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 option if you want to build a new site. Being an open source platform has its limitations one of which being that majority of the websites look similar to site users. This can be a disadvantage especially if you want a highly branded and unique website that stands out from the rest. Luckily, you can still have a unique and highly branded site that runs on the WordPress platform thanks to custom themes.
What are custom WordPress Themes?
Themes for blogs built upon this content management system are usually categorized into free and premium themes. These are usually publicly available for download. Custom WordPress templates on the other hand are premium templates which aren’t publicly available for download. These themes are specifically developed to suit a particular business’ needs.
Who creates custom WordPress templates?
Custom templates can be developed by individual developers or agencies. The main qualification for a WordPress template developer is an understanding of the content management system and technologies used to built it such as PHP, JavaScript and CSS. The template developed must be compatible to one or more of the existing versions as well as the available plugins and widgets.
How much will it cost to have a theme developed?
Like with other web design and development projects, a number of factors will go into determining how much a custom WordPress theme will cost. These factors include:
- Theme specifications
- Expected project duration
- Whether you hire an individual developer or agency
- Any additional services needed besides the development
Based on these and other factors, WordPress template development can cost anything between a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. It’s also more expensive to have a custom theme developed compared to buying a premium theme.
It is worth investing in a custom template for WordPress?
While high cost is the main disadvantage associated with having a custom theme developed, it becomes a worthwhile investment if you want the following.
1) A WordPress theme that you truly own
Premium themes offer partial ownership. That is, you can customize the theme to meet your website’s specific needs. However, the theme is still owned by the developer that created it. Custom templates for WordPress offer you full ownership. Once the template is complete, the developer passes ownership to you. Besides making modifications, you can now offer the theme for free or as a premium theme to others.
2) Need a unique and brandable WordPress website
If you want a theme that has a unique feel and doesn’t look too much like the available premium and free templates, a custom template is a great option. Custom design templates give you more control over how the WordPress site will look after it’s complete. It also allows you to focus on specific functionalities you’d want in your website but aren’t well handled by free or premium themes.
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 total ownership over the template.