One of the hardest things in building a WordPress site is picking a theme!  You can spend hours trolling the internet finding the perfect theme.

Although there are many free WordPress themes available from WordPress.org’s Theme Directory, my recommendation is to go with a premium (paid) theme from a reputable WordPress theme company.

Why? …..Well, here are some things you should consider before jumping at any free themes:

  • Not many free theme designers provide technical support  or active user forums.
  • As WordPress improves, it’s very important for the themes to stay compatible with it so that you can take advantage of the latest tools and technology that WordPress offers. However, free themes tend to be not maintained as well as the premium themes. (for obvious reasons… they are not getting paid)
  • And using a theme that’s not up to the latest technology that changes every day means it just might be vulnerable to hackers and malware.

Considering the above, here are five theme companies  I recommend to my Website Creation Workshop students:

 Elegant Themes WordPress Themes*

Known for the simplicity, functionality, and beautiful design, Elegant Themes provides many easy-to-use, yet gorgeous looking themes. You can find them here: http://www.thebestthemes.com/elegantthemes*


StudioPress*

Using Genesis framework, StudioPress themes are very versatile, and hence, many professional web designers use their themes as the base to create custom themes. (This blog site is running on a StudioPress theme called “Prose.”)
Find them here: http://www.thebestthemes.com/studiopress/*


iThemes*

iThemes themes run on a framework called Builder, which lets you customize the layout by “drag and drop” each design blocks. A great way to customize to exactly how you want it! You can find them here: http://www.thebestthemes.com/ithemes*


WooCommerce

WooCommerce is best known for their WooCommerce plugin for creating ecommerce WordPress sites.  They have an open and clean look and an easy way to browse for their themes. You can find them here: http://www.thebestthemes.com/woothemes


Ink Themes*

And Finally there is InkThemes.  They are  a company that gives you a great looking theme, without a lot of customization needed.  This company is great for the newbie who does not know WordPress well, as in no time at all, you can get your site looking great! . You can find them here: http://www.thebestthemes.com/inkthemes*

If you want to see a quick video on picking a theme, check out this article on the 6 things to ask when picking a WordPress theme.

Do you have any favorite WordPress themes? Please share in the comment box below!

 

*Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. And if clicked and purchased, we may receive a small compensation for the recommendation.

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