Before you ask, why only WordPress? It’s because I’ve only been following, researching and observing WordPress ever since I transitioned from being a MovableType to WordPress. Hence, this is my observation of the 3 most common wordpress theme types.
Type 1: Free WordPress themes
Image credits: Mariesol
WordPress has made itself super popular because of the many downloadable themes you can find all around the Web. Now, not only do designers/developers create WordPress themes from scratch to be released free.
But, other designers/developers modify and repackage these themes as something brand new as a free download. Some of them will credit the original theme author but some claim it as their own.
Type 2: Paid or Premium WordPress themes
The word premium is now commonly used by WordPress theme designers/developers to tell users they’re selling a WordPress theme. Premium WordPress themes have matured from only custom designed WordPress themes to flexible multi-optional WordPress themes.
Many WordPress theme designers/developers now like Woo Themes, Revolution Theme, Elegant Themes, Headway Themes, Thesis and the list goes on, have carved a new market for themselves.
Type 3: Custom WordPress themes
Image credits: Boopsiedaisy
The bridge between premium WordPress themes and custom WordPress themes is becoming shorter. Some premium WordPress themes do come with layout editors, but even these editors aren’t enough to fulfill the customization needs sometimes.
Which is why, some premium WordPress theme designers/developers also offer custom WordPress theme design services. And why not? They’ve already got a library of frameworks, scripts and good reputation to boot.
Wow, so what type of WordPress theme should I get?
It’s difficult to recommend the ideal choice. The best advice I’d give is find one which suits your needs, and budget. It’s not wrong starting with a free WordPress theme because it’s the content which matters. From there, you can look into either a premium WordPress theme or a custom WordPress there.
But if you do invest in a premium WordPress theme, always ensure they’ve got great support. Otherwise, you could be left in the dark part of the way.