{"id":164929,"date":"2017-06-10T13:00:58","date_gmt":"2017-06-10T13:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/premium.wpmudev.org\/blog\/?p=164929"},"modified":"2018-07-31T02:06:41","modified_gmt":"2018-07-31T02:06:41","slug":"finding-trustworthy-wordpress-themes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpmudev.com\/blog\/finding-trustworthy-wordpress-themes\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Find the Best (and Most Trustworthy) WordPress Themes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s say you\u2019ve researched the best free WordPress themes<\/a> and you\u2019re really excited about what you see. But then you remember there are a whole bunch of premium themes floating around out there, too.<\/p>\n

Updated 7\/30\/2018: We\u2019ve\u00a0discontinued Upfront<\/a>\u00a0in favor of supporting a bunch of other awesome\u00a0drag and drop page builders<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

While I\u2019m not one to discourage anyone from using a free theme, I do think it\u2019s important to survey the full landscape of offerings so you know what your options are. Free themes offer good opportunities to create beautifully designed websites. Premium themes\u2014especially ones that are multipurpose\u2014open up even more possibilities.<\/p>\n

The one problem I see with going the route of a premium WordPress theme, however, is the matter of convenience. Free WordPress themes have a single WordPress repository<\/a> where they\u2019re all stored, but premium themes can be found all over the place: theme marketplaces, membership sites, and even sometimes for sale on the developer\u2019s own website.<\/p>\n

So, how do you do a comprehensive search for the best free and<\/em> premium WordPress themes without driving yourself nuts in the process? The following guide covers all the questions you should ask yourself during this process. By understanding your site\u2019s needs, your limitations as a developer, and much more, you\u2019ll be able to more quickly and effectively track down the best and most trustworthy WordPress theme for your site.<\/p>\n

The 5 W\u2019s That Will Help You Find the Best and Most Trustworthy WordPress Theme<\/h2>\n

Alright, so we\u2019ve established that there is a multitude of themes to sift through and a number of different resources where they can be found. But your goal here isn\u2019t to narrow down that list simply to find one that works \u201cwell enough\u201d. You need a theme that jives the best with your business and<\/em> that\u2019s going to be trustworthy and reliable to a fault.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s face it, it\u2019s frustrating spending a lot of time searching for a theme. It\u2019s downright infuriating to spend even more time trying to troubleshoot a faulty theme only to have to ditch it and start the process over again. So, if you want to spare yourself the hassle of searching in the wrong places (or in too many places) and focusing on the wrong things, this guide will help you narrow down that search and properly assess a WordPress theme\u2019s quality before you begin.<\/p>\n

Who: The Theme\u2019s Developer<\/h3>\n

So, you want to know what makes a WordPress theme trustworthy. While there are a number of places you could look to make that assessment, the first place you should start is with the developer who built it. Any issues with the theme will ultimately point back to them, and so your assessment of a theme really needs to start with the person behind it.<\/p>\n

Here is what you need to know:<\/p>\n

Is the developer well-known and respected in the WordPress community?<\/b><\/p>\n

Check their profile on the platform on which you found the theme. On wordpress.org, you\u2019ll only be able to see the other themes they\u2019ve created, but that should be enough to tell you what sort of quality you\u2019re working with.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Post
Created by SketchThemes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

On other sites, you can get a more entailed bio and dig a little deeper into their credentials and accolades.<\/p>\n

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QuanticaLabs profile<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

What do other users of the theme say?<\/b><\/p>\n

Unless you\u2019re using a theme directly from a developer\u2019s site, there will be ratings and reviews from users. Check for common threads related to issues with their quality of coding.<\/p>\n

Do they provide support?<\/b><\/p>\n

Even with the most well-coded themes you may run into a glitch or simply need help sorting out an internal issue. Most developers of premium themes include support for at least a few months after purchase. There are some free theme developers who do, too. Check to see what their policy is and make sure that the response time in the support forum aligns with that promise.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll also want to know if they support the actual theme in terms of updates.<\/p>\n

\n
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Last Updated<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Ideally, any theme you use should be updated every time the WordPress core updates; if not, more frequently.<\/p>\n

What: The Theme\u2019s Features<\/h3>\n

Next up are the actual features of the WordPress theme. If you want something that is trustworthy, you shouldn\u2019t have to seek out the assistance of a dozen or so plugins to tick off all the features you want to utilize on your site. That would defeat the purpose of using a lightweight theme in the first place.<\/p>\n

Here is what you need to know:<\/p>\n

Would the original design suffice?<\/b><\/p>\n

Not that you would ever want to use a theme right out of the box, but if you had to do so in a pinch, would the basic design suffice? The reason you\u2019d even want to ask this is to gauge the developer\u2019s understanding of design best practices. If a theme is too complicated, utilizes low-resolution imagery, or has other major design no-nos, then it\u2019s not worth your time in trying to fix or personalize.<\/p>\n

Is it responsive?<\/b><\/p>\n

\n
\"Post
Responsive check<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>
\nTesting a WordPress theme for responsiveness before you purchase or download can be tough. While you could just trust that a theme marked \u201cresponsive\u201d actually is, it would be wiser to take one of two actions:<\/p>\n
    \n
  1. Open the preview of the theme in your browser window and minimize your screen to test the theme\u2019s adjustability (or just view the preview on your mobile device).<\/li>\n
  2. Check for roundups on the best free responsive themes<\/a> and the best premium responsive themes<\/a> for recommendations.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    How flexible is it?<\/b><\/p>\n

    While you might not know just yet all the functionality you want to build into your site, you\u2019ll at least have a good idea of the must-haves. Here are some things to consider:<\/p>\n