Today’s business world is highly competitive, and nothing is free here to show its love for the newcomers in this field. The people who are just starting may not have a budget to survive. But money deals see nothing.
In such a field, WP has done something that has never been done before. From the beginning of WP website builder to today, WP offers hundreds of thousands of free and Paid WP themes for businesses and individuals alike.
But as decentralization is going on everywhere and libraries for free themes worldwide are popping up, is WP still the one big giant in the field?
Is WP still the best source of free themes? Or should you go to dedicated libraries made by developers only?
Let’s discover!
How has the Idea of Declination of WP-free themes Come?
It all started in 2021 when the WP review team was operating on some policies prohibiting the theme authors from defining their user content. This is all to do one thing.
“ A user must not lose his data when replacing themes. “
But there came some issues when moving theme requirements from the codex to their new homes Theme Review Handbook. When WP was checking the themes inconsistently, two versions of requirements suddenly popped up.
WP tightened the free theme policies, so free theme developers started to feel the pressure on them and were constantly worried about their themes getting shut down soon. Soon, all the issues were solved, but free website theme developers faced an elimination round for a few days.
Why Are Site Owners Now Looking For Options?
- WP has some inconsistent standards in selecting a theme. This creates havoc for developers and users alike. Think of a situation where your theme is valid today but may not be tomorrow.
- Some other legitimate libraries are now available with solid rules and better deals. So, WP is not alone in the marketplace.
- More options create healthy competition. Naturally, people go and buy the themes as per their needs. They don’t care if it is in the WP library or elsewhere.
Alternative Resources- What to Look For?
When you are thinking about checking the alternative options for WP themes, it’s your responsibility to choose a good one, as the WP cozy and comfortable support is off now. You have stepped out of its lap and can choose whatever you want. Here are a few points that you must check before choosing one theme.
1. Codes:
Check the reviews of a theme before putting your money into it. Review all the reviews, descriptions, and documents to find out if they used compact, powerful, and SEO-friendly codes in the theme.
WP has a filtration system for keeping the quality you won’t get elsewhere.
2. Customization options:
A theme must have customization options so that an owner can change the theme as per their requirement.
3. Aesthetics:
Look for the aesthetic of a WP theme in the demo versions before buying the theme. If your theme is not good-looking, the chances of losing your customers are high.
4. SEO:
SEO is the core building block of a successful WP theme for businesses. SEO support can help you become one of the first few search results with high daily organic traffic.
5. Social Media Integration:
Don’t forget about the Social Media Integration part, as this is one of the ways you can gain your traffic through multiple platforms without any ads. Make sure to check if the theme is offering you that.
6. Responsiveness:
More than 60% of the searches are done on the mobile. That means you will likely lose 60% of the customers without using a responsive website.
7. Cross-browser compatibility:
Make sure that your theme offers cross-browser compatibility. This will be very rude or awkward if you ask your customers to install a different browser to crawl your website. You will lose the deal before even starting it.
8. Widgets:
WP themes come with widgets, such as pop-ups, post types, featured images, extra menus, sidebars, author boxes, sitemaps, and others. Make a list of all that you need and evaluate a WP-free theme.
9. Documentation:
We are not experts; we need the expert’s guidance while working on a WP theme. The best way to do this is through documentation, where all essential things are penned down to self-service. Opt for a theme only that offers you documentation with the theme. For instance, education wordpress themes for education related businesses.
Some Alternative Resources:
- WPExplorer.com
- JustFreeThemes
- FabThemes
Is WordPress Losing Its Grip as a Free Theme Library?
If you’re looking for a free theme for your website, WP still holds the value for it. Indeed, some libraries are now available for people to see options, but they can’t compete with the giant – WordPress websites Perth.
WordPress has never-ending supplies and the most extensive libraries with countless themes available to customers. New theme resources are good at offering some great themes, but they can’t compete with WP.
WP has a checking infrastructure that has vigorous security checks. Regardless of what other platforms say about their authentication, most don’t have their quality check system. The quality of the theme, security, and best practices to build up a theme matter to WP, and it leaves no stone unturned in that regard.
Still, if you’re looking for options, go with a critical analytical mind, looking for everything needed to grow your business. Check the above list thoroughly.
Conclusion:
When WP came out, it turned into a giant very quickly. Its USPs were the customization, theme options, and support that offered people to trust it. Moreover, it is not a company but an open-source organization that lets people go with their best strengths in coding.
Indeed, there are alternatives to choose a WP theme from. However, you can’t put your trust in them completely. WP still is the king and the kingmaker in the custom WP theme industry.
