WordPress Theme vs Custom Development

So you have a great business idea or an existing website and want a new, slick-looking website. One way you can do this is by setting up a WordPress website. If you’ve spent time online, you may be aware that WordPress makes it easy for first-time website owners to set up their websites by picking out a theme and adding graphics and other elements to match their brand.

However, choosing a WordPress theme can be overwhelming. WordPress claims to be simple and easy for anyone to get up and running in no time. Maybe for a developer or someone with the proper technical ability, but for the average business owner that just wants to run their business, that isn’t you.

You can get lost in the sheer number of WordPress themes and plugins. The best themes are popular and used on many websites, meaning your business loses that custom look and unique branding, making it hard to stand out. You need design and coding skills if you want to customise your site’s look with WordPress.

The other option is to get a custom theme built to suit your exact business requirements. This is a great option but comes with its share of difficulties. How do you find a good developer? Can you afford a good developer? How do you even know if the work is good?

Let’s explore the good and bad points of WordPress themes and custom themes and help you choose the right option for your business.

Good Points of WordPress Themes

1. WordPress themes are easy to find and install. You can search for themes on the WordPress website or third-party websites. Once you’ve found a theme you like, all you need to do is download it and install it on your WordPress site.
2. WordPress themes are easy to customise. If you want to change the colours or layout of your WordPress site, you can usually do so without having to edit any code. Many themes come with options panels that let you make changes to the look of your site with just a few clicks.
3. WordPress themes are responsive. This means they will automatically adjust to different screen sizes, making them perfect for viewing on mobile devices. Mobile responsiveness is essential for modern sites, so it’s convenient to have the option available easily.
4. WordPress themes are generally very cheap or even free. If you want to spend a little money, you can find some great-looking premium themes, but plenty of high-quality free themes are also available.
5. WordPress themes are supported by a large community. If you need help with anything related to your theme, chances are you’ll be able to find it online.
6. There is no shortage of options available. No matter what type of site you want to create, there’s likely a WordPress theme that will suit your needs.

Bad Points of WordPress Themes

1. Often large and bloated with lots of unnecessary code. This can make your website slower and more challenging to work with. You can clean up the code with a plugin or by editing the theme files yourself, but that’s not something most people want to deal with. These themes often include many plugins and templates that can cause complex issues and security concerns if not updated regularly.
2. Many WordPress themes are poorly coded. This can cause problems with compatibility and security. A poorly coded theme can also make upgrading to newer WordPress versions difficult.
3. WordPress themes are often heavily customised by their owners, making it difficult for you to update them without breaking your site. If you do manage to update, you may lose all your customisations.
4. Theme vendors can disappear, leaving you unsupported and stuck if you need to fix problems. So if you have a theme that is no longer supported, you will need to find a replacement or hire someone to build you a custom theme. If you want to make significant changes to the look of your site, you will need to be comfortable working with code. If you’re not a developer, this can be a big obstacle.
5. A popular theme doesn’t mean it’s written well and securely. It’s always a good idea to do your research and make sure the theme is of good quality before using it on your site.
6. It can give a generic ‘WordPress’ look that people can quickly identify, lessening your business credibility. One of the most significant issues with choosing a WordPress theme is that some themes are too easily identified as a theme, which can lessen the effect of your branding. While you can easily change the colour and images to fit your brand’s needs, its structure and function will still feel like a theme, affecting your branding. You also risk looking too similar to other sites with the same theme and losing access to unique branding.

Good Points of Custom Development

1. A fully custom look that perfectly matches your brand. You won’t have to worry about your site looking like a WordPress site or like every other site that uses the same theme as you.
2. You can build in any features or functionality you need. If you need a specific feature or want something unavailable in any theme, you must develop it yourself or hire someone. If you try something new or different, you can do so without worrying about whether anyone has done it before.
3. Good designers will give you a modern (and not generic) look. If you want to avoid the issue of your site looking like a WordPress site, you need to find a good designer. With custom development, there is no limit to what your site can look like.
4. Well-developed custom sites use minimal templates and plugins, making them blazingly fast (better Google rankings). With custom development, you can avoid the bloat that comes with many WordPress themes. This will make your site faster and easier to use and improve your search engine rankings.
5. You are not tied to a specific theme or plugin. If you need to make changes to your site, you can do so without worrying about breaking something or losing your customisations.
6. Well-developed custom sites are easy to update, add to and alter. Since you are not using a theme or plugin, there are no updates to worry about. This can save you a lot of time and headaches down the road. Support is never an issue. If you have a problem with your site, you can fix it yourself or hire someone to do it for you.
7. Good developers make the codebase easy to read and simple for another developer to take over development. If you ever need to hire someone to work on your site, finding someone who can work with a well-developed custom site will be easier.
8. Issues can be solved immediately (without waiting for theme developers to respond and issue a fix). If you have a problem with your site, you can fix it yourself or hire someone to do it for you. A custom development team will know your business inside and out, making them a valuable asset that can help you grow your business. When you work with a custom development team, they will get to know your business and your goals. This can be a valuable asset as you grow your business.

Bad Points of Custom Development

1. Custom websites can be more expensive. If you want a custom website, you need to be prepared to pay for it. While the initial investment may be higher, a custom website can save you money in the long run.
2. Custom building a website can take weeks or months. A custom website will take longer to develop than a WordPress site. This is because everything needs to be built from scratch.
3. Quite a bit of input is required from you to get the site just right for your business. Since everything is being custom-built, you will need to provide a lot of input to get the site just right for your business. This can be time-consuming, but it is worth it in the end.
4. Finding someone with the specific skillset needed to develop a custom website while meeting your budget requirements can be challenging. While there are many WordPress developers, finding someone with the specific skillset required to create a custom website can be more difficult, especially if you have particular features in mind for it and a limited budget to work with.

Conclusion

As you can see, there is a bit to choosing the right option for your business. If you have a limited budget and branding, it may be better for you to buy a theme from a reputable vendor and spend some time learning how to set it up. If you have a larger business with changing requirements and established branding, finding a good local developer is probably a good idea.

Developers vary from sole freelancers to large digital studios; again, the decision will come down to your requirements and budget. Regardless, check their prior work and ensure they develop with accessibility, maintainability and SEO in mind.