with his company earning the prestigious Best of Florida award for web design three years in a row. RooSites has also been named among the Best Web Designers in Boston by Expertise.com and Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. With offices in Boston, Foxboro, Massachusetts, and Dunedin, Florida, RooSites stands out for its exceptional post-launch support. Offering comprehensive support plans at a single fee, RooSites assists clients with content management, SEO, PPC advertising, social media strategy, and much more.

Share