WordPress Custom Theme Guide
WordPress is the leading open source content management system. Over 50% of the world’s websites run on this content management system, making it an ideal choice if you want to create a new site. Being an open source platform has its limitations, one of which is that most websites look like the users of the site. This can be a downside, especially if you want a unique, high-brand website that stands out from the rest. Fortunately, you can still have a highly branded, unique site running on the WordPress platform thanks to custom themes.
What are custom WordPress themes?
Blog themes based on this content management system are generally categorized into free and premium themes. They are usually publicly available for download. WordPress custom templates, on the other hand, are premium templates that are not publicly available for download. These themes are specifically developed to meet the needs of a particular company.
Who Creates Custom WordPress Templates?
Custom templates can be developed by individual developers or agencies. The main qualification for a WordPress theme developer is an understanding of the content management system and the technologies used to build it, such as PHP, JavaScript, and CSS. The developed template must be compatible with one or more of the existing versions, as well as with the available plugins and widgets.
How much will it cost to have a theme developed?
As with other web design and development projects, a number of factors will determine how much a custom WordPress theme will cost. These factors include:
- Theme Specifications
- Expected duration of the project
- Whether you hire an individual developer or an agency
- Any additional services needed in addition to development.
Based on these and other factors, WordPress template development can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. It is also more expensive to develop a custom theme compared to buying a premium theme.
Is it worth investing in a custom WordPress theme?
While the high cost is the main downside associated with developing a custom theme, it becomes a worthwhile investment if you want the following.
1) A WordPress theme that truly belongs to you
Premium themes offer partial ownership. That is, you can customize the theme to meet the specific needs of your website. However, the theme remains the property of the developer who created it. Custom WordPress templates give you full ownership. Once the template is complete, the developer transfers ownership to it. In addition to making mods, you can now offer the theme for free or as a premium theme to others.
2) You need a unique and branded WordPress website
If you want a theme that has a unique feel to it and doesn’t look too much like the free and premium templates available, a custom template is a great option. Custom design templates give you more control over how your WordPress site will look once it’s complete. It also allows you to focus on specific functionality that you would like to have on your website, but that free or premium themes do not handle well.
If you want to launch a WordPress site and have financial resources, getting a custom template developed for the site is a good option. A custom theme offers better control and gives you full ownership of the template.