Since WordPress is the most used open-source content management on the web, you can expect to find thousands of free, freemium, and premium plugins and themes to customize your website. In fact, there are an estimated 50,000 different plugins and themes available.
Free plugins and themes are usually found on the WordPress.org repo and can be downloaded directly from your admin dashboard. Freemium and premium options (like those from ThemeREX) are usually downloaded directly from the author. A number of different licenses are usually available that provide varying degrees of extended functionality.
Why Should I Pay for WordPress Themes & Plugins?
There are great free options with WordPress, but there are even better-paid options that businesses should consider purchasing for their website.
Here are 10 reasons why you should pay for a premium WordPress product instead of relying on the free version:
You Need Help
1. You Need Help
Most premium WordPress themes are available with guaranteed support. If you run into any problems, help is available. There are some free themes that offer support, but it’s not priority support, so you’re at the mercy of the developer. On the other hand, premium plugins for WordPress feature premium support, so you can get answers to your questions and support, and get back to what you were doing (in hours not days).
2. Stay Up-To-Date
Keeping your software current is important. When WordPress has updates available, themes and plugins also have to be updated. Sometimes the updates are minor, but other times, these updates include new features, and previous features may be removed. If you’re using free plugins and a developer is not available to make the necessary updates, you will not have access to beneficial features, and the plugin may eventually stop working altogether.
3. Much Better Quality
Free WordPress plugins are known for having little to no features and sometimes are even poorly coded. In this situation, you get what you pay for, so premium WordPress plugins and themes are a necessity if you want quality features. If you’re trying to operate a successful business, you have to pay the cost to be the boss.
4. Be More Authentic
You want your business to stand out in customer’s minds, and it’s difficult to do that if you’re using a theme that several other businesses are using. There will always be a few good free themes available, but by the time you’re ready to install and use the theme, other businesses have already jumped on the bandwagon. When you’re using premium themes, you have a variety of options, and these themes are not used as much as free themes. Another perk of premium themes is the customizable options. Premium WordPress themes feature tons of customizable options that help you maintain a website that looks unique.
5. Stay Safe and Secure
Free WordPress themes, especially those found outside the WordPress theme directory, may sometimes include malicious code. Although these issues have gotten better over time, they still can be a serious threat to your WordPress website. Hackers like to target people who use free themes and sabotage those themes using various tricks that compromise the safety and security of your site.
6. Peace of Mind
There’s nothing better than having peace of mind with your business. Operating and maintaining a business is hard work, and using themes and plugins that are not safe or secure keeps your mind racing each time you need to update it or make specific changes. When you have peace of mind, your mind is free to focus on other important aspects of running a business.
7. Support the Community
When you pay for premium WordPress plugins, you’re supporting the WordPress community. This software project exists because people like you decide to pay for premium features, so it’s a win-win situation for everyone.
8. Better Site
Using premium WordPress plugins, themes, and other products helps you provide your customers with an excellent site. Excellent user experiences help your business thrive and reach new measures of success. Customers appreciate when your site works as it should, so they can get what they need when they need it.
9. Sense of Pride
You worked hard to get your business up and running and functioning. Having a functional website is the icing on the cake for business success. It allows you to connect with people around the world and expand your business. A working website is essential for business growth, especially if you sell products with WooCommerce or use courses with an online course platform like LifterLMS. Using premium WordPress products gives you the tools and features you need to succeed.
10. Excellent Customer Service
Being able to give your customers what they need is priceless. When you create a website that puts customer’s needs first, you’re ensuring you don’t lose customers to the competition. You can add different plugins you need as they are developed to make sure you continuously provide your customers with quality features and support when they need it.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that premium WordPress products are worth the money. Although free WordPress plugins are available, you don’t get enough features and support to effectively run and maintain your business. Premium WordPress plugins give you everything you need, plus a variety of extras that also help boost your business.
There are a lot of premium plugins and themes available, so take your time and choose the ones that best suit your business and help you achieve your goals.
